Your Life Comes Before Mine

The sports car roared along the road, stopping at the foot of the mountain after a sharp drift.

I got out after Carlo and saw spotlights flashing everywhere. Deafening music from speakers seemed ready to burst out, with chaos and noise happening all around.

I instinctively sought someone to hold onto amid the ruckus. When I looked up, I saw a graceful figure throw herself into Carlo's arms.

Carlo glanced back at me. In the next instant, he wrapped his arm around the woman's waist.

Encouraged by his response, the woman grew bolder and kissed Carlo as if no one else were around. As I stood very close to them, I could see their intimate entanglement clearly.

Everyone else clapped and cheered, yet when they looked at me, their gazes were mocking.

They clung to each other in front of me until the woman sweetly called, "Caro…"

Only then did I speak up. "You can't call him that."

As soon as my words fell, I remembered that Carlo was still there. Afraid he might notice something amiss, I paused and added coldly, "It doesn't sound good."

The woman glared at me, then coyly said to Carlo, "Carlo, isn't this the person who helped drive us around last time? Look at her, daring to boss me around."

Carlo turned to look at me, his eyes tinged with desire, and with red lipstick stains on his cheek. He smiled dismissively.

"Wen, why are you so jealous? It's just a nickname. Is it worth getting so upset about it? At worst, I'll just make sure she doesn't say it in front of you again."

I lowered my head, feeling my heart ache—but it wasn't because Carlos refused to grant me this small wish even after three years.

It was because I couldn't even protect Lucaro's one and only special name.

For the first time, I stood my ground. "I said, she isn't allowed to call him that."

Carlo's expression darkened. He hadn't expected me to be so firm on this matter, leaving him embarrassed in front of everyone.

He frowned and waved his hand. "Understood. Someone, take her to the grandstands. Don't let her disrupt things here."

Enzo quickly came over to pull me away. "Ms. Santoro, these are all Don Altieri's associates. Don't do this. Otherwise, you'll humiliate him."

As I watched Carlo walk away with his arm around the woman, I felt my heart harden. I then turned and followed Enzo.

On our way to the grandstands, the whispers around me never stopped.

"That's the lapdog who always follows Don Altieri, right? Why did she show up today? Is she trying to claim her territory?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Don Altieri doesn't care about her at all. He's been openly flirting with others right in front of her. What kind of authority does she have?"

"I heard that Wendy's just an ordinary person. She's no match for someone like Don Altieri. Being able to get close to him is already her greatest luck."

"If she wants to keep her spot, she'd better bring condoms whenever Don Altieri is with other women. Otherwise, if she waits too long and someone uses the chance to climb the ranks, she'll be left with nothing."

When Enzo heard the increasingly harsh gossip, he couldn't help but speak up. "All of you—"

I stopped him. "Forget it. I don't mind."

No matter how harshly they spoke, it didn't matter. As long as Lucaro could make it to heaven safely, nothing else mattered to me.

Enzo looked at me with a trace of pity in his eyes.

When we reached an empty spot, he suddenly said to me, "Ms. Santoro, let me tell you something.

"Don Altieri isn't completely indifferent to you. He's already secretly planning a proposal. He said that once he proposes, he'll settle down. He'll cut ties with all these other women and be with you forever."

As I looked at Enzo's earnest expression, I briefly felt a wave of helplessness.

"Okay," I merely responded.

Enzo saw me to the grandstands and then left.

As I sat in my seat, the wind kicked up dust. I instinctively closed my eyes, and when I opened them again, Lucaro was sitting beside me.

I clenched my jaw at the sight.

Lucaro's voice was hoarse as he said, "Wen, you once told me that even if a man had money and looks, if he couldn't make you laugh or treat you as well as I did, you wouldn't like him."

I gritted my teeth and looked up at the sky, pretending to be calm. However, inside me, a storm was raging.

Lucaro gazed at me deeply. He was about to say something more when, the next second, I heard someone shout, "Bad news! There was an assassination attempt on Don Altieri! He was shot and fell down the mountainside!"

I froze for a moment, feeling my blood run cold, then dashed forward like a madwoman. I tripped several times, causing my knees to scrape and bleed, yet I didn't even notice it.

The wind howled, and Lucaro's sigh of despair was carried to my ears.

"Wen, it turns out that Carlo is the one you truly love."