Chapter 1

While I was risking my life fighting for my amnesiac husband, Lucio, he was in bed with my best friend.

Turns out, his memory loss was nothing but a carefully crafted lie: One aimed at me.

Three months ago, Lucio supposedly lost his memory in an explosion. As a result, he forgot our marriage, and me.

To protect his position as the Don, I stepped up, taking on the most dangerous, most suicidal deals: the kind even his most loyal men wouldn't touch.

In the first month, I cleared out a drug lord's base in Barimo's old district.

I came home with a bullet still lodged in my shoulder blade, and what did I get? Lucio wrinkled his nose, looking at me like I was filth.

"Smells disgusting."

Camilla comforted me in private.

"He's sick right now, don't take it to heart. But you're always fighting and bleeding like this. It's no wonder he," she trailed off with a sigh.

The second month, I went to Laervo to negotiate with a volatile arms dealer. I got my thigh slashed open. I rushed home, only to find him dining with Camilla.

When Lucio saw me, his face showed nothing but irritation at being interrupted.

Camilla, however, looked concerned.

"You're hurt again! Sit down, quickly. All this blood, sigh. Next time, at least clean up before you come home."

Back then, I thought that she was concerned as my friend.

She offered to look after Lucio while I was out risking my life, so no one else could take advantage of his weakness.

Now I knew what her care meant: Warming my husband's bed.

In the third month, for the sake of a deal, Lucio sent me alone to meet Massimo Della Vera: The most unpredictable Don.

He sat at the head of the gambling table, toying with a balisong. His smile was laced with danger.

"Where's Lucio? Is he dead?"

"He can't come," I replied flatly.

"Then you," Massimo leaned forward, murder and curiosity dancing in his eyes. "What are you bringing to the table? Money? Guns? Or yourself?"

I said nothing. Instead, I pulled out my gun and slammed it down on the table with a loud clang.

The room went dead silent.

Then Massimo burst into wild laughter. "Hahaha! Wonderful! I love this! Ada, you've got guts!"

He fished out his family crest from his pocket and tossed it to me. His eyes gleamed.

"Take it! Tell that useless husband of yours that the Della Veras will only deal with you from now on!"

The meeting went far better than I expected, so I got to come home early.

On the way, I held the crest close, eager to tell Lucio the good news.

But what I walked into was nothing but betrayal.

Through the crack of the door, I saw Lucio holding Camilla close.

And the words coming out of his mouth shattered my heart, each one worse than the last.

"If it weren't for her family's resources, I'd never have married her. Now that the armory's mine, I can't keep up the act for another second!"

Camilla smiled sweetly against him.

"Oh, my Lucio. No wonder you pretended to have amnesia just to avoid her. You're a genius!"

"Of course," Lucio lit a cigar, exhaling with satisfaction, "Once the Della Vera deal is signed, she'll be useless. All the work she's done over the years will pave the way, just for you."

The blood I spilled, the wounds I endured, the loyalty I gave. All of it was nothing but a sick joke.

Hatred rose in me like a tide. I turned and left before I could hear more.

They wanted the Della Vera contract?

Perfect.

I would make sure they learned that anyone who betrays me will never live long enough to regret it.