Everyone said my good looks were what saved me from my family's downfall. It was how I managed to become a Donna.

I was the only one who knew why he had to compromise to marry me.

Xavier Whitmore, the tall and handsome Don, was unable to have physical relationships with a woman.

When I shyly took off the gown on our wedding night, he sat in his chair and lit a cigarette before remarking in an icy voice, "I'm allergic to women. That said, you have my word that you will be the only woman in my life."

He kept his promise. Though he never so much as touched me in the five years of our marriage, he provided me with a life of luxury and wealth.

Although it was merely a title, being his only woman brought me happiness.

Everything changed on the day my men and I were ambushed by a rival mafia family. We barely made it out alive.

When I returned home, I found him locked in a tight embrace with his widowed sister-in-law, Alice Ortega.

"Alice, I won't let you remarry. If you do, I'll make sure that man dies a thousand deaths."

I scoffed. It wasn't so much that he couldn't handle being physical with a woman. It was simply that he could not be physical with anyone but her.

In that case, she could have the pleasure of being the Donna.

Alice Ortega tried to break free from Xavier Whitmore, but he held on to her tightly like a boy who refused to let go of his favorite toy.

They looked like they were reenacting Romeo and Juliet, a pair of star-crossed lovers.

What about me? Did my official title as the Donna count for anything?

I felt my blood run cold upon witnessing their interaction.

“Xavier, let go, we can’t…”

“I’ve already given you to my brother once. Do you expect me to let another man have you again?”

The veins on his forehead seemed about to pop. His usual calm and stoic demeanor was replaced with a torrent of anger and jealousy.

I had to wrap my arms around myself to stop myself from trembling.

Six months ago, I was kidnapped by a rat in the family. He held me hostage and used me as leverage to get Xavier to step down from his position.

Xavier seemed completely unfazed during the negotiation with the traitor. Then, when there was a moment’s distraction, Xavier gunned him down.

In my mind, he was always an expressionless, stoic man.

It was a shock for me to see that he could be brought out of his shell, capable of jealousy and wanting affection.

I supposed I was not worthy of his affection at the end of the day.

“Xavier, please listen to me and let go. We can’t do this, think about Grace…”

I delusionally waited for his response, only to hear him produce a long sigh.

“Five years back, I already told her not to hatch any ideas about me. She should know better by now.

“She already got the money she wanted, while I saved myself for you. We both got what we wanted.”

His words struck me like a heavy blow. It shattered the beautiful fantasy I had about us over the last five years.

All this time, I held out the hope that as long as I listened to him and stuck by his side, he would be touched by my devotion and come to develop feelings for me one day.

As it turned out, I had been delusional this entire time. It was all but a baseless fantasy.

“Grace, you're back!”

It was Alice who noticed me first.

She gasped while shoving Xavier away from her.

She regarded me with a look of cruel pity, as if she was sorry for me because she knew I was nothing but a replacement.

When Xavier turned around, the lingering warmth in his eyes dissipated the moment he made eye contact with me.

“Why do you look so beaten up?” He frowned while scrutinizing me from head to toe.

I observed my bloodied knees before wiping the blood of an underling from my face.

“The Moores attacked us in an alleyway at the Harvest Market. It was Annie who helped me escape.”

“Alright. Get a doctor. I'll take care of it tomorrow.” I finally caught a hint of anger in his voice, but it quickly reverted to his usual tone of indifference.

“Xavier, I... I want to talk to you in person.”

He glanced at his watch and frowned before brushing me off, “That can wait until I get back. I need to take Alice to... the hospital.”

“It's important. It won't take more than a few minutes.”

I was persistent.

Xavier's patience had finally run out. At last, he stated in a tone that was not to be defied, “Grace, you’re a Donna. You should have a better sense of judgment and know not to cause trouble.”

With that, he turned around and escorted Alice outside without bothering to look back.

The roar of his car’s engine soon faded into the distance, as if mocking me for my last five years of false courage.

With that, I turned around and slowly went up the stairs.

The wound on my knee hurt so bad that I had to clench my teeth through it. And yet, it was nothing compared to the agonizing feeling in my heart.

Upon entering the bedroom, I calmly opened the bottom compartment of the safe.

It contained the same divorce papers he had chucked at me on our wedding night five years ago.

“Grace, we are both in this to get what we want. If the day ever comes when you feel like you’ve had enough or if I feel like you are no longer qualified, this divorce agreement can be invoked immediately.”

I had had enough. Besides, I did not consider myself “qualified” anymore.

My hands were shaking as I carefully signed my name on the sallow, aged paper.

I cried myself to sleep, and when I woke up, I found myself in a pitch-black room. It was only then that I realized it was midnight.

After I carefully put away the divorce papers, the door behind me opened.

Xavier entered.

“You… Why are you here?”

I flinched when I saw him. He cast me an indifferent look before gesturing for me to sit up.

“The doctor came by just now, but since you were sleeping, I told him not to disturb you.”

Then, he knelt before me and opened a first-aid kit to apply some ointment for me.

His movements were gentle, so gentle that I felt they did not resemble the gestures of a Don whose life was always at a blade’s tip.

Just like that, I felt myself caving and melting for him all over again.

Although we never had any intimate relationship in the last five years, he was very protective of me and looked after me.

If someone badmouthed me, then he would have their tongues cut off.

If I saw a piece of jewelry I liked, he would hand me his card without another word.

Back when I was traumatized and afraid of the dark for an entire month after surviving the kidnapping episode, he made sure all the lights in the manor were turned on all day and night.

It was those little acts of kindness that made me fell for him.

“Xavier, I heard Alice is going to remarry. Is that true?”

His movements stiffened upon hearing this. Then, he spoke in a lowered voice, “Who told you that?”

“I overheard some of the men talking about it.”

My voice trembled when I spoke, “I heard the suitor was an heir to a bank? I heard he's a good man…”

“Ha, a good man?” Xavier sneered and suddenly tightened his grip around me.

I gasped from the pain. He seemed to have fallen into a dark and brooding state, as if he was unable to pluck himself out of the pit of emotions.

“He doesn't deserve her. No man in this world is worthy of her.”

Then, he got up and looked at me from above. All his tenderness had vanished and was replaced by an air of authority.

“Grace, what have I been teaching you for the last five years? You should know better than to ask questions you shouldn’t be asking.”

Then, he approached the window and lit a cigar, “I know how to handle Alice’s affairs.”

I felt an urge to cry upon hearing this.

Forget it. I could no longer lie to myself.

“By that, do you mean you’re going to stop her from remarrying?”

I lost all my senses at once. All I wanted now was to get a definite answer from him, regardless of how reckless it may be.

“Xavier, you told me that you can’t handle being physical with a woman, but I saw you hugging her today! You were hugging her so tightly! You lied to me!”

The silence was oppressive.

He narrowed the look in his eyes and sneered.

“Yes, and what about it?” He exhaled a puff of smoke, “She's the only exception. I’ve wanted her since I was sixteen, but my brother swooped in and took her from me.”

My tears finally fell.

“What about me? What am I to you?”

Xavier came closer and fixed a look on me.

“You’re a good, obedient, and competent wife who does a good job at keeping the elders happy.

“I can give you all the wealth and status you need on the condition that you don’t ask for what doesn’t rightfully belong to you.

“You’ve been getting more unruly these days. I’m disappointed in you.”

He sighed and turned to leave.

I sat stiffly as I stared blankly at what was ahead of me for what seemed like an eternity before I snapped out of it. Then, I grabbed several bank statements and some title deeds from a hidden compartment in the safe.

Then, I took a deep breath before dialing a private number.

“Rosalia, please sell off all the insured jewelry pieces.”

The person on the other end hesitated before asking, “Donna, it was the Don who gave them…”

“Are you my assistant or Xavier’s?” I cut her off, “I want you to cash them out within two weeks and wire the money directly to my personal account. If he asks about them, just tell him I lost them.”

It was only a couple of gemstones anyway. He would toss me another check without even batting an eye.

Xavier thought I couldn’t survive without his money and his occasional gestures of affection given out of pity.

He underestimated me.

Not only was I getting a divorce, but I was also taking his money and leaving for good. I was going to live the life I wanted.

The next morning, I put on full-glam makeup to hide the exhaustion from my previous sleepless night.

Xavier was seated at the dining table, in the middle of flipping through the morning paper. The sun cast a radiant glow on him, accentuating his unbelievable good looks.

I approached him and gravely set a stack of documents next to him.

“What’s this?” He gave me a look.

“Some project grants that need your signature. There are also several authorization letters for the family fund.” I avoided his gaze before continuing, “This last one here is a request for some extra expenses on my end.”

“You’re still throwing a tantrum.” He frowned, “When are you going to see reason?”

“I’m not throwing a tantrum. I’ve thought it through, and I’ve decided I want the new custom ring as compensation. It’s the one in the last document.”

Upon hearing this, his tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly.

I sneered at his reaction. It seemed to me that he still believed I would still be under his control as long as I continued to obsess over such frivolous things.

“Buy whatever you want,” he said as he signed the documents swiftly.

When the tip of the pen glided across the dotted line on the divorce papers, I held my breath.

After he signed his name next to mine, I took the signed papers and left satisfied.

Then, I drove straight to Saint Mary Hospital to visit Annie, who took a stab at the abdomen to protect me. I had to make sure she was in good condition.

Upon finding out that the surgery was successful and that she was recovering, I heaved a sigh of relief.

When I walked down the hospital corridor, I heard two nurses whispering excitedly between themselves.

“Did you see that patient’s husband? He’s so handsome!”

“Yes! When she came in yesterday and found out she was pregnant, her husband anxiously arranged for her to get the best services!”

I did a double-take and felt a nauseating, ominous feeling wash over me. I couldn’t help myself and snuck a peek.

Through the crack in the door, I spotted Alice.

She was looking down at her phone. I could already make out the maternal affection in her expression.

“Hey Mom, the doctor said I’m six weeks pregnant. The baby is very healthy.”

The person on the other end of the line was both surprised and curious.

“No, I can't marry him anymore,” Alice said while patting her stomach.

The voice on the other end grew louder. Alice paused for a moment before chirping jubilantly, “Who else could it be but Xavier?”

I slumped weakly against the wall and felt my stomach turning.

Xavier kept insisting that he was “allergic to women,” yet he slept with his sister-in-law.

He told me I was “the only woman in his life,” but this whole time, there was someone else in his heart.

I couldn't bear to listen anymore and walked out of the hospital, all drained.

When I reached the entrance of the hospital, I bumped into Xavier of all people.

“What are you doing here?” He reached out to stop me, but suddenly pulled his hand back before I nearly bumped into him.

“I came to see Annie.” I said with a forced smile, “She nearly died protecting me. As Donna, I have a responsibility to visit her.”

Xavier frowned, “I’ll have someone make the arrangements to have her transferred to a private facility on the outskirts of the city in half an hour.”

“Transfer?!” I snapped as I turned toward him.

I glared at him and said, “She just had surgery, and the wound is barely healed! Why are you transferring her now, of all times?”

The answer came to me before I even finished uttering the question.

Because this was the hospital where Alice was conducting her prenatal checkups.

“I’m doing this for her safety.”

Xavier lied without flinching, “Be good and listen to me. Will you head back home to sort out the credentials of that overseas shipment we received?”

I rebutted, “Is it truly for her safety, or are you just worried I’d find out Alice is hospitalized here too?”

Though my tone was calm, I understood that from this point on, the veneer of peace between us was going to be torn down for good.