The Seven-Year Itch: Erasing the Donna

On our seventh wedding anniversary, I was straddling my Mafia husband, Lucian, kissing him deeply. My fingers fumbled in the pocket of my expensive silk dress, searching for the pregnancy test I'd hidden there. I wanted to save the news of my unexpected pregnancy for the end of the evening. Lucian's right-hand man, Marco, asked with a suggestive smile in Italian: "Don, your new little canary, Sophia. How does she taste?" Lucian's mocking laughter vibrated through my chest, sending a chill down my spine. He replied, also in Italian: "Like an unripe peach. Fresh and tender." His hand was still caressing my waist, but his gaze was distant. "Just keep this between us. If my Donna finds out, I'm a dead man." His men chuckled knowingly, raising their glasses and swearing their silence. The warmth in my blood turned to ice, inch by inch. The one thing they didn’t know was that my grandmother was from Sicily, so I understood every word. I forced myself to remain calm, keeping the perfect smile of a Donna fixed in place, but the hand holding my champagne flute trembled. Instead of making a scene, I opened my phone, found the invitation I had received a few days ago for a private international medical research project, and tapped "Accept." In three days, I would disappear from Lucian's world completely. Chapter 1 On our seventh wedding anniversary, I was straddling my Mafia husband, Lucian, kissing him deeply. My fingers fumbled in the pocket of my expensive silk dress, searching for the pregnancy test I'd hidden there. I wanted to save the news of my unexpected pregnancy for the end of the evening. Lucian's right-hand man, Marco, asked with a suggestive smile in Italian: "Don, your new little canary, Sophia. How does she taste?" Lucian's mocking laughter vibrated through my chest, sending a chill down my spine. He replied, also in Italian: "Like an unripe peach. Fresh and tender." His hand was still caressing my waist, but his gaze was distant. "Just keep this between us. If my Donna finds out, I'm a dead man." His men chuckled knowingly, raising their glasses and swearing their silence. The warmth in my blood turned to ice, inch by inch. The one thing they didn’t know was that my grandmother was from Sicily, so I understood every word. I forced myself to remain calm, keeping the perfect smile of a Donna fixed in place, but the hand holding my champagne flute trembled. Instead of making a scene, I opened my phone, found the invitation I had received a few days ago for a private international medical research project, and tapped "Accept." In three days, I would disappear from Lucian's world completely. ... Noticing I hadn't touched the blood orange he'd peeled for me, Lucian gently wiped a smudge of wine from the corner of my mouth with his thumb. "Baby, what's wrong? Are you not feeling well?" Looking at the deep affection in his eyes, all I felt was disgust. One moment he was discussing my sister's body with his men, and the next, he was the perfect husband, deeply in love with his wife. I wondered how long he could keep up this masterful performance. "It's nothing. I was just wondering, what were you all talking about just now?" Lucian casually pinched my cheek, letting out a doting chuckle. "We were discussing an arms deal. I know you don't like hearing about that side of the business, so we used Italian." He must have been so lost in his debauchery lately that he'd forgotten my mother was Sicilian, and that I've understood Italian since I was a child. The smoke and liquor in the air suddenly felt suffocating. I pushed him away. "Please, carry on. I'm going to get some fresh air." Without waiting for Lucian's reply, I walked straight to the estate's terrace. As I passed, the other wives cast envious glances my way. "Look at our Donna, truly blessed. The Don throws such a grand party for her every year." "Yes, the queen of the Marino Family. What an enviable position." Hearing such praise used to make me feel proud and happy. I believed I had found the best husband in the world. But now, I only felt the irony, my heart a frozen lake. No one knew the filthy games Lucian, the man who supposedly loved me to death, played behind my back. Yesterday, I had snuck into his study to leave the anniversary gift I'd prepared for him. It was a restricted area, a place that held many of the Marino Family's secrets, a place even I rarely had the chance to enter. But this time, I smelled my sister Sophia's unique perfume there. That cheap, cloying scent had soaked into the leather sofa, clung to his suit jacket, and lingered in the air. The moment I walked out of that study, I knew my marriage to Lucian was over. A sudden vibration from my phone broke my train of thought. "Eleonora, I saw on the system that you accepted the project offer. You gave up your career for Marino all those years ago. I'm so happy to see you're coming back." "I'll send someone to pick you up in three days." "You can spend these next few days saying goodbye to your family." At the word "family," my knuckles whitened as I gripped my phone. Ever since my parents were killed in a blood feud five years ago, Lucian was the only family I had left. But now that he had betrayed me, he was no longer my family. "Professor, that won't be necessary. Please apply for the highest level of security clearance on my behalf and erase all public records of me." My mentor's voice, full of surprise, came through the phone. "Why? Once those records are erased, Eleonora Vettori will have completely vanished from the face of the earth. Lucian will go insane when he can't find you." I laughed bitterly. "He won't. He betrayed me." My eyes began to sting. After leaving medical school, the only medical practice I got was patching Lucian up after his gunfights. I had lost myself and gained nothing in return. My mentor fell silent. After a long moment, he sighed. "I thought it was strange when you suddenly accepted the offer yesterday. I never imagined…" "Alright. I'll arrange the highest level of security clearance for you. Just get your affairs in order these next three days." Hearing my mentor agree, I finally breathed a sigh of relief. The security protocol meant I no longer had to rack my brain for a way to leave Lucian. "Thank you, Professor." Just as the words left my mouth, a familiar deep voice sounded from behind me, making me jump. "Darling, who did you say was betrayed?" Chapter 2 I turned to meet Lucian's dark green eyes, which had sharpened with suspicion, and put on my usual gentle smile. "Oh, I was just chatting with a friend about one of the West Coast families. The Don betrayed his wife, and now she's filing for divorce and a share of the assets." If he loved acting so much, I would play along. Lucian's gaze was sharp as he scanned my face, searching for any telltale micro-expression. Only after confirming there was nothing amiss did his tense shoulders slowly relax. His large, scarred hand slid down my waist as he placed a light kiss on my temple. "What an idiot. To betray your woman is to betray your own throne." "My queen, that kind of thing will never happen in our Family." I stared into his eyes, as deep as an abyss, and smiled softly. "But what if it did happen?" "For example…" "Eleonora, there is no 'what if.'" Lucian cut me off immediately. "I, Lucian Marino, swear on the honor and bloodline of the Marino Family, I will never betray you." "Of course. I was just speaking hypothetically." Lucian fell silent for a moment, then gently rubbed his slightly rough jaw against my cheek. It was strange. While carrying on an affair with my sister, he also displayed an intense, suffocating possessiveness towards me. "Then let my punishment be that I can never find you again." "You know, Eleonora, you are my life. Without you, I'd go to hell anyway." I didn't respond, only gently wriggled free from his embrace. In three days, I would leave this embrace I once craved. Lucian, the punishment you just promised is about to come true. He was about to say something more when a voice interrupted. "Don, everything is ready." Lucian nodded, a mysterious smile playing on his lips as he took my hand and led me toward the edge of the terrace. He suddenly covered my eyes and whispered in my ear, "My baby, I have a special gift for you." "Five, four, three…" The moment the countdown finished, he removed his hands from my eyes. The sight before me was breathtaking. He had booked the entire private port, where hundreds of drones danced in the night sky. The twinkling drones eventually formed my name. "Eleonora." Lucian embraced me from behind, his voice as gentle as ever. "My sweetheart, we've been married for seven years. But every day with you feels as wonderful as the day we first met." I looked at the sparkling letters in the night sky, feeling as if I were in a different lifetime. Yes, seven years. From the innocent princess of the Vettori family to the Donna of the Marino Family. These seven years had changed me so much. Enough to turn deep love into betrayal, and vows into lies. Lucian turned me to face him, his dark green eyes so focused they seemed to melt me. "Seven years, and every year I've wanted to give you the best." He slowly leaned in to kiss me. If I hadn't heard him and Sophia moaning in his office yesterday, I might have been fooled by this Oscar-worthy performance until the day I died. Just as his lips were about to touch mine, his phone vibrated. A flicker of annoyance at being interrupted crossed his face, an expression I knew all too well. Good. I wouldn't have to think of a way to dodge him. "Damn it. I gave explicit orders that no one was to disturb us tonight. I want to know which idiot dared to ignore them." But when he saw the caller ID, his expression changed instantly. I glanced at the screen and saw "My Little Canary." I knew it was Sophia. Lucian cleared his throat, subtly turning the phone away as his long fingers quickly swiped across the screen. I clearly saw a flash of panic and raw desire in his eyes. Sure enough, the next second he turned to me, a perfectly feigned look of guilt on his face. "What is it?" I asked casually, my nails digging deep into my palms. The truth was obvious, but I still hoped that this time, he would choose me. "There's some urgent Family business I need to handle." He put his phone away, his eyes full of apology. "Darling, I might have to leave for a bit." "Now?" "I'm sorry. I know tonight is important, but this really can't wait." He kissed my forehead. "You go back to the room and rest. I'll be back to join you as soon as I'm done." "I understand. Family business always comes first." I nodded, acting like an obedient wife. Hearing my response, Lucian was visibly relieved. He gave me a quick hug before turning and leaving in a hurry. I stood on the terrace, watching his convoy of cars drive out of the estate gates. Once their taillights had completely disappeared, I turned and walked toward the parking garage. Since he had "urgent business" to attend to, I decided I should go see for myself just how urgent it was. I started the engine and quietly followed his convoy. Chapter 3 I tracked Lucian's convoy to a private club on the east side of the city. It was open only to members of the Marino Family. Thankfully, the guards at the entrance recognized my car and gave me a respectful nod. I parked across the street, observing from my car window. As soon as the car door opened, I saw Sophia in a tight red dress and ten-centimeter heels, pouncing into Lucian's arms like a cat in heat. "Darling, that drone show made me so jealous." Lucian patted her back, his tone doting. "Wasn't the firework show for your birthday a few days ago enough? Such a greedy little canary?" "You silly girl. You'll have everything you want, but now is not the time." "I promised you, as long as you behave and don't let Nora find out about our little game, all the power and status she has will one day be yours too." Hearing this, a sharp pain shot through my heart, as if a thousand daggers were piercing my chest. I remembered the spectacular fireworks display on the west side of town a few days ago. That night, Lucian had said he was going to "deal with" a traitor to the Family and didn't come home all night. I had been so worried something had happened to him that I couldn't sleep a wink. As it turned out, the real threat was my husband sleeping in my sister's bed. And I, his wife, was the real fool kept in the dark. Sophia let out a coquettish whine, her fingertips tracing deadly circles on his firm chest. "Can't I even be jealous, my Don?" "Fine, what can I do? You're my baby, after all. Now, I have something special for you tonight." Sophia whispered something in his ear, then yanked on his tie. Lucian's eyes instantly darkened with desire. "Then what are you waiting for? Tell me what it is." "You'll find out when we get upstairs. You'll have to unwrap your gift personally." Right there in public, Lucian swept her up into his arms and strode towards the club. Sophia let out a seductive cry, the rest of her words swallowed by Lucian's deep kiss. The elevator doors closed, taking them straight to the presidential suite on the top floor. I sat in my car, watching their figures disappear into the elevator. Seven years of marriage, and it all meant nothing to him. Even though I already knew everything, seeing it for myself was still as painful as a knife to the heart. The tears I'd been holding back finally fell, streaming down my cheeks. I remembered how, when we first got married, Lucian had sworn on the honor of the Marino Family that he would spend our entire anniversary day with me every year. But now, a single text from Sophia was enough to make him abandon that sacred vow. I had lost completely. I took a deep breath, suppressing the storm of emotions inside me. Just three more days. In three days, I would escape all of this. It was two in the morning when I returned to the estate. I went straight to a guest room and locked the door. At three-thirty, I heard Lucian return. "Eleonora? Eleonora!" He was shouting my name in the master bedroom, his voice growing more frantic. "Damn it! Where did she go?" Then came his furious roar. "Useless bastards! You lost the Donna?" "Don, the Donna's car isn't in the garage. She may have gone out," the butler answered, trembling. "Find her! Tear this city apart if you have to, but find her!" The footsteps grew closer as he began searching room by room. When he pushed open the guest room door, I pretended to have just woken up. The moment he saw me, his anger vanished, replaced by the raw panic of a man who thought he'd just lost everything. "My God, Nora, you scared the hell out of me." "Why didn't you let me know you were back? Do you have any idea I almost had the whole place shot up when I couldn't find you?" He rushed over and pulled me into a tight embrace, his body trembling slightly. "I couldn't sleep, so I moved to another room." I gently patted his back. "What's wrong?" "Nothing. I was just terrified when I couldn't find you." He kissed my hair, his voice filled with lingering fear. If you really cared about me, you wouldn't have touched another woman. And you certainly wouldn't have touched my sister. "I wasn't feeling well, so I came back early to rest. I forgot to tell you." After being steeped in lies for so long, I could now lie flawlessly myself. Lucian, his face etched with relief, lay down beside me and locked me in his arms as if I were a priceless treasure. "Don't you ever do that again. I'll go crazy if I can't find you." "You know I'd do anything for you." I closed my eyes, a cold smile on my lips. The next morning, I prepared an exquisite gift box. Inside, I placed the family signet ring that symbolized my status as Donna, along with the divorce papers I had drafted and signed overnight. "Lucian, this is my anniversary gift for you." He took the box, his eyes filled with surprise. "Should I open it now?" "No. Wait two days. It'll have more impact then." He nodded obediently and carefully placed the box in his safe. "You're going to love my gift." In two days, I would have vanished from his world completely. By then, this "gift" would tell him the whole truth. Just as I finished speaking, the doorbell rang. The door opened to reveal Sophia's face, tear-streaked and pitiful. Chapter 4 Lucian's face darkened instantly. He grabbed Sophia by the wrist and dragged her into the back garden. "Are you trying to get yourself killed? I warned you to never show your face here! If your sister finds out about anything, you know the consequences!" I walked to the second-floor window, which gave me a perfect view of everything in the garden. Lucian was like an enraged beast, shoving Sophia away forcefully. "Are you insane? Do you want to bring the entire Family down?!" Terrified by his rage, Sophia trembled, pulling a hospital report from her bag with a shaking hand. Even from that distance, I could faintly make out her words: "I know I shouldn't have come… but I'm pregnant." "The doctor said last night was too rough. I'm nine weeks along, and it's a high-risk pregnancy now." "Lucian, I know I shouldn't cause you trouble, but I'm scared. Will the baby be okay? This is your first heir, the future of your bloodline." Those words struck me like a bolt of lightning, shattering me completely. My chest felt as if a hole had been gouged out of it, raw and bleeding. Sophia was… also pregnant with a child of the Marino Family? I remembered how, when we first got married, we had discussed the issue of continuing the bloodline. Lucian had said that having a child too early would affect our relationship, that he wanted our union to remain the purest form of love. Back then, I was so mesmerized by his so-called "devotion" that I believed his nonsense and had been on birth control ever since. Only now did I understand. He could so casually father a child with another woman. From the very beginning, he never wanted to have a child with me. Hearing the word "pregnant," Lucian froze. He stared intently at Sophia's stomach, a flash of confusion in his eyes. He'd always taken precautions, so how…? But he question was there and gone in an instant. His lips trembled, and his tone suddenly softened. "Nine weeks? We need to be extra careful at this stage." "Nothing can happen to the heir of this Family." "You wait in the car first. I'll immediately arrange for the Family's best private doctor to give you a full check-up." Sophia's tears turned to smiles as she stood on her toes to offer him a kiss. Lucian's eyes instantly darkened, but he gently sidestepped her kiss. "We're at the Marino estate. Be more careful." "Besides, you need to prioritize the child in your womb now." "Don't provoke me." A roguish smile touched his lips as he walked back toward the villa. I quickly retreated to my room and sat back down at the dining table. Nine weeks. That must have been the night I first discovered he hadn't come home. I touched my own stomach, feeling nothing but sorry for this little life. It's mommy's fault. I couldn't give you a happy family. Soon, Lucian pushed the door open. "Nora, I need to go out and handle something." "The Romano family has been making some moves lately, possibly targeting our business." "I have to go deal with it myself. You be good and wait for me here at the estate for the next couple of days." I gave a faint nod of understanding. Seeing my placid expression, he was relieved and kissed my forehead before leaving. He was still so good at his act, moving effortlessly between Sophia and me. I watched his disappearing figure, then glanced at the calendar on the wall. This might be the last time we ever see each other in this life. That afternoon, my phone vibrated without warning. On the screen was a picture of an ultrasound report. It was followed by another picture: Lucian gently cradling Sophia's slightly swollen belly, bowing his head to kiss it reverently. The tenderness on his face was a gentleness I had never seen before. Even though the sender was an unknown number, the identity of the sender was obvious. Perhaps carrying the Marino heir had given my sister the audacity to provoke me, the Donna. But what she didn't know was that none of this had any effect on me anymore. My heart was already a still, dead sea. My heart was ash. I was determined to disappear. For the next two days, as expected, there was no word from Lucian. I took advantage of this time to erase every trace of myself from the estate. I donated what jewels and antiques I could and burned the rest of my personal belongings. I only kept the bare necessities to take with me. On the day I left, I woke before dawn and packed everything into a suitcase. I waited quietly for the car from the lab to pick me up. Just as I was about to contact my mentor to confirm the pickup time, my phone received another text from that number. "Sister, the doctor said it's a boy. I'm carrying the Marino heir." "Lucian said he's going to make things official for me and our child. You useless woman who can't even produce an heir, if you know what's good for you, get out of the Marino estate on your own!" This time, I replied. "Congratulations. Your wish is about to come true." Just after I sent the message, the car arrived. I dragged my suitcase and got into the back seat. As we passed St. Mary's Cathedral, a sudden downpour began. Raindrops hammered against the car window, blurring the world outside. It was then that I saw a familiar line of black cars parked in front of the cathedral through the rain-swept glass. That was where we held our wedding seven years ago. In the rain, Lucian emerged from the church, holding a black umbrella, his other hand holding Sophia's tightly. She wore a white maternity dress, which stood out starkly in the rain. They had just come out of the church, as if they had just finished a prayer. Just as Lucian was helping Sophia into the car, a gust of wind parted the curtain of rain. He looked up and happened to look in my direction. Through two layers of rain-blurred glass, our gazes met again at the very place that had witnessed our vows. When he saw it was me, his eyes filled with shock, confusion, and fear. His lips moved silently, as if calling my name. I looked away, severing our final, silent connection.