Discarded Mafia Bride: My Empire Rises

Elara POV:

The next morning, I watched a housekeeper fish the sapphire ring from the outdoor trash can where I'd tossed it, her expression a knot of disbelief and confusion.

"It's dirty," I told her, my voice flat. "Some stains never come out."

That night was my birthday. The grand ballroom of the Moretti estate was a testament to Dante's power, filled with the city's underworld elite. The air was thick with cigar smoke and the scent of expensive perfume. It was all a grand, empty gesture.

I overheard guests murmuring about Dante's five years of "devotion," how he kept a candle burning for his lost love. The irony was a bitter taste in the back of my throat.

Then, the doors swung open. Dante made his grand entrance. But he wasn't alone. On his arm was Sienna, looking radiant in a dress the exact shade of my eyes. Holding her other hand was Luca. And walking beside them, beaming with pride, were my own parents. A picture-perfect Famiglia.

An associate next to me gasped. "My God, the resemblance..."

Sienna glided toward me, her smile dripping with a sympathy so false it was almost transparent. "Happy birthday, Elara."

Luca glared up at me from behind her legs. "Say thank you," he demanded, his small voice laced with a venom that wasn't his own. "She's my mother. You're the bad one."

Before I could react, my own mother stepped in. "Don't be petty, Elara," she chided, her voice a low hiss. "We are all one Family now. Try to get along."

The weight of their collective mockery pressed down on me. Sienna played her part perfectly, her eyes welling with tears as she claimed Luca had insisted she come, that she didn't want to intrude. She handed me a beautifully wrapped gift. I accepted it with a smile that felt like cracking glass.

The crowd began to chant for Dante's surprise.

He moved to the center of the room, his eyes finding mine. Then, he dropped to one knee. He produced another ring box.

"I had it re-forged overnight," he announced to the silent room. "To correct the mistake."

He opened the box. Inside was a new sapphire ring, identical to the first. He slid it onto my finger. This time, it was a perfect fit.

"The most perfect one," he said, his voice a low murmur meant for everyone to hear. "Your 'one and only.'"

I felt nothing. The ring was just a cold, heavy weight on my finger.

A cake was wheeled out, ablaze with candles. The crowd cheered for me to make a wish. I closed my eyes, the faces of my parents, my son, and the man I once loved flashing behind my lids.

I took a deep breath and blew.

As the last flame died, I spoke into the microphone Dante held out for me. "My wish is... that there is only one of me in this world."

The air in the room went still. Sienna understood the threat immediately. A choked sob escaped her lips, and she turned and fled the ballroom.

My mother grabbed my arm, her nails digging into my skin. "How could you be so cruel?"

My father's face became a mask of cold fury. He turned to Dante, who was still kneeling at my feet. "Dante, go after her! Bring her back!"