Chapter 1

“Raphael’s dead.”

The news made my head spin.

My fiancé, Raphael Russo, the rising star of New York’s underworld, was killed in a brutal shootout three days before our wedding. The story was they couldn’t even find enough of him to piece together.

As his fiancée, I stood at the front of the graveside, clutching his engagement ring so tight my knuckles turned white.

“Cecilia, my condolences.” Raphael’s second-in-command, Leo, walked over and handed me a black umbrella. His face wore the perfect mask of grief. “You were the one the Don loved most. You have to live on for him.”

I opened my mouth to offer some empty platitude, but a line of blood-red text exploded in front of my eyes.

It wasn't a hallucination. The words floated above Leo’s head like a neon sign.

【Give me a break. This guy’s a terrible actor. Raphael is in Colombia right now, sunbathing with his side piece.】

I blinked hard. The text was still there, and now it was scrolling.

【Wake up, girl! The coffin's empty! He faked his death! The scumbag ran off to be with that scheming bitch chloe, the one pretending to be sick!】

My heart hammered against my ribs. A chill shot up my spine.

What was this insane live commentary? But the crazier question was—what if it was true?

I took a deep breath, pushed Leo’s hand away, and stumbled toward the expensive mahogany coffin.

“Ms. Cecilia! You can’t—” Leo and another man, Nico, rushed to stop me.

“Let me see him one last time!” I shoved, using all my strength to lift a corner of the lid.

There was no smell of blood.

Inside were just a few heavy rocks and an empty suit.

I froze.

It was true. The comments were true.

Leo slammed the lid shut with a loud thud and held it down, beads of sweat on his forehead. “Cecilia! The body… it’s too gruesome. You’ll have nightmares! We’re doing this for your own good!”

For my own good?

I lowered my head, letting my long hair hide my face as the tears in my eyes turned to ice.

“I’m sorry… I’m just so emotional,” I said, my voice trembling. I pretended to be weak, leaning on Nico for support. “I need… to use the restroom. I need a moment.”

They let out a collective sigh of relief.

I walked toward the main house, my steps unsteady. But the moment I turned the corner, I wiped my tears and hid behind a bookshelf in the study.

Soon, Leo and Nico came in.

“Don’t worry, Boss, Cecilia bought it. She was crying so hard she almost passed out. She even tried to open the coffin, scared the hell out of me.”

The voice on the other end of the phone was the man I had loved for three years. It was a little distorted, but I’d know it anywhere.

“Good.” Raphael’s voice was lazy, laced with a smile. I could hear waves in the background. “Keep her in the dark. Chloe’s the priority now. They say she only has three months left, and I have to be with her. You could call it… being crazy in love.”

“What about Cecilia?”

“Once Chloe’s gone, I’ll have a ‘miraculous resurrection’ and come back to New York. Cecilia will only love me more. After all, you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone, right?”

【Listen to this piece of shit. Is he even human?】

【Faking his own death to ditch his wedding for a side piece? This asshole is on another level.】

【Girl, grab a knife and go gut them!】

I clamped my hand over my mouth to stifle a sob.

The man who swore he’d take a bullet for me was lying in another woman’s arms, plotting how to play with my life like I was some kind of puppet.

I didn’t storm in.

I’m a Rossi. We don’t fly into a rage. We plot. I didn’t want a fight. I wanted him to regret the day he was born.

I took out my phone and calmly hit the record button.

After they left, I dried my eyes, straightened my black dress, and put my mask of grief back on.

Leo was looking around anxiously. When he saw me, he rushed over. “Cecilia, where did you go?”

I looked up at him, a strange smile on my face.

“Leo,” I asked softly, resting my hand on his shoulder, feeling his muscles tense up. “Do you think… is there any chance at all that Raphael is still alive?”

Leo’s pupils shrank.