Chapter 2

Early the next morning, I went to city hall alone to file for divorce.

Ten minutes later, the clerk gave me a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but the marriage license number for you and your husband isn't in our system. As far as our records show, the two of you were never legally married."

I had been deceived. The marriage license was fake.

I stayed silent for a few seconds before a wave of relief washed over me. At least it spared me the trouble of a divorce.

"Thank you," I said before leaving city hall.

The moment I got back to the estate, I heard Ettore furiously berating the staff. "Find her now! If anything happens to Mirella, I won't let any of you off the hook."

He suddenly spotted me and rushed over, pulling me into a tight embrace as if I were the only treasure in the world.

"Darling, where did you go? You scared me half to death. I thought you were leaving me. I can't stand being away from you for even a second."

"I went to see a movie." I pushed him away almost immediately.

"Mirella, what's gotten into you lately—"

I cut him off with a hint of mockery, "Ettore, do you really love me?"

"Of course. Nobody in this world loves you more than I do."

A flicker of confusion crossed his face, yet his eyes were steady and full of devotion as he spoke. Somehow, that only made me feel worse.

Then he gently ruffled my hair. "You're not jealous, are you?"

I did not answer. I only looked at him.

"Relax. Viola's like a little sister to me. We grew up together. You're the only one I love."

"Really? What if you betray me?"

Ettore took my hand and pressed it to his chest. "Then you can kill me with your own hands."

"Ah!" Viola's scream suddenly rang out nearby.

On instinct, Ettore shoved me aside and rushed over to her in a panic. The way he fussed over her made it clear he had already forgotten the promise he had just made me.

"What happened? You're not hurt, are you?" Ettore asked.

Viola shook her head. "I'm sorry, Ettore. I accidentally broke a statue."

Ettore waved it off. "It's only a statue. All that matters is that you're not hurt."

Viola's voice turned worried. "It's just that the statue looked a little like Mirella."

The words hit me like a thunderbolt.

I stared at the shards scattered across the floor, and my heart shattered along with them. "Mama carved that for my birthday with her own hands!"

Viola put on a show of being on the verge of tears. "I'm so sorry, Mirella. I didn't know your mother left it to you. I didn't break it on purpose."

Ettore instinctively pulled Viola behind him to shield her.

"Mirella, I'm upset about this too, but Viola really didn't mean it. Please don't blame her.

"There's a sapphire necklace up for auction tomorrow. How about I win it for you to make up for this? It can be my anniversary gift to you."

"No need," I said coldly.

Nothing could ever replace what Mama had left me.

Ignoring Viola's fake tears and Ettore's sour expression, I walked away without looking back.

Even so, Ettore took me to the auction the next day.

The moment we arrived, I spotted Viola.

Ettore turned to me and explained patiently, "Mirella, don't take it the wrong way. Viola wants to pick out something she likes before she passes. If you're not comfortable with it, I'll have her leave right away."

I had no patience left for either of them and was about to turn and leave.

Half an hour later, the sapphire necklace Ettore had promised me came up for bid. Ettore won it for 60 million dollars and was about to hand it to me when Viola walked over.

"Mirella, Ettore is so good to you."

She gazed at the necklace longingly and said sadly, "Not like me. I'll never meet a Prince Charming who wants to buy me a necklace."

Ettore immediately gave her the necklace that had been meant for me. As he fastened it around her neck, he seemed to remember me only then and hurriedly turned to explain. "Viola's dying. Darling, I'll make it up to you next time, okay?"

I truly could not be bothered with either of them and was about to turn and leave. Viola, however, came up beside me, grabbed my arm with one hand, and started unclasping the necklace with the other. "Mirella, this is your anniversary gift. I can't accept it."

I did not want to get into a tug-of-war with her, so I pulled my arm free.

To my surprise, Viola clutched her stomach the very next second and collapsed to the floor in pain.

"Ettore, my stomach. It hurts so much. Please don't blame Mirella. She didn't mean to push me."

Ettore scooped Viola into his arms, shot me a dark look, and hurried out.

I received a message from Viola 20 minutes later.

[Mirella, you came to the auction for your mother's last work, didn't you? I bet you don't know Ettore already bought it in secret and gave it to me. If you want it, come see me at the hospital.]

Then she sent a photo. It was one of Mama's sculptures.