Chapter 1

When I woke up on the hospital bed five hours later, there was no one else in the ward besides me. It seemed Marco Lombardi still hadn't come by.

I struggled to sit up, wanting to reach for the glass to take a drink, when I saw the nurse walk in carrying replacement IV fluids.

"Here, let me help you, Ms. Esposito," the nurse said, bringing the glass to my lips. "The doctor said if the bullet had struck just half an inch to the side, you would've lost the entire arm. You'll need to take it easy for a while, so don't take any chances."

I swallowed the water and said, "Alright, thank you."

The nurse removed the empty IV bottle and hung up the new one she had brought in.

"Ms. Esposito, I haven't seen anyone here keeping you company. Why isn't your husband here taking care of you?"

"He's busy, and I can take care of myself," I replied with a weak smile.

When the nurse turned around, I saw Marco walk in. He sauntered over to the couch and sat down with an indifferent air.

"What have you gotten yourself into again now? As the Donna of the family, not only did you fail to protect yourself, but you went walking around covered in blood. What would the other families say about me if they saw that?"

Marco started right in with accusations and complaints. He didn't even ask where I was hurt or how serious it was.

"Don't you remember what day it is today?" I carefully studied his expression. If he showed even a hint of guilt, I'd be willing to forgive him one more time.

"No, what is it?" He glanced impatiently at his watch, then stood up and made to leave. "You seem fine enough. Get some rest. I have to go back and handle family matters. I'll come see you tonight."

Without another word, I watched him turn and stride out the door.

As expected, Marco didn't make it back to the hospital, and I had to ask the nurse to help me with dinner.

It wasn't just that night. I didn't see him again, even after my stitches were removed ten days later and I'd completed my discharge from the hospital.

Not only did I not see him, but I also didn't receive a single text or call from him.

But by now, I no longer cared.

When I got home from the hospital and opened the door, I saw a thin layer of dust on the floor. I walked over to the dining table and ran my hand across it. My fingers came away covered in dust just the same.

The cake I had made to celebrate our wedding anniversary was still on the dining table. It had already begun to rot.

It seemed that in all the days I was hospitalized, Marco hadn't come home even once.

The thought crossed my mind that he might have been with Lucia Santoro the whole time. I walked over to the couch and sat down. Then, I unlocked my phone and saw the photos Lucia had been posting on social media nonstop over the past few days.

Every single one of them had Marco in it.

There was one picture of Marco, all smiles, cooking in the kitchen. The caption read, "He says cooking for the one he loves most is the happiest thing in the world."

And yet, in all our years of marriage, he had never once cooked for me. In fact, this was the first time I had ever seen him bustling about in the kitchen.

It was for Marco that I first set foot in the kitchen. I learned to cook alongside our housekeeper, Teresa Rossi, trying to tailor every dish to Marco's taste.

During that time, Marco would lavish praise on me at the dinner table every single night. He said that having me was the greatest blessing of his life.

After that, the kitchen became my domain.

Just then, Lucia posted another update. She was standing beside a jewelry counter, and Marco was fastening a necklace around her neck with an adoring expression.

"He says only the most precious rubies are worthy of me."

I recognized that necklace instantly. Last month, I had spotted it at the mall and fallen in love with it at first sight. I had hoped Marco would buy it for me as a wedding anniversary gift, but he rejected it outright the moment he saw the price.

"Chiara, this necklace costs eight million dollars. The family is in a phase of rapid expansion right now, so funds are extremely tight. As the Donna, you need to get your priorities straight."

And yet now, the very necklace that was too extravagant for me was draped around Lucia's neck.