Leopoldo opened his mouth, then awkwardly set the spoon down. "Sorry... I forgot."

"It's fine." Since I had already decided to leave, those small details no longer mattered.

On the drive back, I leaned against the seat, exhausted.

Suddenly, chaos erupted outside.

Gunfire exploded from all directions, and bullets slammed into the car without pause.

We were forced to a screeching stop.

I ducked instinctively and scanned our surroundings.

The shots kept coming. After receiving the alert, armed guards rushed in and took cover behind our vehicle.

"It's those bastards from the Reina family!" Leopoldo drew his gun, ready to return fire.

Elena screamed in terror and clung to him, refusing to let go. "Don Vece, don't leave me. I'm scared!"

Seeing her trembling uncontrollably, he shielded her with his own body.

A bullet tore into his shoulder, yet he didn't make a sound.

Around us, the sharp stench of gasoline grew stronger.

"This is bad. The car's going to blow. We need to break out now." My back pressed against the door as I stared straight at Leopoldo.

Still holding Elena, he clearly sensed the danger too.

With gunfire this dense, leaving the cover of the car meant getting riddled with bullets. But if we stayed, the explosion would kill us all.

Elena sobbed softly, clutching him even tighter.

Leopoldo fell silent.

Then, at last, he tightened his arms around the woman in his embrace. His voice was hoarse but unmistakably clear when he spoke to me. "Elena has never been through a shooting. I'll get her out first and come back for you."

In that instant, my entire body went cold as I stared at him in disbelief.

He ordered the guards to give him full cover, then leaped out with Elena in his arms without looking back even once.

At the same time, an explosion roared behind us. A wave of heat slammed into me, hurling me violently to the ground.

The last image that flashed through my mind before everything went black was Leopoldo clutching Elena tightly as he ran toward safety.

He never looked back.

I lay sprawled on the freezing pavement, hearing the Soldati shout in panic, before darkness swallowed me whole.

When I woke up again, I was in a hospital ward.

My injuries had already been treated, but the moment I shifted even slightly, a sharp, tearing pain shot through my back.

Leopoldo sensed the movement and immediately looked up. His eyes were bloodshot, his face shadowed with unshaven stubble.

When he saw that I was awake, he leaned closer, concern written all over his face.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

I let out a cold laugh, but when I tried to speak, my throat was too hoarse for words.

Leopoldo softened his tone and began to explain. "Elena doesn't know how to protect herself, and she's supposed to donate a kidney to Raffaello. I didn't have a choice. I had to save her first. I'm sorry you got hurt."

I tugged at the corner of my mouth and finally spoke, my voice rough and dry. "Leopoldo, if the kidney donation wasn't an issue, who would you have saved first?"

He froze, and a suffocating silence stretched between us.

In the end, he still answered, "I-I would've saved you."

I smiled, but my heart felt as if it were being torn apart.

Because I knew—the few seconds of hesitation had already told me everything.

Leopoldo's phone rang.

I could hear Elena's voice through the speaker. "Don Vece, I'm so scared. Every time I close my eyes, I hear gunshots. Can you come stay with me?"

At that, he looked toward me.

I closed my eyes and nodded weakly. "Go. I'm fine here."

He let out a breath of relief. "Call me if you need anything."

Then he hurried out.

A dull ache pulsed through my wounds as I drifted back into sleep.

Over the next few days, Leopoldo never returned to the hospital.

"I'm dealing with those bastards," he texted by way of explanation.

I didn't bother questioning it. Just as I was about to put my phone away, I caught sight of Elena's latest post.

A diamond necklace glittered against her pale neck, her smile sweet and radiant.

The caption read, "Gracias, Don Vece. The necklace is beautiful."

I zoomed in on the photo, and that was when it hit me.

That necklace was the coming-of-age gift Raffaello had given me.

Raffaello had lived his entire life frugally. Every cent he owned went into helping orphans.

The diamond pendant on that necklace was tiny, but it was the only piece of jewelry he had ever bought for me after emptying his savings. After his death, it was all I had left of him.

Even if my love with Leopoldo had already rotted away, that necklace was my last remaining tie to family in this world. How could he give it to Elena?

I clenched my teeth through the pain, dragged myself out of bed, and went straight to Elena's place.

She was lounging on the bed, letting a maid feed her grapes one by one, all the while admiring the necklace with smug satisfaction.

The moment she saw me, her expression shifted. She instantly put on a pitiful act, clutched the necklace, and pressed it beneath her body. "Signora Conti, why are you here?"

My eyes were bloodshot as I held out my hand. "Leopoldo isn't here, so you can drop your act. I'm here to take the necklace back."

Elena's lips curved upward before smoothing back into place.

She barely moved her mouth, silently shaping the words for me to read. "That won't do. Don Vece likes me exactly like this."

Then tears welled up in her eyes. She shook her head weakly. "I can't give it to you. I was traumatized by the shooting, so Leopoldo gave me that necklace to comfort me.

"He's already given you so many things. Please don't fight me over this one."

"That's mine!" I snapped through clenched teeth. "If you want to seduce Leopoldo, that's your business. But that necklace was my father's coming-of-age gift for me. You can ask for anything else. This necklace isn't even worth much money.

"Give it back."

I stepped forward and reached for it.

But Elena suddenly twisted aside. Her lips curled as she silently mouthed another silent sentence. "If you want it so badly, catch it."

Then she flung the necklace straight out the window.

"No!"

I didn't think. I lunged forward on instinct.

The necklace vanished into the storm drain below, and I slammed hard onto the concrete.

When I woke up again, thick bandages were wrapped around my head, and pain locked my body in place.

Leopoldo didn't stand. He just sat beside the bed, his brows drawn together. "Do you have to jump from a building for a necklace?"

I said hoarsely, "That was the only piece of jewelry my father ever gave me. Why did you give it to Elena?"

Leopoldo paused, then waved it off casually. "She was shaken. None of the jewelry I picked out appealed to her. She only liked that one.

"Besides, you never even wore it. It's just a necklace. Once Raffaello recovers, you can ask him for as many as you want."

Just a necklace?

I never wore it because I treasured it too much and couldn't bear the thought of losing it.

Leopoldo knew nothing.

All his attention was on Elena. Even now, he still didn't know Raffaello was already dead. He didn't know that I would never receive another gift from him.

My chest felt as though it were being crushed. My lips trembled, but no words came out.

Leopoldo mistook my silence for guilt. He stood and said lightly, "Alright. If you like it that much, I'll buy two identical ones. One for each of you.

"Elena was so frightened by you that she's been saying strange things. She's hospitalized too. I'm going to check on her."

Before I could respond, his footsteps were already fading away.

He left without hesitation.

A week later, I was finally discharged.

As expected, Leopoldo wasn't home.

It was better that way since I didn't need to avoid anyone. I packed quickly.

The drawers and closets were filled with couture dresses, handbags, and jewelry Leopoldo had given me over the years.

Back then, he had chosen every gift with care. He used to say, "Family affairs matter, but so does every detail of your life."

What he once felt for me had been real, and the fact that it was gone now was just as real.

None of the gifts were worth taking with me anymore.

I took only what I had brought with me before the marriage, packed quickly, and stepped out of the room. But on the way out, I ran straight into Elena.

Her eyes were red as she hurried over and grabbed my arm. "Signora Conti, please don't force me to donate my kidney right now..."

I shook her off, baffled. "What are you trying to do this time?"

Her pitiful expression vanished instantly, replaced by a cold smile. "So you noticed."

Then she stepped backward and deliberately threw herself down the stairs before shouting, "Signora Conti, don't!"

Her scream reached Leopoldo just as he arrived home.

"Lucia, what did you do?" Leopoldo roared, sprinting over and scooping Elena into his arms.

The staircase wasn't tall, and she wasn't even bleeding.

Yet she was drenched in tears and curled up in Leopoldo's arms like a frightened kitten. Her small hand clutched his sleeve, her face twisted as if she were on the verge of death.

"I'm sorry. Signora Conti wants me to donate my kidney right now, but I'm really not ready."

"I know," Leopoldo said, his face full of concern.

Those hands that had decided life and death so many times were trembling now as he wiped away her tears. "No one can force you. Leave everything to me."

As he spoke, he lifted Elena into his arms and turned to leave. He didn't even notice me coming down the stairs.

"She did it on purpose—" I tried to explain, but Leopoldo, frantic with worry for the woman in his arms, slammed into me without a second thought.

The back of my head cracked against the stairs, and the wound split open again.

He was already consumed by the woman he was holding. How could he possibly see me?

Blood seeped steadily from the wound. I struggled to my feet, clutching my head as I went to call the driver to take me to the hospital—only to stop at the door.

By the car, the two of them were locked in an embrace.

Leopoldo held Elena gently, his voice low and soothing. "Don't be afraid. I've already found another donor for Raffaello. You won't have to give up your kidney anymore."

Elena hesitated. "But Signora Conti said—"

His expression hardened instantly. "Ignore her. If she dares pressure you again, I'll make her pay."

She cried even harder, tears splashing onto his hand. "But I'm still scared. If I'm no longer the donor, what reason do I have to stay by your side?"

Leopoldo chuckled softly and pinched her nose with indulgent affection. "So that's what you're worried about. Silly girl, I can bring you into the Vece family and make you my personal assistant."

As he spoke, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, his voice filled with quiet certainty. "That way, you'll have every reason to stay with me."

I stood there, frozen, as a bone-deep chill swept through my body.

So he had already planned everything for her. He had already made room for her in his future—the place that once belonged to me.

Fine.

Then my future would no longer include him.

I laughed out loud, even as tears slid from the corners of my eyes.

Over the next few days, I finished packing, and my wounds scabbed over once more.

The villa was left with nothing but the silent Soldati standing guard—and me.

I stood by the window, watching the leaves fall one by one, just like my love, which had withered away completely.

At last, the month was up.

Marianna arrived at the villa in person. "The divorce is finalized. This is the compensation we agreed on."

She tossed a card onto the table, a satisfied smile lifting her chin. "You can leave now."

I took the divorce papers and the card, feeling unexpectedly light.

I nodded solemnly. "You don't need to worry. Once I leave, I'll never appear by his side again."

With that, I lifted my suitcase and walked out the front door.

Fine snow drifted down from the sky, just like the day we first met ten years ago.

As I stepped into the boarding area, my phone vibrated.

It was a message from Leopoldo.

"Elena's injured and isn't fit for surgery. But it's fine. I've already found a new donor for Raffaello. Are you at the villa? I'll send a driver to take you to the hospital so we can discuss the procedure."

I raised my hand and deleted the message. Then I blocked Leopoldo as well.

"Goodbye," I murmured, "my mistake of a love."