Chapter 2

Nicolo hung up.

His screen lit up again.

A thirty-second voice message from Marco.

He played it.

A barrage of accusations.

Marco's voice ranted on.

"Alessia, why are you so selfish? Gianna's father died protecting Mom and Dad! Without her family, the Russo family wouldn't exist!"

"Nicolo's busy. So he missed one dinner? You have a lifetime together. Gianna is dying!"

"Her condition got worse because you wouldn't give her the experimental drug. You're jealous of a dying woman. It's disgusting."

I listened to my brother.

A bitter taste filled my mouth.

I told them a thousand times.

The drug was a prototype.

No clinical trials.

The dosage, the toxicity, the rejection risks were all unknown.

But they just thought I was jealous.

That I was trying to murder her.

So this was their reason.

A secret wedding behind my back.

A new message popped up in the family group chat.

A photo from my mother.

Gianna in her pajamas.

Lying on the bed in my and Nicolo's master suite.

My mother's voice message was unapologetic.

"Alessia, I moved your things to the guest room. Nicolo needs space to care for Gianna."

"You only need to put up with this for a few months. The position of De Santis Donna will still be yours."

I zoomed in on the photo.

Gianna was resting her dirty feet directly on my handmade wedding veil.

The one I’d spent three sleepless nights sewing by hand.

And in the bottom right corner, a man's hand.

Strong, with distinct knuckles.

It held a medicine bowl to Gianna's lips.

On the back of that hand was a two-inch scar.

Nicolo got that when he was eighteen.

He took a knife for me during an assassination attempt.

He once kissed that scar before God.

Swore those hands would only ever protect me.

Now, those hands were gently serving another woman.

I turned off my phone.

No tears.

No hysterics.

I opened my email.

I replied to the top-tier military gene facility in the Swiss Alps.

"I accept the offer. The full non-disclosure agreement, I'll sign it."

Then I called my lawyer.

"Draw up a divorce petition for me. As fast as you can."

The next morning, I got the papers and went back to the estate.

I walked in and stopped.

Gianna stood before a huge mirror.

She was wearing my wedding gown.

The one I'd spent six months on, with fittings in Paris.

She was too thin for it.

A tailor was cutting away huge sections of the satin back to make it fit.

My wedding dress.

Ruined.

My voice was ice.

"What are you doing?"

I walked towards her.

Gianna jumped.

Her eyes went red instantly.

She clutched her chest, helpless.

"Alessia, I'm so sorry. I just wanted to try it on. To know what it feels like to be a bride... I didn't mean to ruin it."

Be a bride?

What was last night's ceremony in the church?

Just another excuse.

I stared at her, my face blank.

"Take it off."

Marco stormed down the stairs and shouted.

"Alessia, that's enough!"

He threw himself in front of Gianna.

He shoved me back.

He used too much force.

I stumbled.

The small of my back slammed into the banister.

A sharp, twisting pain shot through my lower belly.

I clutched my stomach.

Cold sweat soaked my back.

Marco's eyes flickered with panic.

But he looked at the swaying Gianna and grit his teeth.

"It's just a dress! Gianna wants to wear it. Can't you be generous for once? Stop upsetting her!"

I fought through the pain.

I slowly stood up straight.

I looked at the brother I had protected for over a decade.

When I was thirteen, our family was ambushed.

I led the gunmen away on purpose.

I hid him in an abandoned water tank.

I saved his life.

But when he woke up, he only believed Gianna's tears.

Gianna said she led the men away.

That she even got stabbed doing it.

And I just ran for my life.

From then on, Marco became her loyal knight.

He grew more and more distant from me.

I looked at his furious eyes.

I raised my hand.

SLAP.

The sound echoed.

He froze.

I'd never laid a finger on him in his life.

I tore the necklace from my throat.

The one he bought me with his first allowance as a boy.

I threw it in his face.

"From today on, I don't have a brother."

Marco exploded with rage.

But just as he lunged, the front door opened.

Nicolo strode in.

He saw the butchered dress.

He saw my pale, trembling body.

He paused.

He walked over quickly.

He pulled me into his arms.

His warm hand rested on my back.

He totally misunderstood.

"Are you still throwing a tantrum over last night?"

He looked at the torn dress.

"You ruined your own gown just because I missed our anniversary?"

"Stop the tantrum. The docks were a mess last night. I forgot."

He took my hand in his big one, coaxing me.

"Don't hurt yourself being angry. I'm still waiting for you to give me an heir."

"Our wedding is almost here. Once Gianna's situation is over, I'll take you to Sicily for our honeymoon. To make it up to you, okay?"

Heir.

The word almost made me cry.

But the pain was too much.

I couldn't speak.

I didn't even have the strength to push him away.

Just then, Gianna grabbed his sleeve from behind.

Her eyes were red.

"Nicolo, it's not like that. It's all my fault..."

"I just loved this dress so much, I couldn't resist trying it on. I didn't expect to break it. Don't blame Alessia for being angry. Blame me."

Nicolo's hand on my back went stiff.

He looked down at the teary-eyed Gianna.

Then back at my pale face.

His brow tightened.

He sighed.

"Alessia, Gianna's just a patient. You know what happened. That raid by the rival family... she was taken for three days protecting me. I just want us to be good to her."

"Stop being so petty. It's a dress. I'll have ten better ones made for you. There's still time before the wedding."

Always telling me to be generous.

Always telling me to give in.

I looked at his arrogant, self-righteous face.

My heart still ached.

I fought it down.

I opened my purse and took out a document.

I flipped to the last page.

To the signature line.

I held it out to him.

"Since Gianna is so sick, I agree. I'll release the experimental drug to save her. I've signed the special approval form. It just needs your signature."

Nicolo froze.

Then, his eyes lit up with huge relief.

He looked at me with pure admiration.

He didn't even read the pages before.

"Alessia, you finally understand. I knew it. My girl is the kindest."

He praised me as he quickly signed his name.

Nicolo De Santis.

I took back the signed Divorce Petition.

The last bit of warmth in my eyes died.