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Chapter 5

Penulis: Rainy Bell
The evening wind blew in from above and chilled her to the bone.

Alicia had planned to be alone for a few minutes, but Sophia quickly followed.

At the far end of the terrace was a suspended glass walkway. Below them, the club’s courtyard stretched out. Lights glittered, and people moved like ants.

Normally, this spot was a favorite for guests to take photos. Today, it was just the two of them.

Sophia wrapped herself in Matteo’s jacket. Her smug face was hard to hide. “Alicia, you saw that clearly, right? When something happens, I’m the first person he protects.”

Alicia leaned on the railing without turning her head.

“Someone who sneaks into another person’s marriage by scheming and by taking advantage of situations shouldn’t act like the attention they get is some kind of honor.”

Sophia’s face turned cold. “You really think highly of yourself. Do you know why he married you back then? It was because you could handle the Vitale family’s dirty work. You’re useful, not special.”

“Is that so?”

Alicia glared at her coldly. “Then, why hasn’t he married you yet? Doesn’t he want to? Oh, right! He told me it was just for fun. Free things are always more exciting.”

Sophia’s face twisted at Alicia’s words. She reached out to grab her.

As they struggled, a sharp crack came from the far end of the walkway.

It sounded like a heavy object had hit the glass.

The next second, cracks spread across the transparent floor beneath them like a spiderweb. Alarms blared at the same time. The sound was so sharp it made their skin crawl.

Sophia went pale and held onto the railing with all her strength.

Alicia stepped back.

The walkway began to tilt. The support beams groaned under the weight, and metal scraped against metal. The sound filled the air with alarm.

Someone shouted from a distance, “Don’t move! The walkway is failing!”

But it was too late.

With a deafening crash, the front section of the walkway collapsed.

Alicia and Sophia were thrown downward. They did not fall straight into the courtyard. Hanging steel frames and safety nets caught them first.

Alicia slammed into something with impact. Her vision darkened for a moment. Her lower back and belly felt like they had been beaten with a hammer. Sophia screamed on the other side and trembled in fear.

They were separated by twisted, broken steel beams. Below them was a drop of several floors. One wrong move could send them falling again.

People quickly crowded around.

Rescue ropes were lowered from above. The staff shouted instructions as they checked the anchor points.

Matteo’s voice came from above. It was deeper than usual. “First, check which side is more stable.”

The lead rescuer looked up. “The steel frame is bent. We can only secure one side first. There’s not enough time. We have to pull one person up first, or the whole structure will collapse.”

For two seconds, the air felt completely still.

Alicia heard her own heartbeat. She also heard Sophia crying in panic. “Matteo! I’m scared! I can’t hold on anymore!”

Matteo stood at the edge of the break. His face was pale.

He looked at Alicia first.

For a moment, it seemed that he remembered that she was his wife. He said, “Pull Alicia up first.”

Alicia felt her heart flutter.

The next second, the rope on Sophia’s side slipped again. Her body dangled halfway in the air.

She screamed until her voice nearly gave out. “Save me! Matteo, save me!”

Matteo’s expression changed instantly. Almost instinctively, he shouted, “Save Sophia first! Now!”

That tiny, foolish hope she had just felt vanished in an instant.

Alicia closed her eyes. Her heart felt painfully empty.

Soon, Sophia was secured with a safety rope and pulled up. Chaos erupted above. Everyone surrounded her.

On Alicia’s side, the weight shifted again. The steel frame beneath her sank suddenly.

Someone shouted, “This side is going to break!”

Matteo finally turned his head. His voice shook for the first time. “Alicia, hold on!”

Before he could finish, the steel frame completely collapsed.

Alicia fell with half of the safety net onto the platform below.

The moment she hit the floor, her belly felt as if it had been ripped open. Warm liquid spread down her legs.

Before she fell unconscious, only one thought crossed her mind.

Her child would never even have the chance for its father to know it existed.

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  • Unlovable Beyond Smoke   Chapter 25

    “It’s a small jar, like something used in a medical lab. There’s also a letter. Your name is on the front,” her secretary said hesitantly.Alicia was silent for a few seconds. “Bring it in.”The secretary returned a moment later with a clear evidence bag in her hands. She placed it carefully on Alicia’s desk.Inside were two things.One was instantly familiar. It was the medical container that had once held her miscarried baby. It was empty. The words “Alicia Leon” and “Embryo” remained clear on its surface.The second item was a crumpled envelope. An envelope that was soaked with snow and then dried out. The writing on it was crooked:[For Alicia.]Alicia waved her hand. The secretary understood and left quietly.Alone in the office, Alicia stared at the two items for a long time. She reached out and touched the envelope. The paper was rough and cold.She opened it. Inside was a thin, crumpled sheet of paper. There was no greeting and no signature. Only two words co

  • Unlovable Beyond Smoke   Chapter 24

    Snow filled the sky. A lone figure curled up on the park bench that had been empty.He wore a thin, worn coat that was already soaked through. His hair had streaks of white and tangled strands. It almost blended into the snow.He held something tightly in his arms and stayed completely still, as if he were asleep or had become part of the frozen world around him.Even from a distance, even though his body looked frail and wasted, Alicia recognized him instantly. It was Matteo.He was still in Rondon. He had come here again.Alicia’s brow furrowed for a brief moment, then relaxed into her usual calm. She took a sip of her drink. The strong liquid slid down her throat and left a faint warmth behind.She looked at him the same way she would look at any homeless stranger outside her window. She felt nothing. His life or death did not matter to her. She did not wonder how he had escaped his caregivers to find this place.The snow fell harder, with no intention of stopping.

  • Unlovable Beyond Smoke   Chapter 23

    Matteo had woken up and escaped from the heavily guarded care facility. He looked like a homeless man and was crouched across from the cold skyscraper. Alicia did not know how long he had been there. He seemed to only want to see, from a distance, a light in her window.Alicia walked ahead without hesitation. She did not even glance at him. She moved straight to the car that was waiting for her.Before she got in, she spoke quietly to the bodyguard. He nodded and crossed the street quickly to the huddled figure. He handed him a check and said in a formal tone, “Sir, this is from Ms. Leon. Please leave and don’t come back.”Matteo lifted his head in confusion. His vacant eyes rested on the bodyguard’s face and then slowly moved to the check. He stayed silent for a few seconds. Finally, he seemed to understand that this check was not charity but a clear boundary.He stretched out his frostbitten hand and took the check without looking at the numbers. The cold wind made th

  • Unlovable Beyond Smoke   Chapter 22

    Time moved like the waters of the Tames, silent and unstoppable.A year passed in the blink of an eye.During that year, Alicia’s name appeared more and more in the headlines of the world’s top financial and legal media. She led several high-profile multinational mergers and antitrust lawsuits that shook the business world. She rose to become a senior equity partner at Clayton & McKenzie International Law Firm. She became one of the most prominent and sought-after figures in Rondon’s legal community.She remained beautiful, composed, and radiated authority. Talented men continued to pursue her, including Alex, who had always stood quietly by her side. Yet she seemed to enjoy the sense of accomplishment and freedom her career gave her more than anything else.Occasionally, she heard fragments of news about Matteo from financial reports or industry contacts. He still lay in a top private care facility in Rondon, alive only because of expensive medical equipment.After ne

  • Unlovable Beyond Smoke   Chapter 21

    Matteo wore a wrinkled, old coat that clashed with everything around him. His face was as pale as a sheet of paper. Blood constantly flowed from the corners of his mouth. A shocking bullet wound near his heart gushed dark red liquid. The blood quickly soaked the ground beneath him.His eyes, once full of pride and later filled with regret, stared at her without blinking. His pupils expanded violently, yet stubbornly held a faint glimmer of light.Time seemed to stop in that instant.Alicia’s bodyguards acted immediately. One raised his gun and stood on alert. The other knelt beside Matteo. He checked Matteo’s injuries and called for an ambulance.The entrance to the restaurant erupted into chaos. Screams and alarms filled the air.Alicia rose with the support of her bodyguards. She looked at Matteo lying in the pool of blood. His breathing was shallow. Her face was blank.Shock and disbelief crashed over her calm mask like waves.Finally, her expression returned to a deep calm.

  • Unlovable Beyond Smoke   Chapter 20

    The conference room was completely silent.Alex frowned and then looked at Alicia.Alicia’s gaze finally fell on the agreement.She reached for it. Her slender fingers lifted the heavy document with careful precision.Matteo’s heart shot into his throat. A faint glimmer of hope shone in his eyes.Alicia did not open the agreement.She held the edge of the document with two fingers.Matteo could not believe what happened next. She tore the agreement slowly. First, into two pieces. Then, into four. Finally, it became a pile of shredded fragments. This agreement represented half of his life’s work. Its value was impossible to calculate.She tore the paper deliberately, as if she were destroying a scrap of waste.The fragments drifted down onto the polished conference table like snow. They also seemed to fall onto Matteo’s heart, which turned to ash in that instant.Finally, she gathered the shredded pieces and threw them into the nearby trash bin.She lifted her eyes and looked

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