Chapter 1
My husband, Dominic Fairclough, was a mafia don.
Three years ago, he faked his death for the woman he loved, Malvina Valdez. Now, he was back—and he brought our son, Santino Fairclough, with him.
At the grand family gala held to announce his return, he stroked my hair with tenderness. "I know your mother is critically ill and on her deathbed. Remarry me, and I'll bring in the finest medical team in the world to save her."
So, with trembling hands, I signed the remarriage agreement, stepping back into the role of the dutiful, stoic mafia wife.
That very night, at his own homecoming party, Dominic slept with his secretary, Clara Powell.
Afterward, I played the generous wife, quietly sweeping his scandal with Clara under the rug.
When Clara casually mentioned she lacked an accessory for an upcoming party, I didn't hesitate—I slipped my own wedding ring right into her hands.
Yet, Dominic lost his temper.
He pinned me against the wall, teeth gritted, eyes brimming with disbelief.
"Berenice, this is the diamond ring I custom-made for you when we got married!"
Looking at his furious expression, I felt ridiculous.
He still hadn't got it. I now would do whatever it took to keep him from running wild.
Dominic had no idea that the dying woman in the hospital wasn't my mother. She was his biological mother, Hayley Fairclough.
For three long years, she believed her son was dead.
And so, she made me a promise that the moment she took her last breath, the entire Fairclough empire would belong to me.
Silence stretched thick between us when I offered no answer.
Moments later, Clara, his new mistress and secretary, broke the quiet. She nervously slipped off the ring and made a show of thrusting it back toward me.
"I'm so sorry, Dominic. I had no idea this was your wedding ring. I'll give it right back to Berenice."
Beside her, Santino rolled his eyes, muttering, "What's her problem? Giving Clara a ring like that when she knows what it means... She's obviously just trying to embarrass Clara!"
Dominic's grip on my wrist tightened, a flash of exhaustion washing over his furrowed brow.
"Berenice, stop throwing tantrums, alright?" he sighed.
"After three years away, I got sick of Malvina's endless drama. I came back because I want a peaceful life with you."
Listening to his words, I felt only a profound sense of absurdity.
He claimed he wanted a peaceful life.
Yet first, he spent three years playing house with his ex-lover. Once he grew tired of her, he came running back and immediately took his secretary to bed. Now, he expected me to tirelessly handle his mess and clean up his affair.
Back when Malvina was still in the picture, I fought with him every single day, pleading with him to step back and be a proper father and husband.
Back then, he called me insufferable. To escape me, he went so far as to drag Santino into a fake explosion, faking their deaths and vanishing for three years.
Now, I obediently did whatever his new mistress wanted, and he was still not satisfied.
I pulled out the black card Dominic had handed me earlier from my purse and shoved it into Clara's hands. "If you don't like the ring, take the card instead. Go to the mall tonight and pick out whatever takes your fancy."
Dominic's face darkened instantly. Snatching the card back, he snapped it cleanly in two right in front of me.
"Berenice! Do you really have to be so damn passive-aggressive?"
"You're overthinking, Dominic. That's not what I meant."
Dominic refused to listen.
"I know you're taking jabs at me, blaming me for using the excuse of buying you a gift to arrange that k********g and fake my death for three years.
"But back then, Malvina told me she was terminally ill with only a few years left, and her only wish was to marry me!
"If I had been honest with you, would you have ever let me be with her?
"Besides, the second I realized she lied to me, I came straight back to you, didn't I?
"Can't we just move past this and live in peace?"
I pulled my lips into a cold, mocking smile and said nothing.
Furious at my coldness, Santino stepped forward, yelling in my face, "Dad is already swallowing his pride for you! What more could you possibly want?
"It's because you were so unbearable back then that Dad and I were seduced by Malvina and left this house! Three years have passed. How are you still this stubborn and unrepentant?"
His sharp words pierced like a blade into the rawest wound in my heart, pulling me straight back to the despair of three years ago.
On the very night my husband and son allegedly perished in a violent explosion, my father died in a tragic car crash. Shortly after, overwhelmed by grief, my mother followed him to the grave.
I was branded a jinx, an omen of bad luck, drowning in agony. Only later did I discover that the incident that ruined my life was nothing but a scripted lie.
Pushing Dominic away, I let out a sneer. "No one begged either of you to come back to this house. If you want to leave again, the door is right there."
With that, I turned on my heel and headed upstairs without looking back.
Behind me, Dominic's voice rang out, icy and sharp. "This is my house! Even if someone leaves, it should be you! Since you're so unwilling to see us, then get out!"
My steps paused. Instead of arguing, I turned back and asked calmly, "Are you serious?"
Santino scoffed coldly. "Of course he's serious! Once you're gone, Clara will buy me delicious treats every day. We'll be so much happier without you!"
He turned to Clara with a grin. "Clara, come on, let's go to the mall!"
