Chapter 4
With that, I turned and walked away.
The groomsmen hurried after me, their faces wearing awkward, insincere smiles.
"Future Donna, don't take it to heart. Don Rossetti is just... a man who values old loyalties."
"Besides, once today's ceremony is over, everyone in New York will know you're the rightful Donna of the Rossetti Family. Men sometimes have their fun. As long as they know where home is, what's the harm?"
One of them gave an ingratiating laugh.
"Right, future Mrs. Rossetti?"
I stopped.
My gaze swept across their faces.
"Let's go."
"Wouldn't want to keep everyone waiting."
The ballroom was ablaze with light.
The massive carved doors slowly swung open, and a spotlight fell on me.
I straightened my back and walked down the aisle alone.
At the far end, the groom's place stood empty.
The ballroom, which had been buzzing with conversation, fell into an awkward silence.
The Rossetti Family's senior Capos and representatives of its allied families sat among the guests. Every one of them had come to witness Damian formally present his future Donna.
Now, all eyes were fixed on the bride walking toward an empty altar.
Natalie and the groomsmen stood on either side of the aisle.
They exchanged glances, amusement barely concealed in their eyes.
Then, behind me, the ballroom doors opened again.
Every guest turned toward the entrance.
A tall, imposing figure appeared in the doorway.
The light gradually revealed his sharply defined features.
Natalie's eyes widened instantly.
Several of the groomsmen drew sharp breaths, their faces turning deathly pale.
Meanwhile, in a luxurious penthouse suite at a five-star hotel in Lower Manhattan, Damian stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, casually loosening his tie.
He walked over to the bed and gently pulled up the neckline of Sabrina's slipping dress.
"All right. I've gone through every part of the ceremony with you. We exchanged rings, and even had our wedding night."
"Now I have to go back. Nina is waiting for me."
He said it as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
Sabrina wrapped both arms tightly around his neck.
"Damian, don't go. Please?"
She raised her wrist, revealing the exquisite heirloom bracelet.
"Your mother gave me this. She even passed down the Rossetti family bracelet to me."
"Doesn't that mean I'm more important to you than Nina?"
Damian's body stiffened.
He lowered his eyes, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.
He couldn't remember when his mother had given Sabrina the family's heirloom.
But the next second, he pulled her arms away without hesitation.
"Don't start."
"You told me you had terminal stomach cancer. You said your greatest regret was never getting to wear a wedding dress and marry me."
"That's why I agreed to give you this one ceremony. I made it clear from the beginning that Nina is the woman I love. She's the woman I'm going to marry. She's the one who will become the Donna of this Family."
"Today was simply about letting you leave without regrets. Don't push your luck."
An inexplicable irritation stirred inside him.
He stopped looking at Sabrina's pale face and strode toward the door.
He knew Nina was always understanding. Although she'd sounded upset on the phone earlier, all he had to do was show up, comfort her, and say a few sweet words.
She would forgive him.
Just as she always had.
But the moment his hand touched the doorknob, his phone began vibrating incessantly in his pocket.
He frowned and pulled it out.
Dozens of voice messages from the groomsmen had flooded his screen.
Then Natalie's video call request suddenly appeared.
Damian pressed answer.
The next second, the moment he saw what was on the screen, his eyes widened.
