Chapter 1

Everyone in the city's underworld knew Julian Cole and I were two cutthroats made for each other.

I was cold and calculating; he was bloodthirsty and ruthless. Leaning on one another, we carved our empire out of a mountain of corpses, ruling this city with an iron fist.

Julian once swore he would love me until the day he died.

Until the day he took a bullet for me and met a little nurse named Clara. She patched his wounds, cooked him warm soup, and promised him the ordinary, peaceful home he had never known.

Julian fell for it.

Now, holding the hand of his pregnant little nurse, he finally laid his cards on the table:

"Scarlett, you will always be my only wife. But let Clara stay, please?"

I stared at him for a very long time before finally nodding.

"Why...?" I asked softly.

Julian lowered his head. "I'm sorry. I'm just tired."

He thought I was asking why his heart had strayed.

He was wrong.

I was only mourning the fact that of all the men I had kept around over the years, Julian was the one who looked most like *him*.

In the end, he was useless after all.

I turned, stepping into the shadows, and gave a cold command:

"Kill them. Make it clean."

The moment the words left my mouth, guards lurking in the shadows drew their blades, stepping straight toward Clara.

A suffocating wave of murderous intent flooded the room.

"No! Julian—" Clara shrieked, terrified, shrinking entirely behind Julian’s back.

Julian immediately shielded her, glaring up at me in outrage.

"Scarlett Kane, what the hell is the meaning of this?!"

"Scarlett Kane..."

Leaning back into the leather sofa, I rolled my full name over my tongue with a faint, amused smile.

"Julian, how long has it been since you called me by my first and last name?"

"The last time... was five years ago when you proposed to me, wasn't it? How nostalgic."

Julian’s eyes flickered with a brief hesitation.

I lit a slim cigarette, letting the smoke drift between us as my eyes shifted to the trembling figure behind him.

"Miss Hayes, if I recall correctly, your name was on the charity list of students I funded through college."

"You ate off my plate, lived on my dime, and now you’re here to steal my husband? Don't you think that’s poor manners?"

Clara was scared out of her wits.

At my words, her knees buckled, and she sank to the floor with a hard *thud*.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Kane!" she sobbed.

"I know what I did was wrong, but Julian and I truly love each other. Please, I beg you, let us be together!"

She even moved to press her forehead against the floor, but Julian quickly pulled her to her feet. He whispered a few gentle comforts before turning back to face me.

"Scarlett, there’s no need to be this cruel."

"If you can't stand having Clara under this roof, I'll take her and leave. The three north harbor docks are yours. Consider it my repayment for what she owes you."

Silence descended upon the grand hall.

Everyone in the room understood what that meant: he was severing all ties with me.

Looking at that familiar face, I slowly exhaled two smoke rings.

I gave him one final chance.

"Julian, are you certain you want to keep her?"

Julian looked down, his thumb gently wiping away Clara's tears. When he looked up, his jaw was set with resolve:

"Let Clara stay, Scarlett. She's gentle. She won’t ever threaten your position."

"I’m just... tired of the blood."

The cigarette burned down to the filter, searing my skin with a sharp sting.

Hopeless.

I stubbed the butt out in the crystal ashtray and turned to my butler.

"Have the second-floor sunroom prepared for Miss Hayes. Call Dr. Miller as well. She’s pregnant, after all—it wouldn't do to stress the baby."

The tension drained from Julian’s face.

He thought I had compromised.

He took a step forward, looking as if he wanted to offer a few sweet words. "Scarlett, I—"

I raised a hand, cutting him off without a word.

"It's late. Take Miss Hayes to rest."

Seeing my icy expression, Julian merely nodded, wrapped his arm around Clara, and walked away.

Only when their footsteps faded completely did I let out a soft, hollow sigh.

"Arthur... he doesn't look like Silas anymore."

The old butler shook his head gently, offering a quiet murmur of comfort:

"Miss Kane, Mr. Silas was one of a kind. There will never be another like him."

"This one is merely a cheap imitation. He has the face, but not the soul... You don't need to break your heart over him."

I closed my eyes, sinking deep into the dark embrace of the couch.

After a long silence, Arthur stepped closer, asking carefully:

"Are you... still reluctant to let him go?"

I scoffed softly and opened my eyes. There was not a trace of warmth in them.

"Reluctant over a counterfeit? Never. I'm just trying to decide what kind of death is too good for him."

"Find an opportunity to ruin that face."

The lighter clicked, its small flame illuminating my features as I lit another cigarette. My voice carried a dark, obsessive edge:

"I will not tolerate him dying with Silas's face."

I tilted my head, flashing Arthur an innocent, cruel smile.

"Besides, I'm not the only one who wants him dead."

"Isn't that right, Miss Hayes?"