Chapter 1

This is the fourth year Alessandro has asked to marry me.

I had made up my mind: if our marriage application was rejected again, I would take the punishment with him and beg the Council to make an exception for us!

But when I rushed to the door of his study, Alessandro had just received the Council's reply.

As he unfolded the letter, I caught a clear glimpse from the doorway—it bore a massive "Approved" stamp.

Before I could even gasp in joy, I saw Alessandro pick up a pen and draw a ruthless red "X" right over it.

Then, he handed the letter to his Underboss, Marcus, his deep voice echoing in the quiet room.

"Tell everyone the marriage application was denied again this year."

I froze in place, my mind going completely blank.

Alessandro... why was he hiding the result?

Marcus took the letter, looking at Alessandro with a complicated expression.

"Don Alessandro, I remember you used to say you wanted to marry Jane as soon as possible, to make her your official wife. Now that you actually can, why do you keep putting it off? This is the fourth time you’ve vetoed the approval."

Every single word smashed into my ears, hitting me so hard I could barely stand.

The fourth time...

That meant the applications from the previous three years had been approved too!

Alessandro’s voice sounded a bit helpless.

"My desire to marry Jane has never changed. But when Jane left for those four years, Mia was the one by my side."

"She gave up her own dreams for me, working her way up to become my personal secretary."

"The first time I applied for marriage, she took a bullet for me and used that to beg me. I couldn't refuse. The second time, she got drunk and cut her wrists, crying that the day I got married would be the darkest day of her life. I don't love her, but I have a heart. After all her years of loyalty, I just can't bear to hurt her."

"What about Jane? You keep vetoing the approval and delaying the wedding. Aren't you afraid of hurting her?" Marcus didn't understand.

Alessandro went silent for a moment. He took out the barbed whip and handed it to his Underboss.

"It just means marrying Jane a little later. She loves me so much, she won't mind."

"And I will never let Jane find out about this. The punishment I take every year is my penance to her. Give me ninety-nine lashes this year."

Soon, the sound of a man's muffled groans echoed through the room.

Standing by the door, my vision was already blurred with tears.

I covered my mouth desperately to keep from sobbing out loud.

So, Alessandro had vetoed our marriage for four years in a row... all because of Mia!

The same Mia I had never even considered a threat!

Alessandro and I grew up together. Since we were kids, he had always been incredibly possessive of me.

We were in the same class, always together, the couple everyone knew.

In our sophomore year of high school, a new girl from the slums transferred to our class. Mia.

On her very first day, she confessed her love to Alessandro in front of everyone, claiming it was love at first sight.

Alessandro coldly rejected her without hesitation, pulling me close to announce that he already had a fiancée.

But Mia didn't give up. She kept chasing him relentlessly.

Yet every time, all she got was Alessandro's cold shoulder.

I never saw her as a rival, because I was so confident that Alessandro only loved me.

That was until I decided to go to Italy to further my studies.

Even though he hated to see me go, Alessandro didn't stop me.

I firmly believed that a temporary long-distance relationship wouldn't affect us.

But I never expected Mia to stay in New York and join the Rossi family.

And I definitely never expected that in just four short years, the man who promised to marry me the moment I graduated would delay our wedding again and again for her.

The cruel truth was like a sharp blade, slicing my heart to shreds.

I bit my lip hard so I wouldn't collapse under the overwhelming pain.

Just then, my phone rang.

I forced my tears back and turned away from the study.

It was my dad.

"Jane, how did the marriage application go this year? Can you and Alessandro finally get married?"

My knuckles turned white as I gripped the phone. It felt like there was cotton stuck in my throat; I couldn't speak.

My silence gave my dad the answer. He sighed heavily and tried to persuade me.

"You guys haven't gotten married in four years. It’s clear he doesn't really want to marry you. Listen to your dad, come to Italy and marry Don Xavier from the Caruso family. He’s powerful, and I handpicked him. You won't be mistreated. I just want you to be happy."

Six years ago, my father had moved the core members of our family to Italy.

After I finished my studies, I thought Alessandro and I would get married right away, so I came back to New York.

I didn't expect to waste four years.

My father had long been unhappy with the delayed marriage and had repeatedly urged me to move to Italy.

But I stubbornly believed that Alessandro and I were just waiting on timing.

Now I see it wasn't a matter of time.

It was a matter of Alessandro's determination to marry me.

The image of his scarred back flashed in my mind, and a dense, sharp pain spread across my chest.

"Dad, I agree to marry Don Xavier."