Chapter 1

Just how rich can a person be?

My husband, Don Leonardo Bianchi, is incredibly wealthy. Every time he abandons me for his childhood sweetheart, Sofia Rossi, he gives me a building.

The first time, it was a luxury apartment building with a sea view.

The tenth time, it was a commercial property in the prime downtown area.

By the 50th time, the general managers of several real estate companies had started calling me "Boss".

Five years into our marriage, my real estate spreads across the entire country.

When the deed to the 97th building is delivered to me, Sofia sends me a taunting voice message.

"You might have the property deeds, but I have Leonardo. Aurora Esposito, tell me, which one of us is the real winner?"

After listening to it, I don't cry or make a scene. Instead, this time I take the initiative to draft an agreement and wait for Leonardo to sign it.

Once Leonardo comes back, he signs it and praises me for being magnanimous. He then takes me to a party as his date.

At the party, Sofia loses game after game and is stripped down to only her underwear.

When she loses once more, she turns to me—who is wearing only a dress—with a meaningful smile and says, "What's the fun in just me taking things off? I think Aurora, the perfect Donna, should join in too."

Amid the clamor of cheering, I quietly look at Leonardo.

"You just have to take off one piece of clothing. Don't spoil everyone's fun. When we get back, I'll give you another building," he whispered to me coaxingly.

I calmly acquiesce. Little does he know that he won't have another chance to give me anything, because what he blindly signed earlier is our divorce papers.

Chapter 1

Aurora's POV

After midnight, the game in the private room began. A deck of playing cards lay on the table, and seated around it were bored Mafia brass and their wives.

The rule was simple—for every round we lost, off came an item of clothing.

Sofia Rossi lost the first round, so she bent down and removed her high heels. In the second round, she took off her dress. In the end, all she had left on her body was a black lace bra and a garter belt.

Her cheeks burned bright red from alcohol and mortification.

She had lost again.

When the host announced that she had to remove one more item, she suddenly snatched up a champagne glass from the table and smashed it against the edge.

The glass shattered. She picked up the sharpest shard and pressed it against her throat, her posture resolute.

"I won't strip!" she said in a trembling voice. "I'd rather die than endure this humiliation!"

The atmosphere in the private room instantly cooled.

Leonardo Bianchi's jaw tightened abruptly. "Sofia, put it down. No one is going to humiliate you, I swear."

He grabbed her wrist and carefully removed the shard of glass.

Then, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and lowered his head to examine the wound, as if nothing else in the room mattered to him—including me.

Just a few days earlier, I had been hospitalized from overwork.

Tonight was my first time going out since being discharged, but he hadn't even asked me once, "How are you feeling?"

Yet, a single scratch on Sofia's neck was enough to send him into a panic.

Only after he made sure she was fine did he finally lift his head and look at me. "Aurora, take the punishment on behalf of Sofia."

A stir immediately rippled through the room.

His meaning was clear to everyone—the loser could name someone to take their place.

If I agreed, Sofia would be able to keep her dignity. But if I refused, she would become the biggest laughingstock of the night.

Sofia bit her lip and took the chance to nestle a little closer into Leonardo's arms.

"Yeah. What's the fun in just me stripping? I think Aurora should join in too."

I had already seen that pitiful, fragile look on her face too many times. Whenever she wanted something, she would put on that exact expression, and Leonardo could never refuse her.

Sure enough, the cold hardness in Leonardo's eyes gradually melted away. When he spoke again, there was a trace of resignation in his tone.

"It's just a game. Why don't you take her place just this once?"

The casual dismissiveness in his voice was all too familiar.

I watched him quietly.

Over the past two years, every time he chose Sofia over me, a new property—high-rise apartments, office buildings, luxury condominiums—would end up under my name.

By now, I'd accumulated 97 properties, each one an apology and a reminder that for him, giving me money was always far easier than staying faithful.

Tonight would make the 98th time.

At the other end of the private room, someone had opened a new bottle of wine while another person had taken out their phone. Everyone was waiting with bated breath to see whether I'd submit to Leonardo yet again.

Sofia was already smiling triumphantly. After all, she had come out on top every single time for years.

I lowered my eyes and gave a slight nod. "Okay."

Relief flashed across Leonardo's face, while Sofia smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Neither of them noticed the look on my face.

I was already counting down silently in my mind. It wouldn't be long before I'd finished repaying the debt I owed Leonardo for saving my life.

And when the count reached zero, I would leave and never come back.

Chapter 2

Aurora's POV

"Oh my God, Aurora actually agreed?"

"What's so strange about that? When has she ever refused Leonardo?"

The laughter in the room grew louder.

As I was seated at the center of the private room, I could feel the weight of countless mocking stares—all except Leonardo's.

His head was bent low as he tenderly tucked a loose lock of hair behind Sofia's ear. Whatever he whispered to her, she immediately broke into a radiant smile.

For a moment, I didn't know whether I should laugh or cry. He had just tossed my dignity into the middle of the room for everyone's amusement, and yet he never once looked back at me.

Then again, when I really thought about it, nothing was surprising about that.

Sofia had always been the woman he couldn't forget. Now that she had finally re-entered his life, his attention, his patience, his indulgence, and even all his tenderness had found their rightful place once again.

In fact, I had never stood a chance against the ghost of that old love he'd longed for all those years.

I forced down the bitterness surging in my chest and lifted my gaze to Leonardo.

"If I do this, does it count as one?" I asked.

The room fell briefly silent.

"Count as one what? Aurora, are you settling scores with Leonardo?" someone asked.

Scattered laughter broke out around the room. They thought I was joking.

Only Leonardo didn't laugh. His expression shifted almost imperceptibly—because he knew exactly what I was talking about.

After a few seconds of silence, he nodded slowly. "Yes."

My fingers tightened sharply around the wine glass.

I forced out a smile and said, "Very well, then. I'll do it."

No one could follow our conversation, much less know of the promise we'd made eight years before.

I was 19 years old that year, fresh to the world of show business. At a private cocktail party, a wealthy businessman invited me to what he euphemistically described as an "overseas engagement".

I accepted, only to be taken to a nameless island.

For three whole months, I lost my freedom. Every morning when I opened my eyes, I wondered if I would ever leave that place alive.

Later, it was Leonardo who saved me. At that time, he was already the youngest Don of the Bianchi family.

To find me, he nearly turned half the underworld upside down.

One by one, he hunted down everyone involved, and they all received their due punishment. Their companies were bought out, their funds frozen, their cases reinvestigated.

In the end, Leonardo brought me home.

For a very long time, I believed it was fate. It wasn't until later that I learned I reminded him of someone.

The curve of my smile, the shape of my eyes, and even the way I habitually tilted my head when lost in thought—they all carried a resemblance to Sofia.

When I learned the truth, it hurt so much I could barely breathe. But by then, I had already fallen in love with Leonardo.

The night he saved me, I asked him how I could ever repay him.

He leaned back into the couch, a teasing yet tender smile on his lips. "I want you to stay by my side."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm being serious."

His smile deepened, and he reached out and pulled me into his arms.

"Then give me 100 forgiveness credits."

"What do you mean?"

"If I ever hurt you one day, just mark it down. It'll count against one credit, and you'll forgive me."

I couldn't help but laugh at how absurd the idea was. "And what if you used up all 100 of the credits?"

His smile gradually faded. "Then we're even."

Back then, neither of us ever imagined there would come a day when we would actually use the forgiveness credits.

And for many years after that, we indeed didn't.

Leonardo cleared every obstacle from my path, provided me with resources and opportunities, and protected me all the way into the spotlight.

By the time I was 25 years old, I had already made it onto the international screen and become a regular fixture on countless magazine covers.

Every time a reporter asked me about marriage, I always smiled, because I truly believed I was loved.

It wasn't until Sofia came back that everything changed.

…

"Fine, I'll strip in place of Sofia," I said.

I snapped back to the present and began to unbutton my dress. The fabric slipped from my shoulders and pooled at my feet.

My vision blurred, and a wave of dizziness washed over me.

People around me were cheering, clapping, and a few were even whistling.

I didn't stop. I reached for the next piece, then another one.

When the last garment fell away, my sight had grown hazy and unsteady. I gripped the edge of the table to steady myself, then slowly sank onto the nearest couch.

This was the 98th time.

I lowered my eyes and stared at the floor.

The dim lights reflected off the polished marble, and on its surface I caught a glimpse of my own pale face.

Leonardo only had to hurt me two more times, and everything between us—the gratitude, the debts, the promises, and all those years of twisted love and resentment—would come to an end for good.

Chapter 3

Aurora's POV

The driver, Marco Rinaldi, dropped me back at the estate. I didn't ask where Leonardo had gone.

The following days were eerily quiet.

The vast villa had always felt desolate. Before, there had at least been the sound of two people's footsteps. But now, with Leonardo gone, the silence was heavier than ever.

Like a ghost drifting through old memories, I wandered from room to room each day.

Until one day, Leonardo's Consigliere, Francesco Moretti, showed up at the door with a familiar folder in hand.

"Don Bianchi asked me to deliver this," he said. "Consider it compensation for what happened at the party."

It was this playbook again.

I lowered my head and took the document. I didn't even need to open it to know what was inside.

After Francesco left, I sat alone in the study and opened the folder. Sure enough, clipped to the first page was a new property deed for an entire commercial building in the prime downtown area, worth far more than any of the previous ones.

I stared at the deed for a long time, then picked up a pen and slowly wrote the number "98" on the first page.

The moment the ink bled onto the paper, I felt a sharp pang in my chest.

I stood up and walked over to the bookshelf. Then, I reached out and pushed aside the oil painting on the wall.

Hidden behind it was a secret compartment, and inside were neatly arranged identical folders. They were numbered from one to the latest number, stacked in perfect order.

Behind me, the butler, Matteo Ricci, couldn't help but remark, "Don Bianchi truly dotes on you."

The household staff nearby chimed in as well.

"Yes, he used to send gifts only once every few months. But now, hardly a fortnight passes without something new."

"It's clear that you are the one Don Bianchi truly holds closest to his heart."

I listened quietly and finally just smiled, offering no explanation.

They mistook compensation for love. But those two things were never the same.

Love was favoritism, steadfastness, and always taking my side. Compensation, on the other hand, was just a chip he cashed in to soothe his own conscience after the damage was done.

I had just closed the hidden compartment when Camilla Costa, the assistant Leonardo had assigned to me, called.

"Donna Bianchi, what on earth did you do?"

My heart sank. "What are you talking about?"

"Go see for yourself online." She sounded utterly panicked. "Oh my god, everyone is talking about you."

Camilla hung up and sent me a link.

When I tapped it open with trembling fingers, it felt as if all the blood in my body had frozen solid in an instant.

The top ten trending topics were dominated entirely by terms such as "Perfect Aurora Esposito Exposed", "Donna Bianchi Uncensored HD", and "Donna Bianchi Secret Rendezvous with Male Escort".

A video thumbnail seared itself into my eyes. In the footage, my hair was a mess, my cheeks flushed, and I was so drunk I could barely sit upright.

The shot had been deliberately cropped to cut out everyone else around, leaving only the angle most likely to invite misunderstanding. Anyone who saw it would jump to the filthiest conclusions.

The number of comments had already reached hundreds of thousands.

"The perfect Donna? More like a perfect slut."

"So, this is what she's really like behind closed doors. She definitely slept her way to the top."

"A gold-digging attention whore like her isn't fit to be the Donna of the Bianchi family."

Each word needled its way into my eyes. My breathing grew rapid, and a dull roar filled my ears.

My phone tumbled from my hand as all the strength left my body. Just as I was about to collapse, someone caught me firmly.

The familiar scent of cedar enveloped me, and a deep voice sounded above me.

"Don't look."

Leonardo had come back. This was the first time he had come home since the party that night.

He gathered me into his arms and gently covered my eyes with his hand, as if afraid I might see those venomous insults again.

"I'll handle this," he said, his voice tight with barely suppressed anger.

I looked up blankly and saw his expression had turned ice-cold.

The next second, he glanced over his shoulder at his Soldati, his gaze so sharp it was terrifying.

"Look into this! Spare no one who had a hand in this."

In that moment, a small flame of hope flickered back to life in my dead heart. I almost believed that this time, Leonardo would finally take my side.

Just then, a relaxed and teasing voice drifted in from the doorway.

"Leonardo, why are you so angry?"

Sofia was leaning against the doorframe, absentmindedly admiring her manicured nails.

"I'm the one who posted the video online. Aurora's so beautiful—it'd be a shame to keep her hidden. Besides, good things are meant to be shared for everyone to appreciate."

Something finally snapped inside of me. Humiliation, rage, grief, and all kinds of emotions intertwined and surged over me like a tidal wave.

I strode toward Sofia. But before I could make another move, someone suddenly seized my wrist with a force so strong it hurt.

I froze and looked up to find Leonardo standing in front of Sofia like an insurmountable wall.

"Aurora, that's enough!" he shouted.

For a split second, I thought I must have heard wrong. I looked from him to Sofia and back again, my eyes searing and raw.

"Sofia did this. How do you plan to handle it?" I forced the words out with difficulty.

Leonardo was silent for a moment. "I'll have my men delete the video and remove all copies."

My heart sank bit by bit.

With reddened eyes, I looked at him. "That's not the point at all. She wanted to destroy me and ruin my reputation!"

"I said I'll handle it."

"Sofia must pay the price."

"Aurora Esposito!" Leonardo finally lost his patience. "Stop this nonsense! As long as I am your husband, no one can truly hurt you?"

I was struck dumb. How could he say that?

What was I supposed to make of the millions hurling abuse at me online? What of my career? And my reputation?

Worse still, Sofia wouldn't even have to face a single consequence.

At that moment, Sofia's eyes quickly reddened, and tears came on cue.

"Leonardo, please don't be mad at Aurora," she said between sobs. "This is all my fault. I never expected things would turn out this way."

As she spoke, she actually moved to kneel before me.

"Aurora, I'm sorry. If this has made you unhappy, I'll confess publicly that I fabricated the video—even if it means my name will be dragged through the mud. I just don't want the two of you to fight because of me."

Leonardo's expression softened immediately. When he looked at me again, his eyes were filled with exhaustion, anger, and disappointment.

"Aurora, Sofia has already apologized. What more do you want? Didn't you always say work was too tiring? Well, now it's a good opportunity to take a break. Just stay at home, relax, rest, and enjoy life a little."

My breath caught, and I looked at him in disbelief.

He, who had once gone against the whole world to save me, now wanted to hide me away.

Chapter 4

Aurora's POV

My heart finally crumbled entirely into ash.

Leonardo handed me a statement waiving the right to pursue accountability.

"Be a dear and sign it. Once this blows over, I'll help you return to acting." His voice was soft, but the threat beneath it was unmistakable. "But if you keep making a fuss, don't even think about setting foot outside this estate."

I looked at the man whom I once believed would sooner set the world ablaze than allow anyone to lay a finger on me.

"I'm not going to sign anything."

Even though I sounded steady, my hands were trembling uncontrollably at my sides.

I tried to step back, but the Soldati were faster. Before I could even reach the edge of the table, the two of them had already pinned my arms down firmly.

Someone thrust a pen into my hand and forced me to sign the paper. As I struggled, the nib left behind a jagged, erratic trail.

In the end, my signature was wrenched onto that statement against my will. It was crooked and broken, much like me in that moment.

When they finally released me, I collapsed weakly to the floor.

By that point, I didn't even have any anger left. All that remained was a vast, hollow numbness.

Leonardo looked down and adjusted his cuffs, as if everything that had just happened was nothing more than a trivial interlude.

When he spoke again, he didn't even look at me.

"Aurora will come around."

He seemed to be trying to convince Sofia as much as he was trying to convince himself.

Sofia's voice drifted over, light and teasing. "You're just too soft on her."

"Don't worry. If she still wants to return to the entertainment industry, she'll behave," Leonardo said flatly.

Suddenly, he paused, as if remembering something. "Give her one forgiveness credit. She still has plenty left anyway."

I slowly closed my eyes. Plenty? Well, he was wrong.

In fact, there was only one left.

After they left, I struggled to my feet and limped to the bedroom. From the bottom drawer of the vanity, I took out the journal I had been writing in all along.

Once, it had recorded shooting schedules, film premieres, and acceptance speeches. Later, it served only one purpose—to record numbers.

I murmured "99" under my breath as I wrote it down, then I shut the journal.

A voice sounded from the doorway.

"Ninety-nine what?"

I stiffened and looked up. Leonardo had appeared by the door at some point without my noticing.

Rather than waiting for me to answer, he walked straight in and reached for the journal.

I dodged instinctively and quickly stuffed it back into the drawer. "It's nothing."

Leonardo paused briefly, then let out a soft laugh. A look of fond remembrance softened his eyes.

"You still keep a book of grudges? After all these years, you still haven't changed your habit of holding grudges. Remember when we first got married and I lost the ring? I replaced it with a soda can tab, and you said you'd mark that down in your little note?"

He chuckled lightly before continuing, "You used to always threaten me with it, saying if I messed up again, you'd mark it down."

I remained quiet. So, he had mistaken my record-keeping for forgiveness.

"Alright, stop sulking. Take a look at this."

He put an end to the topic on his own, pulling another document from behind his back and pressing it into my arms.

"This is for you. The media's been taken care of, more or less. You'll be able to go back to work next month."

The document was yet another property deed.

I closed the folder and said calmly, "Okay."

He furrowed his brow slightly. "That's it?"

"What else should I say?" I looked up at him. "Thank you, Don Bianchi?"

That one sentence made his expression darken instantly.

"Aurora, drop the attitude. I already handled the situation, compensated you, and even apologized on Sofia's behalf. What more do you want?"

I gazed at him quietly and suddenly felt utterly exhausted.

What more did I want? I had never wanted properties, or money, or even a flimsy apology.

All I wanted was for him to take my side, yet he couldn't even fulfill that simplest of wishes.

I lowered my eyes and said slowly, "I understand."

Leonardo looked at me, his brow furrowing deeper by the second. Something about me in that moment unsettled him in a way he couldn't name.

He seemed to want to say something, but in the end, he only let out a heavy sigh and turned to leave.

The next day, he sent a message.

"Come to the racetrack. Make sure you're there. If you really don't want to come, you can use one forgiveness credit."

I stared at the screen for a long time, then obediently got into the car.

This was the last one.

Chapter 5

Aurora's POV

The car passed through a succession of iron gates before coming to a halt in front of the city's most exclusive private equestrian club. This place had always been open only to a select few of the powerful and wealthy.

Tall white fences surrounded the entire grounds, with neatly manicured grass stretching into the distance.

Everything was expensive and dignified. Yet, for some reason, the moment I stepped out of the car, I felt an inexplicable unease.

It was too quiet. The usual stream of riders coming and going was nowhere to be seen, and even from the direction of the stables, there was hardly any sound.

I stood there for a moment, scanning the area. But I didn't see Leonardo.

My unease grew stronger, so I turned around to leave.

Suddenly, the rapid sound of hoofbeats rang out from behind me, and a tremendous force slammed violently into my back.

I was sent hurtling forward, my right leg crashing heavily onto the ground. A searing pain instantly tore through my entire body.

The hoofbeats came to a stop not far away, and I heard a laugh I knew all too well.

"Were you looking for Leonardo?"

I struggled to push myself up and looked toward the source of the voice.

Sofia sat astride a tall chestnut horse. The sunlight fell upon her, making that face of hers all the more dazzlingly beautiful.

However, her eyes were filled with a malice that sent a chill down my spine.

"Stop looking. He's not here. I was the one who called you here."

Almost at the same moment, two tall, broad-shouldered Soldati emerged from behind the stables.

They flanked the exit, completely cutting off any escape.

Fighting through the pain in my leg, I stood up and said icily, "What do you want?"

Sofia laughed softly, as if she had heard something amusing. She urged her horse closer, the hooves stopping just inches away from me.

"I just have one question I've never been able to figure out," she said, her voice soft but dangerous. "Aurora, you've already become a laughingstock across the entire internet.

"Everyone has seen you dead drunk and barely dressed. Both your image and reputation are ruined, and your career is on the verge of collapse."

At this, the smile on her face slowly faded away. "So why does Leonardo still refuse to divorce you?"

I looked at her and suddenly found her somewhat pathetic. After all the effort she had put into scheming and plotting, this was still the only thing she cared about.

"I haven't been trying to hold onto him," I said slowly.

Sofia let out a scornful laugh. "Of course you haven't. Because you know that you could never win against me."

She spurred her horse forward and slammed into me hard once again.

I stumbled backward, my lower back crashing violently against the fence. The pain was so intense that my vision went black.

Sofia only laughed with increasing delight.

"Even so, I still find you a terrible eyesore. I heard you've insured that face of yours for an astronomical sum. Then again, it's what kept you basking in the limelight all these years with such a dazzling career. How I envy you."

Sofia raised her hand, and one of the Soldati immediately handed her a riding crop. The black leather whip gleamed with a cold light under the sun.

My breath caught sharply in my throat.

"It was such a shame that I didn't get to properly enjoy the sight of you making a fool of yourself at the party last time. But today we have an entire afternoon. I'd like to see how you'll show your face in front of the cameras once it's been ruined!"

She raised her hand, and the riding crop came slashing violently toward my face.

I threw myself to the side on pure instinct and rolled across the ground. The whip struck the earth heavily, just an inch from my head, kicking up a cloud of dust.

I scrambled desperately toward the fence, my palms scraped raw and bleeding from the rough gravel.

But I hadn't crawled more than a few steps before Sofia was already shouting at the Solfadi, "Hold her down!"

The Soldati lunged at me, grabbing my arms and wrenching my head up with force.

I watched Sofia ride closer.

"Sofia, please, don't do this." I finally heard my own voice, laced with a desperation I had never known before.

Sofia burst out laughing immediately, the sound dripping with malicious pleasure.

"Just look at the great Donna Bianchi groveling in the mud. I've waited years for this moment."

She raised the riding crop high, aiming straight for my face.

I shut my eyes, bracing for the searing pain about to strike my face, when Leonardo's roar exploded like a thunderclap.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Chapter 6

Aurora's POV

Everyone froze. The two Soldati immediately released me and backed away.

I pushed against the ground and struggled to lift my head, my vision blurred by blood and sweat.

Through the haze, I saw Leonardo charging toward us.

I was covered in mud and grime. My arms and shoulders were riddled with bruises, and my dress was torn and ragged from being dragged around.

In short, I was so battered and wretched I barely looked human.

Before one of the Soldati could even open his mouth to explain, Leonardo had already slammed the butt of his gun viciously into his jaw. The sickening crunch of metal against bone made one's scalp crawl.

The man was sent hurtling against the fence and crashed heavily to the ground. The other Soldato was taken down immediately after.

Without sparing them another glance, Leonardo kneeled down beside me. His hands trembled as he carefully wiped the mud and blood from my face.

"Aurora, look at me." His voice was taut with tension. "Are you hurt?"

If it had been the me from before, hearing those words would probably have made me so happy I'd want to cry. But now, my eyes felt so numb I couldn't even shed a tear.

I turned my head away slightly to avoid his touch. "Let go of me."

Leonardo paused. He then acted as if he hadn't heard me, draping his jacket over my shoulders and reaching out to lift me into his arms.

"Let's get to the hospital first. We'll deal with everything else later."

Just then, a piercing shriek suddenly tore through the air.

"Leonardo, help!"

Everyone turned around at once.

Not far away, Sofia had collapsed onto the grass. The horse she had been riding just moments ago had been spooked and was now galloping wildly in the distance.

Sofia clutched her leg, tears streaming down her face. "Leonardo, my legs hurt so much. The horse threw me off. Leonardo, please help me!"

Leonardo froze mid-motion. I could clearly feel his body go rigid for an instant.

He furrowed his brow, his gaze shifting back and forth between the two of us.

Even at a moment like this, he was still hesitating.

Sofia's sobs grew louder and louder. "Leonardo, you swore you would protect me forever!"

At last, Leonardo closed his eyes, as if he had made up his mind. He let go of the hand that was supporting me.

"I have to take Sofia to the hospital first. She's badly hurt. You can understand, can't you?"

I let out a bitter laugh. Sure enough, no matter how many times this scene played out, the ending never changed.

As long as Sofia shed a single tear, Leonardo would always choose her.

I looked him straight in the eye and said softly, "Leonardo, you just used up the last forgiveness credit."

Leonardo froze. A flicker of panic crossed his face when it dawned on him what I was talking about.

"Aurora—" He instinctively wanted to explain, but Sofia let out another agonized cry just then.

That sound was like a knife, mercilessly cutting off all the words left unspoken.

Leonardo turned away and walked toward her after all. Before leaving, he glanced back at me one last time with a pleading look in his eyes.

"I know you've been wronged. This time, I will make sure you get the satisfactory resolution you deserve."

With that, he picked up the shrieking Sofia without hesitation and walked away without a backward glance.

I lay on the cold ground, watching his retreating figure until it disappeared entirely.

I didn't go to the hospital. Instead, I dragged my battered body into the waiting car and returned to the Bianchi family's villa.

Francesco, already waiting at the villa, handed me yet another folder. Just as before, I placed it inside the hidden compartment.

There were exactly 100 of them. The collection was finally complete.

I then walked to the living room and placed three items on the table—my journal, the divorce papers, and the termination contract with the company.

Having done all that, I pulled out a sticky note and lowered my head to write one final message.

"Leonardo, we're even now."

…

An hour later, I boarded the flight with my suitcase in hand. The plane took off, soaring straight into the clouds.

Outside the window, Ceyera Island—which had once held all my love and all my pain—grew smaller and smaller, until it vanished completely beyond the sea of clouds.

I gently closed my eyes, and for the first time, I felt I could breathe freely.

The story of Leonardo and me ended here.