Chapter 1

That day, I didn't follow him.

Before long, Dominic sent me a message.

Don't try to hurt her again. Apart from that, I can tolerate everything else about you.

The next second, three million dollars appeared in my account.

Then another message came through.

Don't worry, I won't go see her often. I'll come home tonight and be with you.

Every word was drenched in wariness toward me.

I stood there, looking back at the tightly shut door of the hospital room, and for the first time, I had no desire to barge in.

When I first saw Serena and Dominic getting out of bed together, I'd lost my mind.

Every meeting, I had to sit beside Dominic. Every order had to go through my hands.

Whenever Serena showed up at a Family council, I'd cause a scene until the whole room squirmed.

Back then, Dominic would always look at me with exhaustion.

He explained that Serena had dreamed of her dead brother and clung to him crying, and he'd only stayed to comfort her.

He promised he'd keep his distance from then on and never let it happen again.

But I still couldn't accept it.

In the end, he handed me a set of divorce papers.

"Noelle, I'm done.

"All these assets are yours. Sign the papers and leave my Family."

That night, I took on a dock negotiation no one else dared to attend.

When the ambush opened fire, Dominic stormed in with his men and dragged me out of the crossfire.

He gripped my wrist so hard it bruised and roared, "Have you lost your mind, Noelle? You'd throw your life away for the Donna's seat?!"

After that, he posted countless guards to watch me, afraid I'd do something reckless again.

But in the end, the very people assigned to protect me pinned me to the ground for Serena's sake.

I looked down at my swollen wrist. The bruises from last time still hadn't faded.

Ever since Serena appeared, my wounds were mine alone to endure.

Back at the estate, I sat by myself in the living room.

I was thoroughly disappointed, yet my eyes kept drifting toward the door against my will.

The grounds outside suddenly lit up.

Fireworks burst across the night sky, so brilliant they nearly illuminated the entire estate.

I'd always loved fireworks.

But Dominic always said they were too flashy, not fitting for a Family of our standing.

So in all these years, he'd never set off a single one for me.

When the clock struck twelve, there was still no movement outside the door.

I finally looked away, stood up, and headed upstairs.

That was when my investigator's call came through.

"Donna, the Don booked the entire Westside estate tonight and set off tens of thousands of fireworks for Miss Blake."

I froze, then turned to look at the sky full of fireworks outside the window.

The investigator was still talking in my ear.

"The Don visited the private clinic seventeen times this week. I've compiled all the surveillance footage. Would you like to..."

The fireworks kept launching, one after another, bright enough to make my eyes sting.

I slowly closed my eyes and cut him off, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Burn it.

"Burn all of it."