Semua Bab Converting Love to Riches: Bab 1 - Bab 10

Aurora's POVAfter midnight, the game in the private room began. A deck of playing cards lay on the table, and seated around it were bored Mafia brass and their wives.The rule was simple—for every round we lost, off came an item of clothing.Sofia Rossi lost the first round, so she bent down and removed her high heels. In the second round, she took off her dress. In the end, all she had left on her body was a black lace bra and a garter belt.Her cheeks burned bright red from alcohol and mortification.She had lost again.When the host announced that she had to remove one more item, she suddenly snatched up a champagne glass from the table and smashed it against the edge.The glass shattered. She picked up the sharpest shard and pressed it against her throat, her posture resolute."I won't strip!" she said in a trembling voice. "I'd rather die than endure this humiliation!"The atmosphere in the private room instantly cooled.Leonardo Bianchi's jaw tightened abruptly. "Sofia

Aurora's POVThe driver, Marco Rinaldi, dropped me back at the estate. I didn't ask where Leonardo had gone.The following days were eerily quiet.The vast villa had always felt desolate. Before, there had at least been the sound of two people's footsteps. But now, with Leonardo gone, the silence was heavier than ever.Like a ghost drifting through old memories, I wandered from room to room each day.Until one day, Leonardo's Consigliere, Francesco Moretti, showed up at the door with a familiar folder in hand."Don Bianchi asked me to deliver this," he said. "Consider it compensation for what happened at the party."It was this playbook again.I lowered my head and took the document. I didn't even need to open it to know what was inside.After Francesco left, I sat alone in the study and opened the folder. Sure enough, clipped to the first page was a new property deed for an entire commercial building in the prime downtown area, worth far more than any of the previous ones.I

Aurora's POVThe car passed through a succession of iron gates before coming to a halt in front of the city's most exclusive private equestrian club. This place had always been open only to a select few of the powerful and wealthy.Tall white fences surrounded the entire grounds, with neatly manicured grass stretching into the distance. Everything was expensive and dignified. Yet, for some reason, the moment I stepped out of the car, I felt an inexplicable unease.It was too quiet. The usual stream of riders coming and going was nowhere to be seen, and even from the direction of the stables, there was hardly any sound.I stood there for a moment, scanning the area. But I didn't see Leonardo.My unease grew stronger, so I turned around to leave.Suddenly, the rapid sound of hoofbeats rang out from behind me, and a tremendous force slammed violently into my back.I was sent hurtling forward, my right leg crashing heavily onto the ground. A searing pain instantly tore through my

Leonardo's POVAfter I left that day, there was no news of Aurora for a long time.It was already late at night when Francesco brought over the last batch of documents that required urgent attention.I rubbed my throbbing temples and asked Marco to drive me home.When I pushed open the door to the master bedroom, the room was pitch black. The air still held the faint fragrance of the perfume Aurora always wore, and its familiar scent was as comforting as ever.All of a sudden, an inexplicable sense of dread seized my heart without warning."Aurora?" I called out.However, there was no response.I flipped the switch. The lights in the room came on, illuminating the stack of documents on the desk in the adjoining study as well.But our bed was empty. Aurora wasn't sleeping there.I walked toward the study. The moment I laid eyes on the documents on the desk, I began to tremble.On top of the stack was a sticky note."Leonardo, we're even now."Even? I frowned and set it down

Leonardo's POVI hadn't realized Aurora had been noting it all down—the careless remarks I'd made and immediately forgotten, the choices I'd made to calm Sofia down, and the property deeds I'd arrogantly given Aurora, thinking they'd keep her happy.The entries were lucid and steeped in anguish. A hundred times she had given in until she had no ground left to yield.The silence in the room was broken by my ringing phone. It was Francesco calling.Overjoyed, it took me several tries to press the answer button. I thought they had found Aurora, that I had found my beloved again."Don Bianchi, we've checked all the planes, ferries, and private cars that left the island in the past two days. Donna Bianchi flew out of Ceyera Island four hours ago using a fake passport."Her final destination is a small island in East Ourelia, with two layovers along the way. We're currently tracking whether she touched down anywhere along the route. Also…"Francesco hesitated for a few seconds and let