Chapter 1

For five years, I played the spoiled wife of Ricci Santiago. The mafia boss of BlackSword Organization.

No one knew I was actually the most feared mafia heiress in Naples. I hid my identity because Ricci liked obedient women. He wanted a wife who stayed at home, smiled when he came back, and never asked too many questions.

So I hid everything.

And for five years, I truly loved him.

Then he fell for Valerie, one of BlackSword’s best assassins.

The first time I caught them together, I found Valerie in Ricci’s private bedroom, wrapped in his shirt, while Ricci stood beside the bed fastening his belt.

Ricci barely looked guilty.

“She has a fever,” he said calmly. “I'm just warming her up. Don't misunderstand.”

I believed him.

The second time happened during a mission.

I opened the safehouse door and found them naked beneath the same blanket, curled against each other.

“We were drugged,” Ricci said. “Neither of us knew what we were doing.”

I still believed him.

The third time was at my parents’ funeral.

That was when something inside me finally broke.

My parents had died unexpectedly, and I went to Naples alone to bring their ashes home. My twelve uncles held a private funeral for them, and every person there knew exactly who I was.

The eldest of my uncles placed my parents’ service pistols into my hands and said quietly, “From today onward, you’re not the little princess anymore. You’re the commander of this territory.”

I stared at the guns in my hands.

My parents were dead.

And my husband wasn’t there.

Not even once.

After the funeral, I called Ricci hundred ninety-nine times. He finally answered, sounding annoyed.

“Thalia, Valerie’s injured! She needed to go to the hospital. You called me hundred times because of a funeral? How many times do I have to tell you to grow up?”

I almost laughed.

Instead, I clenched my fingers around my phone.

“You’re my husband, Ricci. My parents died, and you couldn’t even show up. But you had time to take Valerie to the hospital?”

His voice hardened. “Don’t start this again.”

“Then what am I supposed to think? Every time I see you two, there’s another excuse. You’re always together, and then you tell me it’s nothing.”

“Because it is nothing!” he snapped. “We’re comrades. She’s one of BlackSword’s best assassins, and we’ve been through life-or-death situations together. You wouldn’t understand.”

I closed my eyes.

“You think I wouldn’t understand?”

“You’re a housewife, Thalia. You don’t know anything about this life. Just stop being so suspicious.”

I said nothing after that.

A few days later, I brought coffee to his company.

Before I could enter his office, I heard laughter from inside.

“Boss, your wife really is too pampered. She’s nothing like Valerie. Valerie can take care of herself.”

Someone laughed. “You should be careful, though. If Thalia finds out how clingy Valerie is, she might get angry.”

I stopped outside the door.

Then Ricci’s voice came through.

“Valerie’s a top assassin with her own career. She’s strong, capable, and independent. How could Thalia compare to her?” He laughed softly, “Thalia’s just a fucking parasitic vine. She can’t live without a man.”

A parasitic vine?

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

Was this really the man I’d loved for five years?

I had hidden everything for him. I thought love meant putting down my weapons and letting myself be someone’s ordinary wife. But maybe I hadn’t put down my armor.

I’d thrown away my dignity.

I wiped my tears before they could fall, then took out my encrypted phone and called a number I’d buried for five years.

It was answered almost immediately.

“Huntress? Is that really you? You’ve finally decided to come home?”

My throat tightened. “Uncle…”

I looked down at my parents’ pistols.

“I’ll be home in three days.”

“That’s wonderful! I knew you wouldn’t waste your whole life playing house with that pretty boy. Your twelve uncles have been waiting for you. We’ll send a private jet.”

“Okay.”

After I hung up, I looked back at Ricci’s office.

My heart still hurt.

But the hesitation was gone.

He wanted an obedient wife. He’d soon find out what he really married.

…

After packing all my luggage, I went straight to one of my family's nightclubs.

It was one of the businesses under my family's name, although Ricci had no idea. To him, I was just his spoiled little wife who spent his money.

Tonight, I wanted to spend mine.

I picked out a dozen sharp-looking young men from the club and took them shopping with me. They followed quietly behind me, carrying whatever I pointed at.

For years, my wardrobe had barely changed. Aprons. Gray. Black. Pale white. Long skirts and loose dresses that made me look soft, harmless, and easy to control. That was the woman Ricci liked. Obedient. Weak. Dependent.

So I became her.

I loved him enough to pretend.

But now the game was over.

My parents were dead, my marriage was nothing but a joke, and I'd finally decided to stop hiding.

The sleeping heiress was awake.

I walked out of the fitting room wearing a tailored black heiress suit. My hair was tied into a high ponytail. The woman staring back at me in the mirror looked nothing like Ricci's quiet little wife.

She looked like someone people should be afraid of.

“Young Miss, this outfit looks like it was made for you,” one of the young men said with a grin. “Honestly, you look like you're about to take over half of Naples.”

I gave him a small smile. “Not half.”

He blinked. “All of it?”

I smiled a little wider. “Smart.”

The others immediately paid the bill.

This was who I used to be. This was who I'd buried for five years.

And now she was back.

I had barely stepped outside when my phone rang.

Ricci.

“Thalia, where the hell are you?! Why aren't you home cooking? I've been waiting, and I'm fucking hungry.”

I frowned. “You're home early today?”

“Don't change the subject. Get your ass home.”

I almost laughed.

He really hadn't noticed anything.

“Fine. I'll be home soon.”

When I returned, I walked straight into our bedroom, intending to take out the divorce papers I'd prepared earlier. Before I could reach them, the bedroom door clicked open.

Valerie walked out.

Half-dressed.