00:00The night before our 17th wedding attempt, my mafia husband, Raphael Holloway, looks at me
00:05and promises an uninterrupted wedding. Gianna, I promise you. I told Natalia that even if the
00:11sky falls, she'll deal with it alone. He solemnly swears. I am five months pregnant by then. After
00:16three years of dating and five months carrying his child, we've never managed to make it down
00:21the aisle because he has cancelled the past 16 weddings. Every single time, it is for his sword
00:27sister, Natalia Sullivan. The first time, careful, it is hot. I waited at the hospital in my wedding
00:35dress all night. It turned out she only had a mild cold. The second time, my chest hurts.
00:45But when I finally got there, I saw her laughing over afternoon tea with her friends.
00:51Oh, you want cake too? The third time, Raphael Thunder, I am scared. She's terrified.
00:57I must go. Leaving me standing there, humiliated in front of all the guests. But everything's
01:03different now. Three days ago, a letter arrived from north in Silenzio. My father, the Dawn of
01:09the Rossetti family, has finally summoned me home. Gianna, my daughter, the Rossetti family has become
01:15the laughing stock of the entire north. You carry my blood in your veins. The Rossetti family is your
01:21true and final home. Come back, your father. Dawn of the Rossetti family.
01:26If Raphael walks away for Natalia one more time, I'll leave for good.
01:32This was the 17th wedding with my fiancé, Raphael Holloway. For every one of the previous 16,
01:37he left me standing alone at the altar for his fragile sworn sister, Natalia Sullivan. I walked
01:43down the aisle, holding his arm when the baby in my womb gave a sharp kick.
01:47Our baby's been waiting for this day too.
01:50He whispered and squeezed my hand with a smile. When the priest began the vows, all eyes in the
01:55chapel turned toward us. Sorry, sir. Miss Natalia hasn't been to the hospital.
01:59That was when his phone rang with call. It was from Natalia again.
02:03Raphael's expression went stone cold, and his grip tightened subconsciously.
02:07Don't answer it, Raphael. My eyes were locked on him. A torn look swirled in his eyes.
02:13I was about to breathe out in relief when the second call arrived.
02:19Gianna, maybe it's an emergency. She never calls this much.
02:22He muttered, trying to free his hand from my grasp, but I held on and reminded him.
02:28Our baby is waiting to hear his father say I do.
02:33She's Antonio's only daughter!
02:35His eyes widened at the words, then he tore his hand free, as if my touch burned him.
02:40I wasn't surprised to hear that line again. Antonio Sullivan, his father's right hand man,
02:46had died taking a bullet for him. Before his death, his final words,
02:51take care of Natalia, ruined my life.
02:54She took sleeping pills!
02:58Again?
03:00Last month, she took pills too, and the nurses discovered that the bottle was never opened.
03:08Gianna!
03:09He entrusted his daughter to you for protection.
03:15He never gave you a knife to stab into my back.
03:19Look around you! Our family men and unborn baby are all waiting for you to say I do!
03:29Raphae, help me!
03:38Raphael!
03:41He left again.
03:44That was such a familiar line and excuse he'd given on our 16th wedding cancellation.
03:49Raphael!
03:51My voice echoed through the hall, but he turned, looking more final than the last 16th turn.
03:57Whispers rippled among the guests, some scoffed, some pitied me, and most shook their heads as if
04:02they weren't surprised. They wouldn't be because the first wedding had ended the same way.
04:09I chased him to the hospital in my wedding gown, only to see her lying pale in bed and clutching
04:14his sleeve. When she saw me, her eyes flashed triumphantly. Raphael never saw the mocking
04:18smile she flashed while hiding behind his shoulder. Our fifth wedding had been an intimate garden
04:24ceremony. I'd waited all day in a simple dress for my fiancee, who never arrived, while the elders sneered
04:30behind my back. Can't even secure her own wedding. The cunning elders of Southern Silencio had never
04:36hidden their contempt for me, a Northern Silencio origin. So what if the Rossetti family's
04:43Principessa is clever? She still can't hold the don's heart. Later, Raphael held me and comfortingly
04:50promised I'd never be looked down upon again. The 10th time he disappeared mid-reception,
04:55one of his younger cousins joked at the dining table. Raphael, just marry both Gianna and Natalia.
05:01It'll save you the trouble of coming back and forth. He shot his cousin a glance before leaving
05:07without looking back. This time, I would no longer wait. The wedding's off. There won't be another.
05:16Mrs. Rossetti, maybe we can... I said, the wedding's off. No one dishonors a Halloway wedding.
05:26Then tell your heir to come back and finish it. Under shock stares and gasps, I lifted my hands and
05:31pinned the tiara given by Raphael's father. It was a family heirloom passed down to every Halloway bride who
05:37swore fidelity at the altar. I smashed it to the ground and diamonds scattered across the floor,
05:43stunning all guests present. The moment I turned away, I felt lighter than I ever had. Back in my room,
05:50I sat at my vanity and slowly wiped away my makeup. When Raphael called, I picked up,
05:56only to hear Natalia's giggles through the line.
06:00Thank you for spending my birthday with me, Raphael.
06:05Gianna, Natalia's fine now, so shall we do the wedding in a few days?
06:09I've booked Littlewood Chapel. You mentioned you love the frescoes, right?
06:14Whatever.
06:15Oh, and how did the checkup go? Is the baby healthy?
06:18Yeah, perfectly.
06:21That's great. When I get back, let's...
06:24Raphael, is Natalia's birthday party over yet?
06:28Are you jealous?
06:30Instead of answering, I ended the call and pulled out a train ticket from the drawer,
06:34headed for the Northern Silencio Mafia headquarters in Montrava. It came with an invitation card with
06:39gold embossed script shimmering under the lights. Welcome home, Miss Rossetti. When I was about to
06:45fall asleep that night, I heard the soft click of the door lock. The thought that Raphael might be
06:49back surprised me a little. Lately, he'd started doing this. He'd suddenly return home, fuss around
06:54in the kitchen, and hurriedly slip out with some deliciously cooked food. Once, I caught the sweet
07:00aroma drifting from the oven and thought he had a surprise for me. What are you making?
07:06Stay home and wait. Don't you dare go out.
07:17Natalia said she was craving this.
07:22I'm hungry, too.
07:27Shall I get Susan to make you something? Or could you send someone to fetch?
07:33After he left, Susan Barlow made me a plate of over-salted pasta.
07:37My throat felt a little dry, so I got up and headed to the kitchen to get a glass of
07:41water.
07:42In the kitchen, the air was heavy with the rich sweetness of coffee, cocoa, and mascarpone.
07:47He was making tiramisu. He was so focused that he didn't even notice me standing at the door
07:51until I fetched a glass.
07:56Jihanna?
07:57Jihanna? He spun around and instinctively shielded the counter with his body.
08:06Aren't you asleep yet?
08:07Just thirsty.
08:13This...
08:13You can't eat this. There's coffee liqueur and raw egg in here. It's bad for the baby.
08:21Relax. I'm not interested in your sweets.
08:25Rafael, I think I have a fever.
08:28You took those random pills again, didn't you? Hang in there, I'm coming.
08:31Rafael's expression twisted with an annoyed frown on his brows. Yet his gaze softened.
08:36After hanging up, he packed the tiramisu in a box with practiced ease.
08:40When tying the ribbon, he went the extra mile to fix the curve of the bow.
08:44Do you remember tonight's supposed to be our wedding night?
08:47Don't start. It's Natalia's birthday, and someone has to keep her company.
08:54This is the 17th time.
08:58Please, Jihanna. You know Antoine.
09:01I want you to protect her. Go. Don't keep her waiting.
09:06When his car pulled away, I checked a telegram that had been delivered minutes ago.
09:10It was from a nurse I knew, saying Natalia had just been seen laughing at a cafter.
09:15A note read,
09:16Fever, her thermometer shows normal.
09:18As I set the telegram down, my mind drifted back to three years ago when I met Rafael for the
09:22first time.
09:23Mafias from the North and South gathered in Mantrava to negotiate.
09:27And I was there as the Northern Financial Advisor.
09:30When Rafael burst in with his Southern men, all the bodyguards drew guns.
09:35He walked straight to me, dropped to one knee under their watchful stares,
09:39and pressed a golden revolver into my hands.
09:42Jihanna Rossetti, there's a bullet in here.
09:45If I ever cheat on you, use it.
09:48If I ever cheat on you, use it.
09:49A Organization description.
09:53If you follow me, use it to move across your chair.
09:54You
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