Chapter 2

When I woke up, I was already in the hospital. My parents were severely injured, but thankfully, they were alive.

Meanwhile, my little brother lay on the bed beside my mom. His temples were wrapped in bandages, and his face was pale.

I fell to my knees beside my mom's bed, tears streaming down my cheeks as I whispered, "I'm sorry… I chose the wrong man."

My mom weakly reached out and ran her fingers through my hair. "It's never too late to start over."

I shook my head. "He won't let me go."

After I found out about Lena, I tried to leave. But every time I drew up a divorce agreement, Dominic tore it up.

He claimed he was just playing around with her. Once he got bored, he'd leave her. He insisted that I was his true love and that he would never let me go.

Right then, my dad held my hand and said, "Alyssa, there's something you don't know—something even he's probably forgotten.

"On the night we gave him our blessing to marry you, I made him sign a contract. If he ever betrayed you, it would take effect immediately. You could divorce him right away, but… our entire family would vanish."

I froze, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face. It turned out my parents had already prepared a way out for me.

…

The next day, I did two things.

First, my parents and I brought the signed contract to a law firm.

After reviewing it, the lawyer nodded. "The contract is valid. The divorce takes effect immediately."

Second, we began the paperwork to erase ourselves legally. Once that was done, Alyssa Todd would no longer exist in any record, and Dominic would never be able to find me.

The process would take about two weeks. After discussing it with my parents, we agreed I should return to the Caballero residence in the meantime.

During those two weeks, I had to stay close to Dominic, making sure he didn't suspect a thing. Otherwise, with how ruthless he was, none of us would be able to escape.

…

Back in the master bedroom, I began packing.

I threw every photo, all the love letters Dominic had written, and the souvenirs from our trips into the fireplace.

The flames consumed it all, burning everything like a cruel joke.

…

The next day, I went out to the backyard, where a grove of sycamore trees stood. Dominic had planted them with his own hands. He had said the sycamore symbolized loyalty, just as his love for me would never fade.

I raised a fireman's axe and began chopping down the trees one by one. The dull, harsh crack of splitting trunks echoed through the yard.

As I chopped, the maids stood at a distance, too afraid to come any closer.

On the third day, I went to St. John's Chapel, where a love lock engraved with our names hung. Years ago, Dominic had held me close and tossed the key into the river, saying we'd stay together forever.

Now, I used a pair of bolt cutters to sever the lock.

It clattered sharply to the ground, but I simply turned and walked away without a backward glance.

…

When I entered the living room, I saw two people on the couch. Dominic sat there with Lena leaning against him, her face pale.

I walked past them, expressionless, and headed upstairs.

"Stop," Dominic said coldly.

I halted but didn't look back.

"Do you know why I brought her back?" he asked.

"I don't care."

His tone was heavy with blame as he spat, "You sent Lena abroad, and she had a hard time adjusting. She hasn't slept well in days! Alyssa, apologize to her."

At last, I turned to face them.

Lena nervously clutched Dominic's sleeve, but a hint of triumph flickered in her eyes.

"And what if I don't?" I asked calmly.

"Never mind. It's fine," Lena chimed in softly. "I don't mind a little suffering. After all, you're the wife."

Dominic immediately held her tight. "I told you not to be so sensible."

Then, he kissed the top of her head before adding, "From now on, I'll spoil you. You can do whatever you want."

A bitter smile tugged at my lips. I felt nothing but irony.

Just then, a maid brought over a cup of hot chamomile tea, saying it was for Lena.

At the same time, Dominic's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and said gently to Lena, "You always get headaches when I talk about work. I'll take this outside. Drink your tea, okay?"

With that, he rose and left, leaving only Lena and me in the living room.

The fragile look on Lena's face vanished instantly, replaced by the smugness of a victor.

"See?" She chuckled. "So what if you're the Don's wife? So what if you sent me away? Dominic's heart and mind belong to me."

I shot her a cold look. "If you want him, then he's yours."

Lena froze momentarily, then her anger flared. "I don't need you to hand him over! Sooner or later, he'll be mine alone. Your place will be mine too!"

When I didn't react, her fury only grew.

Suddenly, Dominic's footsteps came from outside.

A vicious gleam flickered in Lena's eyes. Without warning, she grabbed the steaming cup of chamomile tea and poured it over herself. She screamed in pain, tears streaming down her face.

Upon hearing her, Dominic rushed in and saw what had happened.