Chapter 4

Silas said he would take me to try on wedding dresses next month.

There was too much joy in his voice—so genuine it almost seemed real. Anyone who didn’t know better would think he was happy to marry me.

But I wasn’t that naïve girl anymore.

I knew his happiness came from one thing: his daughter might be saved.

Serena looked at Silas with teary eyes, clearly unwilling to share her man with me.

Silas frowned, a hint of impatience flashing across his face.

“You need to be more generous. Whatever happened between you two is in the past. From now on, you’ll get along. That’s what’s best for the Rusciano family.”

I sat down casually, pretending not to care—while my mind raced with plans.

The only way I could find a chance to escape… was to pretend to agree to marry him.

As I was thinking, Liam sat beside me.

I turned to look at him—his expression unusually complicated.

In my memory, he was always carefree, always smiling.

But ever since I saw him again after all these years, he hadn’t smiled once.

Suddenly, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, buried his head against me, and held me so tightly I could barely breathe.

My shoulder grew damp.

He was crying.

“Vera… after everything he’s done to you… can you look at me instead?” His voice was hoarse. “Don’t marry him. I’ll take you away…”

Liam… liked me?

In that instant, memories of everything he had done for me flooded my mind.

Only then did I realize how oblivious I had been.

He continued, “What I’m about to say… might make you hate me. But I still have to say it.”

My mind was still blank when he let go of me and cupped my face in his hands.

“I’ve been trying to save you all these years, but I kept failing. Vera, I’m sorry. This time… it was my idea to use Ava’s need for blood as an excuse. I thought only then would Silas use his power to bring you back… I never imagined he’d want to marry you and keep using you.”

Tears spilled from my eyes, dripping onto his hands.

“Liam… how could I hate you? I should be thanking you.”

He looked flustered and quickly wiped my tears.

“Don’t cry. I’ll find a way to get you out. I promise.”

And so, Liam became part of my escape plan.

We decided to run away on the day I go to try on wedding dresses.

First, I would pretend I still had feelings for Silas—reminisce about our past, reinforce the beautiful memories we once shared.

In the three years I was gone, he had another woman and a child. That was enough to fade our past—but memories don’t disappear completely.

So I would polish them.

Second, I would pretend I didn’t mind what Serena had done to me. I would get along with her—lower her guard.

Finally, I would try to get close to Ava… win over the little girl.

There was no trick to this strategy.

The trick… was sincerity.

Every night before I slept, I would repeat in my mind:

I love Silas.

Every morning, I would stand before the mirror, practicing what expressions to wear when facing them.

Silas was deeply suspicious. As a Mafia Don, he had likely killed countless people because of it.

Yes, he needed me to save his daughter—but he could replace me at any time. He chose me only because he trusted me more than others.

I would never assume that meant I was safe.

For all I knew, if he suspected I wanted to escape, he could put a bullet in my head without hesitation.

I didn’t know how much he still felt for me.

So I couldn’t afford a single mistake.

I had to become… an actress.

Only by deceiving myself… could I deceive them.