Done Being Your Lover

Eighteen and desperate due to my mother's illness, I enter the orbit of Enzo Lombardi, a powerful, feared mafia boss. He treats me with impossible sweetness, and I find myself sinking into his possessive love and lavish spoiling.

Everything changes the day a woman named Isabella Gallo shows up.

She claims she's the one Enzo truly loves, and she laughs as she slides a two-million-dollar check across the table, demanding that I leave him. I turn down the money.

She then suggests we both send him a message at the same time and see who he cares about more.

Holding on to one last bit of hope, I text Enzo that I'm in a car accident. Isabella, on the other hand, tells him her plane is about to land.

I wait for his reply, but nothing comes. Instead, I watch as Isabella picks up his call. At that moment, I understood it was time for me to go.

When I was 18, my Mamma was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. To treat her, I borrowed money everywhere I could, drowning myself in debt, yet it barely kept her alive. Cornered by life, I met Enzo Lombardi.

He was the most mysterious and powerful mafia boss in Montavello, a man who ruled the business world just as easily. He sat across from me in a sharp suit, lit a cigar, and said lightly, "As long as you stay with me, money won't be a problem."

Just like that, I became his lover, his amante.

Later, when my Mamma passed away, I stayed by Enzo's side. He spoiled me in ways people would never believe.

A jewelry shop I mentioned once in passing became mine the next day; a dish I said I liked had him cooking it for me himself. The night I came down with a fever, he dropped an international meeting and flew straight back to watch over me.

Under the sweeping auroras of Vesteria, he kissed the back of my hand and whispered, "Tesoro mio… From this moment on, every year, I'll walk every step with you, hand in hand."

I drowned myself in the unreal sweetness of his love and almost forgot who I was. That was until Isabella Gallo showed up. She came toward me in sky-high heels, wearing a confident smile.

"So, you're Enzo's little amante, eh?" she said. "Do yourself a favor and leave. The moment I return, he'll come straight back to me."

Truth be told, I had heard about this childhood sweetheart of his long before she even showed up.

"If you don't believe me, why don't we make a bet?"

Isabella wore a superior smile, then reached into her Hermès bag and pulled out a check for two million dollars. "Do you believe me if I say he'll come see me as soon as I text him? You're nothing more than a little pastime for him.

"If you lose, take this money and get out of his world."

I was overwhelmed by the sudden confrontation, yet something in me still nodded. "Fine."

I clung to a tiny shred of hope, wanting to prove that Enzo's feelings for me were real. I sent him a message, telling him I had been in a car accident.

"I got into a car crash, Enzo. Can you get me? I'm bleeding a lot… I'm scared…"

Meanwhile, all Isabella had to type was, "My plane is landing soon, Enzo."

After our messages were sent, every second stretched unbearably long. In the end, her phone vibrated first. Enzo's calm, deep voice came through the speaker. "Wait for me at the airport. I'm coming to get you."

Right then, it felt like I fell straight into an ice pit.

Isabella ended the call with a flick of her fingers, then smiled victoriously. "See? You'll never outrank me in his heart."

I couldn't feel my body. My lips trembled, but not a word rolled off my tongue.

So, all that gentleness and devotion I thought belonged to me only existed because she had been away. I wasn't loved—I was just Isabella's shadow.

She held the check out to me, her red lips lifting in a mocking curve. "Take the money and disappear. Vai via!"

Contrary to her belief, I tore the check to pieces. Even I was surprised by my cold, unfeeling voice. "Fine. I'll leave Enzo. I'll never, ever appear in front of him again."

Isabella flashed me a satisfied smile and walked off in her clicking heels. I stayed where I was, stiff and unmoving, as silent tears raced down my cheeks.