Chapter 4

Flora’s POV

Luca scooped her up, shoving past me so hard I slammed into the chair behind me. Pain shot up my back as I stumbled, barely catching myself.

He didn’t even glance at me. All he saw was her.

‘Just a mistake,’ he said. But he held that mistake like it was everything.

As Luca rushed toward the door, his voice rang out cold and sharp. “Lock her in the bedroom. No food, no water until I get back.”

My chest tightened.

He wouldn’t—

Two seconds later, two guards walked in.

“Donna,” one of them said, nodding, “please come with us.”

“No.” I stepped back. “I’m not going anywhere.”

They exchanged a glance, then both moved at once.

Each grabbed an arm and started dragging me toward the stairs.

Humiliation burned through me.

I was Flora Kane, the Donna of the Ricci family. And yet here I was—treated like I was nothing.

“Let me go!” I struggled, but it was useless. Their grip was iron.

“Sorry, Donna,” one of them said quietly. “Don’s orders. Please don’t make this harder.”

The other added, almost apologetic, “He’ll come back after taking Miss Annie to the hospital.”

They didn’t loosen their hold until we reached the bedroom.

Click.

The heavy sound of the lock echoed through the silence.

A prisoner, in my own home.

Soon, a sharp pain twisted through my lower belly.

My hands flew to it instinctively. “No… baby, no. Please… be okay.”

The pain didn’t ease. It grew, stronger and sharper, like something inside me was tearing apart.

My legs gave out, and I slid down to the floor.

The door was right there, so close, and yet it felt impossibly far.

“Open the door…” My voice came out broken. “I order you… I’m your Donna, not a prisoner…”

Another wave of pain hit, stealing my breath. “I don’t feel well… please… let me out…”

Only silence answered me.

Stay strong, Flora… just stay strong…

But the pain kept pulling me under.

And slowly, everything went dark.

…

A gentle, unfamiliar voice pulled me back to consciousness. “Mrs. Ricci? Are you feeling alright?”

My eyes flew open. I was in a hospital bed, strapped down.

Panic surged through me. “Where am I? What are you doing to me?”

The nurse gave me a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Ricci. It’s just a simple procedure. Your blood type matches Miss Annie—the woman Don Ricci brought in earlier. We only need to draw a little blood. It’ll be over before you even notice.”

My heart dropped. I struggled against the restraints, my pulse racing. “I never agreed to this. Let me go—or I swear I’ll burn this hospital down!”

The nurse startled at my reaction. “I… I’ll get the doctor,” she said quickly before hurrying out.

I forced myself to breathe, trying to think. The room, the machines, the name on the wall—this was the same hospital Luca and I always used.

If I could find my doctor, tell him I was pregnant—I could get out of this.

And this blood donation—none of it made sense. Annie had fallen, yes, but not badly enough to need blood.

Before I could call the nurse back, the door swung open. Luca walked in. He didn’t even look at me.

“Do what the nurse said. Donate your blood to Annie,” he said coldly. “If you hadn’t pushed her, the baby would still be stable.”

Before I could respond, he waved a hand.

The nurse stepped forward again. “Miss, please stay calm. It will only take a minute.”

“I won’t!” I twisted, trying to shield myself with my free arm. “Luca, I didn’t push her! And I won’t give her my blood. I—”

The word almost slipped out. Pregnant. I stopped myself just in time.

Did I want Luca to know? If he found out… everything would change. I might never be able to leave him.

“I haven’t been feeling well lately,” I said, forcing my voice steady. “If you want my blood, at least make sure I’m healthy first. Isn’t that basic procedure?”

Luca hesitated.

For a moment, I thought I’d reached him.

Then his eyes narrowed. “Not feeling well? Flora, are you lying to me just to avoid saving my child?”

“I’m telling the truth.”

A beat passed.

Then he turned away. “Fine. We’re at a hospital. We’ll run a test first. Nurse.”

The nurse hurried out again.

“Luca, I—”

Luca didn’t wait. He walked out of the room.

My chest tightened. What now? If I refused the test, he’d think I was making excuses. If I went through with it, he’d find out I was pregnant.

Either way, I was trapped.

I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to think. Taking the test was the better option right now. If I told Luca, he might call off the transfusion—wasn’t he so concerned about Annie’s baby? Well, now I was pregnant too. Annie might not matter as much anymore.

The door opened soon after. The doctor and two nurses returned, drawing blood and running the tests quickly.

It didn’t take long. Luca came back just as the doctor reviewed the results.

My fingers curled against the sheets as I stared at the window, trying to steady myself.

“Donna,” the doctor said, his tone careful, “you are one month pregnant. Congratulations.”

My heart stuttered.

“But due to your medical history, this is considered a high-risk pregnancy. You’ll need to be very careful.”

Then he turned to Luca. “Don, given the Donna’s condition, she cannot donate blood to Miss Annie anymore. However, we have a sufficient blood supply—”

“I still want Flora to do it.” The words cut through the room, cold, final. “She’s Annie’s sister. She’s the best match.”

Not just me—the entire room seemed to freeze.

Everyone knew who I was—Luca’s wife, his Donna. And yet, in that moment, he didn’t choose me or the child I carried. He chose Annie.

I felt the shift in the room—the quiet glances, the unspoken questions.

Who did the Don truly care about? The answer had never been clearer.

“I won’t, Luca.” I kept my voice steady. “You heard the doctor. This is a high-risk pregnancy. It’s already hard enough to keep this baby, even if I do everything right. I’m not doing anything that could harm it.”

I held his gaze. “You, of all people, should remember what happened years ago. Think about this, Luca.”

I watched him closely.

His brows drew together, his jaw tight.

He was thinking, calculating.

A bitter thought crossed my mind.

Once, there had only been us—protecting each other, trusting without question. Now we stood on opposite sides, measuring every word, guarding every move.

We weren’t husband and wife anymore. We were opponents.

And the cruelest part? I didn’t even have enough faith left to believe Luca would choose me now.