Chapter 3

I was just about to say that Cassiano was indeed the one I intended to marry when I remembered what Papa had told me.

"Cassiano is currently dealing with something and will only be back in three days. Before he returns, don't tell anyone about the engagement. I don't want anything to go wrong."

Papa had looked grave when saying that. In our world, "dealing with something" generally came with bloodshed.

In any case, the engagement was set. I wasn't in a rush to announce anything.

I'd never spent much time with Cassiano. In my previous life, even after marrying Dario, I'd barely ever seen Cassiano. His own father, Don Morandi, didn't dare to get close to him, yet he needed him.

Cassiano lived in the annex tucked in the deepest corner of the Morandi estate. When I occasionally ran into him in the hallways, he would just silently step aside to let me pass.

Then came the day I'd died. After Dario had given our enemies the intel, they'd burst in through the doors and ambushed us. Papa had collapsed in a pool of his blood after being shot thrice, and someone had grabbed me by the hair, pinning me to the floor.

That was when Cassiano had emerged from the darkness. He'd given Dario a shot straight to the head, then scooped me up and ran out. I'd already been on the brink then.

Ultimately, he'd been one step too late. As I'd died in the arms of this man, who'd been raised like a beast in that fighting pit, I'd felt him shaking all over.

In this life, I swore to make sure he lived out the rest of his life safe and sound.

At that thought, I suppressed my roiling emotions and gave Dario a cold smile. "You'll find out soon enough."

I turned and walked away.

…

When the party ended, Lina came running after me. She jogged up to me, panting slightly from the exertion. Her white dress fluttered in the wind, making her look like a fragile little flower.

She held up her left hand and turned it under the lights, making the snake-shaped ring on her finger gleam coldly. "Ms. Vito, Dario said that even though he'll marry you, I'm the only one he'll ever truly consider his wife."

She smiled and continued softly, "I'm the only one he'll ever buy rings for in this lifetime."

I patted her on the shoulder. "Don't be so jumpy, Lina. If you and Dario do end up getting married, I'll make sure to attend the wedding. I'll even prepare a huge gift."

Lina froze, a hint of disbelief flashing in her eyes. Then, she smiled, her timid expression fading away to reveal the disdain hidden beneath. "You can drop the act, Ms. Vito. No way you can let go of Dario after pursuing him for so many years. Not that it matters—I'm the only one he loves."

I nodded and turned away, getting into the car. I didn't care whether or not she believed me. I just wanted to watch the show that was about to be put on—would Dario still be so devoted to her when he lost access to the Vito family's resources and Papa's protection?

…

For the next three days, I kept busy picking out the things needed for my engagement to Cassiano. I even sent people to find out his measurements. He was incredibly tall and broad-shouldered; regular boutiques didn't carry tuxedos that fit him, so I had to get one custom-made.

And it was also during these three days that Lina became oddly active on her social media. She updated it at least three or four times a day.

Breakfast with Dario, winery dates with him, enjoying wine before the fireplace with him… Her latest update showed her grilling steaks in the kitchen, wearing an apron. It was captioned, "Cooking for my beloved is the most blissful thing in the world."

The comments were envious.

I was about to lock my phone when Lina texted me. "Ms. Vito, Dario hasn't left my side for the past three days. He told me he's never been happier. I'm so thankful you gave him to me."

She even sent me a photo of herself smiling while holding up a steak.

I stared at her smile for five seconds. At my wedding in my previous life, she'd walked into the church wearing that same smile. She'd worn a white dress that showed off her baby bump, and her smile had slowly turned to grief and tears.

All 300 guests had turned their gazes from her to me, and then to Dario. I would never forget the suffocating atmosphere of that day, as well as how Dario had killed my entire family for her dead baby.

I took a few deep breaths before replying to Lina. "Enjoy it while you can. I hope you can still feel so blissful when my family kicks your father out."

Then, I blocked her number.

Less than three minutes later, Dario called me. "What the hell is wrong with you, Cecilia? Lina is just a regular young woman, and her father has worked tirelessly for your family for 20 years. Why did you threaten her?

"She's just helping you take care of me. Do you know how upset and how badly she's crying now? Get the hell over here and apologize to her in person!" His tone was beyond icy, his rage barely in check.

He was the same as he'd been in my previous life, always siding with Lina and thinking that I'd bullied her. But in this life, there was a hint of something else in his tone, concealed beneath his rage—restlessness.

After all, my behavior had once again gone beyond his expectations. He thought giving me the cold shoulder for the past three days would've driven me mad with jealousy and that I would've sought him out already. Yet not only had I not gone to him, but I'd even threatened Lina.

I leaned against the leather backseat of my car and laughed. "Sure thing. I'm already on my way to the Morandi estate."

Dario sounded smug on the other end of the line. "At least you still have some sense in you. Bring a box of macarons on your way here. Lina likes them."

"I don't have time for that. I'm too busy meeting my fiance." With that, I hung up.

Cassiano was returning on this day.