You Rejected Me, Now Kneel Before the Mafia Queen

"All right," Dad said. "Your mother and I will arrange everything." When I got home, I quietly started packing. I didn't take much, just a few clothes, some personal things, and everything I actually cared about. As for the gifts Alaric had given me over the years, I didn't want any of them. The expensive jewelry went into the trash first, followed by the limited-edition bags and the little handmade things he'd made for me himself. One after another, I threw them away without looking back I had just dropped the last gift inside when the door lock beeped. I froze. The door opened, and Alaric walked in. Alice followed behind him with their children. My chest tightened. So this was the family he'd hidden from me. His future Donna. His twin sons. His baby daughter. And now he was bringing them into our home. Wasn't hearing about them once enough? Did I really have to see them too? “Freya, this is Alice Richard. We grew up together, and she's just come back from abroad with the kids. They haven't found a proper place to stay yet, so they'll stay here for a few days.” Alice smiled at me. She looked gentle and polite, but I could see the hatred hiding behind her eyes. “Alice, this is Freya Jones, my girlfriend.” One of the twins looked up at me. His face looked so much like Alaric's that my stomach twisted. He stared at me from head to toe, then sneered. “Daddy, she's your girlfriend? I thought she was your maid. Pff! Why does she dress like that? She looks poor enough to sleep in the trash.” His brother giggled, “Maybe she really is a maid! She looks ugly too. Daddy, did you pick her up from the street because you felt sorry for her?” Alice immediately pretended to scold them. “Don't say things like that, sweetheart. That's rude.” She turned to me with a sweet smile. “I'm sorry, Freya. They're still young and don't know what they're saying. Please don't take it personally… This is actually my first time here, and I'm not familiar with everything yet. Could you show me where we'll be staying?” I was about to answer when Alaric talked. “Freya, help them get settled, okay? I've got an important video conference later, so I need to prepare.” My heart hurt, but my face stayed calm. “Okay.” I turned around and led Alice and the children to the guest room. The moment the door closed, Alice's sweet smile disappeared. “These sheets aren't soft enough! And can you get me new towels and toiletress? These don't look very clean!” I glanced at her. She was already treating my home like hers. I could've reminded her that she was a guest. I could've told her exactly who I was and what my family could do. But what was the point? I was leaving anyway. So I swallowed everything and quietly replaced the sheets and towels. Alice kept finding things to complain about, and I kept fixing them. “Is there anything else?” Alice smiled. “Actually, there is.” She opened her suitcase and pulled out a pile of clothes, then shoved them into my arms. “Here you go. I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble by staying here. I don't really have anything to give you, but I don't wear these ugly clothes anymore. You can have them.” I looked down. Designer clothes. Old ones. Some were clearly worn, and a few looked several seasons out of date. Alice smiled sweetly. “You're Ali's girlfriend, but you always dress so plainly and boring as fuck. Honestly, it makes him look bad. I heard your family isn't doing very well financially, so don't be embarrassed. These are used, but they're still designer pieces. You can wear them for a long time.” I stared at the clothes in my arms, then looked at her. For a second, I almost laughed. She was giving me her leftovers and expecting me to thank her. Did she really think I needed them? “That's very generous of you, but you should keep them. Second-hand goods are better suited to the person who already owns them.” Alice's face changed instantly. She clearly hadn't expected me to answer. “Thanks anyway.” Then I walked straight past her and left the room. … When I got back to the bedroom, Alaric returned not long after finishing his meeting. The moment he walked in, he came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his chin against my shoulder. “Freya, don’t move for a while. Let me stay like this and recharge. I’m seriously exhausted after all those meetings today.” In the past, I would've melted whenever he acted like this. The ruthless Alaric only showed this clingy, almost childish side when he was with me. He used to joke that I was his personal power bank, his safe place, and the one person he could never live without. Back then, those words made me feel loved. Now, they only sounded ridiculous. He couldn't live without me? Then how did he manage to build a whole family with Alice? I forced myself to stay calm, but my body had already gone stiff. Alaric noticed. “What's wrong? Are you upset because I brought Alice and the kids here?” He stroked my cheek with his thumb. “Alice and I grew up together. Our families have known each other for years, and she came back from abroad with three children. Bringing the kids here was the least I could do. She shouldn't have to struggle alone after traveling all this way.” He leaned closer. “So don't overthink it, okay? You're the one I care about. Nothing has changed between us.” Then he lowered his head and tried to kiss me. I instinctively turned away and pushed against his chest. Before I could say anything, someone knocked on the door. “Ali!” Alice's voice came from outside. “The baby won't stop crying! I've tried everything, but she just keeps crying. Can you please come and help me?” Alaric frowned slightly, “I'll go check on her. I'll be right back.” He released me and walked toward the door.

Alice appeared with Arkin, one of the five year old twins, and pushed him into the room. "Freya, could you watch Arkin for me a little while? I need to take care of his sister and his twin, and it's hard managing both at once." She didn't even wait for my answer. She grabbed Alaric's arm and hurried away with him. Seriously? I hadn't even agreed. I looked down at Arkin, already staring around my room with a strange little smile. Within minutes he started touching everything, grabbing things off the shelves and tossing them on the floor, jumping on the sofa, screaming whenever I told him to stop. I tried to keep my patience. "Arkin, it's late. Let's clean this up and get you to bed." He glared at me. "Why should I listen to you? You're just an ugly poor maid!" I took a slow breath. "Who taught you to talk to people like that?" He wasn't scared at all. He stuck his tongue out, grabbed something off the table, and ran out of the room. I followed him into the hallway. "Arkin, stop running, you're going to hurt yourself." He ignored me and ran for the staircase. Then he stopped and turned around. In his little hand was my bracelet. My grandfather had given it to me before I left home. It was one of the few things I'd kept hidden all these years, and I'd never taken it off until now. My eyes widened. "Arkin, give that back." He looked at the bracelet, then at me. Before I could reach him, he yanked it apart. It snapped free. My heart dropped. "Arkin!" He laughed, threw it on the floor, and ran down the hallway like it was a game. I rushed after him and picked it up. Scratched. My fingers tightened around it. That was my grandfather's last gift to me. I swallowed the anger rising in my chest. "That's enough. Go back to your room." Instead he ran to the top of the staircase and turned with a nasty little grin. "Let's see what Daddy thinks when you hurt me." I frowned. "What are you talking about?" He leaned backward toward the stairs. My eyes widened. "Arkin, don't!" He let his body fall backward on purpose. I lunged forward and caught his arm before he could tumble down the steps, but instead of grabbing the railing, he clung to my hand and pulled me toward him with all his strength. My foot slipped off the edge. For one terrifying second, neither of us had anything to hold onto. Then we lost our balance and fell down the staircase together. I wrapped both arms around his small body on instinct, twisting myself beneath him so he'd land on me instead of the steps. My back slammed against the stairs as we tumbled down, and when we hit the bottom I crashed onto the floor with him still in my arms. Pain exploded through my back and side. Something sharp cut into my skin. Blood ran down my arm. For a few seconds I couldn't move. Arkin started crying. Then footsteps rushed toward us. "Daddy!" He scrambled up, crying hard, and pointed straight at me. "Daddy, this woman hurt me! She pushed me! She wanted me to die!" Alice screamed the moment she saw him. "Ali, hurry! Save Arkin first! He's hurt, he's only five, he's our son, your own flesh and blood!" Alaric's face went pale, his eyes moving between Arkin and me. I was still lying at the bottom of the staircase, covered in blood, barely able to move, while Arkin cried beside me. For a moment he hesitated. Then he rushed to Arkin. "Are you hurt? Let Daddy see." Arkin wrapped his arms around him and cried harder. I stayed on the floor, my head spinning, blood trickling down my forehead. Alice followed him, giving me one last look. The worry on her face vanished for a brief second, replaced by a small, satisfied smile. She even spat on my face before hurrying after him. I stared after them, finally understanding what his choice meant. I wasn't surprised. Hadn't he always told me that I was the most important person in his life? Apparently, that only mattered when Alice and his children weren't standing in front of him. --- For two hours, I lay there alone, barely conscious, unable to move. Alaric had forgotten about me the moment he carried Arkin away. It was a maid who finally found me on the floor and called for help. She was the one who stayed with me until I got to the hospital. Two hours. That's how long it took for anyone to remember I was still bleeding on that floor. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. The slightest movement sent pain through my forehead and arm. When I turned my head, Alaric was sitting beside me, brows drawn tight, eyes bloodshot, like he hadn't slept in hours. The moment he saw I was awake, he leaned in. "Freya, you're awake. How do you feel? Does your head hurt? Your arm? Tell me and I'll call the doctor." My throat was too dry to answer. He picked up a cotton swab, dipped it in water, and touched it to my lips. His hands were as careful as always, and somehow that only made me colder. He took my good hand and rubbed the back of it. "Freya, I'm sorry. Everything happened so fast, and I had to get Arkin out first. He's just a child. I thought I'd come back for you right after, I didn't realize you'd already lost too much strength." His voice softened. "I never meant to leave you there. I swear it. You know I wouldn't hurt you on purpose." I listened without a word. I understood he wanted to save his son. What I couldn't understand was how he'd forgotten me afterward. I remembered every night he'd held me and whispered I was the most important person in his world. How ridiculous that sounded now. I closed my eyes. "I'm tired, Alaric. I want to sleep." He pulled the blanket higher over me. "Okay. Rest. I'm not going anywhere." ... Over the next few days, Alaric stayed by my bed almost constantly. He handled my medicine, brought me water, peeled fruit, even helped me bathe. The same careful man I'd known for years. If this had happened before, I would've melted at the sight of him taking care of me like that. Now, every time his hands touched me, all I could think of was that staircase— lying there bleeding while he ran to save Arkin and left me behind. I couldn't forget that. I didn't know how. And even when he stayed, he never stayed long. His phone would ring, always at the worst moment. It was Alice. Her voice would come through soft and helpless. Their four-month-old daughter wouldn't stop crying. One of the twins had a fever. She couldn't manage three children alone. Every time, his expression changed. He'd glance at me, apologetic. "Freya, I need to go home for a bit. I'll be back soon, okay?" Then he'd leave. Watching the man I loved walk out of my hospital room to take care of another woman and her children something in me went numb. The wound in my chest wasn't closing. It was getting deeper. One afternoon, his phone rang again. He looked at the screen, and I already knew who it was. He sighed, rubbed his forehead. I looked at him and finally spoke. "Alaric, just go." He looked up. "What?"

"You don't have to keep running between here and home because of me. Go take care of them." My voice shook despite my effort to keep it steady. "I'll be fine. I don't need you here anymore." Before, those words would've terrified him. If I was even slightly upset, he'd panic, stay beside me, apologize, tease me, spoil me, do everything he could to make me smile again. This time, he just stared at me for a few seconds. Then he walked over and pulled me into his arms. "Don't think too much, Freya. I know you're upset, but I'll handle everything. I'll be back soon, okay? Just rest and wait for me." He kissed my hair. Then he left. Just like that. I watched the door close behind him. A small smile crossed my face. Then tears rolled down my cheeks and soaked into the pillow. I didn't know what hurt more... that he left, or how easily he did it. A few days later, I was finally strong enough to walk around. I went to get my own medicine, and on the way back I passed the emergency stairwell. That's when I heard Alaric's voice. He was on the phone. His friend's voice came through loud enough for me to catch. "Ali, I'm honestly shocked. Didn't you used to hate that little boy? You said he looked too much like Alice and you couldn't stand hearing him cry. So why'd you let Freya get hurt protecting him?" I stopped walking. My fingers tightened around the medicine bag. A long pause. Then Alaric answered quietly. "No matter how much I disliked Arkin before, he's still my son. My family pushed me into having kids with Alice, and I fought it at first. But he's five now. I've watched him grow up, raised him, and somewhere along the way I started caring." His voice grew heavier. "Blood is blood. I can't watch my own child die in front of me, even if things between Alice and me aren't what people think." His friend laughed in disbelief. "So you've really changed? Then tell me, Arkin's your son, so he's the Mancusso heir now, right? All that wealth eventually goes to him? And Alice? She gave you three kids, two sons and a baby girl. After everything she's done, are you still calling her nothing more than an old family friend?" The hallway went silent. I didn't move. My heart was already pounding. Then Alaric spoke. "Yes." One word. It felt like a knife through my chest. "I'll marry Alice." My fingers went cold. His friend exclaimed, "I knew it! But what about Freya? You were crazy about her and you said you couldn't live without her!" "I love Freya. I don't think I'll ever love another woman the way I love her." My eyes burned. "Then why won't you marry her?" His voice dropped. "Because her background isn't suitable for my family." I stopped breathing. "She's the daughter of an alcoholic. Her mother's seriously ill. She grew up in the slums. No matter how much I love her, she can't be my wife. She was never going to fit into the Mancusso family." Every word cut deeper. His friend went quiet. Alaric went on. "She can stay beside me. I'll give her everything she wants. I'll protect her, spoil her, make sure she never struggles again." A pause. "But she'll always be my canary. Something beautiful that stays safely in its cage." A canary. A bird that never sees daylight. I stood there, frozen. So that's what I was to him: a pretty thing to keep hidden. He loved me, but not enough to give me his name. He wanted me beside him, but never in the light. I lowered my eyes and turned away. How funny. ... A few days later, I was discharged. Alaric came to pick me up himself, guilt written across his face. "Freya, I know I haven't been around as much as I should. Let me make it up to you, okay? There's a horse auction nearby. Whatever catches your eye, I'll buy it. Don't worry about the price." I almost laughed. After everything, he still thought money could close the distance between us. Still, I didn't refuse. At the auction, Alaric kept his word, raising his paddle again and again without blinking at the cost. His friends started complaining. "Ali, seriously? Planning to leave anything for the rest of us? Every decent horse comes up and you grab it." "I haven't even found one for my father's birthday. You're ruining the whole auction." I sat quietly beside him, playing the same clueless girl they'd always taken me for. Someone glanced my way and laughed. "Alaric, don't take this wrong, but you're spending a fortune on someone from the slums. What does a girl like her know about horses? Put a fancy saddle on a cheap horse and it's still cheap." Alaric's face went cold. "Watch what you say." The man raised both hands. "Fine, fine. Not saying another word. But you know I'm right. She's a poor girl, and you're treating her like some priceless treasure. She's nowhere near Mancusso level." I'd heard it for years. Poor girl. Slum girl. Not worthy. Alaric would shut them down sometimes, but the same people always said it again the moment he wasn't around. Now that I knew what he really thought of me, none of it surprised me anymore. If he truly believed I was worthy of standing beside him, why had everyone always felt so comfortable insulting me? I already knew the answer. Then Alice appeared at the entrance of the VIP lounge, dressed beautifully, their four-month-old daughter in a nanny's arms behind her, one twin holding her hand and the other beside the nanny. Everyone greeted her at once. "Miss Alice, what brought you here?" "It's been a while! Woah, you look amazing." Alice smiled and touched her hair. "I've been so busy with the children since the baby came, I barely have time to dress properly. Since I'm finally out today, I thought I'd see if there's a horse I like." Someone laughed. "You're naturally beautiful. You don't need expensive things to stand out." Another glanced at me. "Exactly. Some people can spend all the money in the world and still can't hide where they came from." I said nothing and just watched. The second half of the auction began, and a few beautiful horses were brought out. The teasing started again. "Ali, you've already bought half the auction. Leave something for Alice, it's rare she gets out with the kids." Alaric smiled. "Fine. I won't compete for these." As expected, he lowered his paddle. Alice bought several horses in a row, each time flashing me a smug little smile. I almost smiled back. Was she really that happy about a few horses? Then the final horse came out, and the room went quiet. A magnificent black stallion. Glossy coat, strong legs, unmistakable presence. The auctioneer called it a rare champion bloodline worth a fortune. Alice's eyes lit up. She raised her paddle. The bidding climbed fast. A hundred million. Two hundred. Three hundred. It passed a billion. I laughed softly. Alice turned, annoyed. "What are you laughing at, Freya?" I rested my chin on my hand. "Nothing. Just funny that everyone's willing to spend over a billion on a horse with questionable papers." The room went silent.

Alice's smile disappeared. "What did you just say? Who told you those papers are questionable?" I looked at the horse again. "I'm not just saying it. The registration number doesn't match the bloodline record, the branding mark is slightly wrong, and there's a gap in the ownership record that shouldn't be there." Someone frowned. "You think the professional appraisal is wrong?" "I think it deserves another check before anyone pays that kind of money." I laid out the inconsistencies calmly, one by one. The more I explained, the quieter the room got. I didn't mention the most important fact. The real horse from that bloodline had already been secured years ago, by my own family. The Sorrentinos kept their private collection far from public auctions. Instead of taking me seriously, the room burst into laughter. "Did she really just call that horse fake?" "A girl from the slums thinks she knows more than professional appraisers? Read a few books and suddenly she's an expert." The laughter grew louder. Alice covered her mouth and giggled, then turned to Alaric. "You really should teach Freya a little about horses when you get the chance. It's fine here, but what if she embarrasses herself in front of your family one day?" I looked at Alaric. His expression had already darkened. Instead of defending me, he took my hand and lowered his voice. "Freya, that's enough. If you're not sure about something, don't say it so confidently. You don't have to prove anything to anyone." My heart sank. He knew enough about horses to understand exactly what I'd pointed out. Years around racing, breeding, auctions, there was no way he'd missed any of it. He simply didn't believe I could know it. To him, I was still the poor girl from the slums who had no place in his world. And yet he'd spent years chasing me, promising me a future, telling me I was the only woman he wanted. I pulled my hand away and said nothing. In the end, Alice won the horse for over a billion. I didn't care anymore. I left the lounge and went to the restroom. I'd barely finished washing my hands when Alice walked in behind me and blocked the door, arms folded, smiling. "How did it feel, trying to act like an expert out there? Embarrassing, wasn't it?" I looked at her in the mirror. She kept going, enjoying herself. "Don't think reading a few books makes you an expert. Real knowledge comes from growing up around these things. You're from the slums, Freya. If you don't understand something, keep quiet instead of making Ali look bad." I didn't bother arguing. I stepped around her. Alice grabbed my arm and pulled me back, leaning close to my ear, her voice dropping into a smug whisper. "You want to know something? I'm not just Alaric's childhood sweetheart. I've been with him countless times. I gave him three children." My eyes hardened. "Yes. The children in your house right now. They're his." Her grip tightened. "The Mancusso family doesn't think you're good enough for him. They wanted an heir, so they pushed Alaric toward me, and he agreed. Do you understand what that means?" I stared at her. Alice smiled wider. "It means you're exactly what Alaric thinks you are. Someone he can keep hidden and spoil when he wants. A pretty little bird trapped in a cage." Her eyes gleamed. "He may love you, but he'll never marry you. He'll never give you his name or let you become the mother of his legitimate heirs. When it comes to marriage, he'll choose someone from his own world." Every word hit a wound that was already bleeding. I said nothing. I pulled my arm free and turned to leave. Then I heard a sharp slap behind me. I stopped and turned around slowly. Alice was covering her cheek, tears already gathering, a bright red handprint on her skin. I hadn't even touched her. Before I could make sense of it, footsteps hurried in from the hallway. Alaric rushed into the restroom, his expression changing the instant he saw Alice. "What happened?" Alice looked at him with trembling eyes. "Ali. Freya hit me." She pointed at me, tears spilling. "Maybe she's still angry you saved Arkin that day instead of her. She probably blames me for it, that's why she hit me. I didn't even provoke her." Alaric stared at me, disbelief written across his face. "Freya, tell me the truth. Did you really hit her?" I looked at the suspicion in his eyes and something in my chest cracked. Once, it didn't matter who accused me or what had happened, Alaric would stand beside me first and ask questions later. He used to tell everyone, "I'm here to protect Freya, not to play judge." Now he couldn't even trust me. "What if I told you I never touched her?" I asked quietly. "What if Alice staged this herself?" His face hardened. "Freya, I already told you what happened with Arkin! You're still angry I chose my son when he was in danger, and now you're taking it out on Alice. She just gave birth four months ago. She's still recovering, you know that. How could you hit her? Whatever happened between you two, you need to apologize." I stared at him, unable to believe what I was hearing. So this was it. Six years of loving him, six years of believing I was the one person he'd never doubt, and now I was standing in front of him like a stranger begging to be believed. Was this really the man I once thought I'd grow old with? I shook my head. "I didn't hit her, Alaric. I won't apologize for something I didn't do." I turned to leave, but he caught my wrist, his grip hard enough to hurt. "Freya, apologize. You're not walking away until you do." Behind him, Alice lowered her eyes, hiding the satisfaction on her face. Something in me finally went quiet. I let out a soft laugh, though there was nothing happy in it. "Fine." I looked straight at Alice. "I'm sorry, Miss Alice. I shouldn't have hit you. Is that what you wanted to hear?" Each word tasted bitter as I pulled my wrist free and walked out before either of them could see the tears burning in my eyes. I'd spent six years pretending to be a helpless girl from the slums, but I was never helpless. I was Freya Sorrentino, daughter of a man who could make entire families disappear with one order. I'd only hidden that power because I wanted to know if Alaric could love me without my name, my wealth, without knowing who I really was. Now I had my answer. I nearly collided with a well dressed middle aged man outside the restroom. The moment he saw my face he froze, eyes widening, then lowered his head. "Heiress." Before he could say more, Alaric stepped out behind me and frowned. "Heiress? What are you talking about? Freya, you know him?" The man stiffened at the sight of Alaric. Before he could explain, someone called his name from across the auction floor. He glanced at me once more, gave a respectful nod, and hurried off. Alice slipped her arm through Alaric's, all innocence. "What heiress? Maybe he recognized me, he's connected to my father's business." Alaric looked at her, then at my pale face, and believed her. He reached for my hand. "Freya, you apologized, let's forget this. Come back with us. I was harsh because you really crossed the line." I pulled my hand away. "I'm not going anywhere with you." "Freya!" he called, following me outside.

The three of us had barely reached the plaza beside the horse auction grounds when a car engine roared behind us. I turned and saw a black sedan speeding toward the entrance, the driver losing control, swerving straight at us. Everything happened in seconds. Alaric grabbed Alice and pulled her into his arms, turning his body to shield her. I stood several steps away, frozen, watching him choose her again without hesitation. The car came straight at me. I barely had time to move before it slammed into my body. Pain exploded through me. I was thrown several feet and crashed onto the pavement. My vision blurred, the world spinning as I struggled to breathe. The last thing I saw was Alaric holding Alice tightly. Again, he chose her. Then everything went black. ... When I woke up, I was in my own bed, my back still burning. Alaric sat beside me, and the moment my eyes opened, guilt flashed across his face. "Freya, you're awake. That car came out of nowhere and hit you. Everything happened too fast. I only reacted because Alice was closest to me. I'm sorry. Please don't think I deliberately left you behind." I closed my eyes and turned my face away. What was there to explain? I knew exactly what had happened. There was a time when it didn't matter how far away I was, if I was in trouble, Alaric would come looking for me without hesitation. He'd always been the first person to stand between me and danger. That man was gone. The heart that once seemed to belong only to me was now divided between Alice and the children he had with her. During my recovery, Alaric seemed determined to make up for it. He stayed beside me whenever he could, brought me meals, checked my wounds, kept asking if I needed anything. I barely spoke to him. Soon it was time for the twins' sixth birthday. Alaric held a huge banquet at the villa. His parents came from the old family residence, along with relatives, business partners, and guests eager to congratulate the Mancusso heirs. I stood quietly to the side, watching his parents fuss over the twins. The boys were spoiled and wild, and clearly knew they could get away with anything. They ran around the villa, laughed when they pushed servants around, and knocked into me more than once on purpose. "Move, poor woman," one of them said, looking me up and down. His brother laughed. "Dad said you're not important anyway." I looked at the two boys calmly. So this was how the future Mancusso heirs treated people. I almost smiled. If they only knew who they were bullying. Watching Alaric's parents shower the boys with affection reminded me of the first time he'd brought me home to meet them. Back then, the moment they heard about my supposed family background, their smiles vanished. They treated me like a nobody who'd wandered into their house by mistake. Today, they were all smiles. The difference was almost laughable. Alaric walked over and handed Alice an exquisite ruby necklace, a birthday gift for the twins' celebration. Alice covered her mouth in surprise. "Ali, this is far too expensive. You didn't have to." "You gave me three children," he said softly. "I wanted to give you something worthy of the occasion." His mother brought out a beautiful ruby pendant and handed it to Alice. "Alice, this belongs to the Mancusso family. It's been passed down to the women who marry into it. You're the one we've always considered our daughter in law, so you should have it." Alice acted embarrassed. "Mom, I'm not officially married to Alaric yet. I don't think I should accept it." His mother smiled warmly, then glanced toward me. "Nothing to be shy about. Some women simply aren't meant to belong in a family like ours." Her words were clearly meant for me. Alaric noticed my expression and stepped closer. "Freya, don't let that get to you. My parents have always had their own ideas about who I should marry, but that doesn't change how I feel about you. You know you're the woman I chose." The woman he chose? Then what was Alice? And what were the three children he'd given her? I said nothing, but the room suddenly felt suffocating. Alaric noticed my pale face and frowned. "Are you uncomfortable? Stay here, I'll get you something to cover your shoulders." He'd barely walked away when Alice gasped and touched her neck. "My ruby pendant." Everyone turned toward her. "The family heirloom Mom just gave me, it's gone." The banquet erupted into chaos. One of Alice's closest friends pointed at me. "I saw Freya near Alice earlier. She must've taken it." Another woman agreed at once. "I saw her too. She's obviously jealous of Alice." Before I could respond, several women rushed toward me. "We need to search her." One grabbed my arm, another reached for my clothes. My anger surged as I fought them off. "Get your hands off me." In front of everyone, my dress ripped open in the struggle. Humiliation burned through me, but I forced myself to stay calm. I wasn't going to cry in front of these people. I'd spent six years pretending to be a poor, harmless girl, and I knew exactly how to keep my face blank when people tried to humiliate me. Then someone shouted, "I found something." A ruby pendant was pulled from the lining of my underwear, and the room fell silent for a second before it exploded. "She really stole it." "How shameless." "I knew she was jealous of Alice."

I clutched my torn dress against my body and stared at the pendant. I didn't steal it. Someone had planted it there! Alaric's mother stared at me with disgust. "Freya, we've given you everything you needed while you stayed here. How could you steal our family heirloom after everything we've done for you?" I met her eyes calmly. "I didn't steal anything! Someone put that pendant on me." "You're still denying it?" she snapped. "The evidence is right there." Before I could answer, two small figures came running toward me. Arkin and Arjun, the five year old twins who'd spent the whole evening pulling my hair and kicking my legs, now looked furious. "You're a bad woman!" Arkin shouted. "You stole Mommy's ruby!" Arjun yelled. Arkin kicked my injured leg, and pain shot through me. "Stop it," I shouted, but he kicked me again while Arjun grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled hard. I clenched my teeth. These two really didn't know when to stop. I pushed Arjun's hand away, but Arkin came at me again, so I shoved him back. I didn't use much force, but he stumbled. Arjun grabbed for him, and both boys lost their balance and crashed into the enormous birthday cake behind them. It collapsed under them, cream and frosting covering their clothes. For a second everyone froze, then the twins started screaming. "I hate you!" "You ruined our birthday!" "You humiliated us!" They cried so loudly that half the guests rushed toward them. I stood there, breathing hard. I hadn't meant to hurt them, but I'd had enough. How many times was I supposed to let those two kick and pull at me before I was allowed to defend myself? Then the twins ran toward the edge of the long banquet table. "Arkin! Arjun, stop!" They were crying too hard to hear anyone. Both boys collided with the corner of the table, their heads striking the edge with a loud crack before they dropped to the floor. The crowd erupted. "Call a doctor!" "There's blood!" "Get the children!" Alice screamed and rushed toward them. "Arkin! Arjun!" Alaric's father slammed his hand on the table. "This is outrageous." His mother pointed straight at me. "Guards! Take her away!" I stared at the chaos, my torn dress still clutched in my hands, when I heard Alaric's footsteps. He came running downstairs with the shawl he'd gone to get for me, but the moment he saw the twins bleeding on the floor, his face changed completely. "What happened?" His mother stepped forward. "Alaric, look what she did. She stole Alice's family ruby, and when the children confronted her, she attacked them. Look at them." Alice was crying, holding one of the boys. "She hates me, and now she's taking it out on my children. Ali, please save them." Alaric looked at me. For a moment I saw shock in his eyes, then doubt. He didn't ask what happened. He didn't even come closer. He just picked Arkin up and held him tightly. "Take the children to the hospital first." I stared at him. He was leaving me there again. My heart didn't even hurt anymore. Maybe there was nothing left to break. His mother pointed at me. "And her? We can't let this go." Alaric's father nodded coldly. "Take her to the backyard. She needs to understand the consequences of hurting a Mancusso heir." Alaric glanced at me one last time. I waited, hoping that just once he'd say something, anything. He said nothing. He carried Arkin away with Alice beside him, and I watched their backs disappear. So that was it. After six years, I wasn't even worth one question. The bodyguards dragged me outside. I didn't struggle much. My body was already covered in injuries, and my back still hadn't recovered from the car accident. The whip came down again and again, pain tearing through me. I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood, refusing to give them the satisfaction of hearing me beg. I could have stopped them. One phone call to my family would've been enough. One word, and the Sorrentino name would have shaken this entire place. But I'd promised myself I'd finish those six years without revealing who I was. Now I didn't care anymore. Alaric's mother stood nearby, watching without a trace of sympathy. "We already investigated you. Your father's a drunk, your mother's sick, and you crawled out of a miserable family. Do you really think someone like you belongs beside Alaric?" I raised my head, but she kept going without giving me a chance to answer. "Alaric was born to stand at the top. You're not even worthy of carrying his shoes. Leave while you still have some dignity, or we'll make sure you have none left." I almost laughed. If she only knew who she was talking to. I wasn't some poor girl who needed their charity. I was Freya Sorrentino, and if I wanted, her entire family could learn exactly what that name meant. But I was too tired to care. The pain eventually swallowed everything, and darkness took me. When I woke again, I was lying on a cold bed. My wounds had been treated, but barely, and every breath hurt. The door opened, and Alaric walked in. He didn't ask how I felt. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me up. "Alaric, what are you doing?" I cried, struggling to keep my balance. "Let me go, I'm injured!" He didn't answer. He half dragged, half carried me to the hospital and took me straight into a treatment room. "Draw her blood," he told the nurse. "Arkin and Arjun lost too much. They're compatible." I stared at him in disbelief. "Are you serious?" "Freya, listen to me." "Look at me!" I shouted, my voice breaking. "Can't you see what they did to me? I'm barely standing, and you're asking me for blood?" His expression tightened. "They're only six. They needs it." "Why should I save them?" I cried. "The two kicked me, pulled my hair, blamed me for everything. Why am I the one who has to pay for this?" "Because you pushed them?!" "I pushed them away because they were hurting me!" My whole body was shaking, and his patience finally snapped. "You caused this whole situation, Freya. Arkin and Arjun is lying in the next room fighting for their life. You have to take responsibility." "I didn't steal that ruby, and I didn't mean for them to get hurt!" He didn't listen. He forced me into the chair while the nurse prepared the needle. "Alaric, don't." My voice had gone small. For the first time, I wasn't pretending. I was begging. "Please. I can't do this anymore." He looked away. "Just cooperate. It'll be over soon." The needle went in, and pain spread through my already weakened body. I clenched my teeth as the blood was taken, the nurse glancing at me the whole time. "Mr. Mancusso, she's extremely weak. We shouldn't take any more." "Continue," he said coldly. "Arkin and Arjun needs more." My vision blurred, and I could barely keep my eyes open before everything went black. ... When I woke again, I was alone. A nurse eventually told me Alaric was next door with Alice and the twins. He never came to see me. Instead he sent a message. [Freya, I know you're still angry, but the twin's injuries happened because of you. You need to take responsibility. Calm down and stop making things harder. No matter what happens, I'll always love you.] I stared at the screen, then laughed. I laughed until my body hurt and my wounds started bleeding again. His love? His love was watching his parents whip me. His love was forcing blood from me when I could barely survive. His love was standing beside another woman and her children while telling me he'd always love me. What kind of love was that? I wiped my tears. No. I couldn't afford this kind of love anymore. After several days I was strong enough to leave, so I quietly completed my discharge papers without telling anyone. When I got back to the villa, my phone rang. "Freya, have you finished everything there? It's time to come home." I stood alone in the empty living room and looked around. For six years I'd lived here as someone I wasn't. A poor girl. A harmless girl. A girl who needed Alaric. That girl was gone. I took a slow breath and answered calmly, "Yes. Everything's taken care of. I'll be home soon." After hanging up, I packed only what belonged to me, pulled my suitcase behind me, and walked out of the villa without leaving a note or looking back. This time, I wasn't pretending to be poor anymore.