Thirteen Days Until Freedom

Giselle's voice carried in the quiet. "That bracelet you gave Seraphina… worth millions, right? I begged you for one, and you ignored me. She doesn't even ask, and you hand her the best gift in the world."

Dominic's shadow shifted. He pushed her legs from his waist, sat up, and lit a cigarette. His face was calm, almost bored. "I told you already… We were going to divorce soon. I love my wife but for now, we keep it a secret. If she finds out, it's over."

Giselle climbed onto him, naked. "I know, but I love you too. I can't help being jealous."

Dominic sighed, then reached into the nightstand drawer and pulled out a bracelet the same style as mine, just a different color. He dangled it in front of her like a treat.

"Don't pout. I bought one for you too. Wear it in private. If Seraphina sees it, we're done."

Giselle's face lit up. She kissed him, whispering thanks, still marked with his touch. Then she asked, soft and curious, "Why are you so scared of her leaving you, Dominic?"

His reply was quick, steady, without hesitation.

"I'm not really that scared because I have you. But Seraphina was adored by my grandfather. After I inherit my grandfather's billions in assets… I can finally leave her and marry you."

And then he pushed her back down, claiming her again, the bed creaking under their weight. Her moans filled the night air.

I pressed my hand against the wall, choking on my sobs, staring at our wedding photo hanging nearby. His smiling face in that picture looked like a cruel joke.

"Thirteen days, Dominic," I whispered through tears.

"I'll be gone. Let's see how crazy you really get."

I woke up to shouting outside, the kind that shakes you out of sleep before you're ready. When I opened my door, I saw a woman in the garden of the neighboring estate, clutching at a man's shirt.

"Franco, I gave you ten years of my life. I even had your children," she sobbed. "When we got married, you swore you'd love me forever. And now, just a few years later, you're sneaking around with another woman?"

It was barely sunrise, but the grounds along the private lake were already stirring with household staff and early risers from the adjacent Family properties. Now they all stopped, staring, whispers rising as the scene unfolded.

The man, Franco, someone everyone in the gated community of Family estates knew, went pale when he saw the crowd. He yanked the woman inside and snapped at her.

"What's wrong with you? How many times do I have to tell you? No man stays loyal."

His words cut like glass. I stood frozen, the echo of them clawing at me. Then a warm hand slid over my ear from behind, shielding me.

"Don't listen to that nonsense, Seraphina," Dominic murmured.

I didn't turn to him. "Tell me, Dominic… do all men cheat in the end?"

He stilled for a moment, then gently turned me around to face him. His dark eyes locked on mine. "I can't speak for the rest of the world. But me? I'll only ever love you."

I searched his face, his perfect, practiced expression. "You'll only love me for a lifetime? But a lifetime is so long."

He pulled me close. "A lifetime is long, yes. That's why I only want you to fill it."

I let out a laugh, but it tasted bitter on my tongue. "What if you betray me, Dominic?"

"If I ever betray you, may God strike me where I stand."

The vow was bold. Cruel, almost. Because I already knew the truth. His skin reeked of another woman's perfume after nights he spent away from me. He could touch them, claim them, and still whisper these words as if he meant them.

"Are you really not afraid that promise might come true?"

"Not at all. No one in this world knows how deep my love runs for you. If you don't believe me, I'll open my chest and show you my heart. If that still doesn't convince you, Seraphina… I'll give you my life."

I thought to myself, If you're so willing to give me your life, why can't you control your desire?

Before I could say more, a voice cut in from the doorway.

"What are the two of you doing here?"

We both turned. Giselle stood there, draped in a red dress that clung to her curves, leaning casually against the frame.

I felt Dominic stiffen beside me. His brows pulled together. "It's not the weekend. Why are you dressed like that? Where are you going?"

It wasn't the voice of a brother-in-law. It was sharper, tinged with something that sounded far too much like jealousy.

Giselle noticed. She smiled, slow and deliberate. "Family gathering tonight at the Castellano club. I'll find myself a boyfriend there, so don't wait up."

Dominic's expression darkened, but Giselle only grinned wider before turning her eyes to me. "What about you, Seraphina? Any plans for today?"

Dominic didn't let me answer. His fingers slid through mine. "Seraphina and I are heading back to the compound."

Giselle's eyes sparkled with something I couldn't name. She gave a polite little nod, said goodbye, and walked out, leaving behind the faint scent of her perfume.

And Dominic… Dominic still hadn't let go of my hand.

Half an hour later, Dominic was behind the wheel, driving me back to the Ferrante estate.

I hated going there. His parents had never warmed to me. Only his grandfather, the old Don, ever did. To the rest of them, I was a curse. I had given birth to a daughter when all they wanted was a son to carry the Ferrante name, and when she died, their hatred for me grew sharper, venomous. Every visit, their eyes cut me down like knives, as if I had stolen their heir with my own hands.

Dominic usually avoided bringing me, saying it wasn't worth the stress. But this time his mother, Elisabetta, wasn't feeling well. As much as I dreaded it, we had to come.

When we stepped inside, Salvatore and Elisabetta were smiling, chatting warmly with each other in the parlor. The second they saw me, their faces turned cold.