Chapter 1

Alessandro disappeared into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

I wiped my eyes and pulled the gun from the nightstand.

The Moretti crest was engraved on its side. Alessandro had given it to me right after our wedding five years ago.

I still remembered him placing it in my hand with his arms wrapped around me and whispering in my ear, "Olivia, this gun is the symbol of the family. Only my wife gets one."

I placed it on top of the clothes he'd prepared for Daisy.

Alessandro came back just in time to see what I was doing.

His face darkened, and he strode over.

"Did you do something to those clothes?"

He grabbed my wrist. I quickly shook my head.

"No. No, I was only..."

Then he noticed the gun. He picked it up and frowned.

"What is this supposed to mean? Didn't I give this to you? It's small enough to carry. If anything happens, it could save your life."

I lowered my eyes.

"It's the symbol of the family. Daisy should have it now."

Alessandro couldn't figure out what I was up to, so he just watched me.

"Nothing is going to happen to Daisy while I'm here."

My eyes filled with tears as I met his gaze.

"In three days, she'll be your wife. Everyone knows the gun belongs to the Donna, so it should be hers. Do you want people to call her a homewrecker and say she ruined our marriage and stole you from me?"

That gave Alessandro pause. When he finally spoke, his voice was softer. "Olivia, I'm sorry. I misunderstood. You've thought this through better than I did."

Then his eyes fell back to the gun, and his expression hardened.

"Olivia, I'm still your husband. Are you really this eager to get rid of me? You know I slept with another woman, and you're not even jealous?"

The sudden question threw me off.

"I-I just want what's best for you and the family."

I slipped my arms around him, playing the part of the wife who still couldn't let go.

"Alessandro, you know there's never been anyone but you. If I asked you to send Daisy away, would you do it?"

His frown told me everything I needed to know.

"You won't. So I'll step aside and let you have what you want. I'm going to pack. I'll be gone tomorrow."

I turned away, but he caught me by the arm. Guilt flickered across his face.

"Olivia! Y-you don't have to move out. The estate is enormous. You could move into the house next door. I'll send a few of the staff over. You and Daisy would never even have to see each other."

But that wasn't the life I wanted.

I could accept being his lover, but I couldn't accept sharing him.

If he couldn't be mine alone, I didn't want him at all.

"I'd still rather move out, Alessandro. If I'm still living here after the divorce, your wife might get the wrong idea. I don't want to come between you two."

The guilt in his eyes deepened. Once he realized I wouldn't change my mind, he called the man who handled the family's finances. "Put my vineyard in Olivia's name. Give her the jewelry and black cards too. No limits."

I turned my face away, hiding a small smile.

As soon as he hung up, I tugged at his sleeve.

"Alessandro, I want my passport."

His gaze went cold.

"What do you want a passport for? Are you leaving me?"

That was Alessandro. He needed to control everything he considered his, whether it was an object or a woman.

Once something belonged to him, he never wanted to let it go.

"I-I just can't stand the thought of losing you. I can't stay here and watch you marry someone else. I want to go abroad for a while. Maybe travel around Europe."

I let the tears fall while Alessandro considered my request.

"I've loved you for five years, but I was never your first choice. I need some time to get over losing you."

His expression softened. In the end, he agreed.

Without Alessandro and the Moretti name behind me, I'd be nothing but a discarded woman.

For five years, I'd begged for his love.

That had gotten me nowhere.

I was done begging now. I'd take the money and disappear somewhere he could never reach me.