Chapter 2

I felt numb when I returned to the home I shared with Stefano after hanging up. I had left many traces of myself after living here for three years. Since I had decided to leave, I had to clean up everything until nothing was left behind. The moment I stepped through the door, the man who was sitting on the couch stood up and approached me. He was wearing Stefano's clothes, and he mimicked Stefano's concerned tone as he asked, "Why did you only come back now, Gina?" I dodged his outstretched hand and stared at his face. His eyes were glinting with a hint of mocking that I had never once seen in Stefano's eyes. This man wasn't Stefano. He was his fratello, Salvatore. Their conversation that I had overheard earlier began playing in my head. "If you haven't gotten sick of sleeping with her yet, you can have her in the next few days." Stefano truly treated me like an object that he could give to someone else whenever he pleased. Both of them had worked together to toy with me like I was a fool. I suppressed the sour and troubled feelings churning in my heart. When I spoke, the hoarse tone of my voice gave away the fact that I had just been crying earlier. "What if I discover something that I wasn't supposed to find out if I come back early?" Salvatore was momentarily stunned by my words, and he frantically averted his eyes. "Are you trying to pull my leg, Gina? What could I possibly have to hide from you?" He then pulled me into his arms and said in his usual gentle tone, "Did something go wrong during your checkup? Don't worry. No matter what happens, I'll be by your side." He slipped his hand into my shirt like it was second nature as he spoke, undoing the clasp of my bra. In the past, I would have been touched by his words. I would even have taken the initiative to welcome him into my arms to prove how much I loved him. Now, I felt nothing but disgust. I shoved him away and said coldly, "The doctor said that I caught a cold. We'll have to sleep in separate rooms for the next few days so I don't spread it to you." I didn't wait for his answer before heading to my room and locking the door. … Later that night, I felt someone hugging me while I was still dazed from sleep. His scent was familiar—it was the man I had shared a bed with for the past three years. At first, he simply held me, but soon, he slowly began to roam his hands around my body as his breath fanned across my ear. I didn't push him away since I was still half asleep, but just as he was about to unbutton my clothes, I heard him murmur a name. "Antonia…" The haze of sleep cleared from my mind in an instant as I felt the blood in my veins turn to ice. I finally understood why Salvatore had gone along with Stefano's ridiculous plan for so many years—he was also in love with Antonia. Both fratelli had treated me as a replacement for the same woman. Unable to hold myself back any longer, I raised my hand and slapped Salvatore hard across the face. I stared into his bewildered eyes and said coldly, "I already said I'm not feeling well, so I don't want to do it. Don't you understand me? If you want to sleep here, I'll move to the guest room." There was a bright red handprint on Salvatore's face. When his gaze cleared, I could see hints of anger burning in his eyes. However, his fury melted away when we made eye contact. He got up with a sigh and caressed my face. "I won't hold this against you because you're sick. I'll go to the guest room. You can continue sleeping here." He rose to his feet and left, but I couldn't go back to sleep. I got up, wanting to drink some water. I had just reached my door when I heard Salvatore's voice resounding from beyond it. "She's acting really weird tonight, Stef. Could she have found out something?" "Lock her in the basement for now if she really did discover something," was Stefano's indifferent reply. "It's Antonia's birthday next week. I'll be announcing our engagement then. We can't let Regina ruin everything." "Didn't she drop by the hospital for a checkup earlier?" Salvatore asked, sounding a little hesitant. "Could she—" Stefano interrupted him impatiently, "She has always known how to put on a pitiful act. What? Did you develop genuine feelings for her after sleeping with her for three years? Are you feeling sad for her?" "Of course not! How could I ever fall for a disgusting woman like her? I wouldn't even touch her if she wasn't so well-behaved in bed." Salvatore's voice was colored with impatience and loathing, as if he was afraid of getting involved with me. I covered my mouth with my hand and forced myself not to cry. I had dedicated three years of my feelings to them, but I meant nothing to them in their hearts. They didn't care about me even though I had just gotten back from the hospital. They only cared about whether Antonia would be upset. I didn't know how much time passed, but my tears had already dried on my face. I sat in a daze for the rest of the night as I stared at the wedding photo hanging above the bed. When sunlight streamed through the window, I finally moved my body that had gone stiff. I felt completely numb as I got up from the bed and began packing. I packed my belongings, such as my identification documents and clothes, into my suitcase. I didn't pack anything that Stefano had gifted me in the past few years. My hands trembled slightly when I came upon the marriage certificate. There was a photo attached to the certificate. I was smiling sweetly in it, but Stefano looked as emotionless as ever. How could I have not noticed that he had been impatient and hateful when we got the marriage certificate? I had been too blinded by my own happiness of finally marrying the man that I loved. I didn't even notice that he had bribed all the staff members there to forge a fake certificate. It was no wonder Stefano had come up with all sorts of excuses to not have a wedding ceremony with me. It made sense now why he always told me to keep a low profile and never talk about our relationship in public. We were never husband and wife from the very beginning. The bedroom door suddenly swung open. Stefano strode in. When we made eye contact, he gently drew me into his embrace as he always did. "Who bullied my treasure? Tell me. I'll beat him to a pulp." My nose started stinging as tears spilled down my face once again. He had always behaved this way—covering up his despicable actions with gentleness to get close to me. He trained me to become a well-behaved pet but was willing to abandon me in a heartbeat for the woman he actually loved. I lowered my gaze and continued to pack my things quietly. Stefano's eyes widened when he finally noticed my suitcase. He grabbed my hand tightly and demanded, "What are you doing, Gina?" He looked so utterly sincere, as if he was truly feeling panicked. I lowered my gaze to hide the mocking glint in my eyes. "Nothing. I just suddenly felt the urge to tidy up my things." A hint of contempt flickered in Stefano's eyes when he looked down and saw the marriage certificate I was holding. "You've always been fond of doing these things that the maids are supposed to do. Oh, that's right. I need you to sign this," he said as he handed a document to me. Pain throbbed in my heart when I glanced at it—it was an agreement that would have me relinquish my rights as the successor of The Rosas for the rest of my life.