Chapter 3

Two days later, it was time for the scheduled marriage certificate appointment again.

This time, Ethan had made the reservation.

To avoid missing it again, Ethan came to the villa himself to pick me up and take me to City Hall.

He suddenly seemed very serious about getting married.

He even dressed in a formal suit.

But I no longer intended to get married and was preparing to pretend I wasn’t feeling well to brush it off.

Before I could refuse, Ethan’s phone rang.

Bianca’s name flashed across the screen.

He glanced at it and immediately hung up, smiling at me. “Let’s go, darling. I swear, today we will register our marriage.”

The piercing ringtone rang again.

He started to look flustered.

I watched him with some amusement. “It’s Bianca, isn’t it? Answer it. Maybe she has something important.”

After hanging up, Ethan said tensely:

“Clara, I’m sorry. Bianca got caught in the rain yesterday and caught a cold. She’s in the hospital for treatment. I have to go to the hospital.”

Ethan held my hand, still looking deeply affectionate. “Can we get the marriage certificate another day?”

In the past, when Ethan abandoned me to go to Bianca, I would get jealous and angry.

Back then, although Ethan thought I wasn’t generous enough, he would always make an effort to coax me.

I loved him wholeheartedly, so I forgave him again and again.

This time, Ethan probably thought I would make a scene again.

But I simply gently pulled my hand free.

“Ethan, since Bianca needs you, go keep her company.”

The excuses he had prepared were stuck in his throat.

Ethan’s expression went blank for a moment. He said dazedly, “You…”

I smiled.

He didn’t know that I no longer loved him.

He suddenly seemed a little panicked. He stood in front of me and took my hand again:

“In two days there’s the Moretti family banquet. I’ll announce to the entire Moretti family that you are my only Donna in this life.”

He lifted my hand and gently kissed the back of it.

The Moretti family banquet was only open to internal family members.

Ethan and I had been together for seven years.

He had never taken me.

He had explained that the internal struggles in the mafia never stopped, and keeping my identity private was to protect me.

Yet for seven consecutive years, he had brought Bianca.

I suddenly realized clearly that his kindness toward me was more like charity—like a master in a good mood tossing a bone to a dog.

I didn’t want to conflict with Ethan, so I pretended to agree. “I’ll prepare carefully.”

Then, not wanting to stay with him any longer, I urged him to hurry and go see his little childhood sweetheart.

Ethan kissed my cheek and left.

After Ethan left, I went to the study to look for my mother’s wedding dress design sketches.

I remembered clearly that they had been in the bookcase, but now they were gone.

I called Bieber, the person in charge of sewing the wedding dress.

Bieber said the original sketches had long been returned to the Don.

I searched every place I could think of and still found nothing.

Just as I was about to go look at Ethan’s company, I received a message from Bianca.

She sent a photo of the design sketches.

【Clara, I heard from Bieber that you’re looking for the wedding dress design sketches.】

【The sketches are with me.】

I was about to reply when Bianca sent another photo.

【Ethan is here with me too.】

In the photo, Ethan was sitting by the hospital bed, thoughtfully peeling an apple for Bianca.

I put down my phone and ignored Bianca’s provocation.

Failing to provoke me, Bianca became furious.

She called me.

“Clara, if you want your mother’s design manuscripts, then come to the Moretti family banquet.”

“I’ll bring the manuscripts.”