Chapter 1

My phone lit up with a test message from Dad, Paolo Carozza.

"The bet is still on. The Carozza family will always be supporting you."

His reply was brief yet powerful.

I stared at his words, a bitter taste rising in my mouth. The joke we'd cracked just three years ago turned out to be real after all.

I replied, "You don't have to intervene this time. I'll handle everything myself."

Dad replied at once.

"I'll send Leo to assist you."

Leo Giordano was Dad's Underboss, and he was someone to be trusted.

I gripped the phone tightly in my hands as I stared at the string of numbers on the screen, feeling my fingers running cold.

In the past three years, my husband, Carlos Zappa, had been incredibly attentive to me. He spent millions of dollars on buying jewelry for me, tens of thousands of dollars on private fireworks displays, and even burned his contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars just to light up my cigarette.

It didn't matter if it were money, power, or love—if he had it, he would grant it to me.

I stood under the fireworks that lit up the entirety of Staples for me all night long, hearing my heart pounding loudly in my chest.

Carlos was the perfect husband in everybody's eyes.

He once even told me, "Sofia, you're the only ray of sunshine in my life." And at that time, I'd completely believed every word he said without ever doubting him.

However, the long, blond strand of curly hair stuck onto the bathrobe and the two handprints pressed against the floor-to-ceiling windows mocked me for my foolishness.

I inhaled deeply, combed my hair, and walked out of the bathroom.

When Carlos saw me walk out of the bathroom, he came up to me and hugged me from the back, resting his chin against the crook of my neck.

"You were in the bathroom for a really long time. I can't wait anymore."

His hot breath traveled across my collarbones, and I felt a wave of nausea in my stomach. I quickly pushed him off as discreetly as possible.

"The trip was really tiring, darling. I just want to sleep now."

Carlos then kissed me gently on the forehead and picked me up bridal-style before marching into the bedroom with me.

"Then go to sleep, babe."

Sometime during midnight that night, I received a text message from Leo.

He had sent me a photo of Carlos hugging and kissing a woman in front of the hotel entrance.

"This is Anna Notaro, from Zappa Finance. She's the CEO's secretary and has been there for three years."

Zappa Finance was a financial company that Carlos had founded under my identity. My entire body stiffened with my back to Carlos.

I then curled up as I dug my nails deeply into my palm, struggling to keep myself from trembling and making a sound while surrounded by his warmth, which had turned out to be a farce after all.

When I woke up the next morning, there was a glass of perfectly warm lemon water on the bedside table, next to a fresh bouquet of white roses in the vase.

Carlos kissed me gently on the forehead.

"Good morning, babe."

I played along and pressed my cheek against his chest, whispering, "Darling, don't forget our third anniversary dinner tonight at La Perla restaurant."

I could feel his arms tightening subconsciously around my waist.

He went silent for a short while. Then, he hugged me tightly and spoke in an apologetic manner.

"I'm sorry, babe, but an important client from Chizerland is coming tonight, and I really can't turn him down. You know that I'm only doing this for our future…"

I feigned just the right amount of disappointment as I looked up at him from his embrace. There was a gentle look in my eyes as I said, "Okay. Work is important, of course. But I'll still wait for you at the restaurant, just in case you finish earlier than expected."

Carlos nodded at that, his voice warming slightly. "Okay. I'll try to finish as soon as possible."

I smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips.

However, I didn't make my way to La Perla that night. Leo had sent me Carlos' location, showing that his car was parked in front of a restaurant owned by the Zappas.

I sat in the car opposite the street, watching as Carlos got out of his car with a relaxed smile on his face, one that I'd never seen in a very long time.

Ten minutes later, another white car arrived, and Anna got out of it.

Carlos naturally reached over to hold her handbag for her while slinking an arm around her waist, whispering something in her ear and making her grin widely in delight.

I then saw through the restaurant's large windows that Carlos brought out a large box from his coat and handed it over to her.

She covered her mouth in surprise and opened it, seeing a dazzling diamond necklace nestled inside. She put it on at once, tilting her head back slightly for him to admire.

He gently smoothed away a stray hair on her neck, his eyes filled with doting affection for her. However, it only pierced straight into my heart.

I took out my phone and captured that moment.

Then, I took a deep breath, forced back the tears welling in my eyes, and floored the gas expressionlessly.

With the loud roar of the engine, I left that eye-piercing tenderness behind, along with the last shred of weakness I still held for Carlos.