第1章
On our wedding day, my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer.
I urgently asked Dante for fifty thousand dollars.
He immediately decided I was a gold digger.
From then on, every single expense of mine had to be approved by his female assistant, Bianca.
I explained countless times that the medication was expensive.
My mother had no choice but to do this.
Dante remained cold:
"If you're after money, fine. As long as you can get past Bianca, I'll give it."
Until my mother was critically ill and urgently needed five hundred thousand dollars for surgery.
I stopped submitting approval forms that were never approved.
Instead, I took Dante's black card and swiped five hundred thousand.
That night, Dante brought detectives to find me.
Accusing me of grand larceny.
I was desperate to explain.
But from the hospital room came a tremendous crash.
A nurse rushed out, heartbroken:
"Miss Vivienne, your mother said she didn't want to drag you down."
"She just... jumped."
Dante sneered:
"Vivienne, tell your mother to stop acting."
"Return the money, and I won't pursue it. At most, you'll be locked up for fifteen days."
I stared blankly at the empty hospital bed, suddenly drained of all strength.
"Is fifteen days enough?"
"Dante, sue me. I'm willing to serve fifteen years."
...
After being held at the police station for fifteen days, Dante posted bail for me.
He wrapped his arm around his female assistant Bianca's waist.
Carelessly:
"Don't threaten me with prison so dramatically."
"Vivienne, since you want in so badly, I'll grant your wish."
"The trial is in three days. All the evidence is here."
I numbly took the evidence.
Densely packed.
Bianca never approved a single expense of mine.
So the black card charges, from one or two dollars for groceries to hundreds or thousands for utilities.
Clearly household expenses, all became evidence Dante used to lengthen my sentence.
But I had long lost the will to fight.
Obediently: "Okay."
The female detective who'd been handling my case couldn't stand it.
"Mr. Vitale, you're husband and wife!"
"Is fifteen days of detention not enough? Vivienne took five hundred thousand only to save her mother. Does it have to go to court?!"
"Money can be earned again. A life lost is gone forever!"
Bianca exaggerated:
"Officer, you don't know."
"At the wedding, Vivienne's mother demanded an extra fifty thousand from Don. No money, no marriage!"
"This family of gold diggers, when they couldn't scam more, started stealing. Don only now planning to sue is already showing mercy for the marriage!"
"But she's already..."
The female detective tried to persuade more.
Dante coldly interrupted: "A family of gold diggers isn't worth sympathy."
He grabbed my wrist and forcibly dragged me out of the station.
"Get in."
"The divorce papers are at home. The Vitale family doesn't need a Donna with a criminal record!"
I pressed my lips.
Obediently reached for the passenger door.
Bianca pushed me aside and got in first.
She blinked.
"Sorry, Miss Vivienne. Don's passenger seat has always been mine. I can't get used to other seats~"
I staggered.
Instinctively looked at Dante.
He curled his lips.
Looked at me amused.
"Bianca was right. Now that it's come to divorce, you can't keep up the act."
"The passenger seat is Bianca's. You have no right to fight for it."
"But if you beg me, I might consider postponing the divorce."
I came back to my senses.
Shook my head, said softly: "I won't fight."
"Dante, give me five dollars. I'll take a cab myself. I won't trouble you."
His face went cold.
"What cab! Did you fill out the approval form? Bianca hasn't even nodded. What are you using to take a cab?"
Then he shoved me into the back seat without another word.
In the car, I felt dizzy.
Only then did I notice. The jasmine-scented car fragrance I'd used for five years.
Had been replaced with something sickly sweet.
The AC was on full blast.
Bianca sneezed and cooed:
"Don, it's all her fault for leaving the door open so long. The heat all escaped!"
Dante draped the wool coat he'd prepared over her.
Helplessly: "The seat heater's already on the highest setting. Stop fussing."
He glanced at the rearview mirror.
Saw I was still in the short sleeves from fifteen days ago, shivering.
His fingertip hovered over the center console for a second, then didn't press.
"Bianca likes this temperature. You're not as cold-natured as she is. I won't adjust it."
My lower belly cramped.
I gritted my teeth and nodded.
Seven days ago, at the police station medical exam.
I was found to be three months pregnant.
But I still stayed silent.
The hospital called again.
"Mr. Vitale, it's been fifteen days!"
"Miss Vivienne's body has exceeded the morgue's storage time. If you don't claim it by five, we'll have to cremate her!"
"Cremation is free. If you confirm, you only need to pay fifty dollars for the urn!"
Dante said impatiently:
"Confirmed. But I won't pay. Scatter the ashes in the sea. Don't ask me."
My heart lurched.
Before I could stop him, he hung up.
In the records.
Fifteen missed calls. Over sixty texts asking him to confirm my mother's body.
All read, none answered.
I finally couldn't bear it. My eyes went completely red.
"Stop the car. I'll go claim her!"
第2章
Dante frowned deeply.
"Vivienne, you're as good at acting as your mother."
"Bianca already confirmed it. Your mother took the five hundred thousand and ran abroad long ago!"
I held back tears.
"Dante, I'm begging you. Real or fake, just come to the hospital with me and you'll know!"
Dante was dazed for a moment.
But the car had already entered the neighborhood.
He lowered his voice in warning:
"Go home and sign the divorce papers. Don't play tricks in front of Mom."
"...I'll take you to the hospital later."
I wiped my tears.
Only when I found the divorce papers in the room and signed my name.
Did I finally breathe a sigh of relief.
But when I saw the withered jasmine in the corner.
My heart still ached with a fine, dense pain.
That was the flower we'd raised from a seed.
In fifteen days, Dante hadn't watered it once.
When we were dating, he played the poor boy and squeezed into a thirty-square-meter rental with me.
When he learned I liked jasmine, he spent a month's salary on the finest seed.
Now the flower was dead.
The Dante who loved me was gone too.
Dante followed my gaze.
A flicker of regret in his eyes.
He was about to speak when Caterina pushed the door open.
She saw the divorce papers and raised her voice:
"Divorce?!"
"Viv, are you being wronged? Don't rush. Tell Mom. Mom will back you up!"
I looked at her worried expression.
My eyes welled up again.
When my mother suddenly asked for fifty thousand, Dante hesitated for a long time.
It was Caterina who made the decision.
"A mere fifty thousand. The Vitale family can afford it! Viv must marry in today!"
So after I found out I was pregnant, I only told her.
I forced a bitter smile.
"It's fine, Mom."
Bianca said innocently:
"Exactly. What trouble could Miss Vivienne have?"
"Ma'am, even if Miss Vivienne is being sued by Don, her stealing Don's black card and swiping five hundred thousand is a fact!"
Caterina froze.
"Sue?"
"Yes," Dante's voice deepened, "the lawyer said, likely fifteen years."
Caterina's eyes went strange.
She looked at me with disappointment.
Then closed her eyes.
"The Vitale family's children must never have a mother with a criminal record!"
Bianca covered her belly.
Blushed, "Ma'am, didn't we agree to keep it a secret!"
I froze.
Dante was both shocked and delighted.
He quickly pulled my chair away and helped her sit.
I couldn't dodge in time.
My belly hit the table corner, pain contorting my face.
But I still endured it and said softly:
"Dante, it's four-thirty. Take me to the hospital. I need to claim my mother's ashes!"
Caterina calmly ordered:
"A child can't be without a father. Dante, drive Bianca to her prenatal checkup."
"Viv, the hospital isn't far anyway. Let the driver take you."
Dante nodded immediately.
Before leaving, Bianca gave the driver a look.
What should have been a ten-minute drive, he circled three times.
Took a full twenty-five minutes.
Even though I ran the whole way, the time was still 5:14.
The nurse regretfully informed me:
"Sorry, Miss Vivienne."
"We've already followed Mr. Vitale's instructions and scattered your mother's ashes into the sea."
My pupils trembled, my mind blank.
The driver held up the phone.
Bianca's sarcastic voice:
"Miss Vivienne, do you really think that just because we can't see the ashes, we'll believe you?"
Dante said disappointedly:
"And I actually believed your nonsense... What a waste of time!"
My lower belly suddenly dropped.
My heart turned to ash.
I opened the chat with Caterina:
【Ma'am, you were right. A child can't have a mother with a criminal record.】
【So, please schedule the abortion for me.】
第3章
The "typing..." indicator appeared and disappeared.
Perhaps because I suddenly called her "Ma'am."
After a long time, she replied:
【Okay. Tonight at eleven, at the gynecology hospital where I scheduled your prenatal checkup.】
Dante gave the driver a few more instructions:
"If nothing's wrong, just take her home. Save us more trouble."
"Also, bring her wedding ring. The Donna's position needs a new occupant."
The call ended.
The driver yanked off my wedding ring.
A ring worn for five years, already like flesh and blood.
Forcibly torn off, it felt like my heart was being ripped out.
"Sorry, Miss Vivienne. This is Don's order!"
I clutched my aching belly.
Begged: "Please take me to the gynecology hospital. I have no money. I can't get a cab."
He hesitated a second.
His phone buzzed. It was Dante:
【Hurry up.】
【Emotional fluctuations affect the prenatal checkup. Put the ring on. Only then can Bianca be at ease.】
I closed my eyes in despair and let the driver go.
Dragging my exhausted body, I walked alone to the gynecology hospital three kilometers away.
When I arrived.
Dr. Adrian, who was handling the surgery, was shocked by my pale face.
He quickly helped me rest.
I waved my hand, insisted on completing the pre-op tests.
Dr. Adrian couldn't dissuade me.
He couldn't help asking: "Miss Vivienne, what happened? I looked at your records before. Your data showed you were very healthy."
"But in just a few days, significant weight loss, abnormal cortisol elevation. Forced abortion carries a risk of hemorrhage!"
"Sorry, we must notify your family. Only with a signed pre-op agreement can we proceed."
I lowered my eyes. "But I have no family left."
Dr. Adrian sighed. "We must be responsible for your safety."
I pressed my lips, not wanting to make things hard for Dr. Adrian.
Afraid Dante wouldn't believe it, I video-called him.
On the fifth try, he finally answered.
"What is it?"
The screen was pitch black. Dante's voice was hoarse.
Dr. Adrian quickly answered:
"Miss Vivienne is very weak. If we proceed with the abortion, the risk is extremely high."
"Mr. Vitale, you're her husband, right? Please come to the hospital to confirm the surgery."
The video went silent.
I asked: "Dante?"
The screen's glow revealed ambiguous red marks on his neck.
My eyes stung.
Bianca's voice carried an ambiguous breathiness:
"Miss Vivienne, you're quite the actress. Even changed the background."
"But since you're divorced, Don has real business to attend to. Please find someone else~"
Dante looked at me darkly, his tone certain:
"Vivienne, five hundred thousand isn't enough? Scheming to get more of my money. Are you that desperate?"
"Regretting agreeing to the net-zero exit in the agreement?"
My heart sank.
"No, I won't spend your money."
He snorted: "Fine. No money, I agree to anything."
The video hung up.
My eyes reddened.
"Dr. Adrian, please start the surgery."
Fortunately, the surgery went smoothly.
I rested for a day and could finally walk.
But the moment I turned on my phone, 99+ new messages popped up.
【Gold digger, had enough of scamming? Go scam your mother's coffin money!】
I was stunned.
Scrolled down for five minutes.
Only then did I see Dante's only three messages that day:
【Bianca is doing anti-fraud awareness lately. She posted your case online and accidentally exposed your personal information.】
【The post went viral. Netizens are aggressive. They'll probably come find you.】
【Be the bigger person. At most, after the court verdict, I'll have Bianca apologize to you.】