He Shamed Me At Proposal, I Took His Mafia Empire

Chapter 3

On the third floor of the villa, the walk-in closet held three towering walls of wardrobes filled with custom-made gowns from Vallenne and Bellori. The temperature-controlled glass cabinets displayed shelves of top-grade jewelry.

All of these were gifts from Victor.

In the past, he'd always hold me and murmur softly, "My Adele deserves the best of everything in this world."

But now, these things seemed to be sneering at me, mocking every scar I had ended up with over 10 years of struggle.

In the corner of the dressing room, a white angel statue stood quietly against the wall.

I reached out and gently turned the statue's right wing. The floor slowly sank, and a password-protected safe embedded in the wall rose into view.

I entered my mother's date of death on the keypad. With a soft beep, the door sprang open.

Inside were stacks of paper files and a silver handgun with a handle worn smooth by use.

The files recorded evidence of the Atwell family's illegal deal hubs, along with detailed information on three core members of the family.

This was the leverage I had built for myself over 10 years.

It was the debt Dean owed me after I took a bullet for him.

It was the hold I had over Anthony after I took the blame for his crimes.

It was the real power I had won, piece by piece, by securing one negotiation after another for Victor.

Victor thought I was a vine clinging to him.

He had forgotten that my roots had already sunk deep into the very foundation of this family.

I held the files in my hands, but a trace of hesitation still lingered in my heart.

Then my phone vibrated in my pocket.

A photo came in.

It was from Diana Moore.

The young, pretty girl lay naked against a man's broad chest, her cheeks still flushed. Her fingers rested lightly on his collarbone, where a rose tattoo matching hers had been inked.

A line of text came with the photo.

Diana: I only mentioned it casually, and Victor immediately took me to get matching tattoos. Adele, you're just a leftover he keeps around out of convenience.

I stared at the photo for a long time.

Back before I had become a good shot, someone leaked the family's trade route, and Victor and I were trapped in a car by a group of hitmen.

The instant countless bullets came at us, Victor shielded me with his own body.

The bulletproof glass couldn't withstand the attack. It shattered into countless pieces, and the largest shard pierced his collarbone.

Later, after we were rescued, a jagged scar remained on Victor's collarbone.

I looked at that scar and cried as I apologized, saying I had been useless.

But Victor only kissed away my tears, his voice solemn.

"Adele, I chose this. I love you. If you were the one hurt, I might as well be dead."

He took my hand and placed it on the scar, with a faint smile on his face.

"This is my medal for protecting you. I'll keep it forever, so it can remind you every moment how much I love you."

But now, a bright rose tattoo covered that scar.

So that was how short his forever had been.

Diana was right.

I was only something old he had already outgrown.

Just like that scar, I could be covered up and replaced by something new so easily.

At dawn 3 days later, I left the villa with a small suitcase.

The sky over Ravenport was gray and foggy. Fine rain drifted down and fell on my face.

For 3 whole days, Victor hadn't come back. He hadn't sent me a single message either.

It was as if everyone believed I could never leave the Atwell family and would obediently comply, doing everything just as I had before.

I stood at the villa gate and looked back one last time. The grand white building stood quiet in the rain, like a sleeping beast.

I had once thought this place was home.

Later, I realized it was only a beautiful cage.

The cage door had always been open. I had stayed by choice for 10 years.

Now, I was leaving.

A black Rolls-Royce waited at the mouth of the alley in the distance. Its headlights flashed twice through the rain and mist.

The car door opened, and a young blond man held up a black umbrella for me with quiet respect.

"Mr. Frost has been waiting for you for a long time."

The rear window rolled down, revealing a handsome man with sharp features. A faint smile touched his blue eyes when he saw me.

"Finally, Adele. I've been waiting."