Abandon Me Once and It's Goodbye Forever

The next morning, Ettore walked out of Viola's room. His usually crisp shirt was wrinkled, and satisfaction lingered in his eyes.

My heart twisted when our eyes met. Panic flashed across his face for a split second before he recovered, his expression settling into something closer to irritation.

"You're still not fully recovered. What are you doing standing here?"

I stared at him, my eyes dropping to the lipstick mark on his collar.

Ettore was always meticulous. There was no way he hadn't noticed Viola deliberately leaving her mark on him. He just chose to indulge her little games.

Ettore followed my gaze and spotted the kiss mark. He tugged at his collar uncomfortably, and I waited for him to explain. Instead, he just frowned, looking annoyed.

"She's young and likes to play games. Why make such a big deal out of it?"

I stared at him in disbelief, caught between anger and laughter. "Making a big deal out of it? Perhaps I should remind you that I'm still your legally wedded wife, Don Vitale?"

I'd hit a nerve. Ettore shoved me impatiently.

"You're in your 30s. Are you really going to pick on some young woman? I already told you, I'm just having fun with her. No one's taking your place as Donna!"

"Viola isn't scheming like you. She can't compete with you, and she's never tried to take your position. She's been with me since she was 19 years old.

"Be good about this, and I'll have someone bid on that jewelry set you wanted. Deal?"

My arm slammed against the corridor wall. The rope marks from yesterday still throbbed, and now, a fresh injury bloomed on top of them.

So in his eyes, a set of jewelry was enough to buy me off?

When he saw my arm bleeding, something finally shifted in Ettore's expression. Panic flickered in his eyes as he stammered out an explanation, "L-Larissa, I didn't mean to…"

"Don Vitale, you're up so early."

Before he could finish, Viola walked out of the bedroom rubbing her eyes, the picture of sweet innocence.

When Ettore saw her bare feet, he swept her up into his arms without hesitation, scolding her instinctively, "Why are you walking around barefoot? You'll catch a cold."

Even when I'd been lying in bed yesterday, barely able to move, he'd never shown this kind of concern. Viola shot me a subtle glare before nestling shyly into Ettore's arms.

"I missed you."

Ettore kissed her forehead tenderly, completely absorbed in her. He'd already forgotten I was standing right there.

"Oh, but the Donna is still here, Don Vitale..."

"Don't worry about her. Come on, weren't you picking out dresses today?"

Ettore glanced at me coldly before striding off with Viola in his arms, tossing me a warning over his shoulder.

"Think carefully about what you want."

I stood there in a daze as they left, my eyes burning. I used to think meeting Ettore was the luckiest thing that ever happened to me.

We'd known each other since we were young and survived countless bloodbaths together. We'd made it through everything side by side.

Once, our enemies cornered us at a cliff's edge. We'd fallen onto a broken tree, and even as thorny bushes tore his skin to shreds, he'd held me tight and protected me.

After we were rescued and brought back to the estate, he'd looked at the wound on my calf with tears in his eyes. I knew then that his love for me was real.

So, when he gave all his affection to Viola, I understood with painful clarity that his love no longer belonged to me. It was time to leave.