Our Love Withered Before the Petals Fell

The desire lingering in Simone's eyes quickly faded, replaced by his usual cold arrogance.

It was as if the tender moment with the scarf had been nothing but an illusion.

He calmly tightened his bathrobe. The collar slumped loosely, sliding down to reveal the smooth line of his back.

At his feet, the pale yellow scarf was gently hooked behind him and tucked under the carpet.

Tania stepped forward slowly.

She bent to pick up the scarf, then raised her hand to trace his face. "You care this much about a scarf? If Noemi knew, she'd probably cry tears of joy."

Simone's Adam's apple bobbed. He reached for the scarf, but she pressed down on his wrist.

Her chest almost touched his arm, and her warm breath brushed his neck. "Your heart's racing. That felt good, huh? What's wrong? Do you only let your guard down when you're alone with her private belongings?"

Simone took a half step back but found his retreat blocked by a glass partition.

"Come with me to Valoria's underground casino tomorrow. The prize is the 'Falling Star' wedding dress—the final masterpiece of that top designer."

Simone frowned. "Why do you want a wedding dress?"

"No reason." Tania traced his jaw. Her voice was laced with amusement, but her gaze stayed icy. "I just got word that Noemi's going too."

Simone retreated another half step, distancing himself. "I'll go with you, Ms. Giordano. But you're too close. That's against protocol."

Tania scoffed, pulling her hand back and deliberately leaving the scarf on his shoulder. "Here, keep it. Sweet dreams."

The next evening, Tania stepped into the casino wearing a black mermaid dress that hugged her figure. She instantly drew countless eyes.

Simone followed behind without any expression, blocking off anyone who tried to crowd them.

Not far off, Noemi appeared in a white dress. A flicker of derision flashed across her face the moment she saw them. "Tania, you're here too? I thought you only enjoyed going to bars, surrounded by a swarm of men!"

Tania just smirked coldly. Ignoring the provocation, she walked straight to the center table.

Seeing Noemi, Simone moved to stand by her, completely forgetting whose bodyguard he was.

But Tania didn't care. Tonight, she only wanted to win.

Her luck seemed unstoppable. Chips were piled high before her.

Soon, only she and Noemi remained at the table.

As the dealer dealt, Tania sensed something was off.

Through the first few rounds, her sharp instincts led to two wins, and Noemi's expression darkened.

When it came to the crucial hand, the men gathered around Noemi exchanged knowing glances. They were clearly planning something.

Tania was dealt a pair of Aces. Just as she was about to raise, Noemi boldly pushed all her chips into the center. "All in!"

Her own cards had started as a pair of Kings, but at the exact moment Simone appeared to adjust his tie, she suddenly switched hands, revealing a royal flush.

Noemi raised an eyebrow smugly. "Tania, luck's part of the game. Looks like the dress is mine."

Tania sneered silently. She actually saw Simone signaling the dealer to swap the cards earlier.

But she said nothing. After all, this was someone else's territory. Both she and Noemi were from the Giordano family. They rose and fell together.

Besides, dealing with Noemi was child's play. Tania believed that even if Simone went all out for her, she wouldn't need to give it her all to defeat Noemi.

In the following rounds, whenever Noemi fell behind, Simone's subtle signals helped her turn the tide.

Finally, in the last hand, Tania had a straight, while Noemi held three of a kind—she was losing ground fast.

Simone raised his hand to signal, but Tania looked up at him with a captivating glance.

A jolt of alarm shot through him. He jerked his hand back, and his eyes flickered with something complicated.

When the cards were revealed, Noemi's face drained of color. Her three of a kind lost to Tania's straight.

Tania stood, about to signal the auctioneer to start the bidding, when whispers spread through the crowd.

"So what if she won? Getting the wedding dress won't help. With her wild past, which man would marry her for real?"

"Exactly, giving her a designer gown is just a waste."

The taunts grew louder.

Noemi burst into tears, burying her face in her hands before looking up at Tania with a wounded expression. "Tania, I really want that wedding dress…"

At that moment, the side door to the casino burst open. A group of men in black suits flanked a sharply dressed man who strode to the auction stage.

The man flashed a black badge at the auctioneer and announced in a deep voice, "I'm Don Lanzi's Underboss. By order of the Don, the 'Falling Star' wedding dress is now officially reserved for Ms. Noemi. No matter the bids, the final ownership belongs to her."