Chapter 1 Chapter 1

A week after the engagement was finalized, I boarded the most luxurious private yacht in Chicago. As I reached the entrance of the banquet hall, I happened to see Leonardo sitting on a sofa with a voluptuous woman in his arms. He was fastening an emerald necklace around her neck. "This is too expensive. Can I really accept it?""My sweetheart, I bought this just for you. My woman should wear only the best," Leonardo Vittorio said indulgently as the woman snuggled against him coquettishly. "I'll change into a dress that matches this beautiful necklace," she said. Just then, I pushed the door open and stepped inside. Leonardo’s friends exchanged a knowing look before bursting into laughter. "Leonardo, your shadow is here!""She’s like a guard dog, watching you every second!""The engagement is already set, and she’s still keeping such a close eye on you? It’s just a friends' gathering, and she had to show up?" Leonardo held his wine glass and frowned at their words, the impatience in his eyes barely concealed. "Madeline, you just couldn’t wait, could you?" His tone was laid-back, but it was as cold as ice. "You had our families finalize the engagement without my consent. Now, everyone in Chicago knows you’re marrying into the Vittorio family. Well played." I felt a sharp pain in my heart. In my past life, though he had been indifferent, at least he had maintained the facade of a dutiful husband in public. Now, he couldn’t even be bothered to pretend. I spoke calmly. "Your consent was never needed because I’m not marrying you." For a brief moment, silence filled the room. Then, the banquet hall erupted into laughter. Leonardo’s friends laughed so hard they could barely stand straight. They looked at him with mock surprise. "Leonardo, your fiancée is mad! You’d better coax her, or she might start threatening to kill herself again!""Madeline, so now you’re playing hard to get?" Leonardo stepped closer to me. His presence was suffocating. "This is a marriage alliance between our families. If you're not marrying me, who else could you be marrying?" Just as I was about to reply, he suddenly leaned in close, his breath brushing against my ear. "I can overlook this engagement stunt. I'll give you a grand wedding, but I'll never allow your name to be registered in our family records. Don't ever forget this," he murmured. Every member of a mafia family knew that only a recognized wife would be added to the family album, officially becoming a part of the lineage. Without that, even if a wedding took place, the bride was nothing more than a disposable attachment. My heart clenched. In my past life, Leonardo had obediently followed the family's arrangements and married me without hesitation. Was it possible that he, too, had been reborn? Just as I was about to respond, a delicate voice interrupted. "My dear Leonardo, my lion..." I frowned. The voice belonged to none other than Dora Cassidy, my father’s adopted daughter and my dearest childhood friend. Ten years ago, I had personally begged my father to take in the little girl who had been wandering the red-light district. I never imagined that in my past life, she would be the one to kill me with her own hands. The moment she saw my expression change, she clenched the hem of her dress tightly. Her eyes welled up with tears, and her voice trembled. "I just heard you’re getting married soon. "I wish you both happiness." Before the words had even fully left her lips, tears began streaming down her face. She then turned and ran out of the banquet hall. The next second, Leonardo slammed down his wine glass. His expression was gloomy. Without hesitation, he chased after her. "Satisfied now? Does making her cry make you feel accomplished? You vile woman!"

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

"Bad news! Dora jumped into the ocean!” Someone shouted, and the banquet hall erupted into chaos. In the past, if I had seen Leonardo talking to another woman, I would have screamed and thrown a fit, let alone see him jump into the ocean to save someone. But now, I remained completely unfazed because I knew Dora was putting on a show. Before long, Leonardo walked in with Dora in his arms. Their clothes were disheveled, and both of them were drenched. Dora’s eyes were full of tears, and her lips were swollen. It was evident that she had just been kissed fiercely. "See that?" Leonardo’s cold gaze locked onto me, his voice laced with deliberate humiliation. "Your vicious schemes forced her to jump into the ocean.” The surrounding mafia members observed the spectacle with amusement. Some chuckled under their breath, while others looked at me with interest, as if waiting for me to lose control. I glanced calmly over the two of them and replied, "Oh? Then why is she still alive?" Dora’s expression stiffened, and a flicker of guilt appeared in her eyes. She quickly grabbed onto Leonardo’s arm. Her voice was soft and delicate. "Leonardo, I’m fine. It has nothing to do with Madeline." Leonardo’s gaze turned ice-cold. The next second, he grabbed my wrist with such force that I nearly stumbled. "Why don’t you try what it feels like to fall into the ocean?” Before I could react, he hoisted me up and strode toward the dock. The cold wind lashed against my face as the lights of the banquet hall grew distant. All around me was the vast, dark sea. The next moment, he threw me in. The icy seawater swallowed me instantly. The suffocating pain numbed my limbs, my lungs felt like they were being torn apart, and the waves tossed me up and down. I struggled desperately, the sound of gasps and shocked cries echoing around me, along with Leonardo’s cold, detached gaze. I lost the concept of time. My vision was turning blurry. Suddenly, I felt a cold hand around me, dragging me out of the water. I was thrown onto the wooden dock. I coughed violently and was utterly disheveled. Leonardo loomed over me. He was smiling in contempt. "Enough of this nonsense." He crouched down. His breath brushed against my ear as he shoved a ring into my palm. His voice was deep and frigid. "As long as you behave, you'll get the wedding you want. At least in name, everyone will think you’re my wife." I looked up and asked, "Then who is the woman you truly want to marry? Is it Dora?" Leonardo seemed angry, yet there was a hint of smug satisfaction in his eyes. "I knew you were just pretending. Listen to me. Do not breathe a word of this in front of our families!" "My feelings for Dora are something you could never understand! She’s kind and vulnerable, unlike you with your underhanded schemes!" I laughed. How ironic. He was the coward who lacked the courage to stand up to his father, yet somehow, I was the one blamed for everything. His voice turned cold. "But if you dare to hurt Dora again, I won’t hesitate to make you disappear for good." He stood up and ordered his subordinate, "Take Madeline back to her room. Make sure she rests properly." I didn’t resist. The yacht was filled with his men. I had no chance of escaping. For now, I could only return to my room. After changing out of my soaked clothes, I looked around, a storm of unease swirling inside me. Dora’s tactics were getting more ruthless. I was beginning to wonder if she had been reborn as well. I needed to calm down and think. So, I headed to the spa, hoping that the hot water would help me relax. But the moment I pushed open the door, my steps came to an abrupt halt. Steam filled the air, and the dim lighting cast a hazy glow. Leonardo was leaning against the edge of the pool with his upper body bare. Dora, almost clothless, was all over him, pressing herself against his back as she massaged his shoulders seductively. Leonardo let out a low, husky sigh as if he were enjoying it. Then, he turned around and suddenly pinned Dora against the pool’s edge. "My sweetheart, I want you to give birth to my one and only heir—the firstborn of the Vittorio family,” he said in a possessive manner. Dora’s cheeks turned red. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her body writhing against him as she murmured in a soft, sultry voice. “Leonardo, I love you so much. Give me more, please.” It felt like something was crushing my heart. The scene before me was like a dagger piercing through me. I instinctively took a step back, wanting to leave, but in my haste, I accidentally knocked over a nearby tray and caused a loud clatter. Leonardo’s movements froze. His expression instantly turned gloomy. His gaze became ominous. "Who’s there?" He asked.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

I couldn’t let Leonardo catch me. I had no idea what he might do to me in this situation. I turned around and left immediately. I called my assistant, Troy. "Send a boat right away to get me out of here." The moment I stepped ashore, my phone vibrated with a message flashing on the screen. [Madeline, that was you just now, wasn’t it? You should know that Leonardo will hold a wedding with you, but I’ll be the one officially added to the family album. And by the way, Leonardo wants to sleep with me every day. I just took a test. I’m already pregnant. In this lifetime, it’s finally my turn to become the real mafia wife.] It was Dora. It was no wonder that in my previous lifetime, she and Leonardo had no apparent connection, but in this one, they couldn’t wait to make their relationship public within just a few days. They had already planned everything to quickly join forces and push me aside in this lifetime. I thought back to my previous lifetime–how the Vittorio family, with my family’s support, reclaimed a critical trade port, secured countless arms deals, and saw their wealth skyrocket. Within a few years, they had risen to lead the southern mafia. The elders of the Vittorio family were extremely pleased with me, believing it was all my doing. They treated me with utmost favor. It wasn’t until I discovered those photos. Just then, my father walked into my room. His voice was deep. "Ivan will return from overseas in five days." I froze slightly. In the previous lifetime, Ivan’s fiancées all mysteriously disappeared one after another. Rumors said he had a peculiar fetish, that no one dared marry him, and naturally, he had no heir to inherit the family. But what I did know was that he was a man of immense power and influence. If I wanted revenge, marrying him might be the best option. The next morning, I arrived at the stables early. A pair of purebred black warhorses stood gracefully in the morning light, their sleek manes flowing and muscles taut. They were personally bred and trained by me. It was a gift I had once planned for Leonardo in the previous lifetime. Back then, I had wanted to marry him with all my heart. Everything had been tailored to his tastes, down to the golden saddle and decorative harnesses. But in this lifetime, I could finally decorate my horse the way I wanted. Yet a few days later, I saw Dora’s social media post. In the photo, she was riding my meticulously trained purebred horse, while Leonardo stood beside her, smiling. “Leonardo knew I needed a good horse, so he specially sent me one. Being spoiled like this feels amazing!” I clenched my fists. When I rushed to the stables, Dora was parading my horse before Leonardo, looking every bit like she was reveling in her privilege. "You have no right to ride it," I said coldly. Seeing me, Dora immediately put on her pitiful act and bit her lips gently. Her eyes welled up with tears. "Leonardo, did I do something wrong? Why does Madeline seem so upset?" Leonardo casually pulled her into his arms. His tone was impatient. "It’s just a horse. It belongs to you. Won’t it be mine sooner or later? What’s the harm in letting Dora ride it now?" I could hardly believe his shamelessness. "Who told you it would be yours?" Leonardo sneered. His tone dripped with mockery. "Madeline, what’s yours is mine. Your stables will serve our family in the end." I glanced at the riding crop beside me, grabbed it, and lashed it hard against the saddle. The startled horse reared up sharply, throwing Dora to the ground. She landed awkwardly. Her dress was stained with dust, and a flicker of panic appeared in her eyes. "Madeline, you’re acting more and more like a shrew! With a temper like this, you’re completely unworthy of being my wife!" Leonardo glared at me furiously. I looked at him coldly. "Leonardo, you’ve underestimated my ability to be ruthless. I hate it the most when someone takes my sincerity and repeatedly tramples it. I don’t love you anymore. And I will never marry you." Leonardo stiffened. He had never seen me like this before. In the past, no matter how much I caused a scene, I would always give in eventually. But this time, I was absolutely resolute in cutting ties with him. He instinctively reached out to grab me, but just then, Dora started sobbing. "Leonardo, it hurts so much. My leg is bleeding.” Leonardo stood still, his eyes flashing with fury and a twisted sense of confidence. He clenched his jaw and spoke in a deep and threatening voice. "Madeline, you’ll come crying to me soon enough! Don’t think I don’t know your little tricks!”