Chapter 7

My champagne flute shattered on the floor. I didn’t even feel it slip.

Everyone stared at me.

“It’s nothing. I’m just going to get some air.”

I forced a smile and left the room.

I could hear the whispers behind me.

“Looks like Miss De Luca isn’t in a good mood.”

“Well, the Don is getting married. Of course his ‘little sister’ is upset.”

“Haha, women. They know their place, but they still get jealous.”

Sienna’s laughter was the loudest. “It’s fine. Girls get emotional.”

I leaned against a cold wall in the hallway outside, taking deep breaths.

Just then, I heard hushed voices from inside the room.

“Marco, you think the boss is really getting married?”

“Of course, he is.” That was Marco’s voice. “Why do you think he kept that De Luca girl around?”

My heart stopped.

“Isn’t it because he loves her?”

“Love?” Marco scoffed. “The Don was just playing with her. He kept her around for five years to show Miss Rossi how ‘loyal’ he could be.”

“What do you mean?”

“Think about it. A man who stays faithful to one woman for five years? That’s some deep shit. That’s what Miss Sienna was looking for.”

My legs started to feel weak.

“So… the boss planned to marry Sienna all along?”

“Naturally. The alliance between our families was his plan from the start. The De Luca girl? She was just the bait.”

I bit my lip so hard I could taste blood. My nails dug into my palms.

Five years.

For five years, I was just a pawn in his game.

I trembled as I turned to leave, but I accidentally bumped into a glass door.

In the reflection, I saw what was happening inside the banquet hall.

Sienna was sitting on Orion’s lap, her slender fingers tracing his jawline. “You’re terrible,” she purred, tracing his jaw. “And you know I’m generous enough not to mind your little collection of women.”

“Orion,” she tugged on his tie, forcing him to look up, her voice a hot, challenging whisper. “Be honest. Me or her? Who makes you crazier in bed?”

I held my breath, waiting for his answer.

He let out a hoarse laugh, his hand sliding down to her thigh. “You, of course, my little wildcat.”

“She’s too good. No challenge at all.”

“But you…” His hand moved higher up her leg. “You always leave me wanting more.”

I couldn’t listen anymore. Just as they were about to kiss, I slammed the door open.

I marched over to him, my eyes burning, and slapped him across the face. “Orion Corvo,” I spat out each word. “You are a bastard.”

Dead silence.

Orion’s head was turned to the side, frozen.

I didn’t spare him another glance. I just ran.

The cold wind cut into me like a knife, but I felt no pain. A sob was caught in my throat, choking me.

For five years, I thought I was his only one.

I thought those nights of tangled sheets and whispered secrets meant something to him, too.

But I was just a boring toy.

Back at the penthouse, a silent emptiness greeted me.

Looking around this golden cage we had shared for five years, I couldn't hold back the rage and despair anymore.

The liquor cabinet where we’d shared a glass of whiskey. The shelves holding the rare art he’d bought for me. The record player with my favorite Moonlight Sonata, the song we’d danced to on countless nights.

I smashed it all.

Sitting in the wreckage, I fell apart.

Orion’s voice echoed in my head, a cruel mantra.

“Evangeline, I’ll always love you.”

“Evangeline, we’ll be together forever.”

“Evangeline, you have to stay by my side forever…”

“Evangeline…”

“Evangeline…”

The promises were all a lie. Every beautiful memory turned into a blade, slicing away the last bit of love I had for him.

The broken glass cut my skin. I didn't feel a thing.

A bitter hatred bloomed in my heart.

I was going to make a bet.

I was going to bet that when I left, Orion would hurt just as much as I did.

Just then, a tired, hoarse voice came from behind me. “You’ve hit me, you’ve smashed everything. Feel better now? Evangeline, let’s talk.”

I turned. Orion was leaning against the doorframe, pinching the bridge of his nose in exhaustion.

He walked toward me, stepping over the debris.

In his eyes, I saw my reflection—a mess. Red-eyed, hair a disaster. I was no longer the princess of the De Luca family. No longer the elegant Miss Evangeline of the art world.

I shoved away his hand as he tried to embrace me. For the first time, I was cold and distant. “Orion Corvo, we’re over.”

His face changed.

He didn’t answer right away, just stared at me, his eyes dark and terrifying.

After a long moment, he let out a low, humorless laugh. “Don’t be so dramatic. There’s no ‘over’ for us.”

“You knew who I was when you got into my bed,” he said, his voice dangerously low. “What’s changed?”

Tears streamed down my face. My heart was being ripped in two.

“Yes, you’ve always been this person. It was my mistake. I was a fool to think you were different…”

The memory of my last life, of him dying for me, was too strong.

It made me forget that after being reborn, I had changed.

And so had Orion.

Maybe I was wrong from the start, from the moment I decided to follow him at eighteen.

My broken sobs must have gotten to him. He sighed and tried to soften his tone. “Sienna and I are just a business arrangement.”

“No one can ever take your place in my heart. We can go back to how things were, can’t we?”

“Get out.”

My voice was quiet, my expression numb, but it was enough to finally anger him.

He scowled, gave me one last look, and left without turning back.

The door slammed shut. I collapsed onto the sofa.

I forced myself not to think about the five wasted years.

I pulled myself together, cleaned up, and went to bed.

He’s not the man who took a bullet for you, I told myself. He’s not the man who died for you.

I repeated it until my eyes were dry and I couldn’t cry anymore.

I finally fell into a heavy sleep.

But even in my dreams, I couldn’t escape the ghost of Orion, his love and his cruelty tangled together.

The next morning, I woke up with swollen eyes but managed to make myself look presentable.

I needed to go to the bank to get my passport and emergency funds.

But when the bank manager opened my safety deposit box, I froze.

It was empty.

“How is this possible?” I whispered, my voice shaking.

“I’m sorry, Miss De Luca.” The manager checked his records. “Someone withdrew everything last night with a letter of authorization.”

“Authorization?”

“Yes. Mr. Corvo said it was on your instruction.”

My blood ran cold.

I stormed out of the bank and went straight to Orion’s office.

I threw the door open. “Where are my things?”

Inside, Sienna was sitting on Orion’s lap, her face flushed as if she’d just been kissed.

My breath caught in my throat. “What is she doing here?”

“She’s going to be my wife,” Orion said, his voice flat. “That means she can go wherever she pleases.”