Chapter 2

I suddenly began coughing, pretending I was still groping helplessly through darkness as I fumbled toward the glass of water on the nightstand.

With a loud crash, the glass fell to the floor and shattered.

"Ah… the water…" I cried out in alarm.

Marco hurried to my side, the scent of his cologne so strong it was almost suffocating.

It was the fragrance the other woman loved most.

"Camilla, why didn't you call me?" he said.

Carefully avoiding the shards on the floor, he lifted me gently into his arms. His voice was as tender as ever.

I kept my gaze blank and unfocused, staring into empty space while clutching tightly at his sleeve.

"Marco, I just had a nightmare. I dreamed you left me."

Marco chuckled softly and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"Silly girl. How could I ever leave you? You're my life."

I lowered my eyes, hiding the chill in them.

Marco rested his chin on the top of my head.

"Camilla, I have to deal with a traitor tonight. I might be back late."

Leaning against his chest, I let my fingers wander over the pocket of his suit jacket.

"Then come back early. I'm scared of being alone."

My voice carried all the dependence and fragility he expected to hear.

Marco kissed my forehead again. "Be good. Don't wait up for me."

He didn't notice when I slipped a tiny listening device into his pocket.

After he left, I picked up my phone.

Adrian: [Principessa, the asset transfer has reached 80%. It will be fully completed in three days. Also, the special gift you asked me to prepare for Anna has already been hidden beneath the carpet in your room.]

Me: [Hurry it up.]

After I replied, I opened the tracking software connected to the miniature bug.

On the screen, a small red dot representing Marco blinked steadily.

His location: the guest room next door.

Seeing the red dot so close, I let out a cold laugh and slipped on my Bluetooth earpiece.

The sounds from next door streamed clearly into my ears.

"Gentler… are you trying to kill me?"

Anna's coquettish voice dripped with syrupy sweetness.

Marco's laugh was low and dark. "You little seductress. I'll make sure you enjoy yourself tonight."

Then came the sound of fabric tearing, followed by the sharp crack of a belt striking skin.

So the so-called "dealing with a traitor" was nothing more than changing rooms to continue their affair.

Expressionless, I opened the laptop and entered Marco's account password. The numbers were his birthday plus mine.

How ironic. He used my birthday as his password, yet stabbed me in the back with the cruelest blade.

I placed the fingerprint film I had secretly copied earlier over the scanner.

Beep—

A green notification popped up on the screen: Verification Successful.

Marco's fortune—billions—had already been transferred into my overseas accounts.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door.

Marco's underboss, Carlo Bianchi, knocked loudly.

"Madre! Is Don Vitale with you? The shipment in the East District was intercepted! I can't reach him by phone, and there's no one in the basement!"

I quickly put the laptop away and stumbled toward the door.

As I passed the heavy Persian rug by the entrance, I deliberately hooked my toe against it. The corner of a forged document hidden beneath it—"Anna Is an Undercover Police Informant"—slipped partly into view.

Bang!

I crashed hard onto the floor, my knees and elbows striking painfully enough to leave dark bruises.

Lying on the ground, I raised a trembling hand and struggled to open the door.

"Madre!" Carlo rushed inside.

At that moment, the door of the guest room next door was yanked open.

Marco rushed in, his clothes disheveled. "What happened?"

"Madre accidentally fell," Carlo reported with his head lowered, though his gaze briefly flicked toward the corner of the document peeking out beneath the rug.

When Marco saw the blood on my hand, he immediately unleashed a furious tirade at Carlo.

Clutching my bleeding hand, I forced a confused, startled expression onto my face.

"Marco? Weren't you going to deal with a traitor? Why are you back so soon?"

Marco froze for a split second. He quickly pulled his loosened shirt collar together. "I… came to get some documents before heading out."

Anna appeared at the doorway right behind him, with red marks across her neck.

Carlo's gaze swept over both of them before he lowered his head again. "Don Vitale, something's happened in the East District."

Marco waved a hand impatiently. "I know. Wait downstairs."

He carried me back to the bed and pressed tissues against my wound.

Curled in his arms, I let tears drip down my face.

"I was so scared. Carlo said he couldn't find you. I thought something had happened to you."

"Silly girl. Nothing will happen to me." He paused, then smiled faintly. "Tomorrow is our fifth anniversary. Have you decided where you want to go?"

I tilted my head up. "How about going out to sea? I haven't felt the ocean breeze in a long time."

Marco wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes, his tone indulgent.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow night. I'll give you the most special anniversary."

That morning, I used the excuse of preparing a fifth-anniversary gift for Marco and asked Adrian to act as my driver.

In the car, I tossed a large bag stuffed with top-tier jewelry and luxury watches into his arms.

"Sell everything. Use the black market channels. Also, has the bomb on the yacht been installed?"

"Yes, everything is progressing smoothly."

Adrian handed me a miniature detonator.

"All that's left… is tonight's final celebration at sea."