Chapter 1

To deceive a rival syndicate, my mafia husband didn't hesitate to put on an intimate show with his female subordinate right on their turf.

When he returned, holding the nearly naked woman in his arms, he knelt before me.

"Serena, it was just a cover to keep our identities safe. I had no other choice!"

Despite the searing pain in my heart, I chose to believe him.

But six months later, he came to beg me again.

"Serena, Scarlett is pregnant with my baby! The child is innocent. Once the baby is born, I'll let you raise it as your own, okay?"

My heart twisted as if stabbed by a thousand knives. I forced back the tears welling in my eyes.

Behind my back, I crumpled the pregnancy test report in my hand into a tight ball.

I was pregnant with his child, too.

But he would never know.

I remained silent for a long time, my eyes locked onto the two of them.

Dominic immediately pulled Scarlett closer into his embrace, frowning at me.

"Serena, Scarlett has already agreed. She will hand the baby over to you right after giving birth. You don't need to threaten her. She has no intention of ruining our marriage."

I spoke, my voice deathly calm.

"Dominic, let's get a divorce."

Panic flashed across Dominic's face. He reached out to grab my hand, pleading once more.

"Serena, can you please stop making a scene? Scarlett and I only did what we had to do to survive. The baby is innocent. You can't be this heartless to an unborn child!"

His tone sounded humble, but every word was an excuse.

Seeing my pale face, the others in the room couldn't sit still.

Dominic's loyal brothers from the syndicate also began to press me.

"Yeah, Serena, Scarlett is already pregnant. Honestly, even if Dominic marries her, she deserves it!"

"Serena, you're just a housewife now. You have no idea how dangerous it was out there. At the critical moment, Scarlett sacrificed her own body and honor to save Dominic. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill."

"If you ask me, Dominic should just take Scarlett as his second wife!"

"Shut up!" Dominic roared, cutting them off. "Serena will always be my only wife! As for Scarlett, I will compensate her."

He looked down at the pregnant woman in his arms, a flash of genuine heartache crossing his face.

A bitter taste rose in my throat. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.

The others might not have known, but Dominic knew.

I used to fight right alongside him.

Back then, to settle a turf war, I was ordered to infiltrate an underground syndicate but accidentally blew my cover.

At the final, deadliest moment, Dominic risked his life to pull me out.

Later, he swore he would protect me for the rest of my life.

And now, he was kneeling before me again—only this time, it was to protect another woman.

I turned around in silence and walked away.

Dominic quickly caught up with me.

He gently draped his heavy coat over my shoulders and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

"It's cold outside. Don't catch a chill."

His warm, familiar scent instantly wrapped around me.

I was so close to telling him that I was pregnant too. But his next words stopped me dead in my tracks.

"Serena, Scarlett is very sensitive to the cold. I need you to let her have this villa for now. You can temporarily move out and stay somewhere else."

The words in my throat were forced back down, suffocating me.

This villa was our home after we got married. I had decorated every single corner of it myself.

And he knew better than anyone that I had no other home to go to.

Ever since I decided to retire from military intelligence to marry him, my father had completely disowned me.

Once, Dominic couldn't bear to see me suffer even a tiny bit of discomfort.

Now, he wanted me to hand over everything to Scarlett.

His heart was no longer with me.

I lowered my eyes and gave a faint nod.

"Okay."

Overjoyed, Dominic pressed a soft kiss onto my forehead.

"Serena, I knew you were the most understanding woman."