Chapter 1

I stepped into Alessandro Pushkin's mansion in the Hillcrest estates during an upper-class party in full swing. In my cheap sequined bodycon dress, I looked like a walking virus to them.

A gunshot rang out. The bullet grazed past me and hit the floor.

"Alessandro! Your security is slacking off. A vagrant just wandered in!"

I looked up toward the voice and saw the man I came for. Alessandro stood with his arm around the blonde who had just fired the gun, and she was staring at me with utter disgust on her face.

"Relax, Cristina. Next time, I'll teach you how to put the safety on first."

Alessandro stroked Cristina Romano's hand affectionately and took the misfired gun from her.

"Why would I need the safety on? You never use yours." Cristina smiled seductively as she reached for Alessandro's crotch.

That bullet had nearly killed me, but they didn't care. They just kept flirting. And the man I'd sold my blood and body to save, the man I'd given everything for, hadn't even glanced at me yet.

"Miss, if you don't want to get hurt, please leave."

Two security guards approached me, treating me like some common thief.

I didn't move. Watching those two kiss on the second floor felt like slow torture.

"Alessandro! Have you forgotten who saved you three months ago when you were bleeding out? Have you forgotten you promised to marry me once you dealt with the traitors?

"I sold my blood during the day and my body at night to pay your medical bills, and now you've completely forgotten me?"

At my furious shout, the people around me stopped dancing and turned to stare. But I knew none of these elites truly cared. They just wanted fresh gossip.

"Who is she?"

"Is she joking?"

"Why would the heir to the biggest Lussian syndicate in Melcina marry her? What's she dreaming about?"

The mocking voices piled up, hammering my dignity into the ground. My eyes burned with unshed tears as I looked up at Alessandro.

He finally looked at me. His expression reminded me of someone finding a toy truck they'd lost as a toddler—not particularly excited, just vaguely remembering it existed.

I'd given almost everything for him, yet I meant nothing.

"Cecilia? I was planning to send someone for you. But I forgot where you lived." He smiled, his tone casual.

"I thought something happened to you! I called you over and over!" I demanded.

"Oh? They must have been filtered as spam."

My heart went ice cold. I was such a fool. Even after seeing the tabloid photos of him and Cristina, I still thought I needed to see his betrayal with my own eyes to believe it.

He had once placed the family ring in my hand and promised, "Cecilia, wait for me. When I come back, you won't have to struggle anymore. I'll prove myself to my father and make you the future Madre of the Pushkin family."

He clearly didn't give a damn about his family's honor anymore. What was I even doing here?

"Alessandro, I should've left you in the gutter where I found you!" I shook my head in disappointment.

Alessandro still wore that superior expression, his tone growing impatient. "Alright, Cecilia. You want money? I'll pay you five times your usual rate.

"You just stay here and clean the place. That way you won't have to strip anymore."

After saying that, he didn't look at me again. He lowered his head to kiss Cristina's neck. Cristina's lips curved into a smile, as if she'd thought of something entertaining.

"She used to strip? Let's have some fun."

She clapped her hands. Someone brought over several trays piled with cash.

"What was your name again? Whatever. Start moving. Don't stop until I say so, and all this is yours."

She tipped the tray over. Bills floated down like snow. I knew she wanted to humiliate me, but I would take back my dignity my own way.

The band started playing sultry music. I stared at Cristina and let my fury become fuel.

I began moving to the rhythm. As I danced, even the people who'd mocked me earlier fell quiet. The smile on Cristina's face gradually froze.

"How boring. I want to see something else now." She raised a champagne glass filled with ice and threw it at me.

The bone-chilling liquid poured over me, forcing me to stop.

"Hey! Cristina, you should've waited until she stripped before you did that!" Alessandro's tone held no sympathy. Only annoyance that his show got interrupted.

That complete indifference felt colder than the ice water.

I stared at the pair on the second floor and said coldly, "A second ago, I was thinking about letting you both go. But now I'm going to think very carefully about how to set up your downfall."