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Home / Mafia Short Story / After Leaving Them, I Became the Donna / Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

All Chapters of After Leaving Them, I Became the Donna: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

12 Chapters

Chapter 1

The words had barely left my mouth when I felt a momentary daze."A month ago, the Morettis found you through hospital records and offered to take you back. You refused." Salvatore put down his cigar and looked straight at me. "Why the sudden change of heart now? Did someone pressure you?"I bit my lower lip and shook my head. "No one's forcing me out."I just didn't want to hear them tell me to be reasonable anymore.The night Bianca came back six months ago, Leon gave her my seat at the dinner table."Bianca just got here. We can't make her feel excluded."Leon said it so casually. It was just a chair. I shouldn't have made a fuss.Then Enzo pushed my favorite dessert, the sea salt cheesecake, right in front of her."This cake is pretty good, Bianca. Try it."Enzo didn't even glance my way when he said it. His eyes were all on her.After dinner, Darius canceled the weekend movie we'd planned weeks ago. His reason? Bianca had just returned and he needed to show her around the Falcone

Chapter 2

I stared at Darius, the warmth that had just risen in my chest fading bit by bit."What about my birthday party?"I barely recognized my own voice.Darius glanced at me."Postponed."A word, brushing away the day that was supposed to be mine."Bianca and I were born on the exact same day. Why do I have to be the one postponed?"Darius frowned, and there was already reproach in his eyes."You've had twenty-two birthdays. Bianca has never even had a proper party."He held my gaze, his voice thick with disappointment."Bianca is the true heir. Is it really that hard for you to let her have this one?"Cold crept from my fingertips into my bones. I gripped the document in my hand tighter.Heels clicked from the other end of the hallway.Bianca walked toward me in a white dress, Leon following behind her.When she saw me, her smile was soft."Elena, don't forget to come to my birthday party tomorrow."I bit my lip hard, my gaze moving past Bianca to land on Leon.Leon stood there with his ar

Chapter 3

In my arms was a maid's uniform. Black skirt, white apron.I looked up, staring at Darius in disbelief. "You want me to wear this to the birthday party?""This isn't just clothes." Darius's voice was calm. "You wear this tonight, and it means you're stepping out of the succession fight. You're backing Bianca."He paused and gave me a once-over. "At least this way, you won't steal Bianca's spotlight tonight."So in his eyes, this was already the perfect compromise.My chest tightened, my fingers digging into the uniform."There's one more thing I need to tell you in advance." Darius pulled a crest from his inner pocket, one engraved with the Falcone family emblem. This was the badge of the heir's personal guard, but Bianca's name was carved into it."Starting tonight, I'll be Bianca's personal guard." Darius pinned the crest to his chest. "My gun and my blood will be loyal to Bianca from now on."I froze.Darius used to have the same crest once. Mine was the name on it.When I was sixte

Chapter 4

I struggled to lift my head. "Let go of me!"My forehead was already split open. Blood trickled down my brow bone.Bianca sobbed softly in Darius's arms.Leon tightened his grip. "Apologize to Bianca!""No!" I cried out through the pain. "There are cameras in this room. Bianca stepped on my dress on purpose!""Tonight is Bianca's big night." Enzo held my shoulder down, not letting go. "Stop causing trouble."I forced the words out through my teeth. "Asking for the footage is causing trouble now?"No one answered.My heart sank piece by piece.No one cared about the truth. They all believed Bianca unconditionally.Bianca stopped crying and spoke in that fragile voice. "Everyone, please don't be hard on Elena."She straightened her dress, and her gaze landed on the necklace around my neck. She paused for just a second."That necklace is beautiful." Her voice was soft. "Did you give it to her?"Darius followed her gaze."Elena, since Bianca likes it, give her the necklace as an apology."

Chapter 5

Darius's POVBy the time the party wound down, dawn was already breaking.Darius stayed close to Bianca as her personal guard, but his eyes kept sweeping through the ballroom all night. He hadn't seen Elena anywhere.Leon walked up beside him, barely hiding the urgency in his voice. "Where's Elena?"Enzo stood nearby, redialing over and over. "No answer. She hasn't picked up all night."Darius's heart sank slowly, but he forced lightness into his voice. "She's probably hiding somewhere, waiting for us to come coax her out. Let's head back."Every time they'd fought in the past, Elena would lock herself in her room. They'd show up with desserts and little gifts, say a few soft words, and she'd open the door with red-rimmed eyes.This time would be no different.On the drive back, Enzo pressed his foot almost through the floorboard.The three of them reached the estate and went straight to Elena's room.Leon knocked twice. No response."Elena, open up." His voice was careful, tentative.

Chapter 6

Darius's POVDarius crouched down stiffly and picked up the scattered papers from the floor, one by one.Leon grabbed Darius by the collar and yanked him up."You're the one who made her wear that servant's uniform. You're the one who took off that necklace with your own hands. You drove my Elena away!"Rage twisted Darius's face in an instant. He swung a punch at Leon."You two held her down!" He spun around and roared at Enzo. "You hurt Elena!"Enzo froze for a moment, then let out a cold laugh. "Right. Leon and I dislocated her shoulder. And you? You were no different, trailing after Bianca like a dog, leaving Elena alone in that lounge."Darius lunged at Enzo, and the two of them grappled. Leon shoved himself between them."That's enough! Don't lose your heads!" Leon shouted. "None of us are innocent!"His words hit like a sledgehammer, slamming into both Darius and Enzo.They stopped. Heads dropped. Heavy breathing filled the room.Silence pressed down.Six months ago, when Bianca

Chapter 7

I had barely settled into the Moretti estate when my father knocked on my door."There are three young men at the gate, making a scene. They're demanding to see you." He looked at me. "Want me to send them away?"I raised an eyebrow, instantly realizing who had come.They'd hurt me. They didn't deserve me staying.But they'd also taken care of me for twenty-two years. They at least deserved a proper goodbye."No need." I kissed my father's cheek. "I'll handle it."My father paused for a moment, then pinned a Moretti crest to my chest."Remember. From the moment you came home, no one gets to humiliate you again."I nodded.When I reached the front gate, Darius, Leon, and Enzo were standing outside the iron bars. Their collars were disheveled, their eyes bloodshot. On either side of them stood two rows of grim-faced Moretti guards in black.Darius spotted me first.His gaze landed on the gauze on my forehead and the brace on my right arm. His face went pale."Elena..."He stepped forward

Chapter 8

Three years later, I stepped into the Falcone estate again.As the heir of the Moretti family.Adrian walked beside me, flipping through the agreement that had just been delivered. He was the Moretti family's consigliere, the second-in-command, and also my husband. He was my father's right hand and brain, and my strongest pillar of support.Today, he came with me to negotiate the alliance treaty with the Falcones."They changed two terms last minute." He handed me the file. "They're asking for forty percent of the port profits, and they won't budge an inch on the Queens territory."I glanced over the revisions and said flatly, "They're using Don Salvatore's illness to pressure me into conceding."My foster father Salvatore was gravely ill. The Falcones wanted to lock in the treaty before he passed.Adrian shrugged. "Old ties are old ties. Business is business."Inside the conference room, the Falcone family had already assembled. Bianca sat in the main seat across from me.Three years

Chapter 9

Darius blocked the doorway, his gaze locked on my hand intertwined with Adrian's."Elena. Let's talk. Alone.""There's no need." I said.Leon stepped forward, his voice hoarse. "Three years. Not a single day has passed that we haven't regretted it."Enzo's voice cracked too. "We've already paid the price.""That's your life." I gently rubbed the wedding band on my finger. "Nothing to do with me."Darius finally noticed the ring on my hand. His face went ashen.He staggered toward me in a daze.Adrian raised his arm, blocking him. "Mr. Lombardi. Mind your boundaries."His tone was calm, but his hand rested casually on his holster.Darius stared at him. The regret in his eyes slowly curdled into jealousy."Get out of my way!" Darius snarled. "This is between me and Elena.""She is the Moretti heir." Adrian took my hand, showing off our matching rings. "And my wife.""You disgraceful piece of shit—" Salvatore's face flushed red. His trembling finger pointed at Darius. "Don't you dare emba

Chapter 10

Before leaving the estate, Adrian said he wanted to see the room I used to live in.I couldn't say no to him, so I led him to the door.When it swung open, I paused for a moment.It looked almost exactly the same as three years ago. Neat and tidy. The bedsheets were my favorite pale blue. Fresh white roses sat by the window.The desk was piled with gift boxes, each one marked with a date.I flipped through a few and raised an eyebrow.They were the three birthday gifts Darius and the others had missed, all belatedly delivered.The butler followed behind me. "Mr. Lombardi won't let anyone touch this room. He has it cleaned every day. Would you like me to move these gifts to your car?"I shook my head. "No need."Late compensation wasn't love. It was just their offering to ease their own guilt.As we were talking, Bianca walked in with two bodyguards.I looked at her evenly. "Have you made up your mind about the agreement?""Three years away, and you come back throwing your weight around

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