บททั้งหมดของ The Cost of Playing Favorites: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 10

In the third year of my relationship with Dante Santoro, heir to the Santoro family fortune, I got pregnant.The night before the Don's birthday banquet, he finally brought me home as his girlfriend.Giulia Costa, the housekeeper's daughter, smiled sweetly and asked about my food allergies. I mentioned I was allergic to truffles.In the end, every dish at dinner was loaded with truffles. I swallowed my irritation and grabbed a slice of cake that looked safe.Two bites in, I heard her laugh."I got creative and mixed truffle powder into the frosting. How is it?"Before I could answer, my throat closed up and I could not breathe.Giulia gasped and covered her mouth. "Ms. Leone, your skin is turning purple! Do you have some kind of contagious disease?"Everyone watched as I was carried out like trash.The moment my allergic reaction cleared up, Giulia insisted on helping me pack.I told her multiple times not to touch my ring. In the few minutes I spent in the bathroom, she "accidentally"

Giulia started crying again."Madre, I didn't mean to. I thought Ms. Leone said she liked caviar. I only added a little bit..."A little bit. Those words nearly made me laugh out loud.Angela shoved her hard. "You've lived at the Santoro estate for so many years and yet you can't understand something this simple?”"If this happens again, you can forget about keeping those ears of yours!"I watched them tear into each other. It was so amusing.In my previous life, after I barely survived the allergic reaction, Angela had held my hand and told me Giulia meant no harm and that she was just a bit careless.It turned out when the victim was her own son, she cared plenty about assigning blame.Just then, Dante woke up and said weakly, "Don't blame Giulia. It was my fault. I didn't explain clearly."Even though he was groggy and was still wearing an oxygen tube, he protected her. My gaze turned colder.In the end, Giulia promised she would take full care of Dante. Only then did Ange

Dante grabbed Giulia's shoulders in panic and shook her."The ring you threw down the drain was the black one? With the lion head? Did it have a row of Gatin inscribed on the inside?"Giulia clearly had not realized the severity of the problem and still acted nonchalant as she whined, "Ow, Dante, you're hurting me!”"What signet ring? It's just an old ring. Worst case, I'll use my allowance to pay Matilde back.”"Here, is this enough?"I looked down at the crumpled bills in my hand and nearly laughed out loud. That signet ring was the Santoro family's symbol of power passed down through generations, the seal that commanded the entire family's underground forces.In Giulia's eyes, it was worth only this pocket change."Shut up!" The veins in Dante's forehead bulged as he knocked the bills to the floor."That's not Matilde's jewelry! That's the symbol of power representing the entire Santoro family! Papa handed it to me himself!"Dante's roar echoed through the hallway, startlin

Back in my room, I opened my suitcase and began packing my things one by one.Dante followed me in despite the pain, collapsing against the edge of the bed. The wounds on his back were still bleeding."Matilde, you have the nerve to pack right now? Come here and apply medicine for me! You really are lacking when it comes to awareness."I did not stop packing. I folded a silk scarf he had given me and placed it in the suitcase.Dante was silent for a moment before his tone softened slightly."Alright, stop sulking. I know you're upset too. How about you call your father?”"Have the Leone family cover the losses from this handover for now. Once I figure out how to fix the signet ring situation, I'll find a way to pay you back.”"This benefits everyone. You understand that, don't you?"I closed the suitcase, turned around, and looked at him calmly. "Dante, did those lashes knock the sense out of you?”"For Giulia's sake, you exposed the signet ring situation to your father yourse

Meanwhile, at the Santoro estate, the iron door of the cellar finally opened.Giulia, who had been imprisoned for a month, crawled out from inside. She was so filthy her original skin tone was unrecognizable, her hair was matted, and she gave off an indescribable stench.She squinted as her eyes adjusted to the light outside. When she saw it was Dante, her eyes lit up and she tried to throw herself at him."Dante! I knew you'd come for me! It was so dark in there, there were bugs... I was so scared, I felt so terrible…”"Take me away now. I need a bath, I need good food, I need new clothes..."Dante leaned on his cane and stepped back from the smell, frowning. "Don't come near me."Giulia said pitifully, "It was just a ring! How was I supposed to know it was that important?!"Dante suddenly raised his hand and slapped her. Giulia tumbled to the ground, clutching her face, her eyes full of disbelief."You actually hit me? I'm your beloved childhood friend!"Dante pointed at her