Chapter 1

[Zita Rinaldi's POV]

On the ride back, I couldn't take my eyes off my bare finger.

I could feel my boyfriend, Emilio Gimondi, glancing at me from time to time, but he didn't say anything.

I knew him. He was waiting for me to speak first.

In the past, if it had been just the two of us in such a private space, I definitely would've complained in a huff. But now, I didn't feel like there was anything worth saying.

"Are you still sulking over the ring?"

He finally spoke, his tone filled with the kind of helplessness one would use on a child.

"It was just a game. Carlotta made a bet with that kid from another family. Whoever lost had to hand over a family heirloom. She came and asked if she could borrow my ring. How was I supposed to say no? I would've been such a buzzkill.

"You're going to be the Gimondi family's Donna one day. You need to be generous and gracious. Don't act so petty with Carlotta."

Generous? Gracious?

I hadn't even said a word. I'd simply stood quietly in the corner and finished my glass of champagne. But in Emilio's eyes, the fact that I hadn't gone over to congratulate Carlotta Lecce, his childhood friend, with everyone else meant I wasn't gracious enough.

"Emilio," I called his name calmly.

"Yeah?"

"You told me you were going to give me that ring five years ago."

The car went silent for a second.

"Five years ago? Back then, I wasn't even the Capo yet. I said whatever I had to say to keep you happy, and you still remember it to this day?" He laughed, sounding completely nonchalant.

He went on, "It's just an old ring. Next month, I'll have someone custom-make us a new pair from Frodale. They'll be ten times better than that antique. Behave, okay? I'll make sure to give you the best ring ever at our wedding."

Emilio was always like this. He used the gentlest tone possible to wipe away every bit of hope I had for the future like it was nothing.

I'd grown up an orphan. From the moment Emilio and I got together, the Gimondi family had disapproved of my background.

It was Emilio who had stood against all that pressure and told me that as long as I waited for him, he would one day put the Gimondi family's ring on my finger. He would tell everyone that I was the rightful Donna of the family.

Because of that promise, I kept waiting—waiting for that ring, for a formal place in the family, for him to announce that I was his family.

Yet on this day, Emilio had given that ring to Carlotta over a stupid bet.

…

When we got home, I stepped through the door and turned back to look at Emilio. In the past, he would've immediately followed me inside and wrapped his arms around my waist. He would've started kissing me and letting things heat up from there.

But this time, he remained outside. He showed no sign of wanting to come in.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He answered the call, and Carlotta's voice drifted out from the speaker.

"Emil, this ring is so pretty. I want to go pick out a chain so I can wear it around my neck as a pendant. Is that okay?"

There was a touch of indulgence in Emilio's expression. "Of course. It's yours now. You can do whatever you like with it."

"Then can you come with me to Longshore Isle to pick out a chain? It's kind of lonely going shopping by myself."

Emilio glanced at me. There was a flicker of guilt in his eyes, but he still agreed. "Sure. I'll have a car pick you up tomorrow morning."

He hung up over the sound of Carlotta's excited squeal.

I watched him for a moment, then reached out to close the door. "It's a little cold. I'm going to shut the door."

"You're mad, aren't you?" Emilio caught my hand. "I'll go with Carlotta to buy the chain tomorrow morning, then I'll come straight back. I'll be yours for the whole afternoon."

"Okay," I said softly.

He smiled, satisfied, and kissed my cheek. "I knew you'd be understanding, Zita."