Chapter 1

When I lost the baby, I begged my fiancé, Don Adriano Ferraro, to save me. But his stepsister got there first.

"Don't buy her act. She's just fishing for attention—again."

And he believed her. He left me to die.

Next thing I knew, I was flat on a hospital bed, barely hanging on, while nurses whispered like I was invisible.

"I heard she's Don Ferraro's fiancée. Yikes, what a mess."

"Why pity her? They call her La Pazza for a reason. She went after Sofia—his stepsister. Big mistake."

"Any girl near the Don ends up wrecked. Poor Sofia..."

I cracked my eyes open. One nurse froze, then bolted.

"Doctor! Ms. Carlson's awake!"

Adriano stormed in seconds later, eyes cold as ice.

Sofia clung to his arm, smug as hell.

"This is so you, Cassie," he said. "Always a burden."

My chest tightened.

"Look at Sofia," he ran a hand through her hair. "She thinks before she acts. No drama."

Sofia's smile curled, eyes glittering.

"And you?" His voice cut sharp. "You faked a pregnancy just to rush the wedding."

I stared at him, stunned he bought that crap.

Sofia smirked. "Cassie, come on. Full drama mode? You really went all in."

I gripped the sheets, choking down the pain.

My hand slid to my now-flat belly.

Five days ago, Sofia asked me to go hiking.

I didn't hesitate.

Didn't know it was a setup.

At the cliff's edge, she shoved me. I tumbled into the ravine.

Terror swallowed me.

I screamed for help. Adriano showed up.

But Sofia beat me to him.

"Adriano, you have to believe me," she gasped, fake-shaken. "Cassie pushed me..."

I begged him to listen. He just stared, ice-cold.

"Cassie, this is what you do—lie and manipulate."

Then he walked away. Left me in the mountains.

Five days of freezing and despair.

I didn't just lose my baby—I lost the man I loved.

Tears slid down my cheeks, soaking the pillow.

Adriano's brows drew tight. "Use the best medicine. Get her stable. If anything goes wrong, you're finished," he barked at the doctor. A flicker of concern slipped out, but I didn't care anymore.

I thought about the baby I'd never meet, now just blood.

No medicine could fix that.

Sofia strolled over, handed me a mug of tea.

"Drink, Cassie," she said sweetly, venom dripping. "You thought saving Adriano's grandma and flashing that ring meant you'd won? In the end, I'm the one marrying him."

I clenched my teeth, silent.

They had no clue—I'd already buried that stupid love for Adriano.

Down in that ravine, freezing and bleeding, I made my choice.

Three days from now, we'd be over for good.

Sofia leaned in, voice low. "You and that baby of yours got what you deserved."

Rage flared hot in my eyes.

I could take her insults. Not when they hit my child.

She stepped closer, all fake concern. "Cassie, what's wrong? Still mad at me?"

Before I could move, she dropped the mug. Boiling tea hit my skin—burned like hell.

"Adriano!" she cried, clutching her hand. "Cassie's still mad—she knocked the mug over!"

Adriano rushed in, grabbed her hand, eyes full of panic.

"Are you okay? Did it burn you?"

He didn't even look at me.

Sofia shook her head, eyes gleaming. "I'm fine. Cassie's probably just in a bad mood. I get it."