Mag-log inI took a bullet meant for my uncle, Don Matteo Doria. His mother, Maria Doria, was so moved by what I'd done that she suggested I marry Matteo. But when I woke in the ICU, I learned he was about to get engaged to a young starlet, Claire Russo. When I showed up at their engagement party, every guest expected me to cause a scene. After all, I was the girl the Doria family had spoiled rotten. Matteo ordered his men to protect Claire, then pointed his gun at me. "Vivian, Claire is my old friend's daughter. I won't let you hurt her." Instead, I handed Claire a gift. "I was immature before. This is a little welcome gift for you, Claire." The room went dead silent. Matteo slowly lowered his gun, his eyes full of surprise. I smiled at Matteo and pretended I was fine, even as the pain tore at my heart. "Since you're marrying someone else, give me back the necklace my father left me. "From now on, I'll stay out of your life." In my last life, I caused a huge scene at the engagement party and used Maria's promise to force Matteo to marry me. Without his protection, Claire was murdered by people who were after her parents' inheritance. For the next three years, Matteo kept me locked away on his empty estate while he drowned in grief over Claire's death. Even when I got into a car accident on the way to the hospital and lost the baby, he never came to see me once. Now that I'd been given a second chance, I knew better. I would never chase after Matteo's love again.
view moreMatteo reeled as if struck. He rushed upstairs and burst into Vivian's bedroom.Below the balcony lay piles of smashed jewelry, broken pieces of jade, and torn couture gowns.Matteo walked over to the bed, looking lost, and saw an unsigned letter beside it.With trembling hands, he opened it. There were only a few neatly written lines, but their message was unmistakably final."Matteo, I once told you that if you ever lost my necklace, I wouldn't want you anymore."Now the necklace is broken, the wedding dress is burned, and my heart is dead."I don't blame you, but I will never love you again. Don't come looking for me. Just pretend Vivian is dead."Matteo dropped to his knees on the cold floor, pressed the letter hard against his chest, and let out a broken, anguished sob."No, Vivian, you can't do this to me..."After a moment, he pulled himself together."Search! Use every resource the Doria family has! Get the entire European underworld network involved! Find her!"Matteo braced h
Claire lay in the hospital bed, her face pale. She slowly opened her eyes.When she saw Matteo sitting by her bed with a blank expression, she immediately looked hurt and close to tears."Matteo, our baby, our baby is gone... It was Vivian! She's so evil!"She reached out to grab Matteo's sleeve.But Matteo only stared at her, his eyes devoid of warmth.Claire's hand froze in midair, and a strange sense of panic gripped her. "Matteo, what's wrong? Don't scare me like this..."Matteo took out his phone, pulled up the video, and tossed it right in front of her.The video showed every second of Claire poisoning her own drink.Claire's eyes widened. Her face grew even paler, and she started shaking violently. "It's not real, Matteo. Let me explain. Vivian faked that video. She's trying to frame me!""A fake video?"Matteo let out a harsh laugh. "I pulled the restaurant's security footage myself. I heard every word you said to Vivian outside that restaurant!"Matteo rose, seized Claire by t
The moment the plane climbed into the sky, I looked down through the window at the island shrinking beneath me.The burn on my wrist still ached, but this time, my smile came easily.Matteo, in my last life, you drove me to the edge after three years of keeping me locked away and shutting me out. But this time, I'm walking away on my own. From now on, we're done with each other....At the hospital, Matteo's cold voice cut like a knife. "Find Vivian! Turn all of Sicily upside down if you have to, but find her!"Matteo went back into the hospital room. When he saw Claire lying in bed, bleeding heavily, he looked like a wild animal that had lost all control.His grip tightened around the phone, the veins in his hand standing out. He couldn't stop thinking about how calmly Vivian had said, "As you wish." The words cut deep.Vivian had been missing for three hours.A bodyguard said nervously, "Don, Ms. Vivian's phone is turned off. We can't track her location...""Keep calling! And shut do
Flames roared in front of me, and I sank to the floor, defeated.My mother's wedding dress burned to ash, sending up wisps of black smoke. I clutched the torn scrap of tulle to my chest. I wanted to sob, but no tears would come.I just stared blankly at the pile of ashes. After a moment, a hopeless laugh escaped me.Regret and hesitation flickered in Matteo's eyes, but they quickly vanished behind his usual cold expression."Since you've been punished, we'll let this go. Stay home and rest."With that, he turned and hurried out.Rosa, who had been standing at a distance, came over to help me up and tried to reassure me. "Ms. Vivian, I just found out what happened. Claire posted all about the engagement party online and claimed you got her fired. Everyone in mafia circles is laughing at the Doria family for failing to keep you in line."The advisors all demanded that you stand trial. The Don punished you today to get them off your back and keep the rest of the Doria family from coming a






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