Escaping the Mafia King's Cage

Everyone in the Sicilian underworld knew it.

Adrian Moretti was the youngest godfather in the Moretti family.

For five years, he had held Chloe in the palm of his hand, spoiling her until everyone knew it.

Everyone said he loved Chloe more than his own life.

Until their son's birthday, when Chloe accidentally saw a medical file.

From that moment on, she realized her life might not be as perfect as it looked on the surface.

A husband she had loved for five years. A secret of unknown origin. Missing memories.

All the truth was buried under lies.

When she tried to uncover it all, she realized she had already stepped into a carefully woven net.

And the man who kept saying he loved her was far more dangerous than she had imagined.

When love and possession, salvation and destruction, arrived at the same time.

Would Chloe break free from the cage and walk toward a new life?

Or would she be dragged back into that abyss full of blood and lies?

And the man willing to give his life to protect her. Could he really lead her out of the dark?

Chloe POV

"Chloe, you did so well. It's a boy."

When the smell of disinfectant rushed into my nose, Adrian held my icy hand and spoke in a gentle voice.

I forced my eyes open. The baby in my arms had his eyes shut, and his cries were faint.

But my head was heavy and foggy. I couldn't remember the tearing pain of labor, couldn't remember the details of carrying the baby for nine months, and even what happened before I entered the delivery room felt like it was hidden under a thick fog.

But the moment I looked down at the child, my heart still softened against my will. I instinctively held him tighter, as if he were the most important thing in my life.

Until that day, when Adrian flew to Naples and said there was an important shipment he had to receive in person, with no return date set.

The huge estate suddenly fell quiet.

With nothing to do, I went to the study to tidy up the things he had not had time to organize before leaving.

In one corner of the desk sat a black tablet, Adrian's dedicated device for handling overseas affairs and confidential files. He must have left in a hurry and forgotten to take it with him.

I was just about to lock the tablet in the safe when the screen suddenly lit up and a private message from a medical center popped up.

I thought it was just a routine medical archive notification, so I tapped it without thinking. Then a document titled Medical Custody Authorization Agreement appeared right in front of me.

On the patient name line, it clearly read Elena Rossi.

That name stabbed into my nerves like a needle.

She was the Bellini family's youngest daughter, and also Adrian's first love.

Back when she found out Adrian was going to marry me, she kept harassing me like a madwoman, even staging a car accident in an attempt to make me disappear.

After Adrian saved me, the Moretti family had her driven out of the country and banned her from ever coming back.

Over the years, Adrian had never once brought her up on his own.

But now, her medical file was on Adrian's private device.

I forced myself to stay calm and kept scrolling:

Informed consent for emergency C-section, postpartum hemorrhage resuscitation record, intensive care record...

The family signature line was Adrian's handwriting. I would never mistake it, and the surgery date was the very same day I gave birth.

Same time, same medical center, and then the blank memory in my head from when I delivered the baby. All the scattered pieces snapped together, and an icy sense of wrongness instantly swept over my entire body.

My hand started shaking. I took out my phone and called Adrian, wanting to ask him clearly what was going on.

But the receiver only played a cold robotic voice. "The number you dialed is turned off. Please leave a message after the tone."

After the call automatically ended, my mind only grew more chaotic.

I headed straight for the private dock behind the estate, wanting to make sure he had really left Sicily.

Just as I got close to the deck, I saw a black yacht slowly pull into shore.

The next second, a familiar figure appeared.

Adrian carefully supported a weak woman.

I knew that face all too well. It was Elena.

My heart sank little by little, and I instinctively retreated quickly into the shadows between two rows of shipping containers.

They walked over the gangway, and their voices grew clearer and clearer.

"The doctor said the C-section incision heals slowly. You need to rest properly and stop running around all the time." Adrian draped his coat over her shoulders, his movements so gentle it hurt to look at them.

"Does it still hurt?"

Elena shook her head gently with red eyes. "I just couldn't relax. I wanted to see Leo with my own eyes."

Leo. That was the name I had given my child.

My whole body turned cold, and Adrian's next words shattered every fantasy I had left.

"Don't worry. Chloe is taking very good care of him. She even loves this child more than you do now."

Elena swayed and leaned weakly against his shoulder. "But what if one day she finds out the truth?"

A confident smile curved Adrian's lips. "Relax. I've already cleaned up every trace that needed to go. She won't know."

"But the baby was born by me..." Elena choked softly.

"I know." Adrian pulled her tightly into his arms. "It's better for everyone if the child stays at the estate. Chloe will raise him for you."

The sound of waves crashing against the shore rang dull and heavy, but my mind went completely blank with a buzzing roar.

I slowly crouched down and covered my mouth hard, not daring to make a single sound.

All these years of Adrian's tenderness and promises suddenly became a joke.

He didn't love me. He just needed someone who would never question the truth to raise the child he had with another woman.

The sea wind grew colder and colder, but my thoughts had never been so clear.

Then I suddenly remembered something.

Back when Adrian's grandfather had just passed away, I helped sort through his belongings and found a folded medical report of Adrian's tucked between the pages of his diary.

In the diary, his grandfather had handwritten:

Adrian had suffered a gunshot wound when he was young, and his reproductive system was severely damaged. The chance of natural conception was practically zero.

Because it involved the family's honor and the godfather's dignity, he worked with the family doctor to hide the truth. Not a single person in the family knew.

Later, when I successfully "got pregnant," I naturally assumed it had just been a misdiagnosis.

But now that I thought about it, if that report was true, then Leo's existence itself was a huge lie.

I took out my phone, contacted an underground fixer, arranged a new identity, and urgently applied for overseas residency.

After I gave one last look at the two people embracing in the distance, I turned and left.

The sea wind lifted my long hair and scattered the last thread of attachment with it.

That secret buried for so many years, I would uncover it myself and treat it as the final farewell gift I gave Adrian.

I couldn't help but start looking forward to it. When he found out that the heir he had destroyed another life to protect wasn't his own blood, what kind of reaction would he have?

Chloe POV

After I returned to the estate, I went straight to the nursery.

Leo was lying in his crib, crying nonstop.

I stood by the bed and looked down at him, but Elena's face kept flashing through my mind.

So similar. They were so damn similar.

Even the way they frowned when crying was exactly the same.

I had never doubted it before.

But now, looking again, there were flaws everywhere.

The emotions I had been suppressing all night suddenly surged up.

I reached out, my fingertips hovering above the crib.

Even I didn't know what I was about to do at that moment.

Just then, an exclamation came from behind me.

"Mrs. Chloe!" The nanny rushed in quickly.

She scooped Leo into her arms at once and looked at me with obvious caution, as if I were some kind of dangerous person.

"What are you doing?"

I looked at her coldly. "Give me the child."

But the nanny instinctively took a step back.

"Leo just woke up, I can calm him down..."

"I said, give me the child."

My voice turned completely cold.

The atmosphere in the room instantly stiffened.

At that moment, the sound of a car pulling into the driveway came from outside.

A few minutes later, Adrian appeared at the nursery door.

His eyes swept over everyone in the room before finally settling on Leo in the nanny's arms.

"What happened?"

The nanny visibly relaxed and quickly explained what had just happened.

By the end, her voice had grown softer and softer.

Adrian was silent for a moment, then spoke in a flat tone.

"Chloe would never hurt the child. She's kinder than anyone. I don't want to hear that kind of thing a second time."

The nanny's face turned pale, and she immediately lowered her head to apologize.

Adrian walked over to my side, wrapped an arm around my shoulder, and the gesture was intimate and natural.

"What's wrong? Have you been tired from taking care of Leo lately?"

I didn't answer. I just looked at him quietly.

If I hadn't heard those truths with my own ears, I probably would have gone on forever without doubting this man.

But Adrian acted like nothing had happened and ordered a maid, "Bring the lady's calming supplement."

Soon, the maid came back with a silver tray.

On it sat a dark medicine bottle and a cup of warm water.

Adrian personally placed them in front of me.

"I had the doctor adjust the supplement formula again. It'll help with postpartum recovery."

I looked at the bottle and suddenly remembered how, starting at some point, Adrian would tell me every night to take it on time.

He said it would improve my sleep and stabilize my emotions.

"Do I look really off lately?" I asked slowly, lifting my head.

Adrian froze for a moment, then gave a helpless smile.

"You're just a little sensitive. All women after giving birth are like that."

"Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

He said it so naturally, as if he were really a considerate husband.

"Take it and get some rest early."

He poured out two pills and placed them in my palm.

His eyes never left me.

I obediently put the pills in my mouth, took a sip of water, and quietly pressed the pills under my tongue.

Seeing me take them, Adrian clearly relaxed.

The moment he looked at his phone, I lowered my head and spat the half-melted pills into the hidden pocket inside my sleeve.

"It tastes a little bitter today." I set the glass down.

"Maybe because the formula changed." He adjusted my shawl for me. "Don't overthink it. Go to sleep early."

I nodded and went back to the bedroom without looking at him again.

Late at night, I lay in bed and couldn't fall asleep no matter what.

Those words at the dock kept echoing in my head like a curse.

I don't know how much time passed before the mattress suddenly shifted slightly.

Adrian slowly sat up, his movements very light, as if he were checking whether I was asleep.

A moment later, the door was gently shut.

I opened my eyes right away and followed him out without making a sound.

I watched him go down the west corridor and head to the deepest part of the wine cellar.

That place was always locked in ordinary times, and even the servants were forbidden from coming near it.

I hid in the shadows and watched him stop in front of a row of wine racks, then reach out and turn one of the bronze statues.

The next second, the entire wine rack slowly split open to both sides.

It revealed a hidden entrance to a room tucked behind the wall.

My breathing stopped instantly. I had no idea the wine cellar was hiding a place like this.

Adrian didn't hesitate at all and walked straight in.

The wine rack hadn't fully locked back into place. There was a very narrow gap left in the middle.

Through that gap, I saw the interior of the secret room lit up brightly.

It didn't look like storage at all. It looked more like a carefully arranged private suite.

The person inside heard the footsteps and rushed straight into Adrian's arms.

"I thought you weren't coming tonight." She looked up at him, her tone carrying a hint of grievance.

"It's so tiring having to wait until she falls asleep every night just to see you. She didn't suspect anything, did she?"

Adrian lowered his head and kissed her forehead.

"No. Just hold on a little longer. I gave her a new formula."

Elena leaned into his arms. "That's good. Come in. I miss you so much I'm going crazy."

The two of them tangled together tightly, kissing each other fiercely.

I stood outside the hidden door, and it felt like all the blood in my body had frozen at once.

So the calming supplement every night was really a drug that dulled the mind.

So my husband waited until I fell asleep every night, then slipped underground to meet his mistress.

I thought the night at the dock had already been cruel enough.

Only now did I realize that the truly disgusting truth was far uglier than I had imagined.

I didn't sleep at all that night, and by the time Adrian came back, it was almost dawn.

He called me to wake up in his usual gentle voice and pressed a good morning kiss to my lips.

"Chloe, let's go to the riding stables this afternoon and clear our heads. The doctor said equine therapy is good for postpartum recovery, and some light activity will help your body too."

I didn't refuse. I just nodded lightly. "Sure."

Chloe POV

In the afternoon, just after walking into the riding stables, Adrian raised his hand and pointed to a figure not far away.

"Chloe, this is the riding therapist I hired for you."

I followed his gaze, and my heart tightened all at once.

Elena was wearing a black riding outfit, her long hair tied back, looking capable and sharp.

She gave me a gentle smile.

"Mrs. Chloe, I hope we can work well together."

I didn't respond. I just nodded calmly, as if I had never seen her before.

Adrian seemed very satisfied with this harmonious atmosphere.

"Elena has worked for the Equestrian Association all these years. She'll take good care of you."

After saying that, he turned and took a seat on the viewing platform.

Before the riding session began, Elena took the initiative to step forward and check my gear, carefully inspecting the saddle and reins. Her movements were skilled and natural.

Once everything was ready, the training officially began.

Elena personally led my horse, patiently explaining the movements. She looked very professional.

But when we entered the obstacle area and passed a wooden fence, the saddle strap suddenly loosened and slid hard to one side.

I didn't even have time to react before my body lost balance and I was thrown off, crashing heavily to the ground.

A sharp pain swept through my body, and my ears buzzed loudly.

Through the daze, I heard cries of alarm all around me, followed by a rush of hurried footsteps.

Adrian ran over.

But his first reaction wasn't to check on me. It was to grab Elena's hand.

"What happened? Are you hurt?"

Elena's eyes immediately turned red, and she looked frightened and guilty.

She lifted her palm. Somehow, a raw cut had been rubbed into her hand by the reins.

"I just noticed the saddle was a little loose. I was worried the horse would get spooked and hurt Mrs. Chloe, so in a panic I grabbed the reins too hard and scraped my hand... but I still couldn't steady it, and she fell off."

Adrian's expression changed drastically, and he immediately checked her wound.

"Idiot, this isn't your fault. You didn't need to risk yourself like that." His voice was full of concern.

And I lay on the ground, my back burning with pain, not even able to stand up.

Only when someone nearby reminded him did Adrian finally look at me.

"Chloe, are you okay? I'll take you to the medical center right away."

He hurried to my side and lifted me into his arms.

Then he turned back and said in a deep voice to his men, "Take good care of Ms. Elena. Her injuries are serious. Send her to the medical center too and treat her wound immediately."

I weakly leaned against Adrian's chest, clearly feeling the steady, powerful beat of his heart, just like every time he had held me before.

But now I only felt cold. Cold to the bone.

How did this man do it? One second he was worried about another woman, and the next he could act like a devoted husband to me.

I slowly closed my eyes, and my heart was left with nothing but emptiness.

I suddenly thought that if I had really died from that fall at the stables, maybe that would have been a kind of release.

Chloe POV

At the medical center, the results came back quickly:

A superficial abrasion on my arm, a minor fracture in my tailbone. Not a serious injury, just bed rest and recovery.

Adrian stayed by the bed, his brow never relaxing.

"Will there be any lasting damage? How long will recovery take? Will she be in pain at night and unable to sleep?"

The private doctor answered each question one by one.

Anyone who saw that scene would think he loved me to the core.

After confirming all the injury precautions, Adrian arranged for a car to take me back to the estate.

By evening, the estate had become lively again.

Countless cars drove into the front courtyard of the main house.

Important members of the major families arrived one after another for Leo's christening party.

The whole estate was brightly lit, and faint music from the band and the sound of guests talking drifted up from downstairs.

Because I was injured, I stayed alone on the second floor to rest.

Before leaving, Adrian pulled the blanket up around me.

"Rest well. I'll come back to keep you company after the banquet."

The door closed softly, and the large bedroom fell quiet again.

Half an hour later, a maid walked in carrying a silver tray.

"Mrs. Chloe." She lowered her head respectfully.

"The old lady was worried you'd feel upset about not being able to attend the banquet, so she specially asked the kitchen to prepare your favorite dessert and send it up."

I glanced at it and didn't think much.

Sophia didn't like me, but she cared a great deal about the family's image. She always made sure the surface work was done perfectly.

I casually picked up a pastry and took a bite.

The maid stood where she was, as if she had been watching my reaction the whole time.

After seeing me eat it, a trace of barely noticeable relief flashed in her eyes, and then she quickly left.

Not long after she was gone, I suddenly felt that something was off.

At first, it was just a tightness in my chest.

Very quickly, breathing became difficult, my heart started beating faster and faster, and it felt like something was blocking my throat.

I froze hard.

There were hazelnuts in that pastry, and I had been severely allergic to hazelnuts since I was a child.

I braced myself against the bed and struggled to stand, then staggered toward the door.

The hallway was empty. The servants had all been sent downstairs to the banquet hall.

I held onto the wall and moved forward step by step, my breathing becoming more and more labored.

At last, I reached the circular corridor on the second floor.

Holding the railing, I looked down. The guests below were laughing and talking with glasses of champagne in hand.

Elena was sitting on a sofa, and the wound on her hand seemed to have split open again.

Doctors, bodyguards, and servants stood around her. Almost everyone was gathered by her side.

And Adrian was crouched in front of her, bending his head to adjust the bandage on her hand.

He looked focused, his movements gentle, and the sight made my eyes sting painfully.

I tremblingly took out my phone and called Adrian's number.

The ringtone sounded downstairs. I could see it clearly. After he took the phone from his suit pocket, he only glanced at it indifferently and put it back.

Then he went right back to lowering his head and fixing Elena's bandage.

My hand slowly dropped, and my breathing became harder and harder.

The lights in front of me started to blur.

Chloe POV

When I opened my eyes again, it was already the afternoon of the next day.

Adrian was sitting by the hospital bed.

When he saw me wake up, he leaned forward excitedly and grabbed my hand, his expression full of guilt. "Chloe, you're finally awake. It was all my fault. I didn't answer the phone in time last night, and that's why you almost got hurt."

I looked at him quietly as he acted, but in my mind, the image of him ignoring my desperate call for help last night kept flashing over and over.

"Where is the maid who brought the dessert?" I asked softly.

Adrian's eyes turned cold. "She's already been dealt with. The person investigating will make her tell us who was behind it."

After that, he put on a gentle expression again.

"Chloe, I promise you, I won't let anyone hurt you again."

Listening to his soft words of comfort, I only felt disgusted.

He said a few more soothing things, then glanced at his watch, got up, and said, "A shipment just arrived at the dock. It's a batch of rare red wine brought back from a vineyard in France. I have to go inspect it myself."

As he spoke, he tucked the blanket around me. "I'll come back to keep you company when I'm done."

After saying that, he bent down and kissed my forehead before turning to leave.

The hospital room door slowly closed.

I looked at his back and gave a slight curl of my lips.

These years, his excuses had always been the same.

After leaving the medical center, the car stopped in front of the main house of the estate.

Servants at the entrance were busy carrying wooden crates back and forth.

In the living room, Adrian's mother, Sophia, was sitting on the sofa holding Leo, and Elena was sitting right beside her.

"Look," she said with a smile as she handed Leo to Elena. "This child loves being held by you the most. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were his mother."

Laughter immediately broke out all around them.

Elena's cheeks turned slightly red as she carefully took the child.

And Leo really did quiet down, obediently lying in her arms.

That scene hurt my eyes.

Only when someone noticed me standing at the door did the laughter in the living room stop abruptly.

Sophia's face stiffened for a moment, then she spoke as if nothing had happened.

"Why are you back? Just in time. Since you're fine, go to the wine cellar and bring me my prized red wine."

Sophia lifted her teacup, speaking in a flat tone like she was ordering a servant.

"Elena just came back from overseas. We're having a welcome dinner tonight. Don't keep the guest waiting."

I said nothing and turned to leave.

The underground wine cellar was at the deepest part of the main house, and I walked down the stone steps.

Following the location Sophia had given me, I headed toward the innermost wine rack.

I took down the bottle of red wine and was about to leave.

Then I heard it. High heels clicking on the steps behind me.

Slowly. Closer.

I turned around. Elena was standing not far away, a faint smile on her face.

"Sophia was right. Leo really does like me. That part is just like his father."

My hand tightened around the bottle, but I ignored her and walked straight toward the door.

As I passed by her, Elena suddenly snatched the red wine from my hand and smashed it hard onto the floor.

Bang.

The bottle shattered, and bright red wine instantly flooded the ground.

Then, she let herself fall down right along with it.

"Ah!"

A scream echoed through the wine cellar.

"Chloe, I already apologized to you! Why won't you let me go?"

At almost the same time, the cellar door was pushed open.

Adrian rushed in quickly.

Elena became even more wronged when she saw him.

But the next second, Adrian put away all emotion and walked straight toward me.

"Chloe, are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere?"

I looked at him and said nothing.

After checking me over, Adrian finally turned to Elena.

His voice was cold enough to frighten anyone.

"Elena, didn't I tell you not to be alone with Chloe?"

Elena's face went pale. "I just wanted to explain things to her..."

"Get out." Adrian cut her off immediately.

Under his icy stare, Elena could only stand up and leave with red eyes.

Adrian reached out and pulled me into his arms. "Ignore her. The one I love has always been you. Don't overthink it. Trust me. I'll handle everything."

Those familiar words sounded again, and all I felt was laughter, bitter and hollow.

After speaking, he turned around, took another bottle of red wine from the rack, and handed it to me.

"Take this upstairs first. This batch just came in from the Luke family. I need to check the handover documents. See you later."

With that, he turned and left.

His footsteps faded away, and the wine cellar fell quiet again.

I didn't leave right away. A few minutes later, when I passed the private tasting room, familiar voices came from inside.

"I'm so sick of this. Why is it me hiding away?"

Elena cried out in grievance. "I was also a victim of that car accident. Why won't anyone believe me?"

Adrian gently patted her back and soothed her. "Don't cry. I know you've been wronged. I'll investigate the truth and give you justice. After this is over, you won't have to hide anymore."

I stood at the door and listened quietly.

If this was the love Adrian talked about.

Then I would rather never have had it at all.