After my brother, Don Matteo Sabella, finds out I have a crush on our family Consigliere, Lorenzo Gallo, for years, he spikes Lorenzo's wine and has him delivered to my bed.

That night, he pushes deep into me, and we lose ourselves in each other.

When the sky begins to lighten, Lorenzo stays, kisses my temple, and asks me to marry him.

Now that we are married, he is all those things—gentle, perfect, and fiercely possessive—handing me almost everything I desire.

I truly believe I've landed the kind of love every woman in our world dreams about.

That illusion lasts until the day Matteo gets taken out in an assassination. After that, Lorenzo steps up as the Sabellas' new Don.

It isn't long before he says he has family business to handle and disappears overseas for three years. Even on the day I deliver our daughter, Luna Gallo, he can't come home because of some emergency.

Then I hear a recording that's blowing up on the family's internal network.

His Consigliere chuckles and asks, "Don, what do you think has changed the most since you took over the family?"

Lorenzo answers in this offhand tone, "It's definitely the fact that I can finally give those I care about most a home. But it also means I'm even more worried that Eliana and Sofia will be targeted because of me…"

My blood runs cold.

Eliana Rossi is his adopted sister, and Sofia is her daughter.

Turns out every business trip, every absence, every so-called emergency Lorenzo has is about them. He has another home out there.

That night, with my hands shaking, I dial the encrypted line. "Matteo, we've found the traitor. Isn't it time you stopped pretending to be dead and came to take Luna and me away?"

"Donna Sabella, in 72 hours, every record of you and your daughter, Luna, will be deleted from every system in existence. This is your last chance to change your mind—"

I swallowed the sharp ache rising in my chest and leveled my voice until it sounded numb. "No. Leave it. Do it the way we agreed."

Lorenzo Gallo and I got married first and fell in love later. We had three sweet years together, three more on opposite sides of the world, and now everything came down to these last three days.

I'd barely ended the call when I heard crying at the door. I would've known that voice anywhere.

It was my daughter, Luna Gallo.

Today was the annual heir assessment. Any child who stood out was almost guaranteed to be next in line to lead the family.

Before Luna left this morning, she was straightening her uniform with careful fingers, chattering about how much she wanted Lorenzo to see how far she'd come.

Now her eyes were red and puffy as she threw herself into my arms. Her little shoulders trembled as she cried.

"Mommy, does Daddy not care about me anymore? He told me he'd support me, but at the assessment, he stood with Sofia the entire time.

"Even one of the judges asked him if Sofia was the Sabellas' chosen heir. The heirs from the other families were laughing at me, calling me a bastard…"

Every word felt like it was tearing me apart.

I honestly thought if I waited three years for Lorenzo, he'd wrap up the family's business overseas and finally come home to be with Luna and me.

But reality didn't waste a second before knocking me flat.

He only came back because Eliana Rossi decided she wanted to move home. She tossed out a casual "I'm sick of staying there", and he dropped a good chunk of his overseas work to bring her back.

While he was at it, he transferred her daughter, Sofia, into Luna's school.

The day we went to pick Lorenzo up at the airport, Luna wore her favorite tulle dress and her little dress shoes. She clutched a tiny mirror the whole ride to make sure her bangs were perfect.

"Mommy, I miss Daddy so much. Do you think he misses me too?"

I kissed her cheek and smiled. "Of course he does. You're his only daughter."

The cabin doors opened, and Lorenzo stepped out, collar loose in the wind as if he'd just walked straight out of a luxury ad.

He had Eliana's hand in one of his and Sofia on his other arm. The little girl wore designer labels from head to toe.

Luna and I froze.

The moment Lorenzo noticed us, he frowned as if our presence there was the very last thing he needed.

He spoke in that cool, distant voice of his. "Alessia, che ci fai qua? Eliana and Sofia just got back, and I need to get them settled first. The driver will take you and Luna home. Wait for me there."

After that, he didn't give Luna or me another glance. He just walked right past us with Sofia in his arms.

Remembering that moment, I closed my eyes and struggled to hold back the tears.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. This is all my fault. Next time, I'll be there cheering for you."

After Luna finally cried herself to sleep, I tucked her in.

Even in her sleep, her little brows stayed furrowed, her lips moving as she whispered, "Daddy, why weren't you on my side?"

My chest tightened so much I began to tremble.

It all started at my birthday party six years ago.

That night at the party, my brother, Don Matteo Sabella, learned about my crush on Lorenzo and ordered someone to spike Lorenzo's drink.

I called Matteo, my frustration boiling over. "Why would you do that, Matteo? He's going to hate me!"

He laughed like it was nothing. "Relax, Principessa. I've seen how he looks at you. He wants you. He's just too proud to admit it. And besides, you're a Sabella. What man wouldn't come running when you call?

"He's only a Consigliere. He should feel lucky."

Before I could get a word out, a strange heat rushed through me. I gasped in fear.

Matteo gave a slow, knowing whistle. "I had someone spike your coffee too. Go on, sweetheart. Enjoy your night. Drain him dry!"

As soon as he finished speaking, they shoved Lorenzo into my room and slammed the door.

He was breathing hard, his eyes lit with a dangerous kind of hunger. But the second he saw me, whatever had been driving him hesitated.

He grabbed my wrist, his voice rough and unsteady. "Alessia? Come… Perché sei tu?"

The turmoil in his eyes sent a cold shiver through me.

I saw the desire the drug had forced into him, and the anger at being played. But underneath it all, there was a conflict I couldn't untangle, curling into something close to despair.

Lorenzo barely forced the words out. "Vai… Alessia. Leave now while I still have control!"

"The door's locked from the outside…"

I sagged against the wall, weak all over. Heat and want churned through me until I found myself drifting closer to him.

"Lorenzo, if you can't do this… I'll call Matteo and have him send me another man!"

No man alive could've ignored a line like that. I'd just struck the match.

"You started this," he growled.

Then everything tipped sideways. He yanked me into his arms and pinned me beneath him, kissing me with a fierce, desperate heat.

That night was wild, messy, and addictive.

When I woke up the next morning, Lorenzo was still inside me, his warmth pressed deep against mine.

The second he realized I was awake, he started to move, slow and deliberate, sending another wave of pleasure through me.

"Alessia," he murmured, kissing my temple.

"Sposami."

I thought that was the start of our happily-ever-after.

Then Matteo died out of nowhere. After that, Lorenzo buried himself in work, getting busier every year until he spent three straight years overseas without coming home.

I told myself he must have his reasons. I told myself this was simply what came with loving a mafia Don.

At least, that was what I believed until I asked someone to crack the encrypted part of that leaked recording.

Lorenzo's Consigliere, Dario Casalini, had asked, "Don, I don't get it. What don't you like about Donna Sabella? She's gorgeous, devoted, and she's the one who shut down all the voices against you becoming Don."

A lighter snapped shut.

When Lorenzo spoke, his voice was just as cold and hard as the metal. "It's not about liking her. I just never should've married her."

The words blindsided Dario. "Then why'd you…"

Lorenzo snorted. "I was an orphan. Eliana's parents took me in and gave me a home. Matteo might've forgotten how much blood he's spilled, but Eliana told me it was Matteo who killed my adoptive parents.

"I married Alessia so he'd know what it felt like to lose his own family, to lose his home. I just didn't expect Matteo to be the one who died first."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut.

So Luna and I were the ones who didn't belong. Lorenzo hadn't wanted this family at all. He'd married me just for revenge.

I wiped my tears and pulled out my suitcase to start packing. My fingers had barely touched the zipper when the heavy front door slammed open.

Lorenzo stumbled in, reeking of booze and someone else's perfume. He staggered up behind me, hugged me from the back, and kissed my neck.

"Babe, take Luna to the downtown apartment tomorrow and stay there with her for the day."

I took a deep breath and made myself relax. "Perché?"

His hand slipped under the hem of my nightgown, inching higher toward places he shouldn't have been touching.

"Sofia came out on top in the heir assessment, and she's planning a celebration at Sabella Manor. I know you're not big on parties, so why don't you take Luna and go stay out for the day?"

Everything I'd been holding in all day finally blew.

I shoved his hand aside and took a step away. "Lorenzo, do you even remember who your real daughter is?"

He blinked, irritation flashing across his face.

I spoke before he had the chance. "The other heirs called Luna a bastard today. She came home crying and asked why you didn't stand up for her. She placed second, and you didn't even congratulate her.

"And now you want to throw a party for someone else's kid?"

Lorenzo let out a tired sigh, like he was already done with me. "Alessia, calmati. I'm sorry about what happened at the assessment. Sofia grew up without a father. Eliana raised her alone.

"They've had a hard life. Can't you try to be the bigger person? And remember, you're Donna now. You should be thinking about more than just the three of us."

When he finished, he shrugged off his coat and headed for the bathroom.

I stood there, listening to the water run, like I could hear my heart breaking right along with it.

He could go on about how hard it was for Eliana to raise a child alone, but he never once counted the nights I held Luna in the dark while she sobbed. Everything I did, every sacrifice I made, went unseen.

Compared to Eliana, the woman Lorenzo had grown up with, my love barely even existed to him.

I went to the study, opened my laptop, and unlocked a hidden folder. There was only one file inside—my divorce agreement.

If it weren't for Luna, my pride would've made me send it ages ago. But she deserved a whole family, and I wanted to try one last time to keep it together for her.

…

At 10:00 am, the man in charge of the heir assessment called me. He kept stumbling over his words, like every sentence hurt to say.

"Donna Sabella, I've gone back and forth about telling you this, but you deserve to know. The judges unanimously picked Luna as first, but someone powerful leaned on us. He forced us to give first place to Sofia instead."

My chest tightened. Only the Sabellas had the power to interfere with the assessment.

Lorenzo knew exactly what that ranking meant, and he still traded Luna's honor for Sofia.

But when Luna found out, her eyes lit up like she couldn't have been happier. "Mommy, so I was really first place! I'm going to go tell Daddy!"

Before I could stop her, she bolted for the backyard, where Sofia's party was already in full swing.

Luna stopped in her tracks when she almost reached them.

Lorenzo sat at the main table, gently feeding Sofia cake. Eliana stood beside them, snapping pictures as if she were documenting a perfect family moment.

"Daddy, why are they here?" Luna asked quietly.

And somehow, the whole yard went silent.

Lorenzo frowned the second he spotted Luna. "Aren't you supposed to be at the downtown apartment? Where's your mother?"

Luna swallowed and held up her medal. "Daddy, I won this at the heir assessment. I was supposed to come in first—"

Before she could finish, Sofia knocked the medal from her hand.

"That's a lie! I'm the one who came in first! Where did you come from, you bastard? You really think you're good enough to compete with me? Dream on!"

Sofia huffed and, right in front of everyone, flung the medal to the ground and stomped it under her heel. Then she tipped her chin up and gave Luna a hard shove.

"And who told you that you could call him 'Daddy'? He's my father. Are you blind? Get your eyes checked and stop clinging to my dad!"

Luna hit the ground hard and burst into tears.

My heart lurched. I rushed over, scooped her into my arms, and glared at Sofia. "Apologize to Luna!"

Lorenzo got up right away, putting himself between Sofia and us. "Alessia, that's enough! Today is Sofia's celebration. Don't make a scene. She's wanted a father and a family her whole life. She didn't mean to push Luna. Let it go, just this once."

Just this once? How many times had he used "just this once" to excuse betraying Luna and me?

I stared straight at Lorenzo, trembling. "Can you honestly not tell if she meant it? She just told Luna she isn't allowed to call you Dad, right here in front of everyone. So tell me, whose father are you?"

Hesitation flashed across his eyes. In the end, he chose silence and turned back to comfort Sofia instead.

That was when Eliana stepped in with her gentle, perfect smile. "Ms. Sabella, I'm truly sorry. Sofia just got back from overseas, and she's still getting used to the language.

"If anything she said sounded blunt, please don't take it to heart."

The more she went on, the more smug Sofia got. "I'm not wrong! On the day of the heir assessment, everyone said the Don of the Sabellas is my dad. That means I'm the future heir of the Sabellas!

"This bastard is trying to steal my father!"

My fingers trembled, but I forced myself to stay calm and met Lorenzo's eyes.

For years, he'd skipped out on Luna in the name of family business, and I let that go. But I was not about to stand here and watch someone steal her place as heir right in front of me!

I ground my teeth and forced the words out, slow and clear. "Lorenzo, I'm asking you one last time. Whose father are you?"

His gaze flickered, then he looked away from me. "No one knows better than you how wrong it was for this father-daughter relationship to even happen. That's enough. Today is Sofia's celebration.

"Can't you just let her have it? Luna, be good. Go back and rest with your mom."

Luna stiffened against me, and then her tears spilled over.

"Adesso capisco… Don," she said quietly.

Lorenzo jolted and turned to us, disbelief written all over his face.

Seeing how empty Luna looked, I felt the last bit of warmth drain out of me.

"Lorenzo, we're getting a divorce."

Lorenzo froze. His eyes went wide, filled with emotions I couldn't even name.

"Alessia, you think threatening me with divorce is fun? If you don't want this party, it ends now. You're my wife, and that's not changing."

He shut me out before I could answer. He turned toward the guests, and in a heartbeat, that cold, commanding mafia Don was back.

"The celebration ends here. Please head out."

No one dared to say anything. They just began filing out.

A flash of resentment crossed Eliana's eyes, then vanished behind a look of concern. She gently tugged on Lorenzo's sleeve.

"Lorenzo, this is on Sofia and me. We never should've come back and upset Alessia. If it'll make things better, I'll take Sofia and leave tomorrow—"

Lorenzo cut her off, his voice cold. "No. We grew up together. We've long been family to each other. Alessia can be jealous all she wants, but she doesn't get to take it out on you.

"She actually brought up divorce in front of everyone today. Who knows what she'll try next? Everything stays as planned. Let her sit with that and think about what she's done."

He finished speaking and walked off toward the driveway without a glance back.

I watched him go and let out a wry laugh. I wasn't jealous this time. That feeling belonged to people who were still in love, and I wasn't anymore.

…

That night, Luna was unusually well-behaved. She fell asleep on her own without me having to soothe her.

But the redness around her nose gave her away. She was only pretending everything was fine, so that I wouldn't be sad. And that broke me more than anything else.

Just then, a picture from Eliana popped up on my phone.

She, Sofia, and Lorenzo were at a high-end restaurant owned by the Sabellas. They were huddled together, arms around each other, smiling at the camera.

Next to them stood a sign that read, "Congratulations to Sofia for taking first place in the heir assessment."

So, party or no party, they still found a way to celebrate Sofia on their own.

Another message popped up from Eliana. "Oops, wrong person. I meant to send that to Lorenzo, but I can't take it back now. Anyway, you get it now, don't you?

"If it weren't for what happened back then, Lorenzo never would've married you. He's been building a life overseas with Sofia and me all these years. And now Matteo's dead.

"There's no one left to protect you. Do yourself a favor and leave Lorenzo. It's better for everyone."

A second photo followed immediately.

Sofia beamed in the center while Eliana and Lorenzo kissed her cheeks from either side. They looked like the picture-perfect family of three.

I stared at the photo for a long time before finally texting Eliana back, "Va bene."

Her little scheme was clever, but she had no idea Matteo was still alive. It wouldn't be long before he came to take Luna and me away.