All Chapters of The Cost of Playing Favorites: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

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"

Chapter 2

Giulia's eyes gleamed with provocation as she stared at me intently."I spent the entire afternoon supervising the kitchen to prepare these dishes. You two had better eat up."Dante's brow furrowed as if he wanted to say something. I caught his wrist under the table and said softly, "Preparing so many dishes must have taken a lot of effort. We can't disappoint her."Dante nodded and turned to Giulia with pity in his eyes. "Giulia, thank you for all your hard work tonight."She smiled, humble and polite, though she could not quite hide her smugness. Dante took a sip of wine but did not touch any of the food.That was until his mother, Angela Romano, brought out a specially made mousse cake with a rich, irresistible aroma.He carefully cut a slice, saw no sign of caviar, and ate three pieces in quick succession. I barely touched anything.Giulia suddenly leaned close and pushed a slice of cake in front of me."Ms. Leone, this is a handmade cake. I made it with a special mousse ba

Chapter 3

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

Chapter 4

Dante basked in the praise, lifting his chin with arrogance."Don't worry. From now on, there's no negotiation I can't handle.”"As for the family signet ring? It's just a ring with a seal on it. I left it at the bottom of my suitcase. Nothing special about it."I sneered inwardly. When he first heard that he would represent the family in that negotiation, he went several nights without sleep.At three in the morning, he was still on the balcony smoking, cold sweat soaking his palms. I was the one who sat at the desk until dawn.I helped him sort through the rival family's cash flow, mapped out their power structure, and traced the money hidden in offshore accounts.I was also the one who wrote his speech.I even planned out which sentences he should pause after, and which moments he should apply pressure with his gaze.I told him not to bring the family signet ring and to keep it in the safe instead, but he just laughed carelessly."If I don't bring the signet ring, they'll s

Chapter 5

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

Chapter 6

Don Santoro stared at Giulia, his eyes cold. "How many years have you lived at the Santoro estate?"Giulia answered through tears, "T-twenty years...""Twenty years." Don Santoro repeated, his voice so calm it was chilling. "Lived here for twenty years, ate here for twenty years, yet you can't even recognize the family signet ring.""Dante." He turned to his son. "You tell me how this matter should be handled."Dante clenched his fists and pressed his lips together in silence for a few seconds before finally speaking. "Papa, Giulia grew up with me. She didn't mean to...""Enough." Don Santoro cut him off, the disappointment in his eyes thick and undeniable."Because of a housekeeper's daughter, you lost the symbol of power passed down through generations, and now you're going to tell me she didn't mean to?"He turned to the guards and gave a calm order. "Lock her in the cellar for one month.”"If she survives, she leaves the Santoro family and is never permitted to set foot on

Chapter 7

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

Chapter 8

The moment I left the Santoro estate, I felt an unprecedented sense of relief.The night breeze carried the fresh scent of grass and trees.I settled into the car the Leone family had sent to pick me up, closed my eyes, and rested my hand gently on my belly.In this life, my child would be safe.News traveled fast.Within two days, word of Dante's downfall and the Leone family's withdrawal of investment had spread throughout the entire circle.The Santoro family's goods piled up and their books looked worse by the day. Those who had once been respectful toward Dante showed their true colors.Worse still, rival forces had caught wind of the Santoro family's vulnerability. Among them was a lunatic named Nico Rossi who never considered the consequences of his actions.In my previous life, it had been Nico's men who burst into my room and beat my pregnant belly with their fists and boots. Furthermore, at that time, Dante had personally withdrawn the guards.In this life, it was Da

Chapter 9

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

Chapter 10

Tonight's banquet gathered all the truly influential figures in the circle. I entered the venue holding Luca's arm.The Leone family and Luca's collaboration had been largely finalized. Those who had once brushed me off now held their wine glasses and eagerly crowded around.I smiled and made polite conversation, calmer than I had ever been. A commotion suddenly erupted at the entrance."Let me in! I'm Dante Santoro... I have something to say to Matilde!"The security was about to stop him when I waved my hand, signaling them to let him through. Rather than have him making a scene outside, it was better to let him in and allow everyone here to see things clearly.Dante wore an ill-fitting old suit and limped in on his cane. Following behind him was Giulia, who had been barely cleaned up.The two stood in the brilliantly lit ballroom, utterly out of place with everything around them. Dante saw me and his eyes lit up as he stumbled over."Matilde! I knew you'd still see me! I brou

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