Married to the Don? No, Thanks

I first met Leander Beaumont when he was a capo in the Beaumont family. His brother, Derek Beaumont, was the don.

Derek drew every woman's gaze at mafia family gatherings, each hoping to be the don's chosen one. But it was Leander who caught my attention. He was alone with his drink. I offered my hand, and we shared a dance.

They called me bold and scheming, whispering that I'd sold myself to tie the Bellinis to the powerful Beaumonts. But the truth was, I loved Leander more than anything.

I loved him enough to have his son, Ryan Beaumont, before we married. I loved him enough to endure 60 nights of him sneaking into Dinah Fowler's bed, all to secure his place as the Beaumonts' next don.

It wasn't until I heard about Leander and Dinah's wedding that I realized he hadn't even bothered to hide it from me.

After putting Ryan to bed, I stepped out onto the balcony and pulled out my phone to book an international flight. I stared at the flight details on my screen, my mind blank.

Seven days from now would be Christmas Day—the day I planned to leave was also the anniversary of our engagement.

What a cruel twist of fate. It had all started that day, and now, it would end on the same day.

I had just locked my phone when strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me into a warm, broad embrace, heavy with the scent of roses.

Leander held me close, pressing me against the balcony railing. He nipped my earlobe and murmured, "It's chilly out here. What are you doing?"

I glanced at my phone—now dark—and replied flatly, "Just looking at the stars."

I'd always loved stargazing. Back home, shooting stars were a frequent sight.

Leander had once promised we'd watch them together every night, but since Dinah came into the picture, he'd long forgotten that foolish promise.

He always reeked of Dinah's rose perfume.

I squirmed out of his embrace, feeling uncomfortable. "Go take a shower before you say anything else to me."

Leander finally noticed the lingering scent and pulled away, embarrassed. "Jenny, I know I've been neglecting you, and I'm sorry for that. But you must understand that everything I do is for your and Ryan's future."

What a joke.

Leander was only after power for himself, yet he had the audacity to pretend it was for me and Ryan.

After his shower, Leander didn't bother to get dressed. He only wore a towel, loosely hanging around his waist.

Once, his broad shoulders, toned torso, and muscles leading downward had driven me wild—now, the sight of him disgusted me. The fresh, red scratches along his waist were a reminder of their earlier passion.

Leander noticed my gaze lingering on his waist. He smirked and leaned in, pinning me beneath him. "Today, I'm all yours, Jen. I won't leave you."

His tone was the same, but the man before me wasn't the Leander who had once adored me. My hands balled into fists as I fought the urge to shove him away.

Just then, a knock at the door interrupted him while he kissed my neck. "Capo Beaumont, Ms. Fowler is unwell. You should check on her."

Leander pulled away abruptly, alarm flashing in his eyes as he hurried off. His voice was laced with worry as he said, "How could you let this happen to Dinah? Get the family doctor, now! If anything happens to her, I'll hold you all accountable!"

He was almost out the door when he seemed to remember I was still there. He turned back and flashed an apologetic glance at me. "Dinah's sick. I need to go. I promised Derek I'd take good care of her."

I held Leander's gaze for a long moment before speaking softly. "Leander."

His brow furrowed in response.

In the past, I'd seethed with anger and jealousy every time he slipped away at night. He'd always brush me off with empty words, and today was no different. He started to do the same, but I cut him off.

I draped a coat over his shoulders, smoothing his disheveled hair. "You're about to become the don of the Beaumonts. You should at least look the part."

I made it easy for him to walk away guilt-free, to find Dinah, and leave me behind without a second thought.

Leander assumed I'd wait for him, like I always had. But this time, he was wrong.