Chapter 2

I looked at Arthur. His lips were trembling, but I remained calm.

"Fine. I'll get out right now."

I ignored the elders trying to stop me and headed for the estate's bronze gates.

Just as I was about to step out, a hand clamped around my wrist and yanked me back, so hard I thought my bones might break.

Baby, are you really mad? I'm so scared. Are you leaving me?

If you leave me, I'll die! I'll take the whole world down with me!

Don't leave me!

His panicked thoughts closed around me, suffocating me.

Stunned, I turned back and saw that the eyes of this Don, a man who could kill without blinking, had gone red.

And my heart wavered.

Then Arthur's cold voice cut through my hesitation.

"You want to leave? Fine. Take off that mink stole! I gave you that!"

I froze.

I looked down at the white mink stole around my shoulders. It was already a little worn.

Right after we married, when he'd just taken over the family, Arthur had hunted the mink himself and had the stole made for me.

He'd had one of his men leave it in our bedroom without a word.

But his thoughts had seeped through the crack in the door.

Baby, did you see it? Come ask me. Ask me if I had it made just for you.

I skinned it myself and found someone to make the stole. Come on, baby, tell me how great I am!

I want you to be the happiest Donna in all of Europe.

For six years, I'd treasured that stole.

Not just because it came from Arthur, but because it stood for the fierce love he kept hidden away.

But now...

Numb, I crouched down in front of all those hardened killers, undid the stole, and let it slide off my shoulders.

"Fine. You can have it back."

Arthur's expression darkened, and he clenched his jaw.

His eyes reddened as he fought to hide his panic.

Sofia hurried over. "Elena, you've been with Arthur for ten years. You know what he's like. There's a blizzard outside. He would never let you go out in a thin gown. He's only trying to make you stay."

As soon as she finished speaking, Arthur snatched the stole and threw it into the roaring fire.

"You wore it for six years, and now you're giving it back? It smells cheap."

He sounded casual, but his words hit me hard.

As the white fur vanished into the flames, pain tightened my chest until I could hardly breathe.

So the stole I'd cherished for six years was nothing to Arthur, just something to toss into the fire.

When Arthur saw my tears, his thoughts came pouring out.

Baby, are you upset? You still care about me, don't you?

Just say you're sorry. Tell me it was a joke, and I'll buy every fur shop in Europe to fill your closet!

I'll buy you so many expensive gowns!

I listened to his desperate thoughts, too numb to respond.

Nothing stirred in me anymore.

No matter how fine the replacements were, none would be that first stole.

Our love had turned to ash with it.

I stepped into the blizzard in nothing but a thin silk gown.

No one came after me.

Only Bella spoke up, barely hiding her glee. "Don, aren't you going after the Donna? She looks upset."

"Why should I?" Arthur scoffed. "Let her go. She'll be back in half an hour, crying and begging me to open the door."

He didn't know I was really leaving.

I'd already set a protection program in motion to get me out of the country.

My flight was tomorrow.