Chapter 1

The moment the call connected, I heard my father's steady voice.

"Evelyn, do you mean that?"

My voice shook. The gunshot wound in my chest made every breath a struggle.

But I forced the words out through the pain. "I mean it, Dad."

The line went quiet for a long time.

His breathing grew heavy. The man who'd always stayed calm under fire sounded like any father who needed to hear his daughter say it one more time.

"Evelyn, you won't change your mind?"

I looked around the empty hospital room. "I won't.

"Dad, I've really thought this through."

"Good!"

He paused. "But I'm in the middle of an important cross-border deal and I can't get away. I'll send my assistant to bring you home.

"Evelyn, just sit tight and don't worry about anything."

Hearing that, I couldn't stop the tears.

He must have heard me sniffle, because his voice went hard.

"Why are you crying? Who hurt you?"

"N-nothing."

I didn't want my father to know that his little girl, who used to be so afraid of pain, had taken a bullet for her husband.

I especially didn't want him to know I was lying in a hospital room with no one by my side.

I said quietly, "Just bring me home first. We'll talk about everything else when I get there."

"All right."

My father didn't push. But knowing him, I was sure he'd find out all of it sooner or later.

As soon as I hung up, I groaned in pain.

The anesthesia had completely worn off, and the wound burned in waves.

I gasped for breath, trying to steady myself.

Just then, the door opened and Alvis walked in.

My face went cold. "What are you doing here?"

He acted like he hadn't heard the disgust in my voice and hurried over to my bed.

He sounded worried. "Evelyn, are you okay?"

I curled my lip at this two-faced man.

Yesterday, I'd barely opened my eyes in this bed when he put divorce papers in front of me.

"Althea has three months to live, at most. She wants to marry me.

"Evelyn, let's get a divorce."

Back then, I hadn't taken it seriously.

"Alvis, is this some kind of joke? How does Althea even have the nerve to show her face around you?"

I struggled to lift my hand and reach for him.

But Alvis pulled away, frowning, and took two steps back.

"Evelyn, I'm serious. Althea didn't know any better back then.

"She got used. She did a lot of things wrong, but she regrets them now.

"All she wants is to marry me. I can't say no to her."

When I heard that, I jerked upright, pain or no pain.

I didn't care that the drainage tube tugged at my wound or that blood was seeping out. I grabbed the divorce papers and tore them to shreds in a frenzy.

"Alvis! Do you even hear yourself?"

I screamed, shaking all over.

Alvis just watched me fall apart, his eyes cold.

Finally, he said, "I'll make it up to you, Evelyn."

When my wound reopened and they wheeled me back into surgery, he walked away without a second look.

And now here he was, playing the good guy.

I turned my head away in disgust. "I'll sign the divorce papers. Just go."

"Evelyn, don't lie to me."

Alvis frowned and pointed at the scraps on the floor. "You tore up the last set. This time I'm going to watch you sign.

"I know you're upset, but once Althea's gone, I'll make it up to you."

His tone softened, and he reached for my cheek. He spoke as casually as if we were deciding what to have for lunch.

"The Sartori family's resources, businesses, shares. Just say the word, and I'll give you whatever you want."

He said it as if he were offering me the best deal of my life.

As if my feelings, our marriage, and the bullet I'd taken for him all had a price tag.

But I'd given up my family name, my inheritance, and the future my father had planned for me.

Eight years ago, I'd left the Lauretti family for him. No matter how my parents pleaded, I'd refused to go back.

I'd even risked my own life to take a bullet for him.

I hadn't done any of it for what he could give me.

Looking at his face made me sick.

I was done with this marriage. I was done with him.