A Donna's Last Retreat

He would knit his brows, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"You Bonannos are all the same. So petty. A little jewelry is all it takes to buy you."

"No wonder you'd disregard your reputation to set me up."

"What, feeling satisfied now that you're the future Mrs. De Luca?"

That little bit of joy would instantly vanish into thin air.

I'd tried to explain, but Malcolm refused to believe me.

He would always look at me with contempt.

"Then why did your dress get wet and no one else's?"

That night, someone "accidentally" spilled a drink on my dress. Malcolm gave me a room key to change, and that one act set everything in motion.

In his mind, this was ironclad proof.

No matter how I tried to explain, my words were always dismissed as futile arguments.

Now, I left all the jewelry and gowns in the room, determined to leave as if I had never set foot there.

As I was heading downstairs with my suitcase, I ran into Malcolm.

Penny was trailing behind him, chattering excitedly.

"Malcolm, the food at that Michelin-star restaurant was delicious. I want to go again next time."

Malcolm responded vaguely.

His gaze fell on me, and he immediately frowned.

"Where are you going so late?"

I held my suitcase and told him the truth.

"I'm ending our engagement. Of course I'm moving out."

Malcolm's expression shifted in an instant.

He snatched the suitcase from my hand and snapped.

"Haven't you caused enough trouble?!"

"Do you think the De Luca family is a place you can just come and go as you please?"

"Who said anything about ending the engagement? Sierra, don't test me!"

I looked at his furious face and, for some reason, wanted to laugh.

Even now, he still thought I was faking it.

That I was just throwing a tantrum.

Penny, on the other hand, was gloating.

A smile she couldn't suppress played on her lips.

"Malcolm, since she wants to leave, just let her go."

She whined coquettishly at him.

"It's not like our family needs her. If she leaves, it's just one less mouth to feed."

I looked at Penny coolly.

For a cousin, she was getting way too comfortable.

The irony was, her obsession with Malcolm was so obvious, but he was blind to it.

Instead, he accused others of having dirty minds.

I turned to grab my suitcase, but I couldn't pull it free.

Malcolm stared at me, his eyes burning with rage.

For once, he ignored Penny and dragged me upstairs.

The moment the door closed, he pushed me onto the silk sheets.

His body pressed down heavily on me.

His hot breath fanned across my neck, his deep voice laced with mockery.

"Isn't this what you wanted?"

My mind went blank, a low buzz filling my ears.

I suddenly remembered when Malcolm and I had first been engaged.

He didn't like me and slept in the guest room every night.

He wouldn't even greet me when we passed in the hall.

But we were already a legally bound couple.

I couldn't stand the cold war between us. So, swallowing my pride, I put on a sheer black lace nightgown and went to his study.

The moment Malcolm looked at me, his gaze turned dark, like a predator spotting its prey.