Chapter 1

For love, I followed Harrison, the underboss of the Moretti family, from halfway across the world.

But for five whole years, my permanent residency application had gone nowhere.

Several key steps required Harrison's personal involvement, but he always claimed he was too swamped with family business to find the time.

Yet Cathy, my so-called stepsister, who was living on our estate, got her residency in just two short weeks.

I only found out through the servants' gossip that Harrison had personally stepped in, pressuring a top immigration lawyer to rush it through.

With my hopes completely shattered, I told him I wanted to go home.

Harrison, a man who was always so proud, panicked.

He pulled me into a fierce embrace, kissing my hair. "Aurora, you're my wife. Getting your permanent residency is just a matter of time."

"But Cathy is different. She has no family to protect her. Without legal status, she could be deported at any moment."

"Just do it for me. Stay. Okay?"

Once again, I gave in to his tender words.

Until today. I went to the immigration office alone to check on my file. The clerk stared at the screen, her face a mask of confusion.

"Ma'am, the system clearly states that Mr. Harrison Moretti's legal spouse is... a Ms. Cathy."

"Did you perhaps fill out your form incorrectly?"

My world froze.

So, the five years of waiting had all been a lie. I wasn't just denied permanent residency; my very marriage was a fraud.

I didn't go back to the estate. I went straight to the airport and flew home.

Before I boarded, the last message from him read: "Stop throwing a tantrum. Come home."

But Harrison, we didn't have a home anymore.

...

The clerk behind the counter noticed my prolonged silence.

Thinking I hadn't understood, she slowed her speech and repeated herself.

"Ma'am, you might want to double-check your information..."

That snapped me back to reality. I reached out, snatched back the form that now felt like a worthless piece of paper, and forced a smile.

"No need to check. Thank you."

After a few dazed seconds, my first instinct was to call Harrison and demand an explanation.

The line rang for a long time.

In the end, it was Cathy who answered.

"Aurora, Harrison's in an important family meeting. Is it urgent?"

"You can tell me, and I'll pass it along."

"Though, I can't imagine you have anything more important to discuss than what's for dinner or which color tie he should wear tomorrow."

"We're finalizing the routes for an arms shipment. You're a housewife. Try not to cause any trouble."

Every word was a barb, leaving me speechless.

I could faintly hear Harrison's deep voice in the background.

"What is it?"

Cathy chuckled lightly. "Nothing, just an... unimportant call."

"You get back to looking at those territory maps."

The call was disconnected.

I stared at the darkened screen as a single tear I couldn't stop splashed onto the back of my hand.

But as I cried, a bitter laugh escaped my lips.

Thinking back, I shouldn't have been surprised.

Harrison and Cathy had known each other since they were children. They were childhood sweethearts, their history running far deeper than mine.

I knew all this the day I accepted his proposal.

Back then, Harrison had pinned me against a wall, his gaze burning into me. "That's ancient history, Aurora. The position of Donna, the family's future matriarch, will always be yours. You're the only one I love now."

And I, naively, had believed him.

Not long after I married Harrison and moved here, Cathy followed, using the pretext of seeking refuge with family.

At the time, Harrison would soothe me in bed, kissing my collarbone and whispering reassurances.

"She's a delicate girl with no one to rely on. The world outside is chaotic. I can't trust her to live in someone else's territory."

And so, Cathy moved openly into the estate with Harrison and me.

Before long, she had effortlessly integrated herself into his inner circle.

Everyone in the family could sense the inappropriate intimacy, the line that had been crossed.

But Harrison always maintained an air of complete control. "She's just a little sister who needs looking after. Don't get jealous."

And I believed him again. I closed my eyes, covered my ears, and contented myself with being the exquisite canary in his golden cage.

I remembered my mother's words, spoken just before I decided to leave the country. She had seen right through him.

She knew the rules of the underworld, and she knew her daughter. Realizing she couldn't change my mind, she had simply offered a faint smile.

"You're too inexperienced, so I won't stand in your way. One day, you'll understand."

"A woman who lives on a man's favor is just a pretty ornament. The moment he stops admiring you, you can be replaced in an instant."

Blinded by love, I had scoffed at her words.

I was certain Harrison's love was my impenetrable shield.

I cut off all financial support from my own family, betting everything to follow him, marrying into a foreign country with a culture and language completely alien to me.

After enduring five long years, I thought I had finally found my place in this underworld.

Only now did I finally wake up to the truth: the man who had promised to protect me for a lifetime had broken his vow long ago.

Only now, having lost everything, did I finally understand what my mother had meant.

My thoughts returned to the present. I unlocked my phone. Without a moment's hesitation, I booked the next flight home.

The departure was tonight.

Five years.

I didn't have another five years to waste on Harrison.

The booking confirmation alert pinged on my screen.

At the top of the screen, Harrison's name abruptly flashed.

He was calling me back.