No Stars Left to Wish On

Elena Shaw is the wife of Henry Leone, the current head of the Monraven-based Mafia family in Newshire. She has been married to him for two years, but he has never once slept with her. Late one night, she inadvertently sees Henry relieving his desires while listening to a woman's voice. The voice belonged to Irene Shaw, her adopted younger sister and Henry's ex-fiancee. The year Elena turned 18, a DNA report changed both hers and Irene's fates. Elena is the real heir of the Shaw family, who had been taken at a young age and discarded abroad in Etolia. Meanwhile, Irene is the one who has taken her place in the Shaw family, receiving all of the love and glory that should've belonged to Elena. When Elena is brought back to the Shaw family, she replaces Irene as Henry's fiancee. However, Henry only marries her to take revenge against her for "ruining Irene's life". Even the fact that he had once saved her life turns out to be part of an elaborate lie. After learning the truth, Elena doesn't hesitate to leave. Once she disappears from Henry's world, the usually calm and collected Henry loses his mind. Chapter 1 On the day of Elena Shaw's second wedding anniversary, she was sorting through her old belongings when she pulled out a dusty box. Inside the box was a scented candle purported to be an adult toy as well as a set of seductive lingerie. She'd prepared these before her wedding. They were the "secret weapons" she prepared to surprise her husband, Henry Leone, on their wedding night. Two years had passed. Everything was still brand new and untouched. Elena and Henry, the current head of the Monraven-based Mafia family in Newshire, had never done it before. On her wedding night, she'd knocked on the door of Henry's study with a bottle of vintage red wine in hand. The two had chatted while sipping on the wine. After a few glasses, she mustered up the courage to take off her bathrobe, revealing the black lace lingerie she wore beneath. Then, she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Darling, tonight—" At the very next second, Elena had been shoved to the floor. "Get away from me! Don't touch me." Henry's gaze was icy as he declared, "If you crave the touch of a man, go find someone from the club. Don't come and disgust me." Elena turned pale. She didn't understand why expressing her love for her husband was something disgusting. … That night, after being reminded of the past, the teary-eyed Elena sat on the couch, drinking wine as she recalled everything that happened throughout the last two years. Once she was a little drunk, she decided to confront Henry about everything. Wobbling as she walked, she arrived at the study only to find that the door was slightly ajar. She vaguely heard a voice coming from inside the study. When Elena drew nearer, what she saw through the doorway made her blood turn cold. Henry, the man who'd avoided all intimate contact with her for the last two years, was currently pleasuring himself. Even with his eyes closed, it was clear he was lost in his desire. A recording of a woman's voice was playing beside him. The voice belonged to Irene Shaw, Elena's "adopted" younger sister, who was once Henry's fiancee. Dazed, Elena returned to her room and sat down on the bed before picking up the iPad by the side of the bed to draft out a divorce agreement. Upon realizing it was Henry's iPad, she was just about to turn it off when she accidentally tapped on his Facebook Messenger application. Instantly, she saw messages from a chat group named "Commemoration of 777". "Is Henry still saving himself? He's basically a saint at this point." "With that body of hers, Elena can probably sell herself for 100 grand a night, but Henry belongs to Irene!" "Irene would never have left if not for Elena. Henry needs to divorce her and have her kicked out of elite society! That's the only way to avenge Irene." "That's vicious. But Henry, now that you're in charge of the Leone family, isn't it time for you to put an end to everything?" The last message came from Henry's account. "It'll be another three months, at most." Elena felt as though someone had ripped her heart open. She was the daughter of the Shaws, a prominent family from the Upper East Side of Newshire that dabbled in both business and politics. But when she was little, her family's enemies kidnapped her. They abandoned her abroad in Etolia, where her adoptive parents took her in. She had only returned to the Shaws five years ago. However, her birth parents, Frank Shaw and Molly Thurman, couldn't bear to send away Irene, who'd taken Elena's place for almost two decades. The Shaws and the Leones had set the marriage between the two families years ago. Therefore, after returning to the Shaws, Elena became Henry's fiancee. Initially, she didn't care much for the marriage alliance, but it was Henry who made the first move and pursued her. When Elena couldn't get used to the food in Newshire, Henry took a private jet to Solvale, a city in Etolia where she grew up in, and imported the local produce for her. While she was studying, he would accompany her after he got off work. Once, both Elena and Irene had been abducted by the Shaw family's enemies. Frank and Molly only chose to save Irene. It was Henry who attacked the abductors and risked his life to save Elena. Thinking that she'd met the right man for her, she fell in love with him and married him. Yet, after the wedding, he suddenly began treating her coldly and never once slept with her. Elena finally knew why. He was saving himself for Irene. As she stood out on the balcony, her tears streamed down her face. It wasn't as though she'd tried to steal Irene's place and marry Henry on purpose. What did she do to deserve this? Why had she suddenly become the target of his revenge? Just then, Elena's phone rang with a call from Gianna Ricci, her adoptive mother back in Etolia. "Hey, sweetheart. The gala auction we're organizing this year is happening the day after tomorrow. I specifically picked out some interesting items that I know you'll love. Do you want to come back and take a look?" Gianna asked. The familiar tone of affection in Gianna's voice made Elena break down in tears. "Mom, I want to go back to Etolia." After a brief silence, Gianna's frantic, angered voice rang out. "Don't cry, sweetheart. Are the Shaws mistreating you? Come home at once! With your dad and I here, we won't allow anyone to hurt you anymore!" Elena's adoptive parents, Anthony Gallo and Gianna, ran the oldest Mafia family in southern Etolia. The family's influence ran deep with both the business world and the criminal underworld of the entire continent of Anarone. Gianna's voice hardened as she continued over the phone, "Two days from now, the family jet will be there to pick you up and bring you home. You're my daughter, the Principessa of the Gallo family. You're not a pawn who can be used and discarded at will. No one has the right to humiliate the daughter I raised myself!" Chapter 2 The next morning, Elena got a call from Tanya Verga, Henry's grandma. Her anxious voice boomed loudly in the room. "The Leone family needs an heir, Elena! Hurry up and do something about it. Do as I say and make the first move tonight. You must produce an heir by this year. Are we clear?" Elena quickly tried to lower the volume, but Henry heard Tanya anyway. He stepped out of the bathroom. As he was drying his hair with a towel, he paused and questioned, "Just how desperate are you, Elena?" She hastily tried to explain, "I'm not—" Before she could finish speaking, Henry had approached her and pinned her down against the bed. His fingers wandered along her collarbone, then trailed downward... "You're not? Why are you dressed like that, then? Who did you get all dressed up for?" Only then did Elena look down and notice what she was wearing. She'd gotten drunk last night and had fallen asleep wearing the black lace lingerie she found. She looked very tempting in the black lingerie, and from Henry's position, he could see the perfect curves. Gulping, he recalled what his friend had teased him with last night. "She's freaking hot, Henry. How are you still holding yourself back? If I were you, I would've had my way with her ages ago." Henry shot backward and looked away, saying, "Don't waste your time. You want a child, right? I've made the arrangements to get that over with." Elena was stumped. He'd made the arrangements for a child? What did that mean? Half an hour later, a black Maybach pulled up outside a private hospital. Once Elena looked through the car window, her expression stiffened. "Why did you take me to a hospital, Henry?" Henry didn't bother responding. Several dozen hospital staff were waiting to greet them. Upon seeing Elena, one of them, a doctor named Eric White, came forward and said politely, "Please change into the hospital gown in preparation for the surgery, Mrs. Leone. We'll be giving you a hormone injection shortly to stimulate ovulation and prepare for the egg retrieval. You might feel a little discomfort." Brows slightly creased, Elena turned to Henry and asked, "Egg retrieval?" "For the IVF procedure," Henry replied indifferently. "What? Do you think I'd actually touch you?" Elena stood frozen. "You… Why are you insisting on having this child?" He was also planning to divorce her, so why bother having a baby through IVF? Frowning impatiently, Henry replied, "The child is part of the deal. Do you think I'd want one if not for that?" His words destroyed all feelings Elena ever had for him. Her heart was stinging with pain, and her voice was icy as she declared, "I refuse." Sneering, Henry got up and closed in on her like a predator. "Are you rejecting the procedure because you're still holding out hope that I'll sleep with you?" Grabbing Elena by the jaw, he said coldly, "Do you think I can't see through your little tricks? I'm not asking for your opinion right now. All that's required of you is to do as you're told." Henry flung her mercilessly to the side and turned to Eric. He ordered, "Drag her in and begin the procedure at once." Though Elena fought with all her might, she couldn't get away from the people who were holding her down. The moment the needle pricked her skin, her tears fell. How could Henry be this cruel? The sedatives took effect quickly. Her mind turned groggy, and she soon lost consciousness. … When Elena woke up the next morning, Eric immediately came to check on her. "You're awake, Mrs. Leone. Your body had a strong rejection response earlier, but thankfully, your condition has stabilized." "Where's Henry?" "He left after his part was done," Eric replied with a stiff smile. Elena's heart sank. She closed her eyes, reining in the wave of nausea that hit her. Did Henry do it while listening to Irene's voice again? Eric continued, "I have some good news. The embryo matching was a success." He opened up a refrigerated case to reveal six test tubes. "Once you've recovered, we will choose one of the embryos for implantation." Staring dazedly at the test tubes, Elena clutched the blanket so hard her nails nearly tore through it. Just as Eric was about to inform Elena about the upcoming procedure, she abruptly sat up. "Mrs. Leone! Please put it down!" Eric cried out in alarm. Chapter 3 Elena grabbed the test tubes and threw them onto the floor, instantly covering it in glass shards. "I don't want the child!" she yelled, her gaze sharp. "The Leones own this hospital. You'll get into a ton of trouble if Henry finds out about this, so you'd better keep this a secret." Terrified, Eric started sweating. "But… what if Mr. Leone asks…" "I'm the sole heir of the Shaw family. If he asks you about this, I'll protect you." Since Elena had decided to leave, she wasn't going to do anything that would keep her attached in any way. Looking down at the broken test tubes, she teared up. She had once dreamed of having a child with Henry, but not like this. Wiping her tears dry, she got up to leave. She desperately wanted to go somewhere to get her mind off things. After packing some of her things, Elena drove to a private off-road park up north. Back when she was growing up in Etolia, she loved off-road biking and target shooting in the wild the most. When she moved to Newshire, she wasn't allowed to use the private park the Shaws owned, and she couldn't find a place where she could hunt freely either. Gianna was the one who stepped in and bought a patch of forest land in the northern part of the state, complete with a mountain. She had even spent a great deal of money turning it into a private training ground. The massive estate was done up rather lavishly. Once it was open for business, it became a secluded haven for the elites of Newshire. Even among the mafia families, it was known for being the place to have a luxurious retreat while remaining discreet. As soon as Elena arrived, she saw a familiar black Maybach parked at the entrance. The door opened, and Henry carried Irene out of the car. After setting her down, he turned and saw Elena standing at the entrance in form-fitting gear. Henry frowned. He thought Elena was still recuperating at the hospital. After all, according to Eric, the administration of the hormonal injection had elicited a strong rejection response from her body. How could she be here now? "What are you doing here?" "I'm testing out a gun," Elena replied coldly. Meanwhile, Henry's friends had gotten out from the car behind him. After hearing Elena's response, they all started cackling. "A gun? What gun is she talking about? Probably one of those pink plastic toy ones, huh?" "Oh, right. She came back from Etolia, didn't she? The only mode of transport out there in the rural countryside where she's from is buses. She probably has never even seen an ATV before." Anthony and Gianna, Elena's adoptive parents, ran a Mafia family back in Etolia. However, Elena kept a low profile and never revealed details about her adoptive family, so everyone thought she'd been taken in by an ordinary family out in the Etolian countryside. "Shall we teach you how to shoot a gun? I promise we'll be super hands-on. We'll even hold the gun for you if it's too heavy for you." The men snickered while staring pointedly at Elena. Uninterested in dealing with them, Elena picked out a narrow path and went up the mountain. Soon after that, it started raining. The rain kept getting heavier, making the mountain paths incredibly slippery. She immediately turned around and headed back. When she got back to the main building, she saw the men from earlier standing around looking distressed. Frowning, she walked up to them and asked, "Where's Henry?" "Elena! Help! Henry's stuck up on the mountain!" Irene cried out in a panic. She tearfully explained that she saw a pretty snow leopard up on the mountain, so Henry went after it in spite of the rain. However, he was caught in a landslide and was now missing. "Did he get kicked in the head?" Elena's expression darkened at once as she snapped, "The mountain terrain becomes incredibly dangerous when it rains, and there are even more predators roaming about after dark. Has he lost his mind?" One of Henry's friends retorted sarcastically, "Why are you yapping away, huh? Don't tell me you can fly over to him right away. The bodyguards have already gone out in search of him, and the nearby search-and-rescue teams will be here in four hours. It's not like you can be of any help." He was still talking when everyone saw Elena jumping onto a modified tactical ATV with ease. Turning around, she said, "I'll save him." Then, she rode off on the ATV, kicking up a cloud of gravel and mist. Everyone was stunned. "What the hell? She knows how to ride that thing?" Chapter 4 There were two reasons why Elena chose to save Henry, and love wasn't one of them. First of all, the park belonged to her. If someone were to die here, it would be a hassle for her to settle things. And secondly, she figured she had to repay her debt. When Elena first returned to the Shaws five years ago, she and Irene had both been abducted. It was Henry who came storming into the abductors' hideout and saved her. He got shot twice in the process and was in surgery for an entire night. She would never forget the fact that he had saved her life. Thus, in the middle of a storm, Elena spent five hours searching for Henry before finally locating him inside a cave. Despite running a high fever and being basically delirious, he was firmly clutching the body of a dead snow leopard while murmuring, "Give this to Irene… It's hers…" Elena snorted. He was willing to risk his life just because of something Irene said, huh? Shaking her head, she began dragging him off. Just as she was about to leave with him, she looked up and saw a black bear in front of them. Elena cursed under her breath before grabbing her gun and immediately firing at the bear while shielding the unconscious Henry behind her. After two whole hours, the bear finally fell unmoving to the ground. Elena was now sporting five bloody gashes on her body, and her blood kept flowing. Gritting her teeth, she hauled Henry onto the ATV before climbing on herself. She forced herself to keep it together as she rode back down the mountain. Everyone was shocked when they saw her returning to the park's main building. Covered in blood, Elena stumbled off the ATV and passed the unconscious Henry to Irene. "Tell him I repaid him for saving my life five years ago," she said before passing out. … When Elena woke up, she found herself in the hospital. Her wounds had been dressed, and the anesthetic had worn off as well. After inquiring with a nurse, she dragged her still-weak body to Henry's hospital room. As soon as she got near the door, she heard the conversation that was happening on the inside. "Henry, when you went missing, it was Irene who rushed into the forest to save you! We were all shocked! She loves you so very much!" Derek Silva, one of Henry's friends, said. Elena's hand stilled over the doorknob. She was the one who saved Henry. Why was Derek now claiming that Irene did? Inside the hospital room, Irene said gently, "Henry was only in harm's way because he wanted to catch the snow leopard for me, but…" Purposely making her voice sound choked, she continued, "To be honest with you… I've always known that you care about Elena the most. All those years ago, you risked your life to save her because—" "That's not true!" Derek interrupted excitedly. "It was Henry who set the whole thing up back then!" "What did you say?" Irene exclaimed in shock. Derek happily explained, "Henry had purposely arranged for people to abduct you two while pretending to be your family's enemies. He did it so that your parents would realize who they truly cared about the most. "Him rushing in to save Elena was just part of the act. He did it so that she would marry him and help him claim full control over the Leone family. His marriage with her is just a strategic move for the benefit of his family. He also did it to seek revenge on your behalf. He's been planning on divorcing her for ages now. Right, Henry?" After a few seconds, Henry's low voice rang out. "That's right." Outside the hospital room, Elena had to use the wall to hold herself steady. She'd nearly crumpled to the floor. It turned out that what she thought was Henry risking his life to save her was nothing more than part of an elaborate scheme. Staggering away, she walked to the end of the hallway before she took a call. "Sweetheart, the private jet will be there tonight. You can leave anytime tomorrow," Gianna said to Elena, who acknowledged the information softly. After ending the call, she gripped her phone tightly and smiled bitterly. It was even better that she never owed him anything. From now on, they would no longer have any ties with each other. … Elena began settling her matters. Once she'd signed the divorce agreement her lawyer, Lawrence Wagner, had prepared for her, she had a meeting with Calvin Hudson, the man who had been handling her private assets in the country for her. They met up for dinner and drinks. A little tipsy from the booze, Calvin said half-jokingly, "They rely on the companies under your name to keep their businesses going. Are you sure you want your companies to terminate all dealings with the Leones and the Shaws?" Chapter 5 Worried that Elena might get mistreated when she returned to Newshire, Anthony and Gianna had prepared a number of assets for her before she even arrived in the city. Several of the Leone and the Shaw families' most important clients were part of her private portfolio, but she never made that information public. Nodding, Elena replied, "I've made my decision." Calvin clicked his tongue. "They're screwed for thinking you're a puppet they can control and push around." After the dinner, Elena had just headed downstairs when she missed a step and nearly fell. Calvin swiftly grabbed her to keep her steady. "Are you okay?" he asked. Once she regained her balance, she looked up and saw Henry exiting from a nearby private lounge with a group of people. The atmosphere turned tense. Henry's friends immediately made a ruckus. "Oh, my. If it isn't Elena, Henry's wife. Don't tell me she actually found herself a new man. Look at them. They look pretty cozy with each other." "Are you interested in foreigners, Elena? Guess you're looking for an international marriage next, huh?" The more they spoke, the more deplorable their comments were. "You know, with the way Henry looks, there's no way she doesn't lust after him. I bet she's gone mad with lust, so she's looking for other guys to satisfy her." "What do you know? This just means she's bored with the local flavors and wants something exotic." While the men were still mocking Elena, Henry stormed up to her and questioned angrily, "Who is he?" "That's none of your business," Elena replied indifferently. Henry grabbed her by the jaw. "You'd die without a man, wouldn't you, Elena?" He was blatantly humiliating her. Calvin quickly tried to explain, "You got the wrong idea. We're just—" However, Elena lifted her head and cut Calvin off with a chuckle, saying, "That's right. At the end of the day, it's your fault for not fulfilling any of your duties as my legally wedded husband. What am I supposed to do if I don't find myself another man? Live like a widow instead?" An awkward silence fell over the hallway. Even Henry's snarky friends had shut their mouths and were gawking in shock. They knew full well just how devoted Elena had been to Henry the past few years. But now, she was openly admitting to being involved with another man. Meanwhile, Henry's expression was so cold it could kill. "What did you say?" With a brazen smirk, Elena said with crystal clear enunciation, "I said, since you're not keeping me satisfied, I've decided to seek satisfaction elsewhere. What's wrong with that?" As soon as she finished speaking, Henry threw her over his shoulder and marched out of the building. Elena squawked in alarm, but before she managed to struggle free of Henry, he'd stuffed her inside the car. It was a bulletproof SUV, and once the door closed, the atmosphere in the car was so still that it felt like a vacuum. At the very next moment, Elena was pressed against the seat. Sneering, Henry undid his tie while pressing the button to pull up the divider between the back seat and the front. "You said I'm not keeping you satisfied, huh? I'll satisfy you this time." "Henry! Have you gone mad?" Elena barely managed to get the words out before Henry kissed her. It was the first true act of intimacy between them since the day they got married. Henry's breath grew ragged and impatient. He thought he felt nothing for Elena, but the sweet taste of her lips and the warmth of her skin stirred up the instinctive desire he'd kept suppressed for years. Elena's mind was a mess. Everything was spinning out of control. Henry grabbed her by the waist and pinned her down against the back seat. Just then, his phone rang. Pausing, he frowned and checked his phone. After taking the call, he immediately tensed up in a panic. "Irene has been taken to the ER?" he exclaimed. Chapter 6 Just moments ago, the atmosphere in the car had been heavy with Henry's desire to claim Elena, but it all vanished with a single phone call. As they headed to the hospital, Elena finally got the gist of the situation. Someone had gone online to reveal that Irene wasn't related to the Shaws by blood but a fake heiress, even though the Shaws made it seem like she was their biological daughter. Although the Shaws immediately came forward to refute that, the one who dropped the bomb also uploaded a DNA report to back his claims. Immediately, the scandal went viral online. Irene had over ten million followers on social media, and her entire image was based on her being a wealthy socialite. Now that her true identity had been exposed, her fans turned rabid. She was flooded with insults hurled at her online. Having never faced anything like that before, Irene tried to take her own life by overdosing on pills. Just as the car came to a stop outside the hospital building, Henry also got off the call with his family's public relations team. He turned to Elena and demanded, "Release a statement right away saying that Irene is your biological sister, and that you two share the same parents." Elena retorted, "Why should I?" "If either your parents or I do it, everyone is going to think we're just taking her side and favoring her. You're the Shaw family's biological daughter. It's more convincing if you come forward and give a statement." Elena knew that, of course, but she asked once more, "My question remains the same. Why should I?" Why was it that even when the Shaw blood ran in her veins, she was constantly being asked to step aside for Irene's sake? Why was it that even though she was Henry's wife, he didn't even show her the most basic respect? Why was it that every time something happened, she was the one who had to clean up other people's messes for them? Why did she have to be the pawn pushed around at will? Henry's expression turned hostile. "You won't be helping her for nothing," he said irritably as he tugged at his necktie. "I'll make you a deal. Help Irene clear her name, and I'll fulfill my duties as your husband." Stiffening, Elena asked, "What do you mean?" Henry stared at her with an emotionless face and said bluntly, "I mean, I'll sleep with you. You can drop the act. I can see that you were putting on a show for me back at the club. You never had anything going on with that man. You were just trying to get a rise out of me. You want me to get jealous and make the first move to sleep with you." Scoffing, he continued, "Unfortunately for you, you're a poor actress. Well, I'm in a generous mood right now. As long as you're willing to lend a hand, I'm willing to keep you satisfied on a regular basis." Eyes reddened, Elena stared at Henry and asked, "What do you take me for, Henry?" He acted as though sleeping with her was something that could be used to make a deal. Just how little did he think of her? For some reason, when Henry saw Elena's expression, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. Frustrated, he didn't want to give it any further thought. He grabbed her by the head and kissed her fiercely. All he wanted to do was silence her—to put an end to her stubbornness. He figured that as long as he slept with her, she would obediently help him settle everything just like she always did. Alas, things didn't fall in place the way he expected them to. At the very next moment, he felt an excruciating pain coming from his tongue. The taste of blood rapidly filled his mouth. Releasing Elena, Henry roared, "What the hell are you doing, Elena?" The corners of Elena's lips were stained red with blood, while the rest of her face was as pale as a sheet. Seeing this, Henry felt a strange feeling in his heart. But just then, his assistant, Isaac Lowry, came to the car window and said, "Ms. Irene is awake, Mr. Leone. She's at the hospital crying for you." Henry's expression froze briefly. Once he came back to his senses, he said to Elena, "During the press conference today, you're going to publicly announce that Irene is your biological younger sister. Otherwise, you can spend the rest of your life without me ever touching you again." He got out of the car and slammed the door shut. Once everything fell silent, Elena couldn't take it anymore. Tears poured down her face. The rest of her life, huh? "Things between us ended long ago, Henry," Elena thought to herself. She pulled out her phone and slowly typed a message to Lawrence, her lawyer. "Mr. Wagner, head over to the Shaw family press conference now and make a public announcement—Henry and I are officially getting divorced." Once done with that, Elena looked at James Sullivan, the driver who was sitting up front, and instructed, "Take me to the airport." … One hour later, Elena was seated on the private jet Gianna had arranged for her when her phone began buzzing incessantly. She received over a dozen unanswered calls, accompanied by a stream of interrogative and threatening messages. They were all from Henry. "The press conference starts in 20 minutes. Where are you?" "I've given you a chance, Elena. If you don't come forward to clear Irene's name today, don't expect me to touch you ever again!" "Where are you? If you still refuse to respond to my messages, you'll have to bear the consequences." Elena read these messages without a flicker of emotion in her eyes. Turning her phone off, she took out the SIM card and crushed it before tossing it into the trash. As the private jet taxied along the runway, she leaned against her seat and stared out the window. She bade goodbye to Henry, as well as Frank and Molly, her supposed "parents". From this day onward, they no longer had anything to do with each other.