Meanwhile, I got hit by a car. His car. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed in a private clinic on the Family's payroll, the kind of place where no one asks questions and the hallways smell of disinfectant and silence. Salvatore was sitting beside me, scrolling through his phone, a soft smile playing on his lips. A smile I had never seen him wear when he was with me.
I asked, "Who is she?"
Without even lifting his eyes, he replied coldly, "I'm your boss. Now that you're awake, just focus on recovering."
Then he walked away. No hesitation, no guilt. I turned my head away from the door and dialed my uncle's number.
"Hart, about that alliance marriage you mentioned… I'll do it. I'll marry him."
——
There was a long pause on the other end of the line, so long that I almost thought the call had dropped. Then came a quiet exhale, followed by an unmistakable sigh of relief.