Chapter 4

I came back from the hospital with the wound on my leg still throbbing.

The moment I stepped into the living room, the scene before me stopped me cold.

Lillian was nestled in Damian's arms, her voice soft and coaxing: "Damian, let me be the first to wear this ring. Even if we can never really marry, just having this moment is enough for me."

Damian nodded gently, his eyes filled with adoration. "Of course, my darling."

He pulled out two rings, and my gaze locked onto them.

They were the wedding bands I had custom-made in Italy. Master jewelers had spent an entire year crafting them. They were one of a kind in the world.

Damian knew exactly what they meant to me.

And he was going to put one on her finger?

I rushed forward and ripped the ring off Lillian's hand.

She shrieked and collapsed to the floor. "Natalia, you can hate me, you can hit me, but don't take it out on Damian! I know you're angry that I took his first time!"

Before she finished, Damian kicked me hard—right on the leg the dog had mauled. Searing pain tore through me.

"Natalia Rossi! I gave that to Lillian myself. Back then, I offered to be with you first before helping Lillian. You were the one who refused. What the hell are you making a scene about now?"

My body slammed against the couch. The pain was so intense I could barely breathe.

But Damian only looked down at me with cold indifference.

"If you can stomach me sleeping with her, why can't you handle a ring? I can buy a thousand more! Money's not a problem for me!"

I nearly laughed out loud.

Money? As the mafia heir, I had wealth, power, status—all of it in spades. No one had ever dared flaunt their fortune in front of me.

If it weren't for the resources I'd secretly funneled his way, his company would never have made it this far.

I'd planned to tell him everything on our wedding night.

I never expected him to give me this kind of "surprise" first.

Lillian clung to Damian, putting on her best pitiful act. "Natalia, it's all my fault. I'll leave right now. I swear I won't bother you two anymore."

Damian shot me a glare and slid the ring back onto her finger. "Ignore her! I spoiled her rotten—that's why she doesn't know her place."

I watched them lace their fingers together, my voice as cold as frost.

"Damian, if this is what you want, I'll give it to you."

Despite the agony wracking my body, I forced myself to stand and stumbled toward the door.

"Natalia, where do you think you're going?" Damian's voice followed me, dripping with arrogance.

I didn't look back. My steps were steady.

"The wedding is off, Damian. We're done."

"Letting you be with Lillian is the last thing I'll ever do for you. Once the divorce is final, don't ever let me see you again."

Damian paused, then scoffed and rubbed his temples.

"Stop being dramatic, Natalia. Who was it that begged me to marry her in the first place? Lillian's demands aren't unreasonable. You already have me—is this really so hard for you?"

His voice softened, coaxing, like he was talking to a child. "I'll buy you an even bigger, better diamond to make up for it. Deal?"

I stopped and turned to face him.

"Damian, you've used up all ninety-nine chances. We're even."

His eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I wiped the tears from my eyes and steadied my trembling voice.

"It means, Damian Vance, that we're over. For good. Congratulations to you both."

I refused to stay another second and endure this humiliation.

Lillian barely suppressed her glee, feigning concern. "Damian, do you think she's gone crazy from jealousy?"

Damian's expression shifted with sudden realization. He raised his voice.

"Natalia, don't play games with me. As long as you behave, I promise Lillian's child will be yours too."

The words hit me like a lightning bolt.

Lillian was pregnant?

A chill washed through me.

He'd made a fool of me—and now he expected me to play the saint who embraced everything?

"Damian, I must have been blind to ever believe in you!"

I pulled out my phone and called my father's second-in-command. "Get over here. Now!"

Lillian pointed at me, eyes wide with alarm. "Damian, she's not calling reporters, is she? You worked so hard to get her to post that clarification!"

Without hesitation, Damian knocked the phone from my hand. His fingernail scraped across my cheek, leaving a thin line of blood.

A violent pain tore through my heart. I clutched my chest, trembling, as the agony spread.

But Damian didn't even notice.

He jabbed his finger hard into my face and roared: "Natalia, you'd destroy me over this petty bullshit?"

The accusation struck like a hammer.

I took a shaky breath. "I don't give a damn about your sordid little affair! Let go of me!"

My defiance only enraged him further. He grabbed my collar and dragged me toward the bathroom.

"You walk out now, and what about her pregnancy? Everyone knows you're my fiancée. No matter what—you're going to take responsibility for this child!"

"Natalia Rossi, apologize! Admit you were wrong! Say you'll never leave again!"

My lungs felt ready to explode. The taste of blood flooded my throat. I coughed, and crimson spilled out.

Even so, I bit down and refused to yield.

Damian glanced at the bathtub, his expression turning savage. He wrapped his hand around my throat.

"Looks like I've been too soft on you. Who do you think you are?"

He hauled my weakened body forward and forced my head into the water-filled tub.

Even now, I could smell traces of Lillian's perfume lingering in the water.

There was no question what had happened here just moments ago.

Water closed over me, crushing the air from my lungs. I thrashed desperately as nausea and suffocation crashed over me in waves.

"When you're ready to apologize, I'll let you go!"

In the last moment before I lost consciousness, I saw his face—the tenderness that once lived there twisted into a cruel sneer.

Just then, the door was kicked open.

A squad of armed bodyguards stormed in.

The leader fired. The bullet nearly grazed Damian's hand.

"Don't move!"