Chapter 1
Nerissa's POV
I am Nerissa Calvino, the illegitimate daughter of the Vespucci mafia family—a stain on their pristine name.
All I ever wanted was a quiet life, spent in the arms of Carmine, a simple doctor. But my half-sister, Renata, fell terminally ill and was declared infertile. To preserve the alliance between the Vespucci and Arcuri families, a filthy transaction was struck: I was to be the surrogate for Renata’s fiancé, Silvano, bearing the heir that would bind their syndicates together.
They threatened Carmine’s life. To save him, I had to spit venom, shredding our love to pieces with my own hands.
In public, Silvano was the perfect, doting fiancé to my sister. But in the dark, he locked me away, claiming my body with ruthless gravity.
When news of my pregnancy broke, the entire estate rejoiced. Only I remained trapped in a living nightmare.
Torn between a past I couldn’t return to and a forbidden entanglement I couldn't escape, I wondered: would I ever reclaim my own life?
Late at night, the bedframe shook violently.
Cold, calloused fingers dug mercilessly into my hips. Every impact was brutal, demanding, and utterly devoid of warmth.
Only when a burning warmth bloomed deep inside me did the crushing weight finally lift.
"Tomorrow night, I’ll be back."
Silvano adjusted his silver cufflinks with freezing precision.
"Don't take the pill, Nerissa."
The heavy lock clicked into place. I lay curled in the tangled sheets, my body aching and hollow.
The man who had just taken me by force was Silvano Arcuri.
He was one of the ruthless dons ruling the underworld of Thalassa City. He was also my sister Renata's fiancé.
Before I could even gather my torn dress, the bedroom door swung open again.
My stepmother, Marchesa, stepped inside, her eyes filled with cold disgust.
"It seems Silvano is quite satisfied with you," she sneered. "Bearing the Arcuri heir for Renata is a privilege you should be grateful for."
When I didn't answer, she stepped closer, pinching my jaw tight. "Don't think too highly of yourself. Countless women would die to be Silvano's whore. You're just lucky."
She released me with a flick of her wrist and swept out, the sharp clicks of her heels fading down the corridor.
Only a month ago, my father, Ottavio Vespucci, had finally acknowledged me. But this "homecoming" was merely a transfer from maid to breeding tool.
My mother had been a maid in the Vespucci estate. One drunken night, my father forced himself on her, and I was the consequence. When Marchesa found out, she forced my father to hide my existence and banished us. After my mother died of illness, I was brought back to wait on Renata, cleaning her room and nursing her through her frequent spells of sickness.
Renata was the only one who showed me kindness, often slipping me extra money. She was the one good thing in this house.
But her frail body was failing her, and doctors declared she could never bear a child. The alliance between the two syndicates was too crucial to fail; they needed an heir. And so, they threw me into Silvano's bed.
At first, no matter how much they starved or beat me, I refused. They even threw me into the water dungeon, leaving me cold and hungry for seven days.
Until Marchesa whispered in my ear: "You care about that little doctor, Carmine, don't you? In Thalassa City, it takes a second for the Vespucci family to make a doctor disappear."
If I complied, Carmine lived.
When Carmine heard rumors that I wanted to break up, he tried to storm the estate, only to be beaten half to death by my father’s thugs.
I had dragged myself to the iron gates, forcing my chin up.
"It's over, Carmine," I said, my voice dead.
He froze, blood dripping down his temple. "What did you say?"
"I said I'm sick of you. You're just a penniless doctor. How could you ever afford to marry me? I'm a Vespucci now. I don't belong with someone like you. Don't ever come back. You're beneath me."
The light in his eyes shattered. The guards tossed him onto the wet asphalt, and he didn't fight back. He only gave me one final, hollow look before disappearing into the rain.
Only when the gates slammed shut did my tears finally fall.
That day, I burned my only bridge to salvation, ensuring he would hate me forever.
After that first night with Silvano, I did everything to avoid Renata. I couldn't bear her gentle smiles, nor could I bear seeing Silvano standing beside her with the gaze of a protective lover.
But on the third day, she summoned me.
"Is that Nerissa?" her voice crackled weakly. "Come in, please."
I pushed the door open. Renata sat by the window, her skin translucent. Silvano was draping a cashmere shawl over her shoulders, his touch so tender it made my stomach turn.
Seeing me, Renata tried to stand but stumbled against the table.
"Don't move," I gasped, rushing to hold her.
She squeezed my hand, her eyes pooling with worry. "Why have you gotten so thin? Is Mother making you work too hard again?"
"I'm fine, Renata."
She hesitated, her voice dropping. "What about Carmine? Weren't you two planning to marry?"
My throat closed up. "We broke up."
"Why? Did he hurt you?"
"No," I whispered, keeping my eyes on the floor. "We just... weren't meant to be."
Renata pulled me into a fragile hug, her sweetness tearing at my soul. "You must be hurting so much."
Silvano’s deep voice cut through the silence. "She’s young. Relationships change. When she’s ready, I’ll find her a suitable match."
I looked up, locking eyes with his dark, unreadable stare.
Renata smiled softly. "Thank you, Silvano. Nerissa deserves someone who will truly cherish her."
I balled my hands into fists, unable to look at either of them.
She had no idea that the man standing beside her had already reduced me to her surrogate.
