Chapter 1

It wasn't until we got into his car that he offered a low explanation. "Don't listen to those bastards running their mouths. Mia is a dancer at my club. She got into some trouble, and as Capo, I sorted it out for her. It's just business."

I just hummed in reply, leaning against the car window without another word.

Julian's temper suddenly flared. "You don't believe me? You're still giving me the cold shoulder, aren't you?"

"Serafina... for the last six months, I've come home to you every single night. What more do you want from me?"

I watched the streetlights blur past the window and said flatly, "I believe you."

"I just didn't think the injury was a big deal, and I didn't want to distract you. Let's go back to the estate."

The reply was perfect but completely soulless, like a pre-recorded message.

Julian slammed his fist against the steering wheel.

The blaring horn pierced the night, startling a group of dancers who had just stepped out of the club's back door across the street.

One of them looked up and stared in our direction.

The moment the streetlight hit her face, the air inside the car froze.

"Mia... what is she doing here?" Julian instinctively looked at me. After all, in the past, I would have lost my mind right then and there every time we ran into this woman.

But I only cast a fleeting glance before looking away, as if staring at thin air.

Julian's fingers stiffened on the wheel, but his eyes drifted over to her.

In the biting midnight wind, the girl was wearing nothing but a cheap sequined slip dress. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, her nose red from the cold.

His hand was already on the door handle, the raw concern in his eyes was impossible to miss.

I knew my place, so I pushed my door open to give him an easy out. "If you have business on another turf, I can get a cab back myself."

Before the words even settled, I slammed the door shut and walked straight toward the crosswalk.

Julian chased after me and grabbed my wrist. "I stopped touching her a long time ago. I didn't expect her to be out here in the cold either. Can you stop overthinking everything?"

I looked at him and nodded submissively. "I believe you. It's not easy for a young woman to survive out here. Even if she just works for you, it's only right that you look out for her. I don't mind."

Julian stared at my face, unable to find a single trace of resentment.

Everything felt wrong to him.

The old me would have tied my very life to his. Even if I found half a strand of curly hair on his suit cuff, I would have interrogated him until dawn.

Now, I had finally become exactly what he demanded, quiet, dignified, and entirely reasonable.

Yet his chest felt tight, like it was stuffed with a wet sponge, suffocating him.

I pulled my hand back and turned to walk away.

When I reached the corner of the street, I stopped and looked back.

Next to the car, Julian had already taken off his jacket and draped it over Mia's shoulders.

He cupped her face, dipped his head, and kissed her deeply.

I wasn't surprised in the slightest. In fact, I should have seen it coming.

I definitely wasn't going to act like I did the first time I caught him cheating, rushing up like a madwoman to scream, "Julian Marchetti! Do you have any conscience? I've been with you since I was seventeen, from sleeping in auto shops to living in a mansion, and now you're telling me you fell for someone else?"

Back then, he wiped the bloody nose I gave him and sneered.

"Conscience? If you had a conscience, would you have climbed into my bed at seventeen? Your own parents didn't even want you. I'm the one who pulled you out of that orphanage and kept you fed for over a decade. You should be on your knees thanking me!"

Those words had been like a dagger, slicing open the decade we'd spent surviving together on the streets until there was nothing left but blood and bitterness.

My phone vibrated, pulling me out of my memories.

"Miss Serafina, the sealed trust fund and ownership documents from your parents have been processed. When would it be convenient for you to visit the San Celano estate to complete the handover?"

I pulled at my sleeve, covering the faded scar on my wrist. "Ten days from now. My expedited divorce will be finalized in ten days."

The person on the line paused for a moment. "It hasn't been easy for you and Mr. Julian all these years. Inheriting your parents' legacy doesn't require you to sever all ties with Porthaven."

I looked out at the brightly lit signs of the underground clubs lining the street, my voice incredibly soft. "My love for him is gone. I just want to leave this city and never look back."