Three years into my marriage with Dominick, Gia, his stepsister, sent me a video clip out of nowhere.

I tapped on the video, only to find Dominick tying his stepsister to the bedpost with the tie I had given him.

His stepsister lay naked under him, addressing him intimately.

After getting their freak on, they shared an embrace, and Gia cozied up against Dominick and uttered, “I don’t like the ring you bought me. Give it to Luna, and tell her it’s a birthday gift from me.”

The next day, I sat in an upscale restaurant and stared at the vacant seat across the table.

Suddenly, the Underboss wheeled a massive cake toward me.

“Don Costa was called away on urgent business. He sent me to deliver your birthday gift.”

The box contained his stepsister’s discarded reject.

My phone buzzed with new pictures from Gia. Dominick was at the hospital with Gia for a check-up.

Without a fuss, I signed the divorce papers and made preparations for a wedding.

“Donna Costa, whose names should I put down as the bride and groom?”

“Dominick and Gia.”

A week from now, I would show the world the kind of filth the supposed solemn Don had been rolling in with his stepsister.

“Gia Costa? Isn’t Gia the Don’s sister? How can they possibly get married?” One subordinate exclaimed.

“They aren’t siblings by blood,” I said in a flat tone.

Gia was his stepsister. No one expected Gia to find her way into Dominick Costa’s sheets.

I stared at the empty chair across from me, my heart in the pit of my stomach.

Holding a pen, I scrawled my signature on the document right in front of me and handed the divorce papers to the subordinate.

“Tuck this sheet in with the recent expense claims.”

Dominick had always been generous with me, signing off on my spending without so much as a glance.

With his name on the divorce papers, things between us would be over before he knew it.

Before strutting out of the restaurant, I dumped the roses and ring into the trash can right in front of the Underboss.

The Underboss uttered, “Donna Costa, surely, there’s some sort of mistake—”

“Frankie, know your place.” My voice was icy.

“My relationship issues with the Don are not your concern. If I catch wind of any gossip, I’ll see to it that your limbs be removed.”

Frankie clammed up. Given Dominick’s years of favor, I was second to him in the family. No one had the nerve to challenge me.

As I was walking out of the restaurant, heavy snow fell outside the window, and snowflakes drifted onto my palm.

It was snowing when Dominick told me he loved me for the first time.

Back then, he wrapped a red scarf around my neck and leaned in to press his lips onto mine.

“Holy cow! Check that out!” A burst of exclamations nearby pulled me out of my thoughts.

I looked up and saw my name written across the biggest billboard in the city.

[Luna Bianchi, I will always love you until the day I die.]

“Oh, my God! I really envy the girl by that name. As if being rich isn’t enough, her husband is impossibly devoted too!”

“I know, right? I don’t think there is any woman as lucky as her.”

“I’d kill for that. Oh, Lord, grant me a man just like him.”

The women on the streets lifted their heads, their expressions dreamy as they stared at the billboard.

Only I, the subject in question, averted my gaze.

My phone rang.

It was a new message from Gia.

The image displayed Dominick sound asleep by her hospital bedside, his grip tight on her wrist.

“I hope you have a wonderful birthday today.”

It was just another one of Gia’s attempts to get a rise out of me. Still, I kept my cool and simply texted back, “I did.”

How could I not? I was about to leave a man who wasn’t worth my time to start a new chapter.

I took a cab, and along the route home, one display board after another lit up.

From massive shopping centers to small businesses, every illuminated sign was plastered with loving messages directed at me.

By the end of tonight, the whole of Riverton would know that a woman named Luna Bianchi was loved.

My mobile screen flickered. The notification was not from Gia, but Dominick.

His voice was husky as if he had just woken up. “Did you have a good time tonight?”

I fell silent for a moment before saying, “It was alright.”

Dominick chuckled. “I guess it’s not enough to get me off the hook. I honestly had an emergency tonight, Luna.

“There was trouble within the family, and it concerned the lives of many. I trust that you’re sensible enough to understand that.”

That was so typical of Dominick. The words, supposedly affectionate, came across as a threat, forcing me to comply.

“I got it. Don’t let me keep you from your business. I’ll just head to the mall for a little shop.” I looked out the car window, my voice nothing more than a whisper.

Pleased with my response, Dominick ended the call and wired a million bucks to my bank account, along with the message to spend everything before coming back.

It was rather overbearing yet doting of him.

He appeared to adore me. If I hadn’t discovered his affair with his stepsister, I would have believed his lies for the rest of my life.

Yesterday, Gia, his stepsister, sent me a risqué video clip.

Out of curiosity, I tapped on the clip for a peek, only to view the face of my husband, Dominick.

He tied Gia to the bedpost with a necktie.

Stark naked under Dominick, Gia breathed raggedly.

They murmured terms of endearment to each other like it was second nature, and the way they acted together made it obvious this wasn’t their first rodeo.

My gaze fixated on the purple tie—the one I’d given him for our third anniversary.

He used my gift to him to bed another woman, and the woman had to be his stepsister.

It was the most absurd thing ever.

I remembered the day of our third wedding anniversary. To make the night unforgettable, I slipped into the new lingerie I’d bought.

When I stepped out of the shower, the room was vacant with only a note on the table.

“Family business. Don’t wait up. Get some rest.”

Fighting back the hurt, I waited from dark until morning light. At last, he waltzed in through the door close to noon.

I pounced on him excitedly, only for him to push me away. “Not today, sweetie. I’m a little exhausted.”

At the time, I didn’t think much of the matter since he had no reason to lie to me.

My faith in him crumbled the moment I received the video.

Dying for answers, I tapped into the family’s intelligence network to locate the source of the video and found the address at a hotel.

Once outside the hotel room, I could hear the heavy thumping and labored breathing from the other side of the door.

“Dom, who’s better in bed? Me or her?”

“That’s got to be you, baby. Luna is absolutely lifeless in bed. She’s reserved, unlike you.”

“Am I just a casual fling or cheap booty call to you? I don’t like either, Dom.”

“No? Why don’t you be my wife on the side then?”

“What if Luna finds out about us? She’s quick to catch on.”

After a pause, Dominick burst out laughing. “Luna will never find out. She can’t outwit me.”

He spoke with certainty and confidence.

…

Lifeless in bed?

Was that a reason for him to cheat?

All words were lost in me right there and then. I didn’t even have the strength to question him.

Having lost the will to jump on them, I left the hotel in a daze.

Later that night, I saw Dominick with scratches on his neck, supposedly the masterpiece of a cat.

It was utterly ridiculous, and I was past the point of asking.

“It’s your birthday tomorrow. Why don’t I have the whole day with you?”

That was what he said then. When the day came, it was clear that he’d broken his promise once again.

As I snapped back to reality, the cab pulled up outside my residence.

I numbly opened the car door. Out of the blue, I caught sight of a familiar car parked not too far away, and out walked two figures.

Dominick pinned Gia against the car windows and took her lips.

Under the dimming moonlight, the image of their kiss grew intense.

This was my first up-close, live view of my husband's infidelity.

Despite bracing myself for the truth, I couldn’t have anticipated the heartache when I witnessed the moment with my very own eyes.

I slipped back into the residence and glanced out of the window. Busy locking tongues, Dominick and Gia were in no rush to get inside the house.

Letting out a long breath, I pulled the curtains shut and cocked my head back to tell the housekeeper, “Fetch me the purple tie that the Don was wearing a few days back.”

The housekeeper was taken aback. “Donna, Don Costa has kept the tie in his private collection. No one gets in without clearance.”

It was known in the family that Dominick would store every memento of our love, including the stuffed animals I’d given him, in the private vault.

His partiality toward me was the reason every member of the family hierarchy held me in utmost respect.

After a moment of silence, I picked up a bat and stormed straight to the collection room. I violently smashed the items there while everybody watched in shock.

“Donna! What are you doing?”

Offering no explanations, I grabbed a pair of scissors and went to town shredding the necktie and other possessions.

I destroyed the expensive jewelry.

My voice carried no emotions. “Pack these junk pieces into a box. This will be my gift to the Don’s upcoming wedding.

“Not a word about tonight, or I’ll make sure to send you down to the sub-basement. Have I made myself clear?”

The staff nodded, aware that the sub-basement held the worst of the worst criminals. No one ever walked out of there alive.

Once I was finished with business, the staff swiftly cleared the mess, restoring the room to its glory. Nevertheless, everything associated with me was gone.

Back in the bedroom, Dominick sat on the sofa with a cigarette between his lips. He looked ever-so captivating, taking a long drag.

He was quick to put out the cigarette in my presence and told his subordinate to air out the room with an open window.

Dominick knew that I wasn’t keen on the smell of cigarettes.

“Did you have a great time shopping, babe?” He murmured while approaching and wrapping his arms around my waist.

Due to the proximity, the lingering scent of tobacco made me sick to my stomach.

“It was fine,” I replied curtly, yanking his hands off me.

Oblivious to my odd behavior, Dominick took my attitude as nothing more than a little tantrum.

He shot his subordinate a look, and the latter presented a gift box on the double.

“So I heard that you threw away the roses and ring? That’s pretty willful of you, but that’s what I like about you.

“These are pearls imported from the Miranth Gulf. They cost me thirty million dollars at the auction. What do you think?”

Despite posing a question, Dominick never gave me a chance to answer.

He went ahead and put the pearl necklace around my neck before nodding in satisfaction. “As expected, the pearls look best on you.”

I was stunned. What was that supposed to mean?

Was the necklace a reject from Gia?

I let out a mocking chuckle, wondering how many Gia’s castoffs were stored in the supposed private vault.

With that in mind, I tore the necklace off and flung it onto the table in disgust.

“I appreciate the gesture, but I’m allergic to pearls, so I won’t keep the necklace on.”

Dominick furrowed his brows. “You’re allergic? Haven’t you worn pearl earrings to functions before?

“You can have your little fits, Luna, but I won’t tolerate your lies.” His voice turned icy.

As the tension in the air thickened, the staff hung their heads low without a word.

“Ha.”

Suddenly, Dominick chuckled under his breath. He held the pearl necklace up for a close examination and dropped it in the can without hesitation.

“Since my wife doesn’t care for it, I should just get rid of it.”

He came close to him and plucked my chin, his eyes reflecting complicated emotions beyond my comprehension.

“I’ll take you shopping tomorrow. Just get anything you want. Surely, that should cheer you up, my dear wife.”

I looked into his eyes and let out a soft laugh. “Okay. That works out well since I need to get a gift.”

“A gift? Who is it for?” Dominick frowned.

It could just be in my head, but there was a subtle hint of jealousy in his voice.

“I’m getting a gift for someone I’ve known for many years. Since his wedding’s coming up in a week, it’s only right that I get him a little something.”

Dominick wasn’t too pleased initially, but the mention of the person’s wedding put him at ease.

He patted my shoulder with a smile. “Okay. Go all out on your spending tomorrow. A friend of yours is a friend of mine.”

“Are you going to be my plus-one to the wedding?” I asked earnestly, my eyes boring into his.

Dominick responded right away, “Of course. Even if I have to blow off a meeting worth hundreds of millions, I will be there with you. It’s the least I can do to make up for standing you up today.”

There was solemnity in his words. Had I not seen the betrayal with my own eyes, I might have fallen for his sweet talk again.

He bent over and held me tight. Just as he pulled in for a kiss, a knock came at the door.

“Don Costa, here is the expense list. If I could get your signature on it.”

Frankie’s voice shook badly when he saw me. Not noticing Frankie’s distress, Dominick uttered in annoyance, “Just approve everything. You can sign the expenses off for me.”

“You shouldn’t do that, Dominick. The papers need your signature.” I took the document from Frankie.

Dominick paused, but only for a beat. Before long, he took a pen and signed each sheet without taking the time to review the content.

It wasn’t until Dominick flipped past the divorce papers that I finally let out a sigh of relief.

The moment Frankie left with the signed papers, Dominick eagerly pressed me onto the bed and planted light kisses across my neck.

However, I pushed him away and straightened my collar nonchalantly. I muttered, “I’m feeling tired today. Rain check?”

Though frustration flickered in Dominick’s eyes, he held his tongue.

Once I was out of the room, Dominick got back into his car and drove away.

Half an hour later, my phone chimed with a text message from Gia like clockwork.

“Well, aren’t you pathetic, Luna? You can’t even hold onto your own man.

“You’re not a wife to him. Why else would he call me his other half?”

Cool as a cucumber, I closed the chat and booked a flight to Averia, departing in a week.

Averia was my home country.

In fact, my family rivaled the Costas in standing. At that time, my parents were firmly against me marrying Dominick.

Being a Don, Dominick had far too many enemies. My parents feared the dangers that came with marrying him.

Young as I was, I got down to my knees and pleaded with my parents, “I want to take the chance. Dominick loves me. He won’t let me down.”

My parents looked at me, their faces etched with disappointment. Subsequently, they froze all my bank accounts and hadn’t been in touch even once in the last three years.

Sadness clouded over me for a long time. With each passing Christmas, I would cry my eyes out over the silence from their side.

Back then, Dominick would pull me close and say tenderly, “It’s alright. All that matters is that I love you.”

Alas, he was the very man who betrayed me, and I lost anyway.

In that case, it was time for me to head home.

With shaky hands, I sent the screenshot of my flight itinerary to my parents and left a sobbing voice note. “Mom, Dad, Dominick has abandoned me. Will you have me back?”

I didn’t hold out much hope since my parents had long been disappointed in me.

In a shocking twist, then came my mother’s response in less than a minute.

“Come back. Your father and I miss you very much.”

All the emotions I’d been holding in spilled over as I clutched my phone and wept uncontrollably.

I wallowed in tears all night, my swollen eyes and aching throat the aftermath of my breakdown.

Dominick was taken aback when he saw me. “What happened to you?”

I shook my head. “Nothing.”

The question ended there. Before, Dominick would summon the staff for a round of grilling as to why I was crying.

Yet now, he simply got into the car indifferently, likely sulking over my rejection last night.

We sat in the back of the vehicle, bound for the mall, in silence like strangers.

Suddenly, there was a notification on his phone. I caught a glimpse of the caller ID—G.

He edged toward the window and spoke in a hushed tone, “What is it?”

After a brief exchange, Dominick tapped on the driver’s shoulder. “Turn this car around and head to the hospital.”

Surprised, the driver glanced at me. “What about the Donna? It’s a chilly day out. Donna—”

Dominick’s patience ran out.

“You don’t get a say in this.”

He then turned to me. “We have run into some problems in the family, Luna. I need to leave now.

“You can catch a ride to get a gift. Here’s a card with unlimited funds. Spend it however you like.”

Dominick opened the car door and gestured for me to exit.

I stepped out of the vehicle with a grin and watched as the car sped away.

The driver was right about the cold. I was kicked out of the vehicle before getting the chance to grab a coat.

The mall was two miles away, and the snow was already up to my shins.

Since it was impossible to hail a cab in this weather, I trekked my way to the mall. Just steps away from my destination, I dropped limp into the snow.

Through my haze, I saw a man in a black trench coat running toward me. “Are you alright, ma’am?”

When I came to, the man was seated at my bedside. “You’re awake.

“You gave me quite a scare. The doctor said that if you’d arrived any later, neither you nor the baby would have made it.”