LOGINLena’s POVA year passed before I even realized it.I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She was an absolute angel—rarely cried, always smiling, always giggling. Somehow, she made everything feel lighter, warmer… better.I named her Anna. It meant strength.Avery and I opened a small bakery beneath our apartment. It made life easier—working and taking care of Anna at the same time.The business wasn’t big, but it was enough to support our little family.And for the first time in a long while, I was doing something I truly loved. Baking and watching people take a bite and smile.It was simple. But it was everything.I rarely heard anything from New York anymore.Only bits and pieces.Caleb had stepped down from his position as Don. His cousins had already been looking for a way to remove him from the Don’s seat.With everything I had given them, it was practically a piece of cake to threw Caleb off the seat.Later, Caleb even served time in prison for what he did to Ruby at the weddi
Lena’s POVRuby lunged toward me, trying to grab the phone.“Don’t bother,” I said calmly, pulling it back. “It’s already been uploaded. Even if you delete this, it won’t matter.”“What do you want from me?” she snapped, her voice rising, her composure cracking completely.“I want you to make Caleb sign the divorce papers,” I said. “And help me leave New York.”Ruby blinked, surprised, then she laughed. “Is that all?”“Yes.” I pushed her hands off me. “Like I said, I have no interest in being involved with either of you anymore.”She studied me for a moment. “When do you want to leave?”“Today,” I said. “As soon as possible.”“Done.” Ruby turned and walked toward the door. “Just make sure you keep your promise. Don’t come back and bother me and Caleb again.”Avery returned shortly after Ruby left. She looked at me, confused.“I heard something about Caleb being lied to,” she said slowly. “If you have something on Ruby, why not expose her in front of him? Why let them have their happine
Lena’s POV“Lena, I…” Caleb ran a hand through his hair, his voice unsteady.“You should leave now.” Caleb slowly rose from the ground, looking every bit like a man on the edge of madness. He leaned in, his hand gripping my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze.“Lena,” he said, his voice low, dangerous. “Don’t push me. You know what I’m like when I don’t get what I want.”He rarely showed this side of himself in front of me. But now that I knew who he really was, it didn’t surprise me at all.“So now you’ve not only betrayed our marriage, but you want to force me to stay. For what? To preserve your image as a Don with a perfect family?” I gave a faint, cold smile. “So that whole performance just now—the kneeling, the apology—wasn’t because you realized you’d hurt me. It was because you were afraid of losing control over me. I finally found out what you’ve been doing behind my back, and now I want out—but that’s not what you want for us, is it?”“I said, you don’t want to push me, babe.”
Lena’s POVI didn’t answer right away.Avery had always been good at reading me. She didn’t need words.The next second, she stood up and headed for the door.I reached out and stopped her. “Avery,” I said softly, “I know.”She froze. Her voice shook as she asked. “How long have you known? So… this—what happened to you… you fainting, the emergency…”She turned to look at me, her eyes filled with anger and fear. “Was it all because of Caleb?”“I’ve already signed the divorce papers. I’m leaving him.” I said quietly, my voice steadier than ever.Avery still looked like she might burst through the door at any second and go confront Caleb. “How could he do this to you? After everything you gave up for him… everything you risked?”Avery was the one who stayed by my side when I couldn’t even get out of bed after taking that bullet for Caleb.“I knew it,” she muttered, her voice tight with anger. “I knew I shouldn’t have let you marry him. He was dangerous… and now he’s failed you.”She took
Lena’s POVOne moment, Ruby’s voice echoed in my head. “Stop lying to yourself, Lena. He never loved you. And you were never worthy of being his Donna.”The next moment, everything shifted. I heard Avery crying somewhere close to me. Doctors were shouting for more blood bags.I could feel it all. But I was too tired to move.Slowly, the voices dimmed, fading into the background as a soft light emerged before me.In that light… I saw a younger version of me. I had just married Caleb back then. One night, one of his men rushed in, breathless, saying Caleb had been caught in a gang fight.I hadn’t even thought. I just went with them.When I arrived, gunshots rang out, voices shouted over one another, and blood was everywhere.Caleb was already on the ground, unconscious, two or three bullets lodged in his body.I rushed to his side without hesitation, throwing myself over him, shielding him with my own body.I didn’t even flinch when a bullet tore into my flesh.It was the first time I h
Lena’s POV“Who gave you the right to talk to me like that?” she snapped. “I’m the future Donna.”Her eyes swept over me with contempt. “And you? You’re nothing but a joke.”I reacted quickly, grabbing for the glass to throw the water back at her. But before I could move, two guards stepped forward and caught my wrist.I turned sharply. They were Caleb’s men.“Are you two insane?” I demanded. “I’m your Donna. Let go of me, or I’ll call Caleb right now.”One of them didn’t even flinch.“Sorry,” he said stiffly. “The Don specifically ordered us to protect Miss Ruby’s safety. No one is an exception.”He paused, then added quietly, “Even…”He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t need to.Even me—the Donna everyone now seemed to know was nothing but a lie—forced to stand there while my husband’s mistress humiliated me, while the men who once swore to protect me held me in place.“Let go of me,” I said coldly. “I won’t repeat myself.”Neither of them moved.Ruby suddenly laughed. “You still







