All Chapters of I Left the Mafia Don at the Altar: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

I flipped over abruptly, dodging Marcello's touch.That perfume of Valerie's on him made me sick."What? I figured you'd spend the whole night playing hero for your precious little sister." I looked at him mockingly.Marcello frowned, tearing off his tie in frustration."Cora, can you stop being so bitter? I told you, she was scared. I only look at her as a sister.""A sister?" I scoffed coldly.I grabbed my phone from the nightstand, opened Instagram, and shoved the screen right in his face."Is this how you usually bond with your sister?"On the screen was a post Valerie had made half an hour ago.In the photo, bathed in dim, romantic lighting, she and Marcello had their fingers intertwined.Her face was inches from his lips, and the caption read: "There is always that one person who becomes your hero when you're most afraid."Marcello's face changed instantly.He reached out to snatch the phone, but I pulled it back."It's just a joke," he said, running a frustrated hand through his

Marcello stood with one hand in his dress pants pocket, silent for a moment before speaking."Didn't you say they were leaving soon? I figured it's better if they don't attend." He said it like it was the most logical thing in the world. "Tomorrow's banquet will be full of mafia elites and political heavyweights. Your parents' country manners wouldn't fit in with that crowd at all."He took a step closer, his tone persuasive. "What if they accidentally offend someone from the Commission? I'm doing this for their own good."I looked at the man in front of me and realized it clearer than ever: he looked down on my parents, and deep down, he probably looked down on me, too."You really are a thoughtful son-in-law," I smirked, offering a smile dripping with sarcasm.I turned around, didn't look at him again, and walked straight into the walk-in closet to keep packing my personal clothes into my suitcase.Marcello followed me in.He seemed to finally notice how abnormally cold I was being.

My thoughts snapped back from the past. On the phone, his mother's angry shouting had turned into begging:"Cora, it's my fault. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have made things hard for you. But Marcello really cares about you.""You didn't show up to the wedding. Valerie put on the dress he bought for you.""When Marcello saw her, he wrecked the entire venue. Valerie told him you left, and he screamed that he didn't believe it.""He rushed out of the estate like a madman to find you, and then... and then... he got ambushed by a rival family... he was in a terrible car crash...""Right before he passed out, he was calling your name.""Cora, I'm begging you. Just come see Marcello, please?""He... he might not make it this time..."She couldn't speak anymore; only the sound of her painful sobbing came through. I gripped my phone, my knuckles turning white.Just before my nails dug into my palms, someone gently held my hand.I turned and saw the worried looks on my parents' faces.My mo

I never thought I'd see Marcello again.And I definitely didn't expect to see him like this.A year later, under the warm Texas sun, he rolled toward me in a wheelchair.He wore a trench coat, but none of his former swagger remained.He was too thin, his cheekbones jutting out, making his handsome face look somewhat dark and hollow.Seeing me, a flush of color returned to his pale face.Tears shined in his eyes as he spoke, his voice incredibly rough:"Cora...""I had the best designers make the dress you actually wanted.""You didn't like the old ring, so I bought an even better one.""I kicked Valerie out. I swear she'll never set foot in New York or anywhere near us again.""I truly love you. I really want to be your husband.""I thought... I thought you were going to be my wife."I stood there, silent for a moment, before replying:"When my parents traveled halfway across the country to New York to plan our wedding...""I thought I was going to be your wife, too.""Turns out I was