Chapter 1

I stumbled out of the hospital in a daze.

The doctor had been smiling just moments ago, congratulating me on how healthy the baby was. Then, she casually asked, "When are you planning to register your marriage with the father?"

I froze. I told her we had been married for five years. The doctor frowned and checked the system again. Finally, she turned the screen toward me.

[Marriage Registration: None.]

Five years ago, Enrico Salvatore slipped a ring onto my finger himself and told me all the paperwork had been taken care of. He said his position in the mafia made it inconvenient to go public.

I believed him. For five whole years, I thought I was his wife. Now, I discovered that according to official records, I was just an unmarried woman—an unmarried woman carrying a child.

I did not know how I made it home.

As I reached the study door, I heard Enrico talking to his right-hand man, Viktor Russo. "Don Salvatore, are you really not planning to give Isabella any official status?"

I froze where I stood.

After a long silence, Enrico finally spoke, his voice low and calm. "Not yet. Luisa just established her foothold in the West District. She needs my support."

Viktor sounded hesitant. "But Isabella doesn't even have a marriage registration. If she ever finds out you never registered with her and registered with Luisa instead, she could leave anytime."

"Luisa gave me a daughter. I have to ensure she and the child are safe."

Luisa Romano's father died saving Enrico's father years ago. After that, she was raised in Enrico's household. They grew up together, practically childhood friends. I thought they were just like siblings, but apparently…

Viktor seemed about to say more, but Enrico had already made up his mind.

"As for Isabella, she loves me too much to leave. Besides, she completely severed ties with her family to be with me. She has nowhere else to go. She can only stay by my side."

Every word felt like a knife stabbing into my heart.

Five years ago, my father fought bitterly against my relationship with Enrico. Back then, Enrico was not yet a Don. He thought Enrico was just a street-level Capo, unworthy of Don Moretti's daughter.

However, I left with him anyway. I abandoned my family, cut all ties, and came to his territory alone.

Now, the leap of faith I took, betting everything I had, had become his reason for believing I would never leave.

My mind went blank. My legs gave out, and I collapsed hard onto the cold floor.

Rapid footsteps approached. In an instant, Enrico was in front of me, scooping me up and carrying me back into the room. He set me gently on the couch.

"How can you be so careless? Are you hurt anywhere?" He crouched down to check on my knees and wrists. The concern in his eyes was so thick it seemed impossible to fake.

For five whole years, this kind of tenderness had kept me in the dark, drowning me in the illusion of happiness he created.

I suddenly grabbed his hand, clinging to one last shred of hope. Maybe the hospital system really did make a mistake. Maybe Enrico had no idea the registration never went through.

I looked up at him, my voice trembling. "Enrico, there seems to be an issue with our marriage registration. Let's go redo it. Right now."

A flicker of panic crossed his eyes. He reached up and ruffled my hair. "Why are you so anxious over something this small? I'll have Viktor handle it. You just rest."

The last glimmer of light in my heart went out completely. After a long silence, I slowly nodded and forced out a single word. "Okay."

Unease stirred in Enrico's chest. He was about to explain when his phone suddenly rang.

I glanced up. The caller ID read "Luisa".

Enrico tensed and let go of me. He grabbed his phone and headed for the door, tossing back a single sentence. "I'll have Viktor take care of the registration as soon as possible. Something's come up. I need to go."

Before he even finished speaking, he pressed answer. His tone turned gentle in an instant. "Don't worry, I'm on my way."

His figure vanished through the estate gates in a rush. He did not look back once.

My mind was a mess. On impulse, I grabbed the car keys and followed him. I tailed his car and watched as he pulled up to an orphanage. Before long, Luisa stepped out with a delicate little girl at her side. That had to be the daughter Luisa gave him.

Luisa's tone was soft and coquettish as she reached out to loop her arm through his. "Enrico, look at how young Cinzia still is. She can't keep hiding and running around with me like this. It's not sustainable.

"I know you have feelings for Isabella, but Cinzia is your child. I'm not asking for anything else. I just want to give her a stable home so she doesn't have to live in fear anymore."

The little girl timidly tugged at Enrico's sleeve. "Papa."

Enrico glanced down at the child. His expression softened for a moment, but when he turned back to Luisa, his tone instantly turned cold and carried a warning. "Luisa, I'm helping you and giving you status purely because the child is innocent. I want you both to live peacefully in the West District. But know your place. Don't push your luck. The only woman I'll ever acknowledge as my wife is Isabella."

Enrico crouched down and stroked the little girl's head, his voice gentler now. "Isabella loves children. I'll discuss it with her later and have her adopt you. Then, you'll finally have a stable home."