Chapter 1

"Today marks a very special wedding. The Greco siblings are getting married on the same day. May both couples be united for life."

The Greco family's 470-million-dollar wedding gathered elites from every corner of Astora and caused a sensation across the city.

Everyone envied Serafina Greco, but no one could have imagined that her brand-new husband would be in her sister-in-law's bed.

Through the narrow gap of the door, Alessandro Madonia stood bare-chested while Matilde Denaro, who had just married into the family, leaned against him.

"Serafina won't wake up, right?"

Matilde's voice was soft, almost syrupy, as it drifted through the door.

"No. The sleeping pills in their drinks are strong enough to ensure both siblings have a good night's sleep tonight."

The moment Alessandro's voice sounded, something detonated inside Serafina's head.

That morning, she had believed she was the happiest woman alive. Now, it felt as though the rug had been pulled out from under her.

Inside the room, Alessandro lit a cigarette, his tone carrying a mix of resignation and indulgence. "You shouldn't have come here."

"How could I stay away when you're here?"

Matilde's voice held a trace of grievance as she continued, "You took 99 lashes to reject this marriage, and in the end, you still had to marry her."

"The Don threatened your life to force me into a marriage alliance with the Greco family. I didn't have a choice."

He looked at her with tenderness, and the affection between them was obvious, each thinking only of the other.

"The Don did it for you. Only by marrying a descendant of Ilyrian blood can you become the next Don," said Matilde.

Alessandro had taken 99 lashes to reject this marriage?

Serafina tightened her grip on the hem of her dress as the image of Alessandro's reddened eyes at their wedding ceremony surfaced in her mind.

So he hadn't been moved because he was marrying her—he had been grieving the fact that he couldn't be with the woman he truly loved.

She bit down so hard on her lip that she tasted blood and braced herself against the wall to keep from collapsing.

What had they reduced the Greco family to, and what had they reduced her to?

Was she a pawn, a tool, or merely a piece in their arrangement?

Serafina had believed she had found salvation, but she had walked straight into another nightmare.

Only when the metallic taste spread across her tongue did she let out a low laugh.

The faint sound caught Alessandro's attention. He instinctively glanced toward the door, reaching for his clothes as he got to his feet.

Matilde grabbed his arm, tears shimmering in her eyes as she lowered her voice. "Alessandro, please don't leave me tonight."

Under the dim light, he frowned slightly before running his hand through her hair, his tone firm.

"She's pregnant. I have to check on her."

"She's pregnant?"

Matilde's tone was tinged with shock before her face fell.

"Then, when the time comes, will she agree to a divorce?"

Her voice broke as she began to cry softly.

Alessandro sighed and returned to the bed, lowering his voice as he reassured her, "Don't worry. I have all her nudes on my computer, along with leverage on the Greco family. She won't dare refuse. Once the Don succession ceremony is over in seven days, this will all be finished."

Serafina froze, her hand retreating from the door just before she pushed it open, and a chill ran down her spine.

If she hadn't suddenly felt nauseous and thrown up the water she drank before bed, she would still be in the dark about this.

Fragments of memories came rushing back to her. She could feel it in her body, as if every part of her were screaming.

The instinctive revulsion she felt toward men enveloped Seraphina once more.

She would never forget that summer.

It was supposed to be a family trip they'd planned ahead of time, but her father, Carmine Greco, was absent because he was too busy with work.

Her exhausted mother, Cosima Gambino, took Serafina and her brother back early, only to walk in on Carmine and another woman naked together.

In that instant, Carmine's flawless image collapsed, and her world shattered.

After leaving behind a divorce agreement, Carmine forcibly took her brother, while Cosima took pills and cut her wrists to end her life.

The shock had been so severe that Serafina lost all memory from before the age of 13.

From then on, she despised men who thought with nothing but their impulses. She rejected every attempt at closeness and, while still young, carved out her own place in the business world.

It wasn't until Alessandro appeared with the diary she had written before turning 13 that she finally allowed a man into her life.

Her eyes filled with cold resolve as she quietly returned to her room.

She immediately called the housekeeper, Alba Rossi, to tidy the room and then dialed her best friend, Luciana Graviano, who just happened to be a hacker.

"Luciana, I need everything on Alessandro and Matilde. Also, he has dirt on the Greco family and nudes of me on his computer."

Luciana sighed. She had handled countless requests like this over the years, but she had never expected Serafina to be the one asking.

"Alessandro's computer runs the most advanced security system in the world. Give me seven days, and don't tip him off."

Serafina hummed in agreement, then ended the call. She stared at the wedding photo they had in Nadoria that sat on her nightstand.

"In seven days, this will all be over."