The memory of their distorted faces from my past life made my fists clench.

But God has given me a chance to start over. I will not repeat the same mistakes.

Before my return, I had already sent a letter to the family lawyer. Tomorrow, he would deliver the annulment papers.

Since Marco couldn't forget Bianca even in death, I will grant him his wish.

I walked up to Bianca and studied the seemingly fragile woman. I gave a faint smile and said, "So, you're the replacement Mamma that Marco found. You're quite beautiful. A good match for him. Why don't we just…"

Before the words "annul our marriage" could leave my lips.

Marco immediately rushed over, shielding Bianca behind him.

"What do you want with Bianca?"

I had returned from the brink of death, yet there wasn't a trace of joy in his eyes, only bone-chilling coldness and suspicion.

He habitually shielded Bianca behind him, his hand instinctively reaching for the gun under his suit.

It wasn't until he noticed the wounds all over my body that a fleeting look of pity flashed in his eyes.

His tone softened slightly. "Alessia, I know you've been through hell. But Bianca is only here to look after Nico. You will not use your position as Donna to intimidate her."

I hadn't done a thing, but in his eyes, I was already guilty. It was agonizingly clear where his heart lay.

"It's not like that..."

Before I could explain, a sharp pain shot through the back of my head.

A heavy metal toy car had struck my head, and blood trickled down my hair, dripping onto the floor.

Nico stood before me, glaring at me with hatred.

"Don't you touch my Mamma, you witch! Apologize to her! Kneel and apologize, or I'll make you sorry!"

His fearless demeanor truly had the makings of a future Don.

It reminded me of the past.

Family rules dictated that to become the heir, one had to pass a series of cruel tests.

That year, when Nico was only five, he was taken to the training grounds by the family's Capos for his heir's training, with no rest, from the blistering heat of summer to the freezing cold of winter.

It broke my heart to watch him.

So, every night, I trained with him. I would be covered in bruises from our sparring.

Marco would carefully apply ointment to my bruises, hold me in his arms, and whisper, "A wife as fierce and devoted as you… I'm the luckiest man alive."

Nico used to cling to me too, calling me "the best mom" over and over.

That warmth felt like it was just yesterday. But after only three years apart, everything had changed.

Marco had a new love and had completely erased me from his heart. The same ruthlessness I'd taught him was now aimed at me.

A bitter ache clenched my chest.

But having learned my lesson from my past life, I didn't scream or cause a scene. I accepted it all calmly.

I looked at the wary faces around me and said flatly, "You've misunderstood. Marco, I didn't come back to fight with Bianca over anything. I'm here to request an annulment."

When Marco heard this, an inscrutable expression flickered in his cold eyes.

Before he could speak, my mother grabbed my hand, her eyes welling with tears.

"No! Your marriage to Marco is sacred! You've loved him since you were a girl. How can you speak of annulment?"

From the moment I was born, my fate has always been tied to Marco's.

We were the golden couple of the Chicago underworld, admired by all. I once loved him beyond all reason.

We had sworn a blood oath before the Virgin Mary to love only each other for a lifetime.

That was the first time I saw him cry.

After that, our days were filled with a sweet peace.

Until one day, while we were out surveying our territory, we were ambushed by the Rinaldi family. I stayed behind to cover his retreat and was taken captive.

Marco lay in a pool of his own blood, watching the enemy's car disappear into the distance. In his rage and grief, he swore to rescue me, no matter the cost.

But he broke his vow.

In the three years I was gone, he fell in love with someone else, forgetting that I was still languishing in hell, waiting for him to save me.

In my past life, Marco's breathing grew shallow against my back. Before he died, he used his last ounce of strength to speak.

"Alessia… I did love you… but that's… in the past. The three years you were gone… it tore my heart out every day. It was Bianca… she was there for me. She filled the void for Nico. She's… the most important person in my life now. Let my life… be my repayment. If… if there's a next life… don't come between me and Bianca."

He whispered one last sentence, his voice barely a breath.

"Bianca, I'm coming for you."

Then, he died on my back.

A torrential downpour began. Rain, blood, and mud mixed together.

Yet, all I felt was an endless, hollow desolation.

Clutching Marco's body, I cried out in agony.

"Why? I'm your wife! I saved your life! And still… the only one in your heart is her? The woman you knew for three years? We were so in love… how did we end up like this?"

A corpse offers no answers. All I could do was clutch his body as it grew cold and stiff in my arms.

Marco would rather join Bianca in death than live with me.

This time, I wouldn't lie to myself anymore.

Since being with Bianca was what he wanted, I would grant him his wish.

"That's all in the past. I don't love him anymore. Besides, Bianca is the one he loves now. As long as she's here, he'll never forget her. Are you really prepared to cast her out, to let our enemies hunt her down?"

The moment my mother heard the words "cast her out," she panicked, pulling Bianca into her arms, her voice trembling.

"Cast her out? How can you be so heartless? Bianca is my daughter too! Sending her away is no different from killing her."

She endlessly soothed the softly weeping Bianca in her arms, with a tenderness she never showed me.

I shook my head with a bitter smile.

If my own mother could abandon her daughter for her own benefit, how could I possibly believe Marco's lies of an everlasting love?

But it didn't matter anymore. After tonight, I would be free.

I would be free of this family that had never truly loved me.

Just then, Bianca wiped her tears and walked toward me. A few steps away, she suddenly covered her nose and mouth in disgust.

"I know you resent me for taking your place, and it's only natural that you hate me. But as the family's Donna, appearing before everyone dressed like this is not only a disgrace to yourself but to the entire Galliano family."

Saying this, she took my hand, putting on a gentle expression.

"Let me help you get into some clean clothes. Marco has bought me so many new things, the closet is overflowing. Please, pick anything you like. Consider it my apology."

Whispers rippled through the crowd, every word filled with disgust for me and praise for Bianca's kindness.

I had seen this performance a hundred times.

In my past life, it was Bianca's schemes that had turned everyone against me.

But now, I saw through it all, and I no longer cared what they said.

God had given me a second chance. This life, I would live for myself.

Just then, the chapel bells rang out, a fitting herald for my new beginning. I would never again shed a tear for any of them.