I had been secretly dating my brother's best friend, Nico Gallo, for three years, but he would never make our relationship public.
Despite this, I never doubted his love for me. After all, I was the woman who made him stop dating, the one who broke his streak. Ninety-nine others came before me; after me, there were none. If I so much as sneezed, he’d drop everything—his family’s multi-million-dollar empire included—just to rush home and care for me.
But on my birthday, just as I was excitedly preparing to share the news of my pregnancy with Nico, he forgot. For the first time, he forgot my birthday and vanished without a trace. The housekeeper told me he’d gone to the airport to pick up someone important.
I rushed there and saw him, clutching a bouquet, his face a mask of nervous anticipation as he waited for a woman—a woman who bore a startling resemblance to me.
Later, my brother told me she was Nico’s first love, the one that got away. Nico had once defied his own father, the formidable Don Gallo, for her. After she dumped him, he shattered completely. That's when he started cycling through ninety-nine other women, each one a pale imitation of his lost love, a desperate attempt to fill the chasm she left behind.
My brother spoke of Nico's profound affection with a tone of admiration, never suspecting that I was just one of those substitutes.
I watched Nico and his first love for a long, silent moment. Then, without a second of hesitation, I returned to the hospital. "Doctor," I managed, my voice trembling, "I… I don't want this baby anymore."
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1
"What?" The doctor stared at me, his voice sharp in the sterile examination room. "Miss Ricci, you want to terminate? This morning, you were so excited to tell your boyfriend."
I lowered my head, my knuckles white as I gripped the hem of my dress. I choked out, "Please, don't ask. I just… I don't want this baby anymore."
The doctor watched me for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh. "Miss Ricci, I don't know what's happened, but you're clearly distressed. Perhaps you should take some time to calm down and reconsider."
He pushed the abortion consent form back toward me, his gaze softening as it fell to the ultrasound photo clipped to it. "This is a life, Miss Ricci."
My eyes, stinging with unshed tears, fixed on the small, dark shadow on the report. After a long while, I shoved the form into my bag and fled the hospital.
I was wandering home in a daze when a red Ferrari screeched to a halt beside me. A pair of exquisite crocodile leather shoes splashed into a puddle before a handsome, worried face appeared in front of me. It was Nico Gallo, rushing toward me with an umbrella held high.
He swept me into his arms, shrugging off his suit jacket and wrapping it around my shoulders. "Why are you out here without an umbrella? You're not a child. You’ve always been so delicate—what if you catch a chill?"
I looked up at his chiseled profile, seeing the genuine anxiety etched there. For a second, I felt like I was back at the beginning of our relationship, when he treated me like a rare and precious treasure, just like now.
But I knew we could never go back.
My gaze fell to his navy blue suit. It was custom-made a month ago for my birthday party. He was wearing it on my birthday, but not for me.
This afternoon, while getting ready for my party, I’d been struck by a sudden wave of nausea. I thought it was just my old stomach issues flaring up, but the doctor delivered the news: I was pregnant.
Discovering a new life growing inside me on my birthday felt like a gift from the heavens. But when I rushed home to share the incredible news with Nico, he was gone.
The housekeeper, Laura, noticed my crestfallen expression. "Mr. Gallo said he was going to the airport to pick up someone important. He also mentioned that if you got hungry, you should eat first and not wait for him."
Today was my birthday. He had promised me a grand celebration. And he was telling me not to wait for him?
Swallowing my anger, I asked Laura, "Who is this important person?"
She hesitated, then stammered, "I-I'm not sure. I only know that Mr. Gallo seemed ecstatic when he left. He spent ages in front of the mirror."
For some reason, that answer sent a chill down my spine.
After a moment's hesitation, I had the driver take me to the airport. The terminal was teeming with people, but Nico was always easy to find. Tall and handsome, he was a natural center of attention.
Sure enough, I spotted him in the crowd. But I didn't approach, because standing right beside him was my brother, Marco Ricci.
Nico clutched a bouquet, his eyes glued to the arrivals gate. His lips were pressed into a thin, tight line. He looked nervous.
I’d never seen him like this. Not even when we were nearly caught by Marco, not even then had Nico lost his cool composure.
Who on earth could reduce him to this state?
I followed his gaze to the gate. And then, a stunning woman walked out.
Nico immediately waved. "Alessia!"
She slid off her sunglasses and strode toward them, but she didn't take the flowers. Instead, she completely ignored Nico and looped her arm through Marco's.
In that instant, I saw a flash of raw jealousy in Nico's eyes.
Though Nico had a reputation as a playboy, he never took those women seriously. They were dalliances. He couldn't be bothered to soothe them when they were upset, let alone feel a sting of jealousy over them.
I couldn't help but stare at the woman. Alessia... Alessia?
And then it hit me.
Though I grew up abroad, my brother, Marco, who ran our family's affairs in the States, often told me stories about his childhood. He had two inseparable companions: one was Nico, the other was Alessia. They were Jeston's golden trio.
But from what I was seeing, Nico's feelings for her were anything but simple friendship.
Curiosity gnawed at me. When Marco went to fetch Alessia’s luggage, I called him. "Marco, I heard from Mr. Gallo that Alessia is back. What's the story with them? He seemed so excited he even canceled an important family meeting."
Marco paused, then laughed. "He told you that? Wow, he must be thrilled. He and Alessia were together for years. My god, Scarlett, they were insanely in love. At the peak of it, Alessia decided to leave the country, and he just fell apart."
"He might seem cold and distant now, but back then, he was a wreck, always at my door, crying and falling to pieces. He even talked about ending it all. In the end, that's when he started finding all those substitutes..."
"Substitutes?" My hand clenched around the phone, trembling.
"Yeah," Marco confirmed. "You probably haven't met Alessia yet, but when you do, you'll see it. All the women Nico's dated look just like her. Hey, come to think of it, you have a bit of a resemblance too. Of course, you're prettier..."
I didn't hear the rest. A buzzing filled my ears, my body growing colder with every word he spoke. I stared blankly at the gorgeous woman across the terminal.
I had already met her.
"Scarlett? You still there? Why are you asking about this, anyway?" Marco's voice crackled on the line, but I had no strength left to answer.
I said softly, "Just concerned about my boss. It’s only right. Oh, and don't tell Mr. Gallo I asked you about this."
After he agreed, I hung up. As the screen went dark, I saw my own hollow reflection. I looked up at Alessia again.
Did we really look alike? A bitter smile touched my lips. I didn't need a mirror. I knew the dimples at the corners of my mouth were identical to hers. Yes. We looked alike.
I don't remember how I left the airport. I only remember the sky opening up, unleashing a torrential downpour.
Back home, Nico toweled my hair dry, then made me hot soup and fed it to me, spoonful by spoonful.
He stroked my hair. "You'll never guess, baby. I almost got caught today. Marco said he has a friend he wants to set you up with. He actually wanted to introduce you. I lost it. I shot up and objected. God, you should have seen his face."
I smiled, a smile that didn't reach my eyes. "And? Did he find out?"
"Of course not. He's so dense—he'd never guess his best friend is dating his sister. If he found out, do you think I'd have made it back in one piece?"
Hearing his lighthearted tone, I reached up and stilled his hand. I asked seriously, "Nico, do you really see me as your girlfriend?"
He was taken aback. Then he smiled, squatting in front of me and pinching my cheek affectionately.
"If you weren't," he asked softly, "why would I lose my temper when Marco talked about introducing you to someone?"
At the mere thought of this man we hadn't even met, his expression darkened. He pulled me into a fierce embrace, his lips brushing against my neck. "The thought of you with another man—even just sharing a meal—it would kill me."
His warm breath on my skin made my body go weak. Just as I was about to surrender, I pushed him away. "I'm tired, Nico."
Nico hesitated, then, assuming I'd caught a chill in the rain, he swept me into his arms and carried me to bed.
Thinking I was asleep, he gently touched my forehead, checking for a fever before quietly leaving the room.
As the door clicked shut, I slowly opened my eyes. I rolled over, burying my face in the covers, and cried until I couldn't breathe.
Girlfriend? I was just a substitute. A stand-in for Alessia.
I remembered all the times Nico told me he loved my smile, how he always wanted me to smile more. The memory made my stomach churn.
Tears blurred my vision as my temperature began to rise. As my mind grew hazy, a memory from the past surfaced.
When I was eighteen, Marco brought Nico with him to pick me up from the airport. The moment I saw the tall, devastatingly handsome man, I was completely smitten.
Later, I gave up the comfortable life of a Principessa and had Marco arrange an internship for me at Nico's family company.
At first, Nico and I barely interacted. He was always busy with family business or tearing up the racetrack, a different woman in his passenger seat each time.
Once, at a tense dinner with a rival family, an opponent drugged him. Realizing something was wrong, he stumbled toward the restrooms.
Worried, I followed, but I lost him in the crowded hall. Just as I was stamping my foot in frustration, a large hand shot out and pulled me into a dark storage room.
I screamed, struggling until the unique, herbal scent of his cologne filled my senses and I calmed down.
His breathing was shallow. The top three buttons of his shirt were undone, a flush spreading across his chest from the drug. He looked sinfully sexy.
I couldn't help but swallow, and he saw it.
He let out a low chuckle, his fingers tipping my chin up. His voice was a husky, lazy drawl. "Enjoying the view?"
I pushed him away, my face burning with embarrassment. "N-no..."
He pulled me back into his arms, pressing my hand against his hammering heart. He frowned, a look of genuine discomfort on his face. "If you like me, then help me..."
Before I could answer, Nico bent down and kissed me. My eyes widened in shock, and then I slowly melted into the dominant, yet restrained, kiss.
The next thing I knew, I was waking up beside him, the sheets tangled around us. He was propped up on one elbow, gazing down at me. The drug had worn off, but a raw desire still burned in his eyes.
That day, he told me, "I'll do right by you."
And he did. He stopped fooling around and dated only me. In return, I turned down countless marriage proposals from other families to stay at his company, to stay by his side.
Whenever Marco saw me buried in work while other Principesse were partying overseas, he’d ask what was so fascinating about the Gallo family business that I couldn't tear myself away.
Countless times, I wanted to tell him the truth about Nico and me. But Nico, who indulged my every other whim, was adamant that we keep it a secret.
I'd thought it was because he was afraid of Marco's wrath. But now I knew the real reason.
Marco had witnessed Nico’s all-consuming love for Alessia, had seen him threaten suicide for her. How could he ever entrust his sister to a man like that?
And how could Nico ever dare to let Marco find out?
Well, Nico didn't have to worry anymore. We were finished.
Now that Alessia was back, I would give him back to her. As for the time we shared, the love I felt… just as I chose to embrace this love back then, I could choose to release it now.
