On Our Seventh Anniversary, I Let My Mafia Husband Go

One night a month ago, the familiar scent was gone.In its place was something fresh and wild.I froze. Thinking my nose was playing tricks on me, I leaned closer to the pillow and breathed in.But there was no mistaking it. Daisies."Why did you change the scent?"I turned my head, my voice barely above a whisper.Vincenzo laughed softly and kept massaging me, pressing his palm hard into the small of my back."After all these years of white rose, a little change now and then is nice."I said nothing and buried my face in the pillow.He was so busy, yet he still made time to take care of me. I didn't want to bother him over something so small.But that night, I could feel his gaze lingering on my lower back, hot and heavy.The next day, he took me to a Moretti family celebration.The hall rang with the clink of glasses, and a few of the elders cornered Vincenzo to talk business.I stood off to the side with a glass of champagne, my eyes drifting over the crowd.Julia Conti, Vincenzo's

Late that night, I went to the restaurant where I'd booked a table a week earlier.The street outside was the one I used to walk every day on my way to dance class.Years ago, Vincenzo first saw me through the restaurant's floor-to-ceiling windows.I was in a white ballet dress, walking alone through a cold, drizzling rain.He told me I'd reminded him of a white rose he'd seen on his uncle's estate as a boy, blooming in the rain.He said it wasn't until later that he realized it had been love at first sight.I stood outside the restaurant and looked down the street.A waiter I knew hurried over, then stopped dead when he saw who it was."Donna Moretti, you're... here by yourself?"My lips curved slightly."Yes. By myself."It would probably be the last time, too.The waiter looked even more uncomfortable. Before he could stop himself, his eyes darted toward the VIP room.I followed his gaze. Through the glass partition, I saw Vincenzo sitting inside.And beside him sat Julia.I looked

The pain was so bad I could barely breathe.Then the phone by my pillow buzzed. An unknown number had sent me a video.In a dim room, a man bent his head and tenderly kissed the woman in his arms.My breath caught.It was my bedroom. The woman was Julia, dressed in a skimpy bunny costume."I wore your favorite. Do you like it?"The man's breathing grew heavy. Without hesitation, he tore the outfit off her.A second later, a photo popped up, sharp and clear.It was a pregnancy test result.Then the texts started coming. "Donna Moretti, the baby is Vincenzo's.""For the three days you were unconscious, he snuck me into your bedroom every single night. He was so wild we went through boxes of condoms.""His car, his office, even beside the altar where you said your vows. We've left our mark everywhere.""The woman he doesn't love is the real other woman. I think we both know which of us should leave."Julia had dropped the act. She threw every filthy detail of her affair with Vincenzo in m

Vincenzo looked up. Julia was standing outside the car, tapping on the window.The driver rolled down the window. Julia leaned in, her face arranged in a look of exhaustion and worry."Don, causing a scene like this isn't good for the family. Let's get some rest."Vincenzo stared at her.After a while, the scent of daisies grew cloying, making him want to cough.White roses were different. Their scent was warm and gentle.They reminded him of the faint fragrance that clung to Vivian whenever she came close, the smell of her cooking drifting from the kitchen, and the soft scent of her breath when she fell asleep on his chest.That scent made him feel that no matter what he did, she'd understand, accept, and forgive him.Vincenzo took a deep breath. His phone screen lit up, and a flood of texts came in."Don, these are the most recent texts we could pull from Donna Moretti's cloud backup. The last person she was in touch with was Ms. Conti... You'd better take a look..."Vincenzo went st

Startled, I hid the candy behind my back."Why didn't you say something when you came in?"He crunched on the candy and raised an eyebrow."You didn't ask."Besides," he said, his eyes crinkling, "it's not every day you catch a teacher breaking the rules by feeding the kids fattening treats."If you don't want me to tell on you, you'll have to make it worth my while. Hand over the candy, and I'll think about it!"I considered it for a second, then pulled out every piece of candy left in my pocket and handed it over.He stared at me for a moment, then burst out laughing so hard his shoulders shook."How are you this innocent? I was joking. You couldn't tell?"I stood there watching him double over with laughter, and for a moment I felt strangely far away.I used to be able to laugh like that too.Back when I danced, everyone called me "the most gifted dancer in the company." I'd grown up on praise, with parents who loved and spoiled me. I could laugh without a care in the world.But now