I was nothing but a pawn in their twisted game.
I pressed my thumbnail into the center of my palm until the skin went white, but the pain didn't anchor me. Nothing could. I decided to terminate the pregnancy. It broke me, but I couldn't bring his child into a world where it would only remind me of the betrayal.
After the procedure, I was weak, barely able to stand. That's when he found me. Dante, alive, still playing Damiano. He grabbed me, dragging me to the Family's private medical wing. Elena had lost too much blood from a miscarriage. She needed a transfusion.
And even though I was in pain, broken and bleeding, they forced me to give my blood. Just to save her.
That was the last time.
The last time I'd ever let them use me, lie to me, treat me like I was nothing.
I was done.
I went straight to Vittorio. He was in the library of the compound, reading by lamplight. He looked up, surprised to see me, then rose and crossed the room to embrace me.
"Vittorio," I whispered, voice shaking, "I'm leaving the Family. I don't want to be the Donna anymore."