The phone shattered with a loud crack, fragments flying everywhere.
The car suddenly swerved to the side of the road and stopped. I was stunned by his abrupt action. Before I could react, his hand clamped around my throat. His grip was so tight it felt like he would strangle me to death.
"Lucia, didn't I warn you not to scheme anything to hurt Alice?" His eyes were bloodshot, like a wild animal out of control. "She's carrying my child! How dare you go after her!"

I immediately understood. Alice had gotten into a car accident on the road, and it just happened to be while she was driving my car—while I was not in it.
"Domenico, wait! This wasn't me! I didn't do anything!" I desperately tried to explain, attempting to bring him back to reason.
However, Domenico would not listen at all. He jerked the steering wheel violently and slammed his foot down on the gas pedal.
"Shut up! I'm taking you to the hospital right now so you can kneel and apologize to her face!" he roared as the car weaved frantically through traffic.
"Domenico... stop! There's a red light ahead!"
At more than 120 miles per hour, I stared at the glaring red light, my whole body trembling with fear.

No matter how much I cried out or begged, Domenico ignored me completely and charged straight through the intersection.
Just as we crossed the stop line, an overloaded truck barreled toward us from the side.
The truck slammed into the side of our car. We spun violently out of control and then crashed hard into the guardrail on the side of the road.
The brutal impact left me bleeding from the head. Blood from my forehead blurred my vision.

I clutched my aching abdomen. The cramping pain grew more intense. I could feel life slipping away bit by bit.
"Domenico... save me..." My voice came out weak as a whisper. "The car's leaking fuel... Get me out quickly!
"Domenico, please don't leave me! Our children..."
The moment I finished speaking, his phone buzzed in his pocket. It was a text from Alice.
[Domenico, someone tampered with the car. The brakes failed! It had to be Lucia. She tried to kill me!]
After reading the message, Domenico kicked open the mangled car door and stepped out. His gaze on me was full of mockery.
"You're willing to risk your life just to stall me from seeing Alice. Quite the performance there. Stay here and reflect on what you've done. When Alice is out of danger, I'll send someone to get you."
I could smell the gasoline getting stronger inside the car, and panic seized me. I pounded desperately on the window, trying to make him notice something was wrong with the vehicle.
"It's really going to explode! Believe me this once! Please!"
However, he turned and walked away without a moment's hesitation.
The smell of gasoline grew thicker. I could hear the drip of the leaking fuel tank.
In my desperation, I noticed something fall from his pocket. It was a plate with the words, 'Until death do us part', inscribed on it. He had carved it himself when he proposed.
One second before the car exploded, I grabbed hold of that plate with all my strength.
A deafening explosion came next, and the car was blown to pieces.
…
When Domenico arrived at the hospital, he saw that Alice had only sustained minor injuries.
She was lying in bed, acting coy. Relief washed over him.
Just then, one of his men rushed over with a report. "Don, Signora had an accident. This was all we could find at the scene..."
The subordinate handed him a plate covered in blood and charred black.
On the back, the inscription, 'Until death do us part — Domenico & Lucia', was still clearly visible.
Only then did he realize that the woman he had discarded like trash, the woman he believed had betrayed him, was gone.
Domenico gripped the engraved plate, his fingers trembling slightly. His heart felt constricted, like he was suffocating.