Chapter 2

I had only walked a short distance when Anastasia emerged from behind a column like a ghost, blocking my path.

"Elena," she said my name with false concern, but her eyes gleamed with malice. "I think I heard the mistress was just now. Is she upset with you because... because Leone chose me instead?"

I stopped walking and watched her performance coldly.

Seeing I didn't respond, she continued on her own, her voice soft as a serpent's hiss: "You really shouldn't be too upset. After all, this roulette wasn't anything more than a show, was it? The Don... well, he actually wanted you. It's just that my dear Leone loves me so much that even God is on our side."

"Elena," her voice remained gentle, but her smile turned ice-cold. "Seeing how happy Leone and I are, are you disappointed?"

I stopped without turning around. "If you just want to gloat, you've got the wrong person."

She circled to stand in front of me, blocking my path. "Don't pretend. I know you hate me enough to want to kill me. You went through all that trouble trying to marry him, but look what happened? He can't even be bothered to look at you."

I looked at her and suddenly found her pitiful. "Anastasia, I hope you and Leone can be happy together. I won't come between you again."

She scoffed and took a step closer to me. "What makes you think you're worthy? Why would Don and the Madre both prefer you marrying Leone?"

She reached out to grab my wrist, her nails digging into my skin.

I tried to pull away. "Let go."

"What? You want to hit me?" Her voice suddenly rose dramatically, tears forming in her eyes as her grip tightened. "Is it just because Leone chose me? That's why you hate me so much?"

At that moment, hurried footsteps approached. Leone appeared at the end of the corridor, clearly drawn by Anastasia's raised voice.

The moment his gaze fell on us, Anastasia dramatically fell backward as if I had shoved her hard, landing heavily on the floor. At the same time, she cried out in pain: "Ow! My wrist!"

She lifted her arm to reveal a thin scratch.

On my wrist, I wore a delicate silver bracelet, its charm a small oval locket that could be opened.

Leone rushed forward in one stride, dropping to one knee beside Anastasia. "Anna! Are you okay?"

Anastasia immediately nestled into his arms, tears streaming down her face. "Leone... it's not Elena's fault... she was just... just too upset... I shouldn't have come to talk to her..."

Then she showed him her barely visible injury. "She just wanted so badly to be your bride, Leone. It's my fault too for being careless and getting scratched by Elena's bracelet."

"I didn't push her," I said calmly, my voice unnaturally clear in the empty corridor.

"You still dare to lie?" Leone gently held Anastasia's injured arm as if it were fragile porcelain. "The roulette's result when I was with Anastasia was God's will. What do you have to complain about?"

Then he stood up, grabbing my wrist that held the bracelet with enough force to crush bone. "Is this what hurt her?"

"Let me go," I tried to struggle free.

He stared at the bracelet with a sinister look. "You'll pay for this." He yanked hard.

"No!" I screamed, a wave of unprecedented panic washing over me.

But it was too late. The thin chain snapped and slipped from his hand. Without a second glance, he tossed it aside like trash into the incinerator chute built into the corridor wall—a disposal point for confidential documents that burned at constantly high temperatures.

Flames instantly swallowed the silver chain.

I stared at the jumping flames inside the chute, feeling all the blood in my body freeze.

Inside... inside that locket was a small amount of my deceased mother's ashes. It was the only thing she left me. The only comfort I had on countless cold nights.

I threw myself toward the incinerator, trying to rescue the necklace from the flames.

Leone seemed startled by my frantic actions but quickly caught me, restraining my movements.

But Anastasia's timely sobs immediately recaptured his attention.

"It hurts so much, Leone..." she whispered softly against him.

Leone released me immediately, bending down to lift her into his arms without another glance in my direction, turning to leave.

Only one cold sentence followed me: "Elena, you disgust me. If anything happens to Anastasia, I'll make you and your pathetic little family pay together."

Their footsteps faded down the corridor.

I was left alone, facing the merciless flames in the incinerator chute. The hot air washed over my face, but couldn't dispel the chill in my heart.

Slowly, slowly, I squatted down, hugging my knees and burying my face in them.

No tears. Not one.

The pain from being disfigured by acid, having my limbs torn off, and being burned alive in my past life seemed nothing compared to this heartbreak.

Once again, he had effortlessly destroyed the most precious thing in my life.

After a long time, until my legs went numb, I slowly stood up.

Just then, my phone rang. The name flashing on the screen was David, our family's Consigliere.

I answered the call.

"Elena!" David's voice contained suppressed fury and panic. "What the hell have you done? The Donovitch Madre just called, and she's pissed! She said you ruined the marriage and talked back to her! Leone Donovitch is threatening to make us pay! You're going to destroy our family's future!"

I could picture him pacing nervously back in Eastern Europe. Our Volkov family was all show and no substance, relying on clinging to the Donovitch family just to survive.

"Consigliere," I cut in, "The roulette landed on empty. Leone chose Anastasia himself. It has nothing to do with me."

"Nothing to do with it?" he raised his voice. "The Donovitch Madre specifically promised you would be the one! She was our best hope! Now look at us! Not only have we lost our backing, we've made enemies with them! Don't you realize? our smuggling line in Mexico just got shut down! Donovitch definitely ordered it! They could crush us with a snap of their fingers!"

David continued: "To become the Madre of Donovitch family—that's an honor most women would kill for! What's a little humiliation compared to that? For the family, personal sacrifice is necessary! You go back right now, apologize to Donovitch's Madre and Leone, and beg for forgiveness! No matter what, you have to salvage this marriage!"

Without waiting for my response, he hung up angrily.

Just like in my past life. For the family's interests, they wouldn't hesitate to throw me into the fire pit. And my father, though the nominal Don of our family, had long been sidelined by the Consigliere and Capo, becoming their leverage against me.

Suddenly, a notification scrolled across my encrypted underworld messaging app.

"The Cobella family is seeking a marriage alliance. Suitable females from major families may apply. Contact via secure channel for details."

The Cobella family. The uncrowned king of the European underworld, a controlling force in over 80% of arms trade. Their influence was enough to make all five New York families hold their breath.

However, rumors about the current Don were terrifying.

He lived in seclusion and was exceptionally mysterious.

The most widespread stories claimed he was elderly, mentally twisted, impotent, and had extremely sadistic tendencies.

All his former wives and fiancées had disappeared without a trace.

For this very reason, despite their immense power, the Cobella family's marriage offer was like a hot potato—desired by many families yet feared by just as many.

But for me, this was the best way to escape the Donovitch family and protect my father.

If I could become the Madre of the Cobella family—even nominally—Leone Donovitch wouldn't be able to touch me or my family. He would have to look up to me.

Without hesitation, I tapped on the message and began filling out my information according to the encryption instructions. I knew this was a gamble, but it was currently my only and fastest way to save myself.