I Found My True Love after Dumping the Guy I Loved for Years

"Dad, I can break up with Lucas and marry into the most powerful mafia family, the Vittorine family, and wed that brutal heir." Eve's robe hung loosely, and there were kiss marks all over her neck. "But I have one condition. If you agree to it, I'll marry him."

Eve's father, Robert Costa, asked her what the condition was, but Eve abruptly hung up.

Lucas got out of the bathroom, wiping droplets from his wet hair. Then he pulled Eve into his arms, and they fell into bed together.

Eve buried her face in his chest, but her eyes were cold.

She was the daughter of the Costa family and had been secretly in love with Lucas Smith, a district leader in the family, for five years.

Three days ago, she was kidnapped. The kidnappers targeted a batch of goods belonging to Lucas. They used Eve as leverage to threaten Lucas. Her phone died after repeatedly trying to call him all night, but Lucas never answered.

Eve was pushed off a cliff and was badly injured. She was then saved by the head of her family, so she narrowly escaped death.

Lucas was flirting with her father's illegitimate daughter, Alina.

Eve utterly realized Lucas's true face and stopped loving him. Lucas proposed to her today, and Eve had prepared a big gift for him.

She would give him freedom.

...

After Lucas apologized to Eve and promised never to let her get hurt again, he had sex with her passionately.

After that, Eve leaned against him and gently panted.

In the dark, Lucas's phone lit up. Eve discreetly glanced at it.

It was a message from Alina. "Dear, there are some suspicious people at my doorway. Can you come stay with me?"

The thick passion in the air instantly dissipated.

Eve thought that Lucas would stay with her after their intimate moment.

But to her surprise, Lucas got out of bed, quickly grabbed his shirt, and leaned down to kiss Eve's bare back. "There's a situation with one of my subordinates. I'll handle it and be back later."

Eve's heart clenched. But Lucas didn't notice her change in demeanor as he rushed out the door.

Eve suddenly broke her silence. "You don't have to come back. We're done. You are free now."

Lucas didn't quite hear her and absentmindedly replied, "Okay."

As the door closed, Eve's expression turned cold instantly.

She dialed her trusted aide and said, "Follow Lucas."

After hanging up, Eve expressionlessly packed up Lucas's belongings from the manor.

Everywhere was filled with memories of their sweet moments over the past five years.

After she packed everything, her aide sent over some videos.

Lucas, who used the excuse of handling work, was passionately kissing Alina in the sports car Eve had bought him as a gift.

Alina said, "You're just ditching your fiancée and coming to me. Isn't it bad? If she finds out and causes a scene at my office, I will lose my job."

Lucas said, "Then quit. I'll support you financially."

Alina coquettishly hit Lucas, but he caught her fist and held it over his heart. His gaze was so gentle. "I only care about you."

Eve's heart sank.

Lucas had once said the same sweet words to her.

The video paused on Lucas's tender gaze, and Eve felt a tightness in her chest. She nearly crushed her phone in her grip.

She had thought his promise was meant solely for her, but he made the same promise to another woman so soon.

After throwing out all of Lucas's belongings, Eve tried to sleep. But she was sleepless.

She got up and lit a cigarette.

Surrounded by smoke, she recalled her first meeting with Lucas.

Her family was the second-largest mafia family. Her father, Robert Costa, had too many enemies. She often faced assassination attempts and kidnappings. Although she always brought many bodyguards with her, they occasionally slipped up.

During one such assassination, she was severely injured. It was pouring rain, and she got separated from her bodyguards. Later, Lucas saved her.

He was just a nobody, living in a damp basement.

Lucas awkwardly but carefully helped her stop the bleeding and bandaged her wounds.

"Would you like to have a relationship with me?" Eve's unexpected proposition startled Lucas and caused him to jerk and tug on her wound.

She winced in pain. Then she raised her hand to stop his apologies. "Just give me an answer, yes or no."

Lucas remained silent for a long moment, merely fiddling with his old lighter.

He lit it and then extinguished it repeatedly.

After a long while, he said, "Miss, I'm of low status, with no prospects. I can't give you the life you want."

Eve pulled Lucas's loose T-shirt and held him in her arms.

Lucas half-knelt awkwardly before her and was afraid of hurting her wounds. But Eve just laughed. "I don't want any future. "Lucas, I want you, just you."

Using her status as the daughter of the Costa family, Eve shielded Lucas.

She secretly helped him climb the ranks during the day. They had sex during the night repeatedly until they were both exhausted and reawakened.

Lucas promised that once he became a leader, he'd marry her.

But on the very day he achieved that rank, he celebrated by sleeping with her secretary and nearly cost Eve her life.

Eve returned to reality with a bitter smile.

She was twenty-five years old and could no longer afford to indulge in petty romances. It was time for her to plan for the future.

In the next few days, Eve busied herself with packing her belongings at the manor. Lucas had told her that he'd be back later, but he didn't in the coming three days.

Eve stood there with her suitcase. She gazed at the manor that held five years of her memories with Lucas.

She had dreamed of getting married to Lucas in the manor. But it felt like a bitter irony now.

Eve paused for a long while and then instructed one of the bodyguards in a low voice before getting into the car without hesitation.

The luxury car sped away as the manor was set ablaze, consuming everything along with her memories.

Eve returned to her other residence, walked straight to her room, locked the door, and called her father, Robert, via video chat.

Her previous call with Robert had been cut short, and she didn't tell him about many things.

Robert was abroad to deal with some urgent matters personally. He was available only today, so he insisted Eve give him a video call.

When the call connected, Robert sat at the main seat, with a half-smoked cigar between his fingers. Upon seeing Eve, he nodded slightly. A smile appeared on his otherwise cold face. "You're punctual, Eve. I heard you agreed to marry Samuel Vittorine. Is that right?"

Eve remained silent for a moment before saying, "That's right, Dad, but I have one condition."

Robert nodded with affection. "Go on. What is it?"

Eve looked into Robert's eyes, and her gaze was filled with unmistakable ambition. "I want your family heirloom ring."

It was a symbol of power and status.

Robert was stunned for a moment, but then he burst into hearty laughter after he understood what Eve said. "Alright. After I return home, I'll personally hand you the ring. Besides, I promise you that everything from the Costa family will be yours and that you can do whatever you want."

After a pause, Robert remembered the important matter he needed to discuss with Eve that day. "There's a ball at the Ian Manor this afternoon, and Samuel will be there. You'd better go and get to know him better."

Eve agreed with a smile.

She arrived at the manor and saw many gentlemen surrounding a young woman in the center of the dance floor. They were inviting her to dance the first dance.

As Eve walked up, her eyebrows furrowed tighter.

It was Alina.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted.

Lucas walked through the crowd, took Alina's hand, kissed the back of it, and led her into a graceful dance. She looked bashful.

The ladies whispered enviously.

"Oh my, it's Lucas, the most handsome and valiant guy in the mafia, and he's fallen under her charm."

"No wonder the Costa family is the second largest mafia. Even though she's the illegitimate daughter, she is held in such high regard, and Robert is hosting such a grand ball for her."

Eve stood away from the crowd and watched Lucas and Alina dance. They looked like a perfect match and were close and intimate. It felt like Eve's heart was tightly squeezed by an unseen hand.

In the past, whenever she invited Lucas to a ball, he would always decline, saying he wasn't worthy of her and didn't enjoy dancing. Yet there he was, dancing the first dance with Alina at a mafia ball.

It wasn't just a provocation. It was a huge humiliation for Eve.

As the dance ended, Alina held Lucas's hand and smiled as they left the dance floor.

When she noticed Eve outside the crowd, her smile froze instantly.

Lucas instinctively released Alina's hand, and embarrassment flashed in his eyes as he strode towards Eve.

"Hello, Eve." Lucas's good-looking eyes held a gentle smile. "Alina is Mr. Costa's daughter. She's like the princess of the Costa family. Why don't you go and say hello to her? You will have plenty to talk about with each other."

Eve glanced at Lucas coldly and gave a mocking smile. "A princess? She is only an illegitimate daughter and was unacknowledged by Mr. Costa."

The music in the ballroom suddenly stopped, and the guests fell silent and were held their breaths.

Alina's face turned pale, and her fingers were clutching her dress tightly.

Lucas frowned. "Don't be stubborn, Eve. Mind your words. Today's occasion is important."

"Important?" Eve suddenly laughed with sarcasm. "Is it important enough for you to go back on your word?"

Lucas was stunned.

"You said you didn't like dancing." Her voice turned icy. "You said you weren't worthy of me, so you'd never attend any ball with me."

Eve's gaze turned to Alina, who stood nervously and was clutching her dress. She looked innocent and timid.

"But you held her hand and danced the opening dance." Eve's voice trembled slightly.

The guests fell completely silent, and their eyes fixed on the three of them.

Lucas's face darkened. He stepped forward and warned Eve in a low voice. "Enough! Eve, don't throw a tantrum here.

Alina is the princess of the Costa family, and I need her assistance."

"Am I throwing a tantrum?" Eve raised her voice abruptly, and her eyes were burning with anger. "Who's throwing a tantrum? Her mother was just a lowly courtesan. What help can she offer you..."

"Slap!" A loud slap echoed through the ballroom.

Eve staggered back a few steps and incredulously covered her burning cheek.

She looked at Lucas, and his hand was still suspended in the air with his knuckles slightly red. He must have used all his strength.

The ballroom fell into a dead silence instantly.

Eve's lips trembled, and she wanted to speak, but tears streamed down uncontrollably.

Lucas was also stunned. He opened his mouth and seemingly wanted to say something, but he just stiffly took back his hand.

Eve was spoiled and often threw childish tantrums after she dated Lucas.

She would draw on his face and hair with paint, and he would not mind it.

She would play pranks to publicly embarrass women who pestered him, and he would merely laugh it off.

Before a critical mission, she accidentally broke his most reliable gun, and he calmly had his men prepare another one. Then he would have sex with her in front of the large window until she was weary.

But he slapped her in public just because she had said some truths about Alina.

"Did you slap me?" Eve's voice was so light that it was almost inaudible. Her heart ached. "Did you slap me for a mistress, an illegitimate daughter?"

She couldn't believe that Lucas, who had once treasured her like a delicate jewel, would treat her like that now.

Lucas didn't answer, but his gaze said it all.

He had chosen Alina.

Eve suddenly laughed, and tears ran down her cheeks. "Fine. Lucas, from now on, we're done!"

With that, Eve left, and the guests automatically made way for her. No one dared to stop her.

Alina hurriedly caught up and grabbed Eve's arm. "Do you really think Lucas loves you?"

Alina chuckled and said vicious words, which sharply contrasted with her innocent appearance. "Last night, when he had sex with me, he said every time you touch him, he feels disgusted."

Eve stiffened instantly.

Alina watched with satisfaction as Eve's face turned ashen. Then she continued to whisper viciously, "He said you were like a desperate whore and always clung to him. You suffocated him. You're not even worth a strand of my hair. That's why he came to me. After all..." She paused and lowered her voice while chuckling softly. "He can truly relax in my bed."

Eve's pupils contracted instantly, and her ears buzzed. The world seemed to have lost its sound in that moment.

In the next moment, Eve picked up a wine bottle and smashed it hard on Alina's head.