Chapter 3

Fury twisted Dante's features as he pinned those men who had harassed Nina to the ground, punching them again and again until they had no strength to fight back.

Screams echoed throughout the auction hall, and everything was in complete chaos.

"We're sorry, Don Pierce! We won't dare do it again! Please have mercy on us!"

The men knelt on the ground begging for forgiveness, blood streaming down their faces.

Dante looked at them coldly. "Get out of here! If you ever dare appear in front of her again, I'll destroy you!"

I fearfully protected my belly, carefully moving toward Dante's direction, but he did not notice my existence at all. He bent down to help Nina up.

"Are you hurt?"

Nina cried as she threw herself into his arms. "I twisted my ankle. I can't move..."

Dante's face darkened as he swept Nina up into his arms and headed straight for the exit. Before I could react, he knocked me to the ground, my lower back slamming against the steps.

The sharp pain shooting through my stomach made my face go white with fear.

"Help me, Dante, don't go..."

My desperate calls were lost in the chaos, taking my last shred of hope with them. Soon someone noticed something was wrong with me.

"Oh my God! There's a pregnant woman here, and she's fallen!"

"She's bleeding so much! Call an ambulance!"

The ambulance rushed me to the hospital and the doctor hurriedly wheeled me into the emergency room.

"Are there any family members here? The baby is in serious danger and needs emergency treatment!"

I struggled to take out my phone and called Dante, but the phone rang for a long time with no answer, and then it was turned off.

"Hurry, there's massive bleeding. Someone must sign the consent form immediately for the emergency operation!"

I closed my eyes and let tears slide down from the corners.

"Let me sign it myself. I... don't have any relatives or family anymore."

I was in surgery for over 24 hours. My child was lucky to survive.

I spent two lonely days in the hospital, forcing my weak body to handle all the checkups alone. Even the elderly patient in the next bed felt compelled to say something.

"Young lady, why don't you call a family member? Watching you bustling around with that big belly makes even strangers feel sorry for you."

I pressed my lips together, my mouth filled with bitterness. "It's okay, sir. I can take care of myself."

Even strangers felt sorry for me, yet my husband had not sent a single call or even a text message in those two days.

The day I woke up, I saw that Nina's Instagram page had been updated with a video of Dante kneeling on the ground, tenderly holding her foot while applying medicine.

I watched it over and over again, punishing myself while whatever was left of my love for him slowly died.

After seeing that video, I knew that even though I was hospitalized, he would never come looking for me.

On my third day in the hospital, despite the doctor's attempts to convince me to stay, I forcibly discharged myself.

Dragging my exhausted body home, I began packing my personal belongings. The clothes hanging in the closet, the toiletries on the vanity and everything else in the villa that belonged to me. I left no item behind.

As for the gifts Dante had given me, our matching cups, toothbrushes and pillows... I threw them all into the trash.

By the time I finished everything, it was already late at night. As soon as I turned on the lights, my phone buzzed with several messages.

They were actually from Nina.

"You've been liking all my Instagram posts, so you must already know that Dante and I are officially married, right? He's also giving me a grand wedding tomorrow, and everyone except you will be there to offer their blessings.”

"Oh, and he personally decorated every part of the venue. I never expected that after all these years, he still remembers my preferences.”

"And I should thank you too. If it weren't for you, his leg would've never healed, and he never would've become the mafia Don. Thanks for taking care of my husband for five whole years!"