All Chapters of Mistaken for the Last Time: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

Emma's POVThe scorching smoke choked my lungs, making it impossible to open my eyes.In that split second, I felt pulled right back to my youth, when I was locked away in that dark tower. My family elders had thrown me in there to punish my every act of rebellion, using pitch-black isolation as a weapon. Endless, helpless stretches of solitary confinement had left me with severe claustrophobia.Years later, at a high-society gala, I found myself shoved into a corner again, forced to endure the relentless taunts of the surrounding elite. However, at my lowest, Ricardo Tucci stepped in and rescued me from the crowd.After that night, I willingly gave him my heart and became the fiancée of the Tucci cosca's Don.Now, every breath in this thick soot was pure, searing agony.By the time I finally regained consciousness, I was lying in the estate’s cold, stark recovery wing. There was only a junior doctor changing my bandages.My raw throat burned as I forced out a raspy voice, "Wher

One of the famiglia elders was the first to react, breaking the silence."Don Ricardo's prosopagnosia is getting out of hand if he's mistaking his own fiancée. Signorina Newton, you'd better make him sweat for a mistake like that. Don't let him off easy."We ought to pass this around the famiglia circle so everyone can have a good laugh at Don Ricardo's expense."A few forced chuckles rippled through the room, trying to thin out the suffocating embarrassment.Ricardo raised both hands in surrender. "I'm entirely at Emma's mercy. I'll take whatever punishment she gives me."I stared down at the cheap, roughly made alloy bracelet resting in the box, finding the whole display hilarious.That set of vibrant, luxurious diamond jewelry was entirely Ella’s taste. I had never liked that style.What kind of prosopagnosia would cause that? It seemed that set of jewels was never meant for me in the first place!I slammed the box down on the table. The cheap bracelet slid out, clattering l

The wedding ceremony was about to begin.Dons, elders, and business partners in an alliance with the cosca Tucci had already taken their seats, while endless media lenses were locked onto the altar.Ricardo frowned as he typed a quick message to ask Emma where she was.An error notification instantly flashed on his screen. His message had failed to send.Emma had blocked him.His heart sank, and he dialed her number on the spot. Call after call went straight to a cold, automated voice telling him the line was unreachable.Ricardo’s hand tightened around his phone until his knuckles turned white.The muffled chatter filtering in from the hall felt unbearable.Noticing his rigid stance, Ella stepped up and whispered carefully, "Still can't reach her? Is she really still holding a grudge over what happened at the engagement party?"Ricardo offered no reply, relentlessly pressing the redial button over and over, only to hear nothing but the same dead signal.A quiet panic finally

Emma's POVI genuinely loved it here, and adjusting to this new life was going far smoother than I had ever anticipated.The core team for our antique firm had already been assembled. The people working under me were all seasoned veterans in cross-border trading and were reliable, sharp, and refreshingly straightforward. In our downtime, we would gather in the lounge area, discussing rare pieces circulating through top private auction houses.Damien Madder was my business partner.He ran a powerful family in the area, holding a position of leadership much like Ricardo did. Yet Damien was grounded, mature, and deeply connected across the region. From private storage vaults and underground auction houses to high-level cross-border security channels, his network reached everywhere.That evening, the two of us were in the office verifying inventory manifests and clearance papers for an incoming shipment.We got completely lost in the work. By the time I looked up, night had already f

Ricardo didn't give up that easily.Over the following weeks, he began lingering around the places I frequented most. Sometimes he’d stand by the curb outside my apartment building; other times, he’d wait near the entrance of our firm's office.The endless back-and-forth travel was visibly wearing him down. Heavy, dark circles hung under his eyes, and the crisp, immaculate standard of his suits had completely fallen apart.He brought gifts on several occasions. Once, it was a Tucci famiglia heirloom passed down through generations. Another time, he held the exact diamond headpiece that was supposed to be mine at the engagement party.Every single time I saw him, I simply walked past him.For a whole month, the same scene played out over and over. Several people at the firm began noticing his constant presence, whispering about it in private.Eventually, the city center's open-air antique market commenced.The central plaza was packed with merchants, collectors, and industry brok