Respawned Without the Don

Bella's sweet little smile almost split when she heard me. Excitement flashed—then she snapped back to fragile and pitiful.

"Lara, what are you even saying? How could I compare to you? How could I take Marco—or his wife's place—from you?"

I caught the switch and kept my voice steady. "Dad's dumped a fortune turning you into a socialite. Sounds perfect, right? You marry into the Grimaldi Family, play Donna. And relax—you didn't steal Marco. I'm just done with him."

Her mask finally cracked. "That's insane! Girls would kill to marry into the Grimaldi Family! Do you even get how exceptional Marco is? And you're 'done' with him?"

I took a slow sip of tea. "If he's that amazing, he's all yours. You've always liked hand-me-downs anyway."

"Fine. I'll talk to Dad right now. Don't come crying when you regret this." She ripped the contract from my hand.

I smiled. The anger was obvious. The glee under it? Even louder. "Relax. I won't."

I already paid the price for marrying Marco once.

When I was single, I loved freedom. I burned bright. I lived loud.

Marco? He was a machine. No warmth. He demanded perfection—from himself, from me.

I loved noise. Drinks. Dancing. Checking out cute guys. He had every bar and club in the city blacklist me.

I loved traveling—the savannas, the northern lights. He took my passport and locked down my world.

I loved art. He called it useless. Smashed my paints. Broke my camera. Let his people trash my work until it meant nothing.

I was losing my mind. But I loved him. So I memorized every house rule like gospel. Filed down every sharp edge. Tried to be the perfect Donna for him.

Still wasn't enough.

At a banquet, one of Bella's little friends took a shot at me—said I was wild, unruly, nothing next to sweet, obedient Bella.

I snapped.

Then we were on the floor, limbs tangled, fighting.

Marco walked in. Didn't even look at me.

He faced the girl instead, voice cool, detached. "My apologies. I didn't discipline her properly. She's nowhere near as well-mannered as her sister."

Just like that, I went still. Blood turned to ice.

That's when it hit me.

Marco never loved me.

Right there, I decided—I was done with the Grimaldi family.

Before I could drive off, Bella latched onto me. Slid into the passenger seat, grabbed the wheel, forced the car to a stop. She wanted me to sign a clean break—leave with nothing.

We crashed.

Right before everything went dark, I saw Marco pull an unconscious Bella from the wreck. His eyes were red when he looked at me, bleeding out in the driver's seat.

"Bella's obedient. Sensible. I should've married her from the start. Not you."

Tears blurred my vision. I closed my eyes—and that was it.

Then I opened them again.

Second chance.

I stared at the woman in the mirror—young, alive. Drew a breath. Picked up my phone.

Deleted Marco's number.

This time, I don't want him.

And I sure as hell won't be some suffocating Don's wife.

I'll be me.

Free. Radiant. Alive.

Lara Leone.