Chapter 3
After hanging up, I didn’t return to the banquet hall and left alone.[]
On the way, I received a message from Luca.[]
[Why did you leave? It’s the celebration tonight. Be good, don’t throw a tantrum.]]]
ere befor
If this were before, hearing him coax me like this, I would have swallowed any grievance.[]
But today, I didn’t want to endure it anymore.[]
My fingers moved lightly as I replied.]]
[My back injury flared up. Can’t stand for long.]]]
Half a month ago, he said he had his eye on a piece of jewelry worth 150 million, for an engagement gift.]
It was smuggled goods, hidden in a rival’s warehouse.
I, who hadn’t personally taken action in years, risked everything for him again.[]
The result was a fractured spine that nearly left me paralyzed.[]
However, the treasure I fought desperately to obtain ultimately became the engagement gift he gave to someone else.[]
The chat showed “typing…” for a long time before a single message came:[]
[Oh, remember to apply medicine.]]
[Mm.]]]
After a moment of silence, another message popped up:
[Don’t worry about returning the hair clip. Consider it a birthday gift.]]
my gaze falling on the old leather bracelet around my wrist.]
Eight years ago, I was kidnapped by Luca’s enemies.]
After three days of torture, they used me to threaten him into trading his life.]
Afraid he’d do something foolish, I threw myself directly at the kidnapper’s blade.[]
Covered in blood, he rescued me and held me trembling.[]
“Nina, are you insane! Even if I die, you’re not allowed to die! Do you understand?“]
I nodded. Despite being covered in blood, I didn’t feel any pain.[]
15
Chapter 3
The day I left the hospital happened to be my birthday. He had buzzed his hair short and, with a cold expression, tied a rough leather bracelet around my wrist in a dead knot.[]
“Nina, happy birthday.“]
By then he was already making a name for himself in Palermo, wearing gold and silver, yet he gave me a leather bracelet.]]
I only found out later that he had made it from a piece of leather from his own jacket – the first thing he ever owned that meant something.
He said it was supposed to keep me safe.[]
How laughable.[]
Now he had forgotten that my birthday had passed seven days ago.[]
I pulled off the leather bracelet and threw it in the trash, then frantically searched for it again.]
The moment I found it, I finally couldn’t help but cry.[]
Turns out I was far from as carefree as I thought.[]
For the next few days, we tacitly stopped contacting each other.[]
Until three nights later, when Luca pulled me out of bed in the middle of the night.[]
“Nina, Lucia’s hurt. Where’s the first aid kit? Find it quickly!“]
He hurriedly pulled me downstairs and pushed me into the storage room.]
When I came out with the kit, I saw him carefully holding Lucia’s ankle.[]
A pair of twisted high heels lay nearby.
“Always so careless when walking,” he frowned, yet his tone was infinitely gentle. “Sprained it, didn’t you?”]
Lucia smiled softly, her eyes bright like a greenhouse flower.]
“It’s nothing, just twisted it a little.“[]
He gently stroked her hair, those hands that had once held guns and been stained with blood now carefully applying a heart–printed bandage to the girl.[]
And that so–called wound hadn’t even broken the skin.[]
I stared blankly at the scene before me, as if seeing the past.[]
In the past when I was injured, he had treated me the same way–carefully, like a precious treasure.[]
But later, as storms grew frequent and scars became commonplace, I could no longer see any heartache in his eyes.[]
In my youth, I always thought that loving without being loved in return was the most hurtful thing.]
Now I understand: being replaced? That was hurts fucking far more than not being loved!]
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