He Betrayed His Wife, and She Returned as the Mafia Heiress

"All right," her father said. His voice carried down the line with the same unhurried weight it carried in every room he had ever ruled. "Your mother and I will arrange everything." When Serafina got back to the villa, she quietly started packing. She didn't take much, just a few clothes, some personal things, and everything she actually cared about. As for the gifts Lucian had given her over the years, she didn't want any of them. The expensive jewelry went into the trash first, the velvet boxes still stamped with the name of the jeweler on Mulberry Street who did business only with the Castellanos. Then came the limited-edition bags, and the little handmade things he'd made for her himself. One after another, Serafina threw them away without looking back. She had just dropped the last gift inside when the door lock beeped. Serafina froze. The door opened, and Lucian walked in. Two of his soldiers stayed posted on the front steps, and through the gap Serafina saw them straighten as Celeste followed behind him with their children. Her chest tightened. So this was the family he'd hidden from her. His future Donna. His twin sons. His baby daughter. And now he was bringing them into their home. Wasn't hearing about them once enough? Did Serafina really have to see them too? "Sera, this is Celeste Albanese. We grew up together, and she's just come back from abroad with the kids. They haven't found a proper place to stay yet, so they'll stay here for a few days." Celeste smiled at Serafina. She looked gentle and polite, but Serafina could see the hatred hiding behind her eyes. "Celeste, this is Sera Lane, my girlfriend." One of the twins looked up at her. His face looked so much like Lucian's that her stomach twisted. He stared at her from head to toe, then sneered. "Daddy, she's your girlfriend? I thought she was your maid. Pff! Why does she dress like that? She looks poor enough to sleep in the trash." His brother glanced at him first, then giggled. "Maybe she really is a maid! She looks ugly too. Daddy, did you pick her up from the street because you felt sorry for her?" Celeste immediately pretended to scold them. "Don't say things like that, tesoro. That's rude." She turned to Serafina with a sweet smile. "I'm sorry, Sera. They're still young and don't know what they're saying. Please don't take it personally… This is actually my first time here, and I'm not familiar with everything yet. Could you show me where we'll be staying?" Serafina was about to answer when Lucian spoke. His thumb was already turning the heavy Castellano signet on his finger. "Sera, help them get settled, okay? I've got a sit-down on a secure line later. The docks can't wait, so I need to prepare." Her heart hurt, but her face stayed calm. "Okay." Serafina turned around and led Celeste and the children down the hall to the guest room. The moment the door closed, Celeste's sweet smile lingered half a second, then curdled and disappeared. "These sheets aren't soft enough! And can you get me new towels and toiletries? These don't look very clean!" Serafina glanced at her. Celeste was already behaving as though Serafina's home belonged to her. Serafina could have reminded Celeste that she was a guest beneath this roof, with all the obligations that carried in their world. She could have revealed her own name and let the Valenti reputation answer the insults. But there was no point in fighting for a place she had already decided to leave. So Serafina swallowed everything and quietly replaced the sheets and towels. Celeste kept finding things to complain about, and Serafina kept fixing them. "Is there anything else?" Celeste smiled. "Actually, there is." She opened her suitcase and pulled out a pile of clothes, then shoved them into Serafina's arms. "Here you go. I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble by staying here. I don't really have anything to give you, but I don't wear these ugly clothes anymore. You can have them." Serafina looked down. Designer clothes. Old ones. Some were clearly worn, and a few looked several seasons out of date. Celeste smiled sweetly. "You're Luca's girlfriend, but you always dress so plainly and boring as fuck. Honestly, it makes him look bad in front of his men. I heard your family isn't doing very well financially, so don't be embarrassed. These are used, but they're still designer pieces. You can wear them for a long time." Serafina stared at the clothes in her arms, then looked at her. For a second, Serafina almost laughed. Celeste was offering her castoffs as charity and expecting gratitude in return. Did she really think Serafina needed them? "That's very generous of you, but you should keep them. Second-hand goods are better suited to the person who already owns them." Celeste's face changed instantly. She clearly hadn't expected Serafina to answer. "Thanks anyway." Then Serafina walked straight past her and left the room. * * * When Serafina got back to the bedroom, Lucian returned not long after finishing his call with his Capos. The moment he walked in, he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin against her shoulder. "Sera, don't move for a while. Let me stay like this and recharge. I'm seriously exhausted after all those meetings today." In the past, Serafina would've melted whenever he acted like this. The ruthless Lucian Castellano, the man grown men stepped aside for in the street, only showed this clingy, almost childish side when he was with her. He used to joke that she was his personal power bank, his safe place, and the one person he could never live without. Back then, those words made her feel loved. Now, they only sounded ridiculous. He couldn't live without her? Then how did he manage to build a whole family with Celeste? Serafina forced herself to stay calm, but her body had already gone stiff. Lucian noticed. "What's wrong? Are you upset because I brought Celeste and the kids here?" He stroked her cheek with his thumb. "Celeste and I grew up together. Our families have done business for years, and she came back from abroad with three children. Bringing the kids here was the least I could do. She shouldn't have to struggle alone after traveling all this way." He leaned closer. "So don't overthink it, okay? You're the one I care about. Nothing has changed between us." Then he lowered his head and tried to kiss her. Serafina instinctively turned away and pushed against his chest. Before Serafina could say anything, someone knocked on the door. "Luca!" Celeste's voice came from outside. "The baby won't stop crying! I've tried everything, but she just keeps crying. Can you please come and help me?" Lucian frowned slightly. "I'll go check on her. I'll be right back." He released her and walked toward the door.

Celeste appeared in Serafina's doorway with Matteo, one of the five-year-old twins, and pushed him into the room. "Serafina, could you watch Matteo for me a little while? I need to take care of his sister and his twin, and it's hard managing both at once." Celeste didn't even wait for Serafina's answer before hooking her hand through Lucian's arm and hurried him down the corridor, past the soldier posted at the end of the hall, who flattened himself against the wall to let the Don and his intended pass. Seriously? Serafina hadn't even agreed. Serafina looked down at Matteo. He was already staring around her room with a strange little smile, the borrowed swagger of a boy who had watched grown men step aside for his father. Within minutes he was touching everything, grabbing things off the shelves and tossing them on the floor, jumping on the sofa, screaming whenever she told him to stop. Serafina tried to keep her patience. "Matteo, it's late. Let's clean this up and get you to bed." He glared at her. "Why should I listen to you? You're just an ugly poor maid!" Serafina took a slow breath. "Who taught you to talk to people like that?" He wasn't scared at all. He stuck his tongue out, grabbed something off the table, and ran out of the room. Serafina followed him into the hallway, under the row of Castellano portraits that watched every corner of the villa. "Matteo, stop running, you're going to hurt yourself." He ignored her and ran for the grand staircase. Then he stopped and turned around. In his little hand was her bracelet. Her grandfather had given it to her before Serafina left home. It was one of the few things she had kept hidden all these years, the only piece of her real name she had allowed herself to carry, and she had never taken it off until now. Her eyes widened. "Matteo, give that back." He looked at the bracelet, then at her. Before Serafina could reach him, he yanked it apart. It snapped free. Her heart dropped. "Matteo!" He laughed, threw it on the marble, and ran down the hallway like it was a game. Serafina rushed after him and picked it up. Scratched. Her fingers tightened around it. It was the last gift her grandfather had given her. Serafina swallowed the anger rising in her chest. "That's enough. Go back to your room." Instead he ran to the top of the staircase and turned with a nasty little grin. "Let's see what Daddy thinks when you hurt me." Serafina frowned. "What are you talking about?" He leaned backward toward the stairs. Her eyes widened. "Matteo, don't!" He let his body fall backward on purpose. Serafina lunged forward and caught his arm before he could tumble down the steps, but instead of grabbing the railing, he clung to her hand and pulled her toward him with all his strength. Her foot slipped off the edge. For one terrifying second, neither of them had anything to hold onto. Then they lost their balance and fell down the staircase together. Serafina wrapped both arms around his small body on instinct, twisting herself beneath him so he'd land on her instead of the steps. Her back slammed against the stairs as they tumbled down, and when they hit the bottom she crashed onto the cold marble of the foyer with him still in her arms. Pain exploded through her back and side. Something sharp cut into her skin. Blood ran down her arm. For a few seconds Serafina couldn't move. Matteo started crying. Then footsteps rushed toward them, several sets of them, the heavy tread of soldiers coming at a run behind the Don. "Daddy!" He scrambled up, crying hard, and pointed straight at her. "Daddy, this woman hurt me! She pushed me! She wanted me to die!" Celeste screamed the moment she saw him. "Luca, hurry! Save Matteo first! He's hurt, he's only five, he's our son, your own flesh and blood!" Lucian's face went pale, his eyes moving between Matteo and her. Serafina was still lying at the bottom of the staircase, covered in blood, barely able to move, while Matteo cried beside her. The soldiers had stopped at the edge of the foyer, waiting. Nobody moved until the Don did. For a moment he hesitated. His thumb found the Castellano signet on his finger and turned it once. Then he rushed to Matteo. "Are you hurt? Let Daddy see." Matteo wrapped his arms around him and cried harder. Serafina stayed on the floor, her head spinning, blood trickling down her forehead. Celeste followed him, giving Serafina one last look. The worry on her face vanished for a brief second, replaced by a small, satisfied smile that lingered after Lucian had already turned away. Celeste even spat in Serafina's face before hurrying after Lucian. Serafina stared after them, finally understanding what his choice meant. Serafina wasn't surprised. Hadn't he always told her that Serafina was the most important person in his life? Apparently, that only mattered when Celeste and his children weren't standing in front of him. Blood came first. In this house, it always had. For two hours, Serafina lay there alone, barely conscious, unable to move. Lucian had forgotten about her the moment he carried Matteo away, and the soldiers had gone with him, because where the Don's son went, the guns went. It was a housemaid who finally found her on the floor and called for help. The housemaid stayed beside Serafina until she reached the hospital. Two hours. That was how long it had taken for anyone to remember Serafina was still bleeding on that floor. When Serafina woke up, she was in a hospital bed in the private wing the Castellanos kept for their own. The slightest movement sent pain through her forehead and arm. When she turned her head, Lucian was sitting beside her, brows drawn tight, eyes bloodshot, like he hadn't slept in hours. Through the glass of the door she could see the silhouette of one of his men keeping watch. The moment he saw Serafina was awake, he leaned in. "Serafina, you're awake. How do you feel? Does your head hurt? Your arm? Tell me and I'll call the doctor." Her throat was too dry to answer. He picked up a cotton swab, dipped it in water, and touched it to her lips. His hands were as careful as always, and somehow that only made her colder. He took her good hand and rubbed the back of it. "Serafina, I'm sorry. Everything happened so fast, and I had to get Matteo out first. He's just a child. I thought I'd come back for you right after, I didn't realize you'd already lost too much strength." His voice softened. "I never meant to leave you there. I swear it. You know I wouldn't hurt you on purpose." Serafina listened without a word. Serafina understood he wanted to save his son. What she could not understand was how, after saving him, Lucian had simply forgotten she was still lying there. Serafina remembered every night he'd held her and whispered she was the most important person in his world. How ridiculous that sounded now. Serafina closed her eyes. "I'm tired, Lucian. I want to sleep." He pulled the blanket higher over her. "Okay. Rest. I'm not going anywhere." * * * Over the next few days, Lucian stayed by her bed almost constantly. He handled her medicine, brought her water, peeled fruit, even helped her bathe. His Capos came to the door with business and he sent them away with a look. The same careful man Serafina had known for years. If this had happened before, Serafina would've melted at the sight of him taking care of her like that. Now, every time his hands touched her, all Serafina could think of was that staircase. Lying there bleeding while he ran to save Matteo and left her behind. Serafina couldn't forget that. She didn't know how. And even when he stayed, he never stayed long. His phone would ring, always at the worst moment. It was Celeste. Her voice would come through soft and helpless. Their four-month-old daughter wouldn't stop crying. One of the twins had a fever. She couldn't manage three children alone. Every time, his expression changed. He'd glance at her, apologetic. "Serafina, I need to go back to the estate for a bit. I'll be back soon, okay?" Then he'd leave, and the man at the door would fall in behind him. Watching the man Serafina loved walk out of her hospital room to take care of another woman and her children, something in Serafina went numb. The wound in her chest wasn't closing. It was getting deeper. One afternoon, his phone rang again. He looked at the screen, and Serafina already knew who it was. He sighed, rubbed his forehead. Serafina looked at him and finally spoke. "Lucian, just go." He looked up. "What?"

"You don't have to keep running between here and the villa because of me. Go take care of them." Her voice shook despite her effort to keep it steady. "I'll be fine. I don't need you here anymore." Before, those words would've terrified him. If Serafina was even slightly upset, he'd panic, send his soldiers out of the room, stay beside her, apologize, tease her, spoil her, do everything he could to make her smile again. This time, he just stared at her for a few seconds. His thumb turned the heavy Castellano signet on his finger, once. Then he walked over and pulled her into his arms. "Don't think too much, Serafina. I know you're upset, but I'll handle everything. I'll be back soon, okay? Just rest and wait for me." He kissed her hair. Then he left. Just like that. Serafina watched the door close behind him and heard the two men posted outside fall into step at his back. A small smile crossed her face. Then tears rolled down her cheeks and soaked into the pillow. Serafina didn't know what hurt more... that he left, or how easily he did it. A few days later, Serafina was finally strong enough to walk around the private wing, the one the Family paid for so no chart ever carried a Castellano name. She went to get her own medicine, and on the way back she passed the emergency stairwell. That's when Serafina heard Lucian's voice. He was on the phone. The man on the other end was loud enough for her to catch every word. "Luca, I'm honestly shocked. Didn't you used to hate that little boy? You said he looked too much like Celeste and you couldn't stand hearing him cry. So why'd you let Serafina get hurt protecting him?" Serafina stopped walking. Her fingers tightened around the medicine bag. A long pause. Then Lucian answered quietly. "No matter how much I disliked Matteo before, he's still my son. My family pushed me into having kids with Celeste, and I fought it at first. But he's five now. I've watched him grow up, raised him, and somewhere along the way I started caring." His voice grew heavier. "Blood is blood. I can't watch my own child die in front of me, even if things between Celeste and me aren't what people think." His friend laughed in disbelief. "So you've really changed? Then tell me, Matteo's your son, so he's the Castellano heir now, right? The ships, the banks, the seat at the table, it all goes to him someday? And Celeste? She gave you three kids, two sons and a baby girl. After everything she's done, are you still calling her nothing more than an old family friend?" The stairwell went silent. Somewhere below, a door hissed shut on its hinge. Serafina didn't move. Her heart was already pounding. Then Lucian spoke. "Yes." One word. It felt like a knife through her chest. "I'll marry Celeste." Her fingers went cold. His friend exclaimed, "I knew it! But what about Serafina? You were crazy about her and you said you couldn't live without her!" "I love Serafina. I don't think I'll ever love another woman the way I love her." Her eyes burned. "Then why won't you marry her?" His voice dropped. "Because her blood isn't suitable for my family." Serafina stopped breathing. "She's the daughter of an alcoholic. Her mother's seriously ill. She grew up in the slums. No matter how much I love her, she can't be my wife. The old man and the council would never accept her. She was never going to fit into the Castellano family." Every word cut deeper. His friend went quiet. Lucian went on. "She can stay beside me. I'll give her everything she wants. I'll protect her, spoil her, make sure she never struggles again." A pause. "But she'll always be my canary. Something beautiful that stays safely in its cage." A canary. A bird that never sees daylight. Serafina stood there, frozen. So that was what she was to him: a pretty thing to keep hidden. He loved her, but not enough to give her his name. He wanted her beside him, but never in the light. Serafina lowered her eyes and turned away. How funny. * * * A few days later, Serafina was discharged. Lucian came to pick her up himself, the Maybach idling at the curb with his men standing at the doors, guilt written across his face. "Serafina, I know I haven't been around as much as I should. Let me make it up to you, okay? There's a bloodstock auction at the stables this weekend. Whatever catches your eye, I'll buy it. Don't worry about the price." Serafina almost laughed. After everything, he still thought money could close the distance between them. Still, Serafina didn't refuse. At the Castellano racing stables, Lucian kept his word, raising his paddle again and again without blinking at the cost. Half the money in that room had been washed somewhere before it arrived, and everyone knew it. His capos started complaining. "Luca, seriously? Planning to leave anything for the rest of us? Every decent horse comes up and you grab it." "I haven't even found one for my father's birthday. You're ruining the whole auction." Serafina sat quietly beside him, playing the same clueless girl they'd always taken her for. Someone glanced her way and laughed. "Lucian, don't take this wrong, but you're spending a fortune on someone from the slums. What does a girl like her know about horses? Put a fancy saddle on a cheap horse and it's still cheap." Lucian's face went cold. The men nearest him stopped talking. "Watch what you say." The man raised both hands. "Fine, fine. Not saying another word. But you know I'm right. She's a poor girl, and you're treating her like some priceless treasure. She's got no blood, no name. She's nowhere near Castellano level." Serafina had heard it for years. Poor girl. Slum girl. Not worthy. Lucian would shut them down sometimes, but the same men always said it again the moment he wasn't around. Now that she knew what he really thought of her, none of it surprised her anymore. If he truly believed Serafina was worthy of standing beside him, why had everyone in his world always felt so comfortable insulting her? Serafina already knew the answer. Then Celeste appeared at the entrance of the private viewing box, dressed beautifully, their four-month-old daughter in a nanny's arms behind her, one twin holding her hand and the other beside the nanny. Two Albanese soldiers took up the doorway after her. Everyone greeted her at once. "Signorina Albanese, what brought you here?" "It's been a while! Dio, you look amazing." Celeste smiled and touched her hair. "I've been so busy with the children since the baby came, I barely have time to dress properly. Since I'm finally out today, I thought I'd see if there's a horse I like." Someone laughed. "You're naturally beautiful. You don't need expensive things to stand out." Another glanced at her. "Exactly. Some people can spend all the money in the world and still can't hide where they came from." Serafina said nothing and just watched. The second half of the auction began, and a few beautiful horses were led into the ring. The teasing started again. "Luca, you've already bought half the stables. Leave something for Celeste, it's rare she gets out with the kids." Lucian smiled. "Fine. I won't compete for these." As expected, he lowered his paddle. Celeste bought several horses in a row, each time flashing her a smug little smile that lingered a beat too long after the room looked away. Serafina almost smiled back. Was she really that happy about a few horses? Then the final horse came out, and the room went quiet. A magnificent black stallion. Glossy coat, strong legs, unmistakable presence. The auctioneer called it a rare champion bloodline worth a fortune. Celeste's eyes lit up. She raised her paddle. The bidding climbed fast. A hundred million. Two hundred. Three hundred. It passed a billion. Serafina laughed softly. Celeste turned, annoyed. "What are you laughing at, Serafina?" Serafina rested her chin on her hand. "Nothing. Just funny that everyone's willing to spend over a billion on a horse with questionable papers." The room went silent. Even the soldiers at the door went still.

Celeste's smile disappeared. "What did you just say? Who told you those papers are questionable?" Serafina looked at the horse again, a dark bay pacing the sawdust ring under the chandeliers of the Castellano racing stables. "I'm not just saying it. The registration number doesn't match the bloodline record, the brand on his flank is slightly wrong, and there's a gap in the ownership record that shouldn't be there." A Capo near the rail frowned. "You think the professional appraisal is wrong?" "I think it deserves another check before anyone pays that kind of money." Serafina laid out the inconsistencies calmly, one by one. The more she explained, the quieter the room got. Even the soldiers posted at the doors stopped shifting their weight. Serafina didn't mention the most important fact. The real horse from that bloodline had already been secured years ago, by her own family. The Valentis kept their private stables far from auctions like this one, where half the bids were laundered tribute dressed up as sport. Instead of taking her seriously, the room burst into laughter. "Did she really just call that horse fake?" "A girl from the slums thinks she knows more than professional appraisers? Read a few books and suddenly she's an expert." The laughter grew louder, glasses clinking along with it. Celeste covered her mouth and giggled, then turned to Lucian. "You really should teach Sera a little about horses when you get the chance, Luca. It's fine here, but what if she embarrasses herself in front of your family one day?" Serafina looked at Lucian. His expression had already darkened. Instead of defending her, he took her hand and lowered his voice. "Sera, that's enough. If you're not sure about something, don't say it so confidently. You don't have to prove anything to anyone." Her heart sank. He knew enough about horses to understand exactly what Serafina had pointed out. Years around racing, breeding, the auctions the Family used to clean its money, there was no way he'd missed any of it. He simply didn't believe Serafina could know it. To him, Serafina was still the poor girl from the slums who had no place in his world. And yet he'd spent years chasing her, promising her a future, telling her she was the only woman he wanted. Serafina pulled her hand away and said nothing. In the end, Celeste won the horse for over a billion. Serafina didn't care anymore. Serafina left the VIP lounge and went to the powder room down the private corridor. She had barely finished washing her hands when Celeste walked in behind her and blocked the door, arms folded, smiling. "How did it feel, trying to act like an expert out there? Embarrassing, wasn't it?" Serafina looked at her in the mirror. She kept going, enjoying herself. "Don't think reading a few books makes you an expert. Real knowledge comes from growing up around these things. You're from the slums, Sera. If you don't understand something, keep quiet instead of making Luca look bad in front of his own men." Serafina didn't bother arguing. She stepped around her. Celeste grabbed her arm and pulled Serafina back, leaning close to her ear, her voice dropping into a smug whisper. "You want to know something? I'm not just Lucian's childhood sweetheart. I've been with him countless times. I gave him three children." Her eyes hardened. "Yes. The children in your house right now. They're his." Her grip tightened. "The Castellano Family doesn't think you're good enough for him. The old Don and Donna Livia wanted an heir of proper blood, so they pushed Lucian toward me, and he agreed. Do you understand what that means?" Serafina stared at her. Celeste smiled wider. "It means you're exactly what Lucian thinks you are. Someone he can keep hidden and spoil when he wants. A pretty little bird trapped in a cage." Her eyes gleamed. "He may love you, but he'll never marry you. He'll never give you his name or let you become the mother of his legitimate heirs. When it comes to marriage, he'll choose someone from his own world." Every word hit a wound that was already bleeding. Serafina said nothing. She pulled her arm free and turned to leave. Then Serafina heard a sharp slap behind her. Serafina stopped and turned around slowly. Celeste was covering her cheek, tears already gathering, a bright red handprint on her skin. Serafina hadn't even touched her. Before Serafina could make sense of it, footsteps hurried in from the corridor. Lucian rushed into the powder room, a soldier at his shoulder, his expression changing the instant he saw Celeste. "What happened?" Celeste looked at him with trembling eyes. "Luca. Sera hit me." She pointed at Serafina, tears spilling. "Maybe she's still angry you saved Matteo that day instead of her. She probably blames me for it, that's why she hit me. I didn't even provoke her." Lucian stared at her, disbelief written across his face. "Sera, tell me the truth. Did you really hit her?" Serafina looked at the suspicion in his eyes and something in her chest cracked. Once, it didn't matter who accused her or what had happened, Lucian would stand beside her first and ask questions later. He used to tell his Capos, "I'm here to protect Sera, not to play judge." Now he couldn't even trust her. "What if I told you I never touched her?" Serafina asked quietly. "What if Celeste staged this herself?" His face hardened. "Sera, I already told you what happened with Matteo! You're still angry I chose my son when he was in danger, and now you're taking it out on Celeste. She just gave birth four months ago. She's still recovering, you know that. How could you hit her? Whatever happened between you two, you need to apologize." Serafina stared at him, unable to believe what she was hearing. So this was it. Six years of loving him, six years of believing she was the one person he'd never doubt, and now she was standing in front of him like a stranger begging to be believed. Was this really the man Serafina once thought she would grow old with? Serafina shook her head. "I didn't hit her, Lucian. I won't apologize for something I didn't do." Serafina turned to leave, but he caught her wrist, his grip hard enough to hurt. His thumb moved once over the Castellano signet on his other hand. "Sera, apologize. You're not walking away until you do." The soldier in the doorway didn't move. Behind Lucian, Celeste lowered her eyes, hiding the satisfaction on her face. Something in her finally went quiet. Serafina let out a soft laugh, though there was nothing happy in it. "Fine." Serafina looked straight at Celeste. "I'm sorry, Miss Celeste. I shouldn't have hit you. Is that what you wanted to hear?" Each word tasted bitter as Serafina pulled her wrist free and walked out before either of them could see the tears burning in her eyes. Serafina had spent six years pretending to be a helpless girl from the slums, but she was never helpless. She was Serafina Valenti, daughter of a man who could make entire families disappear with one order. She had only hidden that power because she wanted to know if Lucian could love her without her name, her wealth, without knowing who she really was. Now Serafina had her answer. Serafina nearly collided with a well dressed middle aged man outside the powder room. The moment he saw her face he froze, eyes widening, then lowered his head. "Principessa." Before he could say more, Lucian stepped out behind her and frowned. "Principessa? What are you talking about? Sera, you know him?" The man stiffened at the sight of Lucian. Before he could explain, someone called his name from across the auction floor. He glanced at her once more, gave a respectful nod, and hurried off. Celeste slipped her arm through Lucian's, all innocence. "What principessa? Maybe he recognized me, he's connected to my father's business." Lucian looked at her, then at her pale face, and believed her. He reached for her hand. "Sera, you apologized, let's forget this. Come back with us. I was harsh because you really crossed the line." Serafina pulled her hand away. "I'm not going anywhere with you." "Sera!" he called, following her outside.

The three of them had barely reached the gravel forecourt beside the Castellano racing stables when an engine roared behind them. Serafina turned and saw a black sedan speeding toward the gates. Its driver had lost control, and it was swerving straight at them. Everything happened in seconds. Lucian grabbed Celeste and pulled her into his arms, turning his body to shield her the way a made man shields his Don. Serafina stood several steps away, frozen, watching him choose her again without hesitation. The car came straight at her. Serafina barely had time to move before it slammed into her body. Pain exploded through her. Serafina was thrown several feet and crashed onto the stones. Her vision blurred and the world spun while she struggled to breathe. Somewhere far off, soldiers were shouting, and she heard the hard click of weapons being drawn too late. The last thing Serafina saw was Lucian holding Celeste tightly. Again, he chose her. Then everything went black. * * * When Serafina woke up, she was in her own bed at the villa, and her back was still burning. A soldier stood posted outside the door. Lucian sat beside her, and the moment her eyes opened, guilt flashed across his face. "Sera, you're awake. That car came out of nowhere and hit you. My men are already looking for the driver. Everything happened too fast. I only reacted because Celeste was closest to me. I'm sorry. Please don't think I deliberately left you behind." Serafina closed her eyes and turned her face away. What was there to explain? She knew exactly what had happened. There was a time when it didn't matter how far away she was. If she was in trouble, Lucian would come looking for her without hesitation, and the whole Family knew better than to stand in his way. He'd always been the first person to stand between her and danger. That man was gone. The heart that once seemed to belong only to Serafina was now divided between Celeste and the children he had with her. During her recovery, Lucian seemed determined to make up for it. He cancelled sit-downs to stay beside her whenever he could, brought her meals, checked her wounds, and kept asking if Serafina needed anything. Serafina barely spoke to him. Soon it was time for the twins' sixth birthday. Lucian held a lavish banquet at the villa. His parents came from the Castellano Estate, along with relatives, capos, silent partners, and every associate eager to pay respects to the Castellano heirs. Black cars lined the drive, and soldiers watched the gates with their jackets unbuttoned. Serafina stood quietly to the side, watching his parents fuss over the twins. The boys were spoiled and wild, and they clearly knew they could get away with anything. They ran around the villa, laughed when they shoved the staff, and knocked into her more than once on purpose. "Move, poor woman," Matteo said, looking her up and down. Nico glanced at his brother, then laughed. "Papà said you're not important anyway." Serafina looked at the two boys calmly. So this was how the future Castellano heirs treated people. She almost smiled. If they only knew who they were bullying. Watching Lucian's parents shower the boys with affection reminded her of the first time he'd brought her to the Estate to meet them. Back then, the moment they heard about her supposed family background, their smiles vanished. Don Aurelio had not offered her his hand. They treated her like a nobody who'd wandered into their house by mistake. Today, they were all smiles. The difference was almost laughable. Lucian walked over and handed Celeste an exquisite ruby necklace, a gift to mark the twins' celebration. Celeste covered her mouth in surprise. "Luca, this is far too expensive. You didn't have to." "You gave me three children," he said softly. "I wanted to give you something worthy of the occasion." His mother brought out a beautiful ruby pendant and handed it to Celeste. "Celeste, this belongs to the Castellano Family. It has passed to every woman who married into it. You're the one we've always considered our daughter-in-law, so you should have it." Celeste acted embarrassed. "Mamma, I'm not officially married to Lucian yet. I don't think I should accept it." Livia smiled warmly, then touched her pearls and glanced toward Serafina. "Nothing to be shy about. Some women simply aren't meant to belong in a family like ours." Her words were clearly meant for Serafina. Celeste's smile stayed on her face a half-second after Livia turned away, and in that half-second it curdled. Lucian noticed her expression and stepped closer, his thumb turning the heavy signet ring on his finger. "Sera, don't let that get to you. My parents have always had their own ideas about who I should marry, but that doesn't change how I feel about you. You know you're the woman I chose." The woman he chose? Then what was Celeste? And what were the three children he'd given her? Serafina said nothing, but the room suddenly felt suffocating. Lucian saw her pale face and frowned. "Are you uncomfortable? Stay here. I'll get you something to cover your shoulders." He'd barely walked away when Celeste gasped and touched her neck. "My ruby pendant." Every head turned toward her. The quartet stopped playing. "The heirloom Mamma just gave me. It's gone." The banquet erupted into chaos. One of Celeste's closest friends pointed at her. "I saw Sera Lane near Celeste earlier. She must've taken it." Another woman agreed at once. "I saw her too. She's obviously jealous of Celeste." Before Serafina could respond, several women rushed toward her. The soldiers along the walls didn't move. Nobody stopped them. "We need to search her." One grabbed her arm, and another reached for her clothes. Her anger surged as Serafina fought them off. "Get your hands off me." In front of everyone, her dress ripped open in the struggle. Humiliation burned through her, but Serafina forced herself to stay calm. She wasn't going to cry in front of these people. She had spent six years pretending to be a poor, harmless girl, and she knew exactly how to keep her face blank when people tried to humiliate her. Then someone shouted, "I found something." A ruby pendant was pulled from the lining of her underwear, and the room fell silent for a second before it exploded. "She really stole it." "How shameless." "I knew she was jealous of Celeste."

Serafina clutched her torn dress against her body and stared at the ruby pendant glinting on the marble floor. She didn't steal it. Someone had planted it there! Lucian's mother looked at Serafina the way a jeweler looks at a flawed stone. Her fingers rested on her pearls. "Serafina, this Family gave you everything you needed under our roof. How could you steal an Albanese heirloom after everything we've done for you?" Serafina met her eyes calmly. "I didn't steal anything! Someone put that pendant on me." "You're still denying it?" she snapped. "The evidence is right there, in front of every Family in this room." Before Serafina could answer, two small figures came running toward her through the parted crowd of capos and their wives. Matteo and Nico, the five-year-old twins who'd spent the whole evening pulling her hair and kicking her legs, now looked furious. "You're a bad woman!" Matteo shouted. Nico glanced at his brother first, then yelled, "You stole Mommy's ruby!" Matteo kicked her injured leg, and pain shot through her. "Stop it," Serafina shouted, but he kicked her again while Nico grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled hard. Serafina clenched her teeth. These two really didn't know when to stop. She pushed Nico's hand away, but Matteo came at her again, so she shoved him back. She didn't use much force, but he stumbled. Nico grabbed for him, and both boys lost their balance and crashed into the towering birthday cake behind them. It collapsed under them, cream and frosting covering their little tailored suits. For a second the whole banquet hall froze. Even the quartet in the corner stopped playing. Then the twins started screaming. "I hate you!" "You ruined our birthday!" "You humiliated us!" They cried so loudly that half the guests rushed toward them. Serafina stood there, breathing hard. She hadn't meant to hurt them, but she had had enough. How many times was she supposed to let those two kick and pull at her before she was allowed to defend herself? Then the twins ran toward the edge of the long banquet table. "Matteo! Nico, stop!" They were crying too hard to hear anyone. Both boys collided with the corner of the table, their heads striking the edge with a loud crack before they dropped to the floor. The hall erupted. "Get the doctor!" "There's blood!" "Get the children!" Celeste screamed and rushed toward them. "Matteo! Nico!" Lucian's father struck his cane against the floor twice, and the noise in the room died around him. "This is outrageous." His mother pointed straight at her. "Soldiers! Take her away!" Serafina stared at the chaos, her torn dress still clutched in her hands, when she heard Lucian's footsteps on the grand staircase. He came running down with the shawl he'd gone to fetch for her, but the moment he saw the twins bleeding on the floor, his face changed completely. "What happened?" His mother stepped forward. "Lucian, look what she did. She stole Celeste's family ruby, and when the children confronted her, she attacked them. Look at them." Celeste was crying, pulling one of the boys against her skirts. "She hates me, and now she's taking it out on my children. Luca, please save them." Lucian looked at her. For a moment Serafina saw shock in his eyes, then doubt. His thumb moved across the Castellano signet on his hand. He didn't ask what happened. He didn't even come closer. He just picked Matteo up and held him tightly. Over his father's shoulder, the boy's eyes had already gone dry. "Take the children to the Family doctor first." Serafina stared at him. He was leaving her there again. Her heart didn't even hurt anymore. Maybe there was nothing left to break. His mother pointed at her. "And her? We can't let this go. Not in front of everyone." Lucian's father nodded coldly. "Take her to the back garden. She needs to understand the consequences of spilling Castellano blood." Lucian glanced at her one last time. Serafina waited, hoping that just once he'd say something, anything. He said nothing. He carried Matteo away with Celeste beside him, and she watched their backs disappear through the doors, his soldiers closing ranks behind them. So that was it. After six years, Serafina wasn't even worth one question. The soldiers dragged her outside, past the fountains and the lantern-lit hedges where no guest would have to hear. Serafina didn't struggle much. Her body was already covered in injuries, and her back still hadn't recovered from the car that struck her. The whip came down again and again, pain tearing through her. She bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood, refusing to give them the satisfaction of hearing her beg. Serafina could have stopped them. One phone call to her father would've been enough. One word, and the Valenti name would have shaken this entire estate down to its foundations. But she had promised herself she would finish those six years without revealing who she was. Now Serafina didn't care anymore. Lucian's mother stood nearby, watching without a trace of sympathy. "We had you looked into. Your father's a drunk, your mother's sick, and you crawled out of a miserable family with no name worth speaking. Do you really think someone like you belongs beside a Don?" Serafina raised her head, but she kept going without giving Serafina a chance to answer. "Lucian was born to stand at the head of this Family. You're not even worthy of carrying his shoes. Leave while you still have some dignity, or we'll make sure you have none left." Serafina almost laughed. If she only knew who she was talking to. Serafina wasn't some poor girl who needed their charity. She was Serafina Valenti, and if she wanted, her entire Family could learn exactly what that name meant. But Serafina was too tired to care. The pain eventually swallowed everything, and darkness took her. When Serafina woke again, she was lying on a cold bed in one of the estate's back rooms. Her wounds had been treated, but barely, and every breath hurt. The door opened, and Lucian walked in. He didn't ask how she felt. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her up. "Lucian, what are you doing?" Serafina cried, struggling to keep her balance. "Let me go, I'm injured!" He didn't answer. He half dragged, half carried her to the car and then into the Family's private clinic, straight into a treatment room. "Draw her blood," he told the nurse. "Matteo and Nico lost too much. She's compatible." Serafina stared at him in disbelief. "Are you serious?" "Serafina, listen to me." "Look at me!" Serafina shouted, her voice breaking. "Can't you see what they did to me? I'm barely standing, and you're asking me for blood?" His expression tightened. "They're only five. They need it." "Why should I save them?" Serafina cried. "Those two kicked me, pulled my hair, blamed me for everything. Why am I the one who has to pay for this?" "Because you pushed them?!" "I pushed them away because they were hurting me!" Her whole body was shaking, and his patience finally snapped. "You caused this whole situation, Serafina. Matteo and Nico are lying in the next room fighting for their lives. You have to take responsibility." "I didn't steal that ruby, and I didn't mean for them to get hurt!" He didn't listen. He forced her into the chair while the nurse prepared the needle. The soldier at the door kept his eyes fixed on the wall. "Lucian, don't." Her voice had gone small. For the first time, Serafina wasn't pretending. She was begging. "Please. I can't do this anymore." He looked away. "Just cooperate. It'll be over soon." The needle went in, and pain spread through her already weakened body. Serafina clenched her teeth as the blood was taken, the nurse glancing at her the whole time. "Don Castellano, she's extremely weak. We shouldn't take any more." "Continue," he said coldly. "Matteo and Nico need more." Her vision blurred, and Serafina could barely keep her eyes open before everything went black. * * * When Serafina woke again, she was alone. A nurse eventually told her Lucian was next door with Celeste and the twins. He never came to see her. Instead he sent a message. [Serafina, I know you're still angry, but the twins' injuries happened because of you. You need to take responsibility. Calm down and stop making things harder. No matter what happens, I'll always love you.] Serafina stared at the screen, then laughed. She laughed until her body hurt and her wounds started bleeding again. His love? His love had allowed his parents to have her whipped. It had taken blood from her when she could barely survive. It had left him beside another woman and their children while he sent Serafina promises he had already broken. What kind of love was that? Serafina wiped her tears. Her fingers brushed the bare inside of her left wrist, then went still. No. She couldn't afford this kind of love anymore. After several days Serafina was strong enough to leave, so she quietly signed herself out of the clinic without telling anyone. When she got back to the villa, her phone rang. "Serafina, have you finished everything there? It's time to come home." Serafina stood alone in the empty living room and looked around at the gilded cage he'd kept her in. For six years she had lived here as someone she wasn't. A poor girl. A harmless girl. A girl who needed Lucian. That girl was gone. Serafina took a slow breath and answered calmly, "Yes. Everything's taken care of. I'll be home soon." After hanging up, Serafina packed only what belonged to her, pulled her suitcase behind her, and walked out past the soldier at the gate without leaving a note or looking back. This time, Serafina wasn't pretending to be poor anymore.