For four years I was his secretary, and for four years I warmed his bed. I knew everything, from his family business to the secrets he whispered to me at night.

But to him, I was nothing more than a toy he could summon whenever he pleased. The moment his first love, Sofia Costa, flew back into the country, he humiliated me without a second thought.

He kissed her in a Sicilian church, abandoned me on a rain-soaked road with a gash ten inches long on my calf, and later dismissed me with a cold, cutting line. He said I was someone unimportant, someone he could simply ignore.

She waved the tulip plush he'd given her in front of me. "I'm the only one he loves. You were just a stand-in."

While I rebuilt my life in Chicago and finally found some peace, this ruthless Mafia don knelt outside my door, eyes red with emotion.

"Elena, come back to me."

I kicked his hand away with a smile. "Your so-called devotion disgusts me."

When the Valeri Family's personnel office called, I was busy packing up my things in the annex of Valeri Estate.

"Ms. Carter, your request to leave the family has been approved by Don Valeri, but he didn't realize it was you. Do you want me to let him know?"

I paused for a moment, then replied softly, "No, it's fine. Leave it be."

The person on the line pressed on, "Ms. Carter—Elena, you've been his secretary for four years, and you're his most trusted personal assistant. Maybe you should think this over."

I laughed softly. "My father isn't well, so I need to return to Chicago for an arranged marriage. Don't worry, I'll hand everything over properly when I leave in a month."

After hanging up, memories flooded back.

Eight years ago, I got into New York University and became best friends with Luna Valeri, which was how I met her older brother, Cesare Valeri.

After graduation, Luna went abroad to study. I sent my resume to the Valeri Family and became Cesare's secretary, just to see him more often.

At a Family celebration one night, Cesare had been drugged. I was about to call the Family's private doctor when he pressed me against the wall and kissed me. One night of tangled sheets later, he handed me an envelope stuffed with cash.

He said, "Last night was an accident. I have someone I care about, and I won't be responsible for you. Just pretend nothing happened last night."

I mustered my courage and called after him, "I don't want your money. I just want a chance. If she doesn't come back, or... if she does and you're still hung up on her, then I'll leave when the time comes."

He froze for a few seconds, then said, "Suit yourself."

For the next four years, I was his secretary by day and his secret lover by night. Our affair remained hidden and was never spoken of.

That was until the celebration for the Family's recently legitimized business deal. I waited until the early hours, but he never showed. Then I saw the photos forwarded by family members.

It showed Cesare and Sofia Costa kissing under a church arch, and the caption read, [La famiglia è tutto]—"Family comes first".

When I called, Sofia answered, and I heard Cesare's cold voice say, "Just someone unimportant. Ignore it."

At that moment, I knew it was time to exit his life.

I finished packing and was about to leave when I ran into Cesare at the estate gates. He insisted on driving me.

The car was filled with Sofia's favorite things, tulip plushies, and Sicilian candies. When he told me that, I said softly, "You finally got her back, Don Valeri. I'm happy for you."

Halfway through the drive, Sofia called, saying she wanted to stroll along the docks. When I saw the hesitation on his face, I wisely got out of the car.

In the process, one of my suitcases fell. Love letters and the photos I'd secretly taken of him spilled onto the ground. I scrambled to pick everything up.

Cesare didn't say a word and simply drove away.

It was a rainy night, and I couldn't get a ride. The roads were slippery, and I fell, slicing my calf with a wound nearly ten inches long. I lay there for what felt like forever before I could even move. Once the pain subsided, I limped and gritted my teeth, walking four hours back to my apartment.

After tending to my wound, I saw his message.

[Stop obsessing over one person. There are plenty of fish in the sea.]

At dawn, I burned that suitcase downstairs, letting eight years of love turn to ash.

On Monday, I arrived at the estate on time and handled my duties before going to inform Cesare that the negotiation with the Barbosa Group was about to begin.

Through the slightly open door, I saw Sofia curled up in his arms, feeding him half-eaten Sicilian cookies.

Cesare swallowed with a smile and even kissed her fingers. "I stood in line for three hours to get the dessert you kept talking about."

Sofia pouted, trying to keep him from leaving for the meeting. Cesare didn't hesitate. "We'll postpone the negotiation by two hours."

I couldn't help but remind him, "The heads of the Barbosa Group are waiting in the underground conference room. This concerns the Family's trade routes, and it's very important."

"You're such a nagging secretary with no sense at all!" Sofia complained.

Cesare's expression turned icy as he tapped out his cigar. "I said the meeting's postponed. No deal is more important than Sofia!"

My chest tightened. I quietly closed the door and turned away.

When I stepped into the underground conference room to apologize, the heads of the Barbosa Group didn't dare blame Cesare. Instead, all their anger was directed at me. I kept my head down, silently taking the scolding, and forced myself through two grueling hours.

By the time Cesare arrived, I was just leaving the meeting when Sofia called me back.

"I hear your coffee is excellent. Make a cup for everyone. Mine's iced, no sugar."

I didn't dare refuse. It took me two hours to brew over four hundred cups of coffee.

But the moment Sofia sipped hers, she smashed the cup against my forehead. The hard ceramic shattered and sliced my skin, and I curled up on the floor in pain. But she wasn't done. She scooped up more coffee and poured it over me, and the shards of broken ceramic cut further into my skin.

When Cesare arrived, Sofia tearfully explained, "I'm on my period, and she put ice in my coffee. My stomach hurts so much."

Cesare didn't ask for details. Instead, he scolded me for failing after four years of service, even suggesting I might have been deliberately targeting Sofia.

He also docked my monthly stipend and quarterly bonus, announced it to the whole Family, and required me to stand at next week's meeting to answer for my mistakes. Then he shrugged on his coat and walked off with Sofia.

As I watched their retreating figures, my tears finally fell.

I forced myself to stand and grabbed a broom to clean up the broken cups and spilled coffee. A few kind-hearted maids came over to help, whispering that Sofia was arrogant and spoiled, completely indulged by Cesare. They warned me to be more careful in the future.

I thought back to the old days, when a deal I handled went wrong, and the partners tried to shift the blame. Back then, Cesare had always believed in me and even cleared my name.

But now, with just one casual lie from Sofia, he didn't believe me at all.

Not long after, Cesare called and asked me to deliver ginger tea and heat packs to his private villa.

When I arrived, I barely recognized the place. The olive trees planted by Cesare's father had been replaced with tulips, and the black-and-white furniture had been swapped for soft pinks and pastels. Every corner of the villa reflected Sofia's taste.

He open the door and took the items from me, then froze when he saw the injuries on my face.

"It's that bad? Did you go to the hospital?"

I shook my head and stayed silent.

He pressed his fingers to his forehead, his tone unusually gentle. "Sofia was just feeling unwell, she didn't mean it. I'll make up the money I docked from you in your year-end bonus. Go get checked at the hospital. If it's serious, take a day off."

I wanted to tell him about my resignation, but he interrupted and handed me a Family black card. "Do as I say. Rest well. Also, I'll need you to handle Sofia's welcome-home banquet."

I took the card and turned to leave. Just as I closed the door, I heard Sofia teasingly asking Cesare to rub her stomach, and his soft, indulgent reply floated back to me.

I'd suffered through terrible menstrual cramps myself, sometimes fainting from it and being rushed to the hospital by the Family's people. Cesare had never come to check on me, nor did he ever bring me ginger tea or heat packs.

At the time, I thought he was too busy to notice. But now, I understood.

It was because he simply didn't care.

I went to the hospital to have my wounds briefly treated and rested at home for a few days, then received the banquet plan from his assistant.

With only three days to prepare, I steeled myself and handled every detail, from the flowers to the desserts, down to the maids' outfits, exactly as requested. On the night of the banquet, Sofia appeared in a couture gown, and guests flocked around her, praising Cesare for his unwavering devotion.

I stood not far away, silently watching it all unfold.

Sofia strutted up to me, her eyes full of disdain. "The banquet's decent, but there's no carpet in the hall. My dress got dirty. Hold it for me and make up for your mistake."

I lowered my head. "There's a carpet backstage. I'll have someone lay it out immediately."

Her expression darkened. "How dare you refuse me?"

Just then, Cesare arrived. When he saw her displeasure, he immediately stepped forward to ask what was wrong.

Sofia pouted, then whined that I had refused to lift her dress and must be holding a grudge against her.

Cesare scooped her into his arms and looked upset. "Lifting a dress is part of your job. Can't handle such a small task?"

The guests around us started whispering too, saying I didn't know my place.

I swallowed my embarrassment and bent down to lift the hem of her dress.

Sofia wandered through the banquet with Cesare, up and down the halls. The pearls on her dress dug painfully into my arm, but I gritted my teeth and endured it.

But she still wasn't satisfied. Someone poured her several glasses of whiskey, and she gave it to me. "I don't want this. Drink it for me."

"I'm allergic to alcohol—" I started to protest, but she interrupted with a playful toss of her head.

Cesare looked at me and coldly said, "Take your allergy medicine first, then drink. You'll be fine."

My heart sank. I silently swallowed the pills and downed one glass after another. My stomach churned violently, and my vision blurred.

Suddenly, Sofia screamed. "Cesare! The family heirloom necklace you gave me is gone! She was the only one near me. She must have stolen it!"

My mind cleared slightly, and I panicked. "Don Valeri, it wasn't me!"

Cesare looked at Sofia and her reddened eyes, then said thoughtfully, "There are a lot of people around. Let's check first."

"Who else could it be?" Sofia spat, freeing herself from his hold. "If you don't search her, I won't marry you!"

Cesare quickly gathered her into his arms and barked orders to the family bodyguards.

Several guards immediately pinned me to the floor, tearing at my clothes. My dress was shredded, my skin bruised and scraped.

Just as they were about to tear off my undergarments, a maid ran over. "I found it! The necklace fell on the stairs!"

Cesare finally relaxed. He waved the guards off and personally placed the necklace around Sofia's neck.

Sofia wiped her tears into a smile, looking at my disheveled state with a teasing tilt of her head. "Do I need to apologize?"

All eyes were on me, and I heard Cesare's cold voice cut through the chatter. "No need. She's just a secretary. A little hardship doesn't matter."

That sentence cut through me like a blade, stabbing straight into my chest, leaving me gasping for air.

All I felt was numbness and emptiness. The hall slowly emptied, the glaring lights casting harsh reflections on the bruises and cuts across my body.

I gritted my teeth and stood, then wrapped myself in the coat a maid handed me and staggered out of the banquet hall.

It was pouring outside. Cold raindrops stung my face, sliding down like tears I could no longer shed.

I wandered aimlessly through the streets when a black car screeched to a stop beside me.

The window rolled down, and Cesare's face appeared.

"Get in."

I kept walking as if I hadn't heard him.

His brow furrowed, and his tone hardened. "Get in."

I stopped and lifted my pale face. "No need to worry, Don Valeri. I'm just a secretary."

For a brief moment, his chest seemed to tighten. He stepped into the rain and gripped my hand.

"Tonight was my fault, but I can't lose Sofia. Whatever you've suffered, I'll make it right. Don't be stubborn."

I yanked my hand free and took a few steps back. My voice was calm and flat. "Don Valeri, you must be joking. How could I ever be cross with you or Ms. Costa? I was naive before and didn't know my place. From now on, I'll remember I'm just your secretary and won't disturb you again. Are you satisfied?"

The more he listened, he angrier he got, and he lost control once I finished speaking. "You know that's not what I meant! I never belittled you. Those words were only to calm Sofia. In my heart, you and Luna—"

I couldn't hear the rest of it. My sight dimmed, my body gave out, and I collapsed as the world slipped away.

When I finally came to in a hospital room, my wet clothes were gone and my injuries had been taken care of.

A nurse smiled. "Your boyfriend stayed with you all night. He just left."

My cracked lips moved slightly, and my voice came out hoarse. "He's not my boyfriend. He never was."

From the very beginning, Cesare and I were just an accident.

To him, I was only ever his secretary. He never acknowledged anything between us.

I used to delude myself with hope. Now, all I want is to wake up completely, leave this place, and never look back.