Chapter 1: The Price of Betrayal

Ashford POV

I could hear the whispers around me, soft and curious.

The immigration officers murmured about my marriage, about him—the man who supposedly adored me.

They couldn’t understand why I would walk away from someone who loved me so fiercely.

I tugged at the corner of my lips, letting a hint of mockery curl there.

Back in college, everyone envied the way Dominic Conti loved me.

Back then, I was the golden girl of my school’s shooting team.

And Dominic Conti was the future heir of a powerful mafia family.

People said he was distant and restrained.

Cold, disciplined, untouched by desire.

His private life was famously clean—no scandals, no women, no one allowed within arm’s reach.

Until that networking gala.

That was when he met me.

He fell in love at first sight.

From then on, he pursued me obsessively.

Jewelry came without price tags.

Fireworks lit the sky for three nights straight, announcing his love to the world.

Once, I joked about craving the chocolate croissants from a bakery across town, and he didn’t hesitate—he drove through a storm just to hand me a warm box.

His coat drenched, his hands trembling from the cold, but his eyes only on me.

But the day I truly decided to accept him was the day my parents died.

He was away on business, far from the city.

Yet he abandoned everything and rushed back without hesitation.

When he reached me, he was disheveled, exhausted, his eyes bloodshot.

He pulled me into his arms and whispered hoarsely, “Arabella, don’t cry. You still have me. I’ll stay by your side forever.”

I looked into his eyes.

My heart skipped.

It’s him, I told myself.

He’s the one.

And yet—five months ago, this same man couldn’t resist temptation.

He slept with Ava Ashford—the cousin who had come from the countryside, relying on me to help her find work.

On the sofa of the house he built for me.

In the kitchen.

On our marital bed.

Their traces were everywhere.

Because of Dominic’s family background and the world he belonged to, there were strict restrictions.

No one in his family was allowed to leave the country.

Including Dominic Conti.

As long as I left—he would never be able to find me.

I packed away the immigration documents and headed home.

On the way, my phone buzzed.

An Instagram story from Ava Ashford.

A man’s side profile pressed against an ultrasound image.

“Happiness is having a baby with the man you love.”

I recognized that profile instantly.

It was Dominic Conti.

I knew he had cheated.

I just didn’t know she was already pregnant.

A wave of bitter desolation washed over me.

When I pushed the door open, Dominic suddenly appeared from behind it.

He slipped a necklace around my neck, his voice so gentle it almost drowned me.

“Happy anniversary of the day we first met, Arabella. I prepared a candlelight dinner. Everything was flown in from Europe.”

I forced a faint smile and shook my head.

“I’m not eating. I… don’t feel well.”

Being with him now—every second felt like torture.

The moment he heard I wasn’t feeling well, he panicked.

He called several private doctors.

When nothing showed up, he still wasn’t reassured.

He sent his people out to buy supplements, warmed milk with his own hands, and coaxed me into sleep.

After hours of this, I finally drifted off.

Late at night, thirst woke me.

I was about to get some water—when I opened my eyes and froze.

In the hallway, Dominic was being held by Ava.

Her voice was thick with jealousy.

“That necklace you gave her today was insanely expensive. I begged you for so long, and you never gave it to me.”

She pouted.

“I’m unhappy. And when I’m unhappy, the baby is unhappy too.”

Dominic frowned and shoved her away.

“Have you forgotten your place?” he snapped.

“I told you—I only love Arabella.”

“If you want to keep this going,” he warned, “it stays hidden. If she finds out, you know the consequences.”

“Keep your distance from me in this house.”

Ava’s face went pale.

She grabbed his hand, eyes red.

“I know you love her. But I love you too. I’m pregnant. My hormones are unstable. I just want you to care a little more.”

Dominic said nothing.

He took out another necklace—the same design as mine, just a different color.

“Stop acting wronged,” he said flatly.

“I bought one for you too. But you wear it in private.”

“If she ever finds out, this ends immediately.”

Ava’s face lit up as she took it eagerly.

“Thank you! I knew you still cared.”

She laughed softly. “Are you really that afraid she’ll leave?”

He didn’t hesitate.

“Yes,” he said.

“I can’t live without her. If she leaves, I’ll go crazy.”

He turned and walked back into the bedroom.

I closed my eyes at once, pretending to be asleep.

In the darkness, tears slid silently down my face.

Dominic Conti—three days from now, I’ll be waiting for you to go crazy.