When I returned to Fontana Estate, I was stunned to hear loud music.

Cesare liked peace and quiet. Even the guards moved around in silence. But now, I could hear the music even from the front gate. It grew clearer as I stepped into the house.

As jazz music played from the speaker in the corner of the living room, Sonia held Cesare's hands while twisting her body around sensually. He was clumsily trying to keep up. Even though he was frowning, he readily accompanied her in her dance.

I startled them when I opened the door. Upon seeing me, Cesare stopped dancing, but Sonia continued to hold his hands tightly.

"Hi, Rosalia! We're just reenacting a classic scene from a movie. You should join us!" Sonia made a graceful twirl, her crimson dress swirling in the air.

My hands tightened around the documents I was holding. Mixed among the stack of documents that needed to be signed was the divorce paperwork.

The scene I stumbled upon made my eyes prickle. I couldn't even offer a single polite remark.

I now knew that Cesare was capable of doing things he didn't enjoy for someone else's sake. He was willing to compromise for the sake of the woman he loved.

Noticing the stack of papers I had with me, Sonia came over and asked curiously, "What are those? Are they for Cesare?"

I tensed up, the courage I'd only just mustered swiftly crumbling again. "It's nothing. These are just some documents that needed to be signed. It can wait. I'll—"

"What documents? Give them to me."

Cesare's voice rang out above my head, his tone firm and commanding.

Gulping, I flipped open all the documents to the last page, where they needed to be signed.

"These are just the purchase agreements for some items bought at an auction."

With his brows slightly creased, Cesare took the documents and started signing them. And when his signature fell on the divorce paperwork, I felt the tension melting away from me.

Everything was over now, right?

After taking back the stack of documents, I turned to leave without hesitation.

"Wait a minute!" Cesare called out.

I stiffened, my hands trembled as I clutched the documents. Did he notice something?

Cesare walked up to me. His fingers brushed over my palm as they reached for the documents I was holding. My fingers tightened around them.

Just as he was about to take them from me, Sonia grabbed his hand and said, "We haven't finished our dance, Cesare. Don't waste your time on unimportant things."

Cesare didn't refute Sonia's remark about "unimportant things". He simply lowered his head, allowing her to grip his hand. He wasn't the least bit cold toward her. He was nothing like the husband I'd been married to for five years.

This realization stabbed me in the heart, making it hurt even more.

Sonia's eyes flickered toward me, her gaze visibly taunting. "Do you want to join us, Rosalia?"

Shaking my head lightly, I declined in a voice so soft that I could barely hear it myself. "No thanks. I don't know how to dance."

I had none of the skills and etiquette that were expected of young ladies from distinguished families.

During my time with Cesare, what I learned was how to manage an estate and settle financial accounts. With all my time spent on doing my best to be a good donna, I had no time to pick up other frivolous skills.

Now that I thought about it, I realized how useful it was for me to have learned the things I did. Even after leaving Cesare, I could still support myself.

Sonia's eyes flashed with contempt. "That's such a shame. How can a Donna not even know how to dance? You're woefully unfit for the role."

Her words felt like a slap in the face, making me turn red with mortification.

"Do you want to learn? I'll hire you a teacher," Cesare abruptly said.

"N-No. It's fine," I said before rushing off, as if I were fleeing.

I hurried up to my room on the second floor, feeling both humiliated and relieved. I was leaving anyway, so why should I bother learning how to dance?

As I stared at the signed divorce paperwork, my eyes misted over. The unequal marriage had resulted in the end of our relationship.

As I was packing my things in the guest bedroom, Cesare came in and casually sat on the bed. When he drew closer, I held my breath. Sonia's perfume was mixed in with his scent, and it made my head spin.

"Why did you move into this room? Are you upset because you had to give up your room?"

Cesare stared probingly at me. It was as if nothing could escape his gaze. I looked down to avoid his eyes, but my body was screaming to move closer to him. I fought hard to suppress the love I felt for him, which still came so naturally to me. I pushed it down, burying it deep inside my heart.

As I tried my best to contain my sadness as well, I replied with a slight tremble in my voice, "This room seems like a good one to me."

I forced myself to keep my tone light and unaffected.

A helpless sigh came from above my head. I felt a warm breath washing over my neck.

"Don't get upset because of this. Once Sonia leaves, that room will still be yours."

I didn't say anything. For some reason, my senses were exceptionally sharp right now. I could see the way his warm body slowly approached mine. His lips grazed the top of my head. His hands glided across my skin, making me shiver.

I closed my eyes and forced down the moan that had almost escaped my lips. I loathed myself for reacting this way.

Even though I had given up on our relationship, my body was still instinctively responding to his touch.

Cesare had only just begun unbuttoning my blouse when his phone started ringing, instantly snapping him back to his senses. From the corner of my eye, I noticed the name on the screen.

Sonia was calling.

Expression impassive, he turned and left my room at once, as if everything that just happened between us had been an illusion of mine.

I vaguely overheard some of their conversation. The words "pregnancy" and "feeling unwell" hit me like a bucket of cold water.

That night, I sat stiffly in my room without going to bed. Cesare never came back.

I should've seen that coming, no?

Sonia, Cesare's true love, was back. They were even about to have a child together.

Perhaps I could regain some of my pathetic dignity by voluntarily walking away from everything.

…

The next morning, I took the divorce paperwork, which now had both our signatures, to the courthouse. Once it was approved, the divorce was filed.

Right after that, I went to the embassy and completed more paperwork to confirm my migration to Ressonia. I kept myself busy by completing all of the necessary procedures, giving myself no time to pause and dwell on the situation.

When I went to the hospital to complete the health check I needed before I could move, I caught a familiar scent in the hospital corridor—Sonia's distinctive perfume.

I had to grab the wall to stay on my feet.

Cesare and Sonia stood close together in front of an examination room at the end of the corridor. They were both reading a report together.

A nurse patiently explained, "Since you're only four weeks pregnant, and the fetus is also in an unstable condition, you'll need to prioritize rest above all else. You mustn't engage in any intercourse either."

Four weeks? Wasn't that around the time when Sonia just returned to the country?

Smiling, Sonia gave Cesare a light smack on the back of his hand. He simply gave her a gentle reminder to get plenty of rest.

It was a warm, cozy scene, but it made my heart feel as cold as ice.

I was about to leave with renewed determination when Cesare happened to look up. The moment our eyes met, all the color drained from his face.

"Rosalia! What are you doing here?"

I took a step back, hiding my equally pale face in the shadows.

Sonia abruptly let out a cry. Clutching her abdomen, she collapsed into Cesare's arms.

My eyes started to water, but I forced down those tears. As I turned, I heard Cesare calling out anxiously, "On our anniversary tomorrow, I'll wait for you at our usual spot. I'll explain everything to you then!"

But I didn't respond. I was flying off tomorrow. We wouldn't be celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary.

I staggered back to Fontana Estate. After leaving the divorce papers in a drawer in the guest bedroom I'd used, I grabbed my suitcase and walked off without looking back.

A sudden panic rose in Cesare's heart. Instinctively, he tried to go after me, but Sonia grabbed him tightly.

"You made me a promise. This is to be a secret between us!" Sonia hissed warningly into his ear, her head raised arrogantly.

Cesare stopped in his tracks, his eyes flashing with impatience. "Don't push it, Sonia. She's my Donna!"

Sonia simply snorted, her gaze scornful. "Your family doesn't even recognize her. You'd better not forget about our deal, Don Fontana!"

Cesare lowered his eyes. While his stance made him seem agreeable, his voice was icy. "Don't make things humiliating or uncomfortable for Rosalia. That's where I draw the line."

However, Sonia wasn't the least bit afraid. She even clutched his arm and nuzzled her head against his shoulder in an intimate manner.

"The Moretti family will be meeting with the Fontana family tomorrow. It seems to me that you'll probably need my help then."

Cesare said nothing more. He only clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms.

Once they were done with Sonia's prenatal checkup, they went to the mall to buy a ton of baby supplies before having a lavish dinner as well. The moon was high in the sky when they finally got back to Fontana Estate.

The house looked cold and empty. The household staff had already retired to their rooms for the night. In the past, I would always leave a light on for him and stay up in my room, patiently waiting for him to return.

But tonight, the entire house was dark, including my room.

The unease in Cesare's heart kept growing, but Sonia still refused to let him leave her side.

"My papa will show his support for you during the meeting tomorrow, but your uncle has far too many supporters as well. Even if we, the Moretti family, back you up, it's no guarantee that you'll maintain your position as the Don of the Fontana family."

Tilting her chin upward, she added with a haughty expression, "I already told you that as long as you marry me, the Moretti family will do everything in its power to support you. This is a win-win situation for both of us!"

However, Cesare flung her hand off, his expression frosty. "And I also told you that Rosalia is the only one I would ever marry. Pretending to be the father of your child is already as far as I can go.

"If you're going to insist on crossing the line, I don't mind using my position as Don of the Fontana family to declare war against the Moretti family!"

Sonia's eyes flashed with fury, but she soon lifted her head and chuckled. "Relax. This was just a joke. We already have an agreement, don't we?"

Scoffing, Cesare pushed Sonia's hand away and hurried up to the second floor.

The guest bedroom I'd chosen had been the furthest one from Cesare's master bedroom. It was right by the household staff's quarters.

Cesare knew that he'd hurt me deeply with his actions, but he had no choice. He bought a set of diamond jewelry at an auction, hoping he could use it to make it up to me. But after entering the room with the jewelry box in hand, he froze.

The room looked spotless and untouched. There was no trace of me having stayed there at all.

Frowning, Cesare woke up his butler, Giovanni Russo.

"Where did Rosalia move to? Bring me to her now!"

Suppressing a yawn, Giovanni glanced into the room while saying, "But this is Donna Fontana's room, Don Fontana. She didn't move anywhere else."

Cesare's expression darkened. "Have you grown too comfortable on the job? Is that why you've made such a careless mistake? Open your eyes and take a good look at the room again. Does it look like anyone is staying here?"

Shocked, Giovanni lowered his head and apologized to Cesera, "My apologies, Don Fontana. I've been negligent. I'll find Donna Fontana's room at once!"

Alas, there was no way Giovanni could find me. I was already on a flight bound for Ressonia. I'd left Navarino for good.