He Took My Love 99 Times. The 100th Time, He Lost Me Forever. Chapter 03

He Took My Love 99 Times. The 100th Time, He Lost Me Forever. Chapter 03

The declaration stated that all ninety-nine Affection transactions had been entered into of my own free will, and that I voluntarily waived every right to seek redress.

A further clause was attached:

From now on, at every gala and every public occasion, Serena would accompany Dante as the Castellano daughter-in-law, and I was forbidden to disclose my marriage to him.

An addendum even demanded that I surrender all marital property.

In a few sentences, the Donna had arranged the rest of my life.

Inside the house, I would be a silent maid.

Outside it, I could not even admit to being Dante’s wife.

I held a marriage certificate, and still I had become the one who must be hidden.

I looked at Dante.

“You agree to this?”

He avoided my eyes and softened his tone.

“Serena has worked so hard to get this far. She needs the Family’s protection behind her career.”

“It’s only a change of face in public. It won’t affect our marriage.”

“You’re still my wife, and my money is still yours to spend.”

In front of everyone, I fed the declaration into the shredder.

The Donna raised her hand to strike me.

Dante seized her wrist.

“Print another one. She’ll sign it.”

I had no desire to engage any further. I walked upstairs.

In the bedroom, my clothes took up half a closet.

The other half was packed with Serena’s costumes, and her skincare lined the vanity.

Serena followed me in and casually lifted a necklace.

“I remember this one. Your third anniversary gift from him.”

She clasped it at the back of her neck with practiced ease.

“Though I was the one who picked it out for him.”

Dante leaned against the doorframe, impatient.

“It’s a necklace. She’s meeting a patron tonight. Don’t make a fuss.”

“I’m not making a fuss.”

I opened the safe and took out the property deed, my ID, and a thick journal.

Dante’s expression only grew worse.

“You never used to let her wear it.”

“What would the old me have done?”

“You’d have gotten angry. Fought with me. And then I’d have won you back.”

“Isn’t that exactly what you wanted?”

He stared at me as if something had stabbed him.

Serena’s phone rang at that exact moment.

She had barely answered when her face began to drain of color.

“What did you say?”

When the call ended, she dropped to the floor and sobbed.

“The Federation reviewed my audition video.”

“They say my technique was illegal and they’ve disqualified me.”

“Unless I upload a compliant video in two days, I’ll never be allowed to compete at this level again.”

Dante turned to me at once.

His gaze landed on my hands, still trembling.

For the first time, he did not speak right away.

Since the ten points of Health had been taken, even crossing from upstairs to the living room meant bracing myself against the wall.

He was silent for a long time.

Then he came close, and his voice was unexpectedly gentle.

“Nina, help her one last time.”

“When this competition is over, I’ll take you to treatment. I’ll send Serena abroad.”

“After that, we close the door and live our lives.”

I looked at him.

“You said that last time too.”

His lips moved. In the end, he only repeated it.

“This time it’s real.”

I did not agree.

But Dante took advantage of how weak I was, and dragged me back to the Exchange by force.