Dumping Mr. Heartless, Finding Mr. Right

I secretly sent Lena Parker, my husband Dominic Caballero's mistress, away to Sicara. I'm defying his authority as the Don of Coastwick, New Hudson.

That very night, he abducts my parents and younger brother, using their lives to force me to reveal Lena's whereabouts.

Dominic pushes his phone in front of me.

On the screen, I see my family tied to chairs, the timer of the bombs ticking down.

00:59:59

00:59:58

He sits across from me and taps his fingers softly against the table, like he's closing a business deal.

"Alyssa, you have 59 minutes," Dominic says in a calm, almost gentle voice. "Where's Lena?"

I freeze, my throat tightening as if strangled. I can't get a word out.

This is the third time he's pressed me.

The first time, he asked where Lena had gone, but I stayed silent. The second time, he grabbed my chin and said in a low voice, "Alyssa, don't play games."

Now, for the third time, he's threatening my family's lives.

"Dominic…" I call out, my voice trembling. "They're my family. They're the most important people to me."

He chuckles. "Is that so? Then why didn't you think about how important Lena is to me when you sent her away?"

I stare at him, feeling how utterly absurd it all is.

Important?

He told me before that other women were just playthings. Once he got bored, he'd dump them. He swore I was the only one he loved.

But now, for Lena, he's willing to kill my family.

"Dominic…" I croaked. "If I don't tell you where Lena is, will you actually let my family die?"

Dominic Caballero leaned in, then said, "You can try."

I trembled uncontrollably as my tears splattered onto the table. How did it come to this?

Dominic—the Don of Coastwick, New Hudson—had once loved me so deeply.

Back then, I was just a woman of Ivalorian descent from Bridgemont. He, on the other hand, was the heir to the Caballero family and was born to rule.

Yet somehow, he fell for me at first sight. He had pursued me relentlessly and had professed his love 99 times, each time making headlines across the city.

One time, helicopters dropped giant bouquets of roses all over the pier. Another time, he rented every LED billboard in Centrum Square to display my name. On my birthday, he lit up the entire city with fireworks just for me.

Just like that, I fell hard.

However, my parents were dead set against it. They knew exactly what life in the mafia meant. It was full of bloodshed, betrayal, and endless danger.

Therefore, they wanted me to marry a normal man.

Even so, Dominic knelt outside our door for a full day and night. He cast aside all pride just to beg for a chance to marry me. In the end, my parents gave in.

After we got married, Dominic spoiled me and indulged my every whim.

When I had cramps, he flew back from