When the Wolves Came in The 80s, My Officer Husband Chose to Save Her Over Me, So I Asked for a Divorce

The orphanage I grew up in was very poor. Not every child had the chance to go to school.

But after I returned to my real family, I didn’t get any apology or comfort from my parents. Instead, I only got coldness. At that time, I told myself, ‘It’s fine. As long as I can study, nothing else matters.’

They said that since Serena’s parents had passed away, they couldn’t send her away. They would keep her at home and treat her like their own daughter. Meanwhile, I lived in a damp, dark attic of a small Spanish-style house. Mr. and Mrs. Altomare said that there weren’t enough rooms.

In that house, I didn’t look like a daughter of the family at all. It was more like a maid’s child. It wasn’t until my parents told me to get married that I found out the truth. They told me that the match was arranged by my grandfather.

It turned out that the soldier Serena had once loved had been badly injured in battle and was now paralyzed.

Serena cried endlessly, saying, “I can’t marry a disabled man. My whole life would be ruined!”

The marriage eventually fell on me. I could have refused, but I agreed with it when I remembered the memory of that tall, straight man. He looked so steady and proud. That year, I was 18 years old. In fact, I was about to take the university entrance exam.

Initially, I wanted to wait until after the test to get married, but my parents didn’t allow it. They even canceled my exam registration. So, at an age when I should have been studying, I became the wife of Fabio, a twenty-three-year-old man who had earned first-class honors from the police academy.

When I first went to see Fabio, he flew into a rage, smashed a vase at my feet and shouted for Serena. Meanwhile, Serena was already happily preparing for university due to our father’s arrangement even though her grades barely met the minimum score.

On our wedding day, my mother cried endlessly. She was talking about the hardships of our family, Serena’s sadness and my father’s gray hair. I stood there quietly.

None of that had anything to do with me. I agreed to the marriage only because of Fabio. I didn’t know if I truly loved him, but at least being with him would give me a kind of freedom.

I had read in the newspaper how Fabio fought bravely against the mafia who tried to revolt close to our borders and how he caught drug traffickers with his bare hands. The papers praised his courage and sense of justice.

I had always admired brave and selfless people, especially those police officers who gave their lives for the country. To marry such a man felt like an honor, not a shame.

On our wedding day, Fabio sat in his wheelchair and stayed silent the whole time. I was nervous, my hands shaking and I kept wiping away sweat. I almost tripped while walking down the aisle. People around us burst out laughing.

I vaguely heard someone mention Serena’s name. Fabio’s face grew darker. In that moment, I understood. Fabio surely still loved Serena. Otherwise, why would he hate me so much? For the first time, I regretted both the marriage and my hidden feelings for him.

The Altomare Family was powerful. The wedding caused a great stir in society. But his parents were kind and gentle toward me. I actually felt more at ease in their home than I ever had in the Altomare Family’s house.

Since I loved reading, I was overjoyed when I saw their large study full of books. At first, Fabio ignored me. But he then eventually started talking to me more. He would push his wheelchair into the study to recommend books and stopped refusing my help so often.

Later, the Altomare Family found a master of Romani folk medicine who had lived in seclusion for many years. The master said there was still hope for Fabio’s recovery. That day, everyone was filled with joy.

The master gave Fabio some herbs and said it had to be done once a week, along with massages and herbal medicine. I learned the massage techniques from the folk doctor and personally made herbal remedies for Fabio. Even though I missed my college exam, I didn’t give up on studying.

From then on, my days were spent between my books and helping Fabio recover.