Betrayed and Betrothed

When my father asked me who I wanted to marry for the sake of our family alliance, I made a different choice in this life. I no longer chose Leonardo Vittorio. Instead, I chose his older brother, Ivan Vittorio.

My father looked confused. After all, everyone in Chicago knew that Leonardo and I had grown up together. I had chased after him for ten years. As the eldest daughter of the Lucien family, my name had long been inscribed beside his on the list of arranged marriages. Everyone believed our union was destined.

Recalling my past life, I forced a bitter smile. Back then, I had indeed married Leonardo as I had always wished. But after our wedding, he never once touched me. I thought he had some unspeakable illness and went to great lengths to cover for him.

It wasn't until our sixth wedding anniversary that, by chance, I opened the safe in his study.

Inside, neatly arranged, were photos of him with the orphan girl I had begged my father to adopt. In those pictures, there was also a two-year-old boy—their son. They were a happy family of three.

It was at that moment that I finally understood. He wasn’t sick. He had never thought of me as his wife.

To get rid of me, he and my adoptive sister plotted my murder.

Now that I have been given a second chance, I chose to give them my blessing.

But when I walked down the aisle in my wedding dress, my hand resting on Ivan’s arm, Leonardo burst into the church with a gun in his hand. He looked deranged and completely out of control.

"Madeline!" His voice was hoarse and nearly breaking. "How dare you?"

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!"