Carlo's only weakness was his nonna, who had raised him, and was now gravely ill.

She was also the leverage he used to control me.

Nonna's only wish was for us to live a blissful married life and to bear a child soon.

Because of her comment, Carlo brought me to his private island and had cameras recording round the clock, all just to reassure her.

Carlo called it a retreat, but in truth, it was a confinement.

He promised that as long as I played my role well for a week, long enough for Nonna to pass on peacefully, he'd let the Lucianis go.

I believed him. Or rather, I had no choice but to do so.

The island was beautiful. The villa stood by the sea, with waves surging endlessly beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.

I would have loved this place if this had been the past. After all, designing a romantic home had once been my dream.

But now, it was nothing more than a lifeless cage, and I was a bird trapped within.

Carlo seemed like a different man in front of the cameras. Gone was his usual harshness, and he was even cooking for me himself.

He was patiently serving me during meals.

"Eat more. It's uncomfortable to hold you when you're so thin." There was an unfamiliar hint of tenderness in Carlo's voice.

I felt momentarily dazed.

Back then, the young man I had saved from the cathedral fire used to tell me that he'd treat me well in the future.

Unfortunately, he ultimately mistook Serena for me.

"What are you thinking about?" Carlo suddenly leaned closer, his warm breath brushing against my ear.

I drew back instinctively and avoided his touch. "Nothing. I'm just a little tired."

Carlo didn't get angry. Instead, he lifted me up in his arms and carried me toward the bedroom. "Then get some rest."

…

The sound of the waves was especially loud that night. I ended up having a nightmare.

I dreamed of that fire, where the cathedral's statue came crashing down. I pushed Carlo away with all my strength, my back crushed beneath the debris.

"It hurts… Help me…" I woke up crying, drenched in cold sweat.

A pair of strong arms wrapped around me, gently patting my back.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here." Carlo's voice was low and gentle, as if it could smooth away all my fear.

In the darkness, I leaned against his chest and listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

At once, I felt momentarily blinded by an illusion. Perhaps Carlo did have feelings for me after all.

I wondered if we could go on living like this if I told him about the baby.

I parted my lips, about to tell him about the pregnancy, when a sudden ringing shattered the fragile warmth of the moment.

It was Serena's custom ringtone.

Carlo instantly stiffened, pushing me away almost instinctively. The force was so strong that I nearly rolled off the bed.

He grabbed his phone, an unheard-of panic seeping into his voice as he asked, "What's wrong, Serena?"

Serena's sobbing came through the line, painfully clear in the quiet night. "I'm scared, Carlo… The thunder is loud. I got frightened while filming, and my chest hurts so much…"

"Where are you? I'm coming over now." Carlo was already getting dressed as he spoke, his movements rushed to the point of fastening the buttons wrongly.

I glanced out the window.

The storm was raging, with thunder and lightning splitting the sky. Now was the most dangerous time with the typhoon passing through.

"You're still going in this heavy rain?" I couldn't help asking.

Carlo didn't turn around. His fingers paused briefly while he fastened his belt. "Serena has a weak heart. She can't take the fright."

"What about me then?" I stared at his back, my voice trembling. "I'm your legally wedded wife, and I'm still carrying—"

"Shut up!" Carlo spun around abruptly, his gaze icy. "Don't try to pressure me with that empty title, Lydia. If anything happens to Serena, I'll make the entire Luciani family pay."

With that, he slammed the door and left.

Outside, the storm raged. The roar of the helicopter's blades thundered through the night.

I chased after him, barefoot. "Don't go, Carlo! Taking off in weather like this will get you killed!"

I wasn't sure if I was worried about Carlo's safety, or desperately clinging to the last shred of my own dignity.

The wind was blowing fiercely on the helipad, as though it could sweep me off my feet.

I had just started running when the powerful gusts stirred up by the rotors knocked me down. Pain flared up when my knee struck the rough concrete.

I looked up, ignoring the pain. The helicopter rose slowly into the air, disappearing without hesitation into the dark, rainy night.

On the most dangerous night of the typhoon, Carlo left his pregnant wife behind on a deserted island, all to comfort another woman who had been frightened.

Rain pounded against my face, and I couldn't distinguish it from my own tears.

I placed a hand over my belly and smiled.

I was trapped on the island for three full days, with no water and electricity. If not for the emergency rations left behind by the housekeeper, my child and I might not have survived.

Three days later, the typhoon finally passed. The one who came to pick me up wasn't Carlo, but his Underboss.

When I returned to the city, I wasn't comforted or given an explanation.

What awaited me was a viral trending headline. "Carlo La Rosa From the La Rosa Famiglia Visits Serena Sergio During the Typhoon. True Love Prevails!"

In the photos, Serena was dressed in a hospital gown, weakly leaning against Carlo's chest. They were looking at each other with unmistakable affection.

And I, his lawfully wedded wife and the Madre of the La Rosa famiglia, played the most ridiculous role in their game.

Someone found out I had been abandoned on the island. The comments section was filled with mockery.

"I can't believe a bankrupt nobody is trying to compete with Serena. What a joke!"

"Having a Madre like her is an embarrassment to the La Rosa famiglia."

Ever since I showed up by Carlo's side, I had been doused with mockery. I had long since gotten used to it.

But the tender way he looked at Serena made my stomach churn.

Later that evening, Carlo sent someone over with an evening gown.

I was ordered to attend that night's charity gala. It was merely a facade meant to stabilize family businesses and their stock prices.

I didn't refuse, nor do I have the right to.

I sat in front of the vanity, letting the stylists work on me.

When I was about to change into the evening gown, I realized the zipper wouldn't close.

It wasn't my size at all.

The fabric pressed tightly against my abdomen, causing a dull ache and making it hard even to breathe.

"This… seems to be in Ms. Sergio's size, Madre La Rosa," the stylist softly said.

I let out a bitter chuckle.

Even the evening gown I was given was something Serena had worn before, or tailored to her measurements.

But I had no choice. I had to swallow the humiliation for Mamma. I would endure it for her.

I took a deep breath and forced the zipper up. Even if it felt like my bones were crushed, I would make it through that night.

…

The gala venue glimmered under the lights. I entered arm in arm with Carlo, a practiced smile plastered on my face.

He looked impeccable in his black suit, proper and polished. However, I was the only one who knew how rotten his core was beneath that exterior of his.

The crowd started to stir the moment we stepped inside.

Serena had arrived.

She was dressed in a custom white gown, looking as if she'd just stepped out of a fairytale.

But I instantly recognized the gown's design as the award-winning piece I had made in college.

What hurt even more was that the necklace around her neck was an unreleased design I had in my sketchbook.

It was meant to be a gift for my future child. So, how was Serena wearing it?

It must have been from Carlo. No one else could have accessed my drafts.

Serena headed straight toward us, ignoring me entirely as she slipped her arm through Carlo's other arm.

"This gown is a little long, Carlo. I'm afraid I might trip," she said, her voice sickly sweet.

Carlo didn't pull away. Instead, he naturally placed a hand at her waist. "Be careful."

With the three of us standing together, I, the lawfully wedded wife, became unnecessary and painfully out of place.

The surrounding guests started whispering among themselves, their eyes gleaming with distasteful anticipation.

"See? Don La Rosa still dotes on Serena."

"Madre La Rosa is so pitiful. She looks like a handbag-carrying assistant."

I straightened up and tried to pull my arm free from Carlo's grasp.

But instead, he tightened his grip and warned under his breath, "Don't move. Don't embarrass me."

I wondered who exactly was embarrassing whom now.

I endured it silently until a server passed by with a tray of red wine.

Serena deliberately twisted her ankle, tilting her body just enough to spill an entire glass of red wine on me. My light-colored gown was instantly stained, looking like a complete mess.

"Oh my, I'm sorry, Lydia. I didn't mean to," Serena said while covering her mouth, yet her eyes held no trace of regret.

Carlo frowned. His first reaction was to check whether she had been splashed. Only when he made sure that she was alright did he turn to me.

His eyes were filled with disdain. "Why are you so careless? Go stand in a corner. Don't make yourself an eyesore."

I clenched my clutch tightly, my nails digging into my palm.

This was the man I had loved for ten years.

I went to clean myself up in the restroom. When I walked out, I ran into Serena. She was leaning against the wall, swirling her wine glass.

The earlier fragility was completely gone by now.

"Lydia, you'll give up your position if you're smart enough," Serena said, her voice low. She smiled cruelly. "That thing in your belly? You won't be able to keep it."

My head snapped up. "How do you know?"

Serena laughed smugly. "Don't think everyone is as useless as you. The day you went to the hospital, every pill you picked up—I knew all of it. And you were planning to tell Carlo about the pregnancy? Let me tell you something. Even if you tell him, he'll just wish you were dead."

Rage consumed me, leaving me without rationality.

I raised my hand, about to fling the wine straight at her. But my wrist was seized midair, clamped down hard.

Carlo had appeared out of nowhere.

His expression was dark, his grip so tight that it felt as though my bones would be crushed. He snarled, "What do you think you're doing, Lydia?"

"She humiliated me!" I yelled, my eyes burning red.

Carlo scoffed, "Humiliated you? Even if she did, you just have to take it."

He stared at me with icy indifference, delivering his warning one word at a time. "Know your place and leave her alone. Otherwise, I'll make sure you can't survive in the La Rosa famiglia."

…

The climax of the gala came with the unveiling of the black panther Carlo kept on his estate.

He had brought it back from the Abryde savanna. It was untamed and dangerous, symbolizing his power and status.

A massive iron cage was rolled out. The black panther paced restlessly inside, its golden eyes gleaming with a chilling light.

The guests gathered around, fearful yet excited.

Eager to flaunt her close relationship with Carlo, Serena deliberately had someone open a small gap in the protective barrier. "It looks tame, Carlo. May I pet it?"

He looked at her, his gaze full of affection. "Be careful. Don't get too close."

Serena was truly playing with fire.

I watched coldly from the side.

A wild animal like that was never meant to be treated like a pet.

Serena picked up a feather toy and started provoking the black panther.

Cameras flashed wildly, and the harsh bursts of lights agitated the black panther.

Suddenly, it let out a thunderous roar and slammed into the cage. The latch, which hadn't been properly secured, snapped open instantly.

With a deafening roar, the black panther burst free, lunging straight toward Serena, who was the nearest.

Chaos erupted at the venue, and screams filled the air.

I was the closest to Serena. Out of instinct, I reached for the safety lever, trying to shut the gate. But just as I reached out, I caught a wicked glint in her gaze.

She wasn't as panicked as I had expected her to be. Instead, she took advantage of the chaos and subtly stuck out her foot.

I lost my balance and fell forward, straight toward the black panther's open jaws.

Hot breath rushed toward me, and I could feel the pull of death almost nearing.

A gunshot rang out. Carlo had drawn his pistol, yet he was too near me.

As he fired, his first instinct was to turn around and shield Serena completely in his arms. In doing so, his elbow struck backward forcefully, landing squarely against my abdomen.

The impact sent me flying. I crashed hard into the edge of a marble table behind me, like a discarded doll.

A sharp, tearing pain exploded from my abdomen.

I let out a scream as cold sweat drenched my body, and the world seemed to drop into silence.

I curled up on the floor, feeling something warm trickling down my thighs. It was my baby.

My hands trembled as I reached down. They came back stained red, soaking into the pale fabric of my evening gown.

Carlo wasn't aware of what had just happened. He anxiously scooped Serena up in his arms and rushed toward the exit. "Serena? Are you okay, Serena?"

As he passed me, he paused for a moment. His gaze was filled with disgust and irritation. "Stop pretending. What an eyesore!"

Carlo then left without looking back, with Serena in his arms. I was left abandoned on the icy marble floor, my body gradually turning numb.

Everyone around me finally realized what was happening and started screaming.

"There's blood! So much blood!"

"Oh my god, Madre La Rosa lost her baby!"

My vision started to fade as I lay in a pool of my own blood.

Carlo, with our baby gone, I no longer wanted you.