Chapter 1

"Take this million dollars and get lost! You think just because I've made it, I'm going to let a bottom-feeding nobody like you keep leeching off me?"

My fiance, Marco Benedetti, slapped the check against my face, arrogance written all over him. "I used to think you were at least obedient, but now I see you're nothing but dead weight.

"I was born with noble blood running through my veins, but for six years, you made me live like a rat in the slums. Now that I've reclaimed my inheritance, cheap trash like you isn't even fit to lick my boots!"

I stood there stunned. "You're really breaking up with me over an identity you haven't even confirmed yet?"

Marco looked at me with contempt. "That's right."

"These past six years, your mediocrity has swallowed up all my brilliance. Look at me now. Do I look anything like the heir I'm supposed to be?

"You only drag me down. Dumping you now is God's will!"

I almost laughed. During our six years together, I worked during the day and took assassination contracts on the black market at night just to pay off his millions in gambling debts.

It turned out that everything I'd sacrificed meant nothing to him. Worse, I'd become an embarrassment he needed to erase.

Marco ignored my furious expression and continued, "What, the money's not enough? Of course, you're just a gold digger, but don't you dare think you can cling to my family's power!"

"The Benedetti family is one of the Four Great Mafia Families. An outsider like you has no right to even touch that world!"

I stared at his smug face and let out a cold laugh. "Marco, don't be so confident. You can't fake the truth. Deep down, you know exactly what you are."

Marco's expression shifted. He shoved me hard. "You're talking nonsense! You're just jealous. No matter how much you slander me, it won't change the fact that I'm the heir!"

Just then, a cab pulled up to the curb.

The door opened, and my sworn enemy, Isabella Romano, stepped out dripping in designer labels. She rushed straight into Marco's arms.

"Marco! Is it true? Are you really the mafia heir?"

Back when Marco and I first got together, she never missed a chance to mock me for being with a broke loser who'd keep me poor forever.

Now that Marco thought he'd struck gold, here she was, ready to stake her claim. The way they clung to each other told me everything. They'd been sleeping together long before today.

In fact, judging by how quickly she showed up, Marco probably told her the news before he even told me. Seeing my shocked expression and pale face, he pulled Isabella closer by the waist and kissed her right in front of me, even more pleased with himself.

"Of course! Who else could be worthy of me?"

Then he pointed at my house with disgust. "You were right, Isabella. Just looking at her makes me sick.

"Someone get in there! Smash everything in that dump! Burn it all, capisce?

"I'm Marco Benedetti, and I'm destined for great things. I can't have this kind of stain on my record!"