The Donna's Farewell

I'd been married to Lucas, the Don of the Mitchell family—the biggest crime syndicate in the country—for six years when I found out he'd given my own daughter to his savior to raise. I was about to confront him when he beat me to it, asking for a divorce. His savior didn't have much time left. Her dying wish was to become his Donna. "She ended up like this because she saved me. Her last wish is just to be my Donna. You understand, don't you?" "Don't worry. You'll always be my only Donna. Once this is over, we'll remarry right away." I'd lost count of how many times he'd sacrificed me for her. So I nodded calmly and signed the divorce papers. Seven years of love. Nine hundred and ninety-nine disappointments. I was done standing by his side while he repaid his debts. I sent one message: "Help me plan a fake death. A plane crash." The day he slid the Donna's ring onto his savior's finger, I boarded that plane. If he wanted to marry another woman, then— I didn't want him anymore. Chapter 1 I'd been married to Lucas, the Don of the Mitchell family, for six years when I found out my daughter had been given away to someone else. By then, my daughter was already five. I stormed back to the Mitchell estate with the paternity test in my hand. Lucas had told me our baby was stillborn. I'd been grieving that loss for years. But my child was alive. He'd just handed her off to someone else. The second I walked through the door, Lucas wrapped his arms around me from behind. "Olivia, we need to get a divorce." His arm circled my waist, his lips brushing my ear as he gave the order like it was nothing. My whole body went rigid. He felt it. He kissed my cheek, his voice soft and coaxing. "Susan is dying. Her last wish is to be my Donna. In three days, I'm marrying her." "You know she ended up like this because she saved my life. I owe her. My sweet girl is the most understanding, isn't she? You get it, right?" I felt like I'd been struck by lightning. Her again. This was the nine hundred and ninety-ninth time Lucas had sacrificed me for her. But when he proposed, he swore he'd never let me suffer. Never let me cry. We met at a design competition hosted by the Mitchell family. Lucas fell for me the moment I won first place. He pursued me relentlessly. He wrote me into the family charter. Olivia Jones was the first in line to the Mitchell family. He swore that once we were together, he'd protect me forever. Keep me happy. I loved a restaurant on the Seine in Paris. He flew the chef out for me. I loved design. He threw me a private exhibition and introduced me to the top designers in the industry. But I was terrified of what he was. A Mafia Don. Even though my heart raced for him, I kept my distance. Until that day. A group of terrorists opened fire on random civilians. One aimed straight at me. Lucas threw himself in front of the bullet without a second thought. He spent half a month in the ICU. The first thing he said when he woke up was asking if I was okay. I couldn't hold back my feelings anymore. I said yes. He was so good to me. I thought we'd be happy forever. Then the Mitchell family fell into chaos. That's when Susan Garcia, the daughter of a Mitchell elder, took a bullet for Lucas during the riots. Her heart was damaged. After that, everything changed. Lucas gave her whatever she wanted. Nine hundred and ninety-nine times, he sacrificed me for her. All to repay his debt. On our wedding day, Susan collapsed at the ceremony, clutching her chest. Lucas didn't hesitate. He dropped the ring I'd designed myself and carried her to the hospital. He left me there. The entire Mitchell family laughed at me. On a freezing winter night, he got word that Susan was sick and left me alone on the side of the road. I walked two hours through the snow to get home. I ran a fever for three days before it broke. I cried. I screamed. I fought with him. But he said I was his Donna. I should be grateful to Susan too. So when Susan said she liked my pet, the one I'd raised for five years, Lucas took it and gave it to her. I spent half a year on a design. She said she wanted to be a designer, and my name on it became hers. He even tore up the vow he'd written for me in the family charter. Then he replaced it with: Susan Garcia is the first in line to the Mitchell family. Every time, Lucas told me, "You're my Donna. Just let her have this." Every time, I told myself it was just him repaying a debt. But our daughter. The one I nearly died giving birth to. He gave her away too. I dug into what happened. Susan lost her ability to have children when she saved Lucas. So when I gave birth to our daughter, she begged Lucas for her. When I woke up from surgery, Lucas told me my baby was dead. But he'd already given her to Susan. And now, he was asking me to give up him too. My husband. My heart went cold. Completely cold. Six years of marriage. Everything I could give, I'd already given. I turned around and looked at him in silence for a long time. Then I nodded, my face blank, my voice hoarse. "Fine. I'll let her have this. Let's get divorced." Lucas looked at my calm expression. Something twisted in his chest. A flicker of unease. But he shook it off. He smiled and kissed me. "I knew it. My Olivia's always the most understanding." "Don't worry. Once this is over, we'll remarry right away. You'll still be my only Donna." Then he turned and left. In a hurry to tell Susan the good news. There was a smile on his face. One I hadn't seen in a long time. I wiped the tears from the corner of my eye and pulled out a phone I hadn't used in ages. I sent a message to the only number in it. "In three days, help me fake my death. A plane crash." Chapter 2 "Done," came the instant reply. The next day, I signed the divorce papers and went with Lucas to notarize it. The second we stepped out of the notary's office, a tiny figure came running and threw herself into Lucas's arms. "Daddy, Daddy! Mommy and I finally get to be with you!" "Daddy, does this mean Amy gets to see you every day now?" "Am I gonna live with both my mommy and daddy, just like other kids?" Lucas answered every question with a smile. Endless patience. I was leaving tomorrow. I couldn't help myself. My own daughter's sweet, childish voice drew my eyes, and I couldn't look away. I stared at her, my heart aching with everything I couldn't say. I wanted to burn the image of her into my memory. The daughter I'd fought death to bring into this world five years ago. Amy was wrapped tight in Lucas's arms. Father and daughter looked so alike. One handsome, one soft and lovely. People stopped to watch them. Susan strolled over, elegant in a bright yellow dress, a smile playing on her lips. The three of them stood together, and that's when I noticed. They were all wearing the same shade of yellow. Matching. Standing there, they looked like a happy family of three. But one was my husband. One was my daughter. And me? I was just the extra one. Standing there alone, bitter and speechless. My heart felt like it was being stabbed with needles. I couldn't breathe. I turned stiffly, ready to just walk away. Then out of nowhere, someone shoved me hard from behind. I stumbled. "You horrible woman! Why are you still clinging to my daddy?" "My daddy's marrying my mommy! Can you just get lost and stop wrecking our family!" I turned around. It was my own daughter. Amy Mitchell. Susan rushed over and pulled Amy behind her, like she was afraid I'd hit the child. "I'm so sorry, Olivia. Don't be mad. Amy's just a kid. She didn't mean it." Lucas softened his voice too. "Yeah, don't be upset. Amy's your daughter too. She's just not used to you yet. I'll help her get used to you." I looked at Amy's hateful glare, the way she clung to Susan. I knew. Amy would never be my daughter. I closed my eyes, turned, and ran. By the time I made it back to the Mitchell estate, the three of them were sitting on the couch, cozy and content. They turned at the sound of the door. Lucas saw me. His face stiffened for a second. Then he pulled his arm back, a little flustered. "Olivia, don't get the wrong idea. Amy just depends on Susan more. She'll leave tonight—" "I don't want to!" Amy screamed, cutting him off. "I wanna sleep with Mommy tonight too! And Daddy! This bad woman can't keep us apart!" I looked at my daughter, at all that hatred directed at me, and my fists clenched. The first time Lucas brought her home, she looked at me like I was the enemy. I tried to get close to her. I tried to braid her hair. One strand fell out, and she ran to Lucas, saying I yanked it on purpose. She pinched marks into her own skin and told him I hit her. She demanded I make her a peanut butter sandwich. She was allergic. Ended up in the hospital. She told Lucas I did it on purpose. That I wanted to hurt her. Lucas was furious. No matter how I explained, all he ever said was, "A child wouldn't lie." He was convinced I'd done it on purpose. I stopped defending myself. But then I found it in a doctor's report. Amy and I had the same rare blood type. I ran a paternity test. She was mine. The daughter I'd traded my life for. But she was five now. And she would never accept me. My throat tightened. I choked out the words. "I understand. I have things to do. I'm going to the studio." Then I turned and walked out. My daughter and my husband looked more like a family with another woman. And I refused to be the extra one. If that's how it was, I'd rather leave. On the way to the studio, my phone buzzed in my bag. A message from him. "The plane's ready. The day after tomorrow. Private runway at New York airport. I'm asking one more time. Are you sure you want to leave him?" My hands trembled as I typed back. "I'm sure. I want to leave him." Chapter 3 I slept at my design studio that night. It was the anniversary gift Lucas had given me. Before I left, I needed to take back the work that belonged to me. When Lucas gave me the studio, he'd said: "Olivia, I'll protect your dream." "I promise. This studio will always belong to you and only you." But when I woke up the next morning and stepped out of the break room, Susan was sitting at my worktable. She was holding my designs. The collection I'd spent three months preparing for Milan Design Week. She flipped through the pages, tearing them as she went. Her face was pure disdain. Those were my blood and sweat. Endless revisions. I would never let her have them. She looked up and saw me. "Olivia, you're here. Lucas already divorced you, didn't he?" I walked over and snatched the designs back. "Don't touch my things. Get out." She leaned back in the chair, smiling like she'd won. "Your things? You're a nobody from the slums. Everything you have, Lucas gave you. Now that you're divorced, what do you even own?" "Me? I'll be his wife tomorrow. If you're smart, you'll get lost now." I opened my mouth to speak. But in the next second, she lunged at me, grabbing my hand. Her eyes went red, her face twisted into a wounded look. "Olivia, I'm begging you. Don't blame Lucas. He really only loves you. I know you don't want him to marry me, but I'm dying. He's just granting my last wish." Then she tightened her grip. In the scuffle, she shoved her hand hard against my shoulder and pushed. Then she threw herself backward. She hit the floor and started clutching her chest, crying out. The push sent my stomach slamming into the hard corner of the worktable. Pain exploded through me. I pressed my hands to my belly. Cold sweat poured down my face. "Olivia! What are you doing!" "Mommy!" Lucas and Amy's voices rang out at the same time. They were behind me. All they saw was me pushing Susan. Lucas rushed over and carefully gathered her into his arms. Amy looked at her with worry. "Mommy, are you okay?" Susan leaned against Lucas's chest. Tears streamed down her face. Her voice came out broken. "I'm sorry, Lucas. It's all my fault. I came to apologize to Olivia about the wedding, but she's just jealous because you're marrying me. It's me. Don't blame her." Before I could explain, Amy charged at me and shoved me with everything she had. "You evil woman! You hurt my mommy! I hate you! Why don't you just die! I never wanna see you again!" I wasn't ready. I stumbled and hit the ground. It felt like my bones were shattering. But that pain was nothing compared to my daughter's words. Lucas didn't ask if I was hurt. His voice was ice. "Olivia, when did you become so vicious?" My heart went cold. But I still clung to one last hope. I wanted to explain. Then Susan started gasping for air, clutching her chest. Her face went pale as death. Lucas saw her and panicked. He scooped her up and headed for the door. "Don't worry. I'm taking you to the hospital." "I'm hurt too!" I screamed at his back. He paused. He turned and looked at me. His words came out slow and deliberate. "Olivia. Where did the kind woman I used to know go?" His eyes were full of disappointment. He shook his head, held Susan, took Amy's hand, and walked out without looking back. The door slammed shut. I stood up, clutching my aching stomach. I stared at the door he'd walked through. My voice came out soft. "Then Lucas, where did the man who used to trust me and love me go?" No one answered. I laughed. And as I laughed, the tears fell. I wiped them away hard. I pushed through the pain and went back to the Mitchell estate. I looked around. Everywhere I turned, there was a trace of Lucas. Susan was right. Everything I had now, Lucas had given me. But all of it, he had once begged me to accept. Now, I didn't want any of it anymore. Not him. Not my daughter. I turned and walked away. I took only my work and the soul that should have been free all along. The next day. The Mitchell family chapel was packed. Unlike my wedding to Lucas, which had been met with mockery, this one was all blessings. Susan stood in a white gown, her eyes red, trembling as she looked at Lucas. "Lucas, thank you. Thank you for granting my last wish." Lucas just nodded. His expression stayed flat. Like he was completing a task. The priest finished the blessing and told the groom and bride to exchange rings. Lucas held the ring that symbolized the Mitchell family's Donna. He lifted his hand to slide it onto Susan's ring finger. Then the chapel doors slammed open. Lucas's most trusted man came running in, his voice raw. "Don! The plane Ms. Jones was on—it crashed!"