Chapter 3

Night fell. A core meeting of the Vexille family had just ended.

I followed Donatello out of the conference room, my arms full of files.

“Boss,” Carlo, one of his capos, hurried over. “About the Sotheby’s charity auction tonight. Who’s accompanying you? We need to arrange the cars and security detail.”

The air in the hallway went still.

I stopped, my eyes fixed on Donatello’s back.

In three years of marriage, he had never taken me to a single public event. Within the Family, I was only ever the cold, impartial lawyer who handled their legal messes.

Now Angelina was divorced. Free. Would he take her?

I took a deep breath, a pathetic flicker of hope still alive in my chest.

“The auction tonight…” I stepped forward, meeting his profile, my voice low enough for only him to hear. “Are you taking me?”

I was testing him. Testing if he was finally ready to acknowledge me as his wife.

Donatello turned. His eyes met mine, and the silence that followed was my answer.

I swallowed the coppery taste of blood rising in my throat and forced a perfect, professional smile.

“Never mind,” I said, looking away, giving him an easy out. “Just a thought. I’ve got to finish the merger paperwork tonight anyway. No time for a boring party.”

The tension in his jaw visibly eased. A look of relief washed over his face.

“I appreciate your hard work, Avril,” he said, his voice softening. “I’ll bring you back a gift.”

I smiled, nodded, and walked away.

Later that night, I saw Angelina’s new post.

A photo, uploaded three minutes ago. On her slender, pale neck hung a dazzling pink diamond necklace. The main stone was flawless, throwing off a blinding, luxurious light.

The caption read: “I love it. I think I know what’s in his heart.”

That pink diamond was the star of the auction, the final, most expensive piece. Priceless.

I stared at the screen, then shut off my phone with a bitter laugh.

Not long after, Donatello came home.

He placed a black velvet jewelry box on the coffee table. “A gift for you.”

I opened it. Inside lay a pink gemstone bracelet. I recognized it immediately. It was the matching piece to Angelina’s necklace.

He’d bought the entire set, given the priceless main piece to the woman he loved, and tossed the accessory to his wife.

A wave of humiliation and bitterness washed over me.

I snapped the box shut and shoved it back across the table.

Donatello looked at me, annoyed. “What is with you…”

Just then, he saw my phone screen, still lit up with Angelina’s post.

He froze. After a moment, he let out a sigh. “Sorry. There was an emergency. I had to go, and I only had time to bid on the set. Angelina’s been having a hard time since the divorce, I thought…”

His phone rang.

He glanced at it. Rossi, one of the Family’s litigation lawyers. Donatello didn’t bother to move away, just put it on speaker.

“Boss, Miss Angelina’s divorce is final,” Rossi’s respectful voice came through the speaker. “We’ve secured all the assets. Her ex-husband will walk away with nothing.”

“Good work,” Donatello said, his expression softening.

Rossi paused, then added casually, “Funny thing, actually. A while back, Chief Counsel Avril was asking me about divorce agreements, too. Hope everything is alright…”

Donatello went rigid.

He stared at me, his voice sharp. “Divorce? Why were you asking about that?”

I hadn’t expected to be caught like this, but I forced myself to remain calm.

“I was asking for a friend, Chloe. Her husband cheated. She needed to move her assets, and I’m not an expert in private family law, so I asked Rossi.”

The tension slowly left Donatello’s body.

He stared into my eyes for a full ten seconds, searching for a crack in my story.

I met his gaze without fear, without so much as a flicker of my eyelashes.

Finally, he bought the lie.

Seeing his relief, I couldn't stop myself from pushing.

“Donatello.”

He looked at me.

“What if it was me who wanted a divorce?”

A dangerous, possessive fire ignited in his eyes.

He strode toward me, his rough fingers seizing my chin, forcing my head up.

A cruel smile played on his lips. “I’d find you,” he said, his voice a low growl. “And I’d drag you back, no matter where you ran.”