I struggled with all my might and broke free from the man's grip. But I had barely taken a few steps when someone else slashed my back.

The pain made me stagger, and I fell to my knees. In an instant, my clothes were drenched in warm blood.

I knew it was one of Antonio's enemies. The underground casinos in Oldshore had claimed so much territory that the list of people who wanted him or anyone else close to him dead could stretch for miles.

I tried reaching for the knife in my bag, but my arm was wrenched back. They then snatched my phone and smashed it into pieces.

"You wretched woman! Behave!" a man snarled, yanking my hair as he dragged me toward a black SUV parked by the curb.

Just as I was about to give up, a familiar black Bentley turned the corner. It was Antonio's car.

"Antonio!" I screamed hoarsely.

I summoned the last of my strength and thrashed desperately, trying to get the attention of whoever was inside.

Then, the car slowed. He must have seen me!

But the next second, the Bentley accelerated, vanishing from the intersection.

Through the window, I saw Antonio raise a hand to shield Silvia's eyes. Almost immediately, every fight and shred of hope drained from me.

Of course. Since Silvia was in the car, there was no way Antonio would let someone so pure and delicate witness such a gruesome scene.

Pain and cold washed over me. My vision darkened, and the metallic tang of blood clouded my mind as I drifted toward unconsciousness.

…

When I came to, I found myself in a private hospital room.

The door was slightly ajar, and a low voice slipped into the room. "Boss, Mrs. Gallo's badly hurt this time. If she finds out about Ms. Bianchi…"

It was Antonio's personal doctor.

But before he could finish, Antonio cut him off coldly, "Watch your mouth! Your job is to treat Valentina. Don't interfere where it's none of your business!

"Besides, Valentina has been running the streets for years. She has seen every ruthless trick imaginable. But Silvia is different. She's pure and innocent. She can't handle Valentina."

Antonio stubbed out his cigar before lowering his voice even further. "If she makes a fuss when she wakes, bring her brother here. He's her only weakness. There's no way she'd ignore him."

I clenched my fists until my nails dug into my palms, the metallic tang of blood spreading in my mouth.

On the night I helped Antonio take down Oldshore's largest casino, he dropped to one knee and promised me, "Valentina, as long as I'm around, no one in Oldshore's underworld will touch you."

It was the same promise and the same protection. Yet now, they were meant for Silvia.

Meanwhile, I, the one he had once cherished above all else, had become the danger he needed to guard against.

Just then, footsteps approached. I quickly closed my eyes, pretending I had just woken.

"You're awake," said Antonio. "I sent someone to check. It was the Montezaran you crippled at the casino last time."

He came to the bedside, dropped a folder onto the bed, and added, "If you sign this settlement, they'll give up control of the east side."

Our eyes met, but I couldn't speak. As it turned out, all my injuries were nothing more than bargaining chips in his business dealings.

"Antonio, when did you make this deal?" I croaked.

Was it when they were dragging me along the street? Or when he learned the Montezaran was going to strike me?

Antonio frowned in response. Clearly, he was displeased by my question.

Seeing that, I let out a self-deprecating chuckle and stopped asking. After all, the answer no longer mattered.

…

Perhaps to comfort me, Antonio stayed with me for the next two days, handling business as best he could.

He was never without his phone. Still, he would look at it and smile in a way I had never seen before.

As I stared at Antonio's profile, memories of our first meeting ten years ago came flooding back.

Back then, he had been caught cheating and was being hunted. His body was covered in blood as he hid under an abandoned iron bridge.

I had been on my way to practice piano, but when our eyes met, I felt a surge of pity and turned toward him. Little did I know I was stepping into an abyss.

Later, my father had accumulated massive gambling debts and was driven to his death by a drug lord.

I, on the other hand, was taken to pay off his debts.

A poisoned syringe hovered over my vein, and at the very last moment, Antonio arrived with reinforcements and saved me. He even took a bullet to the chest protecting me.

Standing outside the operating room, I realized for the first time that in his world, innocence and kindness were useless.

From then on, I was no longer a celebrated pianist. Instead, I had become a feared gunwoman in the underworld.

I assembled guns for Antonio, dismantled bombs, and seized one casino after another.

I knew my hands were stained with blood and dirt, marks that would never wash away. But no matter how much the world deemed me tainted, he had no right to.

After I was discharged, Antonio claimed he was tied up with casino operations and never showed up again.

As for me, I went to a church and asked a priest to say a Mass for the child I had lost. I wasn't religious, but I still hoped my baby was at peace.

When I pushed the door open, I saw Silvia at the piano, accompanying the children's choir.

The last chord rang out, but it hit a wrong note, jarring against the melody.

Before I knew what I was doing, I stepped forward, pressed the right key, and said, "It should be played like this."

Silvia didn't know who I was. When she looked at me, her eyes were bright with innocence.

"You play the piano?" she asked. "No wonder… I always mess up at this part."

A faint smile touched my lips, and Silvia fell into easy conversation with me.

As soon as she learned that I had come for the child I had lost, tears welled up in her eyes. Then, she dropped to her knees at the altar and prayed with all her heart.

"Please, let this child's soul find peace. Watch over this mother who has suffered. Keep her safe and healthy."

I stood rooted to the spot. Suddenly, a thought surfaced in my mind.

I wanted to warn Silvia to stay away from Antonio. After all, he was a heartless man. His gentleness was nothing but poison beneath a layer of sweetness.

But when my gaze fell on her pregnant stomach, the words caught in my throat.

If Silvia learned who I really was, she would break things off with Antonio without hesitation. And when that happened, he'd come after me like a madman.

The memory of Paolo's brutal death in my past life came rushing back, and I shuddered violently. There was only one day left. I couldn't gamble with my life or his.

Using confession as an excuse, I slipped into the confessional booth.

After I had collected myself, I stepped back out, only to feel a cold gun barrel pressed against my temple.

I turned around and saw that Silvia had already slumped to the floor.

Just as I was about to make my move, someone slammed their gun into the back of my neck, and everything went dark.

…

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in an abandoned warehouse. Both Silvia and I were tied to a pillar.

"Who are you? Why did you abduct us?" Silvia asked, sobbing softly.

In the next instant, someone struck her hard across the face.

The leader, a man with a scar on his face, grabbed Silvia by the hair and forced her to look up. He snarled, "It's all because of your fiance, Antonio! He took over my turf on the east side and killed my income! Aren't you the one he cares about? I'm going to make you suffer, little by little!"

So, they were from a gang on the east side. Antonio had only recently acquired that territory using my settlement agreement.

Fortunately, they didn't recognize me. But Silvia, who had been at his side lately, became their target.

I subtly flexed my wrists, using the tiny blade hidden beneath my nail to cut through the ropes. Having lived for years on the edge of danger, I always made sure to leave myself a way out.

When he saw that I was awake, Scarface spat at me. "You picked the wrong woman to be around. Call your family and tell them to bring 800 thousand Artherian dollars. If not, they can come collect your body."

Tears streamed down Silvia's face as she choked out, "I-I'm so sorry, Ms. Romano. I got you involved. But don't be afraid. My fiance will come and save us soon!"

Her eyes shone with trust, as if Antonio were her savior.

I didn't respond. Instead, I quickened my pace and cut the ropes faster.

Out of nowhere, Scarface lashed out. He kicked over an oil drum and bellowed, "Antonio doesn't believe me? Fine! I'll send him something he won't forget!"

As he spoke, he drew a knife, his cold and vicious gaze lingering on Silvia's belly.

"Get over here!" Scarface barked. "Cut that bastard out of her and send it to Antonio! Let him see it for himself."

My heart sank at once. If Silvia died here today, Antonio would make sure I paid for it.

Silvia shrank back in terror, pleading, "N-No… Please, don't hurt my child!"

Silvia cried pitifully, looking every bit the terrified prey. Yet, the sight of her stirred the men's savage instincts.

"Boss, this one looks promising. Why don't we have some fun first?" one of them growled.

At that moment, I wrenched free and leaped forward, elbow slamming into Scarface's jaw. With my other hand, I snatched his knife, swiftly cut through Silvia's ropes, and shielded her behind me.

Scarface clutched his jaw and roared, "Shit! Kill her!"

All at once, several burly men lunged at me.

I reacted quickly and took down the first man to charge. However, I was no match for four attackers. Blows rained down relentlessly. Even so, I bore the brunt, keeping Silvia pressed safely into the corner.

"Ms. Romano… Please, stop. I'm begging you… Let her go," Silvia pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

But Scarface had lost his patience. He clicked the gun into place, then aimed it at me. "You wretch! You're asking for it!"

Just as he pulled the trigger, a deafening blast thundered from the warehouse doors.

All heads whipped toward the entrance as Antonio and his men stormed in. In an instant, gunfire erupted.

Antonio barreled toward us like an enraged lion and scooped Silvia into his arms, murmuring, "It's okay, Silvia. I'm here."

She sobbed until she fainted in his arms. Then, he lifted her carefully into the car, gently brushing away her tears.

A beat later, he turned and strode toward me.

"Valentina," Antonio called out, his voice soft but laced with an icy edge. "What are you doing here?"

I forced myself upright, wincing against the pain, and met his scrutinizing gaze.

"Would you believe me if I said I just happened to be here?" I asked with a wry smile.

My words barely left my lips before a slap landed across my face. I crashed to the floor, blood trickling from the corner of my mouth.

"Valentina Romano! When did you start believing in God?" Antonio asked sharply.

I spat out the blood, but in the end, I never spoke of the mass I held for my child.

Right then, Antonio grabbed one of the barely conscious attackers from the floor. He pressed his gun to the man's head and demanded, "Who sent you?"

The man shuddered, eyes wide with terror. Clinging to his last shred of hope, he glanced at me. "I-It was her! She paid us to teach that woman a lesson!"

My heart sank at once, and my blood ran cold.

Antonio let out a chuckle. Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger and tossed the body aside.

After that, he crouched, crushing my fingers under his boot. Agony tore through me, and I screamed.

He let out a sigh. "Valentina, your hands used to do exactly as I willed. Why are they now hurting the woman I love most?"

He then drew a knife and added, "You scared my Silvia. Now, you'll pay with what you treasure most."

The blade shone with an icy glint. As soon as Antonio finished speaking, he plunged it into my palm, pinning it to the cold concrete floor.

Pain wracked me. My body convulsed as I screamed, nearly blacking out.

Even then, I remembered Antonio from years ago. He had kissed my hand and said, "Valentina's hands are for playing the piano. Anyone who touches them will pay with their lives."

"Antonio Gallo! I hate you! I never should've saved you ten years ago. And I never should've helped you take control of Oldshore!" I spat, my voice raw with despair.

Ten years ago, I had saved him. But in doing so, I had stepped straight into hell. And now, ten years later, he was the one who cut the last tie between us.

At that point, Antonio had turned to leave. His steps faltered briefly, yet he never looked back.

…

As the searing pain gave way to icy numbness, I used my left hand to fish a micro-tracker from beneath my clothes and pressed it with trembling fingers.

Before long, Luca hurried over with a medical kit. Tears welled up in his eyes when he saw the state I was in. Then, he carefully pulled out the knife.

My right hand was mangled, bloodied, and completely numb.

"Burn everything and wipe out every trace of me," I ordered. "From this day forward, there is no Valentina Romano, the gunwoman in Oldshore."

My voice was weak, yet it carried a resolve I had never known.