Chapter 3

Inside the surveillance room, dozens of screens displayed every part of the villa.

I quickly pulled up the feed from the underground garage.

Tony’s car had never left the estate. Instead, it was parked in the most hidden corner.

The car door opened, and Sasha’s figure slipped inside.

She straddled Tony’s lap directly, arms around his neck, and leaned in for her red lips to whisper something against his ear.

There was undeniable desire on Tony’s face as he gripped her jaw and kissed her hard.

Though I couldn’t hear anything, the intensity of their movements said enough.

The car window slowly rolled up, blocking my view, but the subtle, rhythmic rocking of the car began soon after.

I leaned back in the cold chair. My heart felt as if it was squeezed tight, the pain sharp enough to leave me breathless.

I’d already known, of course, but seeing it with my own eyes felt like having flesh peeled away.

When we first met, Tony had a severe cleanliness obsession and never let anyone touch his car.

He said the front passenger seat would only ever belong to me.

Now, he allowed another woman to climb into his lap in his car without restraint.

Did he love her that much? Enough to break every rule he once swore by?

I closed my eyes and forced myself to calm down.

“Three more days, Claire. Just endure three more days, and then you’re free.”

I didn’t return to the party. I went straight to the bedroom.

In the middle of the night, the sound of the door opening woke me.

Tony entered with the smell of alcohol and cold air still clinging to him. When he saw me in bed, the tension in his shoulders loosened.

“Claire, why did you come back so early? I went back to the hall after attending to business and couldn’t find you. I almost turned the whole estate upside down.”

I glanced at the clock on the nightstand—4 a.m.

He and Sasha were together in that car for seven hours before he finally remembered me.

It was ridiculous.

“I was tired, so I went to bed. Forgot to tell you.”

A lie spoken enough times eventually sounded natural.

Tony looked shaken. He shrugged off his coat, got into bed, and pulled me tightly into his arms, as if trying to fuse me into him.

“Don’t do that again, Claire. If you ever disappear without a word, I’ll turn the world over to find you and lock you by my side. You won’t go anywhere ever again.”

I kept my eyes closed and didn’t move.

In three days, even if he overturned the world, he would still never find me.

The next morning, Tony woke early and made me an elaborate breakfast.

“Claire, yesterday was my fault. Don’t be mad at me, okay?”

So now he felt guilty?

I watched as he tried to please me, feeling nothing. Then, I picked up the small box already prepared on the table and handed it to him.

“I’m not angry. This is a return gift for you. Open it two days from now.”

It was a gold coin with the Gambinos' crest, a token passed down from wife to wife. I had once inscribed my name on it.

The day I discovered his affair, I scratched out my name cleanly, leaving only the coin inside the box.

This would be the last thing I left for him.

Tony accepted it, curious.

“Why in two days? Is there some special meaning?”

I smiled. “Yes. It only has meaning if you open it in two days.”

The expectation in his eyes grew as he thought it was a surprise.

“Alright. I’ll wait. I promise I’ll open it in two days.”

Just then, Sasha walked in with a coffee.

As she set it on the table, the sleeve of her uniform shifted, revealing a man’s watch on her wrist.

It was the watch I gave Tony for his birthday last year.

Tony followed my line of sight. His expression changed instantly, panic and anger flashing in his eyes.

He stood up abruptly, grabbed Sasha by the wrist, and practically dragged her out of the dining room.

“Claire, something urgent came up with family business. Eat while I handle it.”

I went to the second-floor terrace, where the entire garden was visible.

Tony was gripping Sasha’s wrist so tightly, her body shaking as if she were crying.

However, Tony shoved her away, his face suppressing fury.

“Are you crazy?! Who told you to wear that? I warned you to behave! If Claire notices anything, I’ll make sure you disappear from this world!”

Sasha flinched, tears falling even harder. Her hands shook as she took ‌a document from her coat.

“I know I shouldn’t have come. But… I was diagnosed with leukemia. It’s late stage.

“The doctor said I might not live more than three months… Tony, I just wanted to see you more before I die… I’m scared. I don’t want to die…”

The breath caught in my throat.

Sasha… had a terminal illness? But she looked perfectly healthy yesterday.