He Betrayed His Donna, So She Disappeared

"Mrs. Blackwood, everything has been arranged for the identity-erasure operation you commissioned. This is the final agreement. Please sign here." I lowered my eyes to the document that had been placed in front of me. Client: Elena Blackwood Execution Plan: Explosion at a harbor warehouse. Vehicle destroyed by fire. Death confirmed through DNA identification. Execution Date: One week from today. One week later would be the fifth anniversary of my marriage to Damian Blackwood. It would also be the day I disappeared from the Blackwood family forever. Our story began on that date. And it would end on that date as well. Chapter 1 Elena's POV When I returned to Blackwood Manor, the entire estate was already busy preparing for our fifth anniversary celebration. Fresh flowers were being delivered one truck after another. Workers hurried across the courtyard, hanging lights and arranging decorations. One of the housekeepers noticed me and beamed. "Mrs. Blackwood, Mr. Blackwood has personally approved every detail. He said nothing less than perfect was worthy of his Donna." Another maid couldn't help chiming in. "I've worked for the Blackwoods for fifteen years. I've never seen a Don love his wife the way Mr. Blackwood loves you." "They say the anniversary celebration is going to be the biggest gathering the family has ever hosted. He's inviting everyone just so the whole city knows you're the only Donna he'll ever recognize." I kept walking without saying a word. Everyone said I must have saved the world in a previous life to marry a man like Damian Blackwood. A week ago, I would have believed every word. Then I discovered the truth. For the past six months, every so-called family meeting and every "business trip" had ended at the same address. The same woman. The same bed. While the entire Blackwood family admired our marriage, Damian had been climbing into another woman's bed over and over again. The first time I saw the videos, it felt as if my heart had been torn apart. Every video felt like another stab to the heart, reopening a wound I could never heal. By the end, there was nothing left but a mangled, bleeding mess. I still remembered when we were kids, growing up in one of New York's roughest neighborhoods. A group of street punks had cornered me in an alley. Damian charged in without hesitation, beating them back and shielding me behind him. "Don't be afraid," he told me. "I'll protect you from now on." I remembered another time as well. The Blackwood family had been ambushed. A runaway truck barreled straight toward our car. Damian's first instinct wasn't to save himself. It was to throw himself over me. He nearly died that day. His injuries left him in a coma for eight months. When he finally woke up, the first thing he asked wasn't about his condition. "How's Elena?" When the nurse told him I was unharmed, he finally relaxed. "Good. As long as she's okay, nothing else matters." That was the moment I truly fell in love with him. With the man who was willing to risk his life for mine. But no matter how hard I tried, I could never understand one thing. How could a man who would die for me also climb into another woman's bed without a shred of guilt? Could men really separate love from desire? I gently ran my thumb over the wedding ring on my finger before slipping it off. Damian had commissioned it from a renowned Italian jeweler. He once told me there would never be another ring like it in the world. Because I was his one and only. But now, I didn't need it anymore. On the sidewalk nearby, a disabled veteran sat in a wheelchair, quietly asking for donations. Only a few crumpled bills lay in the small metal cup beside him. I walked over and dropped the ring inside. The old man stared at me in shock. "Ma'am, this is far too valuable." "Sell it," I said calmly. "The money will be enough for you to start over." He thanked me over and over again. In truth, I was understating it. The center diamond alone was worth millions of dollars. But to me, it was worthless now. If a wedding ring represented love and loyalty, then mine had lost all meaning the day Damian betrayed me. Suddenly, my phone rang. Damian's name flashed across the screen. "Elena, where are you?" His voice was urgent and concerned, as though he were genuinely worried about me. "I just went out for a walk," I replied. "Tell me where you are. I'll come get you." "That's not necessary. I'm heading home." "No." His tone left no room for argument. "Stay where you are. I'm coming." Less than five minutes later, a black armored sedan pulled up in front of me. Damian stepped out quickly. He removed his suit jacket, draped it over my shoulders, and pulled me into his arms. "Why are you dressed so lightly? What if you catch a cold?" Resting against his chest, I slowly lifted my head. Near the collar of his shirt, several bright red scratches marked his neck. Fresh scratches. With faint traces of bite marks. The scent of another woman's perfume still lingered on him. So before coming to find me, he had just left her bed. Damian took my hand gently, then suddenly froze. "Elena, where's your wedding ring?" Chapter 2 Elena's POV I quietly slipped my hand out of his. "I must've lost it." Damian reached for his phone almost immediately. "I'll have everyone in the family look for it. I want it found." I shook my head. "No. Let it go." His expression changed instantly. A faint crease appeared between his brows. "Let it go?" His voice lowered, almost as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Elena, do you know what that ring means? It isn't just a piece of jewelry. That ring represents the day I stood in front of the entire Blackwood family and claimed you as the one and only Donna." The one and only? I almost laughed. If a man could call me his only one while climbing into another woman's bed, that kind of only wasn't worth much at all. "It's just a ring," I said quietly. "It doesn't prove anything." "Don't say that." His voice was low, almost serious. Damian's expression changed. He gently took my hand, his thumb brushing over the empty space where the ring had been. "That ring was never just a piece of jewelry, Elena. It carries my name. The day I put it on your finger, I wasn't just promising to love you. I was promising the entire Blackwood family that you were the woman who stood beside me." I looked up at him. "What if one day you betrayed me?" He answered without hesitation. "I never would." "I'm asking what if." Damian met my eyes. Those gray-blue eyes were still sincere enough to make anyone believe him. "If that day ever comes," he said quietly, "may the family's bullets be the ones to end my life. May I lose everything that comes with being Don. And may the Blackwood name never inspire loyalty again." It was the heaviest oath a mafia Don could ever make. Once, hearing words like that would have made me cover his mouth immediately. I'd tell him never to swear something so terrible. Now, I simply looked at him. As if I were listening to a very bad joke. Damian wrapped his arms around me from behind. There was a hint of hurt in his voice. "Baby, I feel like you've been drifting farther and farther away from me lately." "I haven't." "You have." He rested his chin lightly on my shoulder. "Have I been too busy with family business? Are you upset because I haven't spent enough time with you?" "I said no. Now let go of me." "No." He held me even tighter. "Next week is our fifth anniversary. I've prepared something special for you. I promise you're going to love it." Just then, his phone rang. Almost instantly, Damian released me. He glanced at the screen, and an unconscious smile tugged at the corner of his lips. I hadn't seen that smile in six months. Relaxed. Gentle. Almost indulgent. Too bad, it wasn't meant for me. He quickly typed out a reply before looking back at me. "Baby. Something urgent came up with the family. I need to take care of it." I couldn't help asking, "When will you be back?" Damian slipped an arm around my waist and kissed my forehead. "I probably won't make it home tonight. But I'll be back tomorrow morning. I'll bring you your favorite blueberry cheesecake, okay?" I nodded. "Okay." Then he left in a hurry. His iPad, however, was still lying on the living room couch. I picked it up. It unlocked automatically. His messages were still synced. Two minutes earlier, someone saved as Little Kitten had sent him a photo. She was wearing a revealing bunny costume. Black stockings. Red stilettos. She bit her finger while smiling seductively at the camera. Little Kitten: Daddy, I'm ready. Damian: Missing me already? Little Kitten: I can't sleep without you. Damian: I thought I already wore you out this afternoon. Little Kitten: That was hours ago. Little Kitten: Tonight I still want to be yours. Damian replied only three words. Damian: Wait for me. I slowly turned off the screen. Then I closed my eyes. So this was what heartbreak really felt like. Not a single devastating blow, but the same wound being ripped open again and again. I didn't know when I fell asleep. All I remembered were endless dreams of Damian tangled together with that woman. Buzz— My phone vibrated. A video had arrived from an unknown number. I tapped it open. The man in the video was Damian. He held the woman tightly. The desire in his eyes was so unfamiliar that I barely recognized him. There was no sound. Yet my ears rang all the same. A message appeared moments later. Have you ever seen your Don like this? He says he's only truly relaxed when he's with me. The video ended. Then automatically started over. I didn't stop it. I watched it again and again. I forced myself to remember every second. To remember who this man really was. Only then could I bury the last piece of love I still had for him. My attorney had already prepared everything. I placed the documents inside a black gift box and tied it with a ribbon. There was a Divorce Agreement, along with an inventory returning every item that symbolized authority and status within the Blackwood family. The moment I signed those papers, Elena Blackwood would no longer be part of the Blackwood family. Damian came home around noon the next day. He was carrying my favorite blueberry cheesecake. "Baby. I kept my promise. Look. Isn't this your favorite bakery?" I simply nodded. "Mmm." Only then did Damian notice my red, swollen eyes. He cupped my face and gently wiped away the tears still clinging to the corners of my eyes. "You've been crying? Who upsets my baby? Tell me. I'll make them pay." He still carried the scent of another woman's perfume. Even the lingering warmth of someone else's embrace seemed to cling to him. I took a step back. Avoiding his touch. "No. I just watched a movie last night. The ending was sad. " Damian immediately pulled me back into his arms. "Don't watch movies alone anymore. Wait for me. I'll watch them with you." Watch them with me? I almost laughed. His time, day and night, belonged to another woman. Did he really have any time left for me? Then Damian noticed the black gift box sitting on the coffee table. His eyes lit up. "Is this for me?" I nodded. "You said you had a surprise planned for our anniversary. So I prepared one for you too. " He smiled like a boy who had just received the perfect present. "Can I open it now?" I gently shook my head. "No. Wait until our anniversary. Open it that day." Chapter 3 Elena's POV Damian thought for a moment, then nodded good-naturedly. "Alright. When the day comes, we'll open each other's surprises together. That will make it more meaningful." I suddenly wanted to see the look on Damian's face. The moment he learned of my death, and saw the Declaration of Renunciation of Donna Status. Would he be shocked? Stunned? Or would he regret it? When we returned to Blackwood Manor, Damian walked me back to the bedroom. I asked him, "Are you still going to handle family matters tonight?" Damian hummed softly. "There are still some things I didn't finish yesterday. I need to work late tonight." "Then go." I turned my back to him and lay down, clearly dismissing him. Damian stood there. He didn't leave. He seemed to have noticed something was wrong. But he couldn't figure out what it was. Suddenly, I wanted to tease him one last time. So I turned around and looked at him. "Can you not leave tonight?" Damian visibly relaxed. I still depended on him. I still wanted him to stay. I still needed him the way I always had, which meant I probably still knew nothing. Damian smiled gently. "Baby, everything has already been arranged tonight. There are still many people waiting for me at the family meeting. Next week. I'll give all my time to you next week, okay? " "Next week?" "Yeah." He smiled and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "Next weekend is our fifth anniversary. Everything they've been preparing at the manor, it's all for you. I want everyone to see that you're the only Donna I'll ever love." A grand celebration. I smiled to myself. That would make what came next even more unforgettable. "Alright. Then go." "My baby is so understanding." Damian lowered his head and kissed my forehead. "I'm leaving now. It's almost time. I can't keep them waiting too long." Was it because he couldn't keep them waiting? Or because he couldn't keep her waiting? Damian left soon after. The iPad on the living room couch began vibrating again. They were messaging each other once more. Damian: Are you ready? The woman quickly sent another photo. This time, she was wearing a nurse's uniform. Of course, it wasn't a real nurse's uniform. Everything that should have been covered was deliberately exposed. Everything that shouldn't have been revealed was intentionally shown. Damian: Tonight, I'll make sure you're satisfied. I expressionlessly turned off the tablet. Then I started packing my things. Clothes, jewelry, bags. And everything Damian had given me over the years. The gifts that once represented love. Now, they were nothing more than pieces of a past I needed to erase. The woman's message came again soon after. This time, it was a photo. A medical report. The words on it were clear: Patient: Isabella Rossi Pregnancy: 4 weeks My fingers froze. She was pregnant? I stared at the report for a long time. So long that my eyes began to sting. Isabella: I'm sorry, Donna. Isabella: Your husband won't be coming home tonight. Isabella: He's with me for my prenatal checkup. She deliberately called me "Donna", as if reminding me that she wanted that position too. Isabella: I forgot to tell you. Isabella: For the next week, he belongs to me. Isabella: He promised to take me to Hawaii to celebrate our baby. Isabella: He's calling you right now. Isabella: Be prepared, Mrs. Blackwood. Her final message was filled with provocation. Almost at the same moment, my phone rang. A name appeared on the screen. Damian I took a deep breath and answered. "Baby, I'm sorry. Something urgent came up with the family. I need to leave town for a while." Before he could finish, I interrupted him. "Go." The other end of the line went silent. Damian seemed surprised. Then he lowered his voice. "Baby, don't be upset. I'll definitely be back for our fifth anniversary. And the wedding ring. I'll put it back on your finger myself during the ceremony." I stayed silent for a few seconds. Then I asked: "Damian, do you love me?" He answered without hesitation. "Of course. You are the only woman I will ever love in my life." I let out a quiet laugh. "If one day, you betray our love. I will leave you, forever." Damian chuckled softly. Like he was listening to a child throwing a tantrum. "I won't give you that chance. I'm serious." "If I ever find out you betrayed me, you'll never find me again in this lifetime." Damian's smile deepened. His voice sounded like he was soothing a stubborn little girl. "Baby, how could you ever leave me? As long as you are still Donna, no matter where in the world you run, I will find you." I looked out at the darkness beyond the window. Then quietly asked, "What if I'm no longer Donna?" The other end of the phone fell silent for a second. Then he laughed. "How could you not be Donna? Alright. Don't overthink things. I truly only love you. I'll come back and be with you in one week." Ten minutes after hanging up the phone, the agency responsible for my identity erasure sent me a new address. I went there. A staff member handed me a set of documents. "Mrs. Blackwood, starting today, this is your new identity." I opened the file. The name written on the document was: Eva Moretti Starting today, there was no Elena Blackwood in this world. Only Eva Moretti. The staff member looked at me. "Ms. Moretti, everything has been prepared. You only need to board the assigned flight according to the plan." I put away all the documents. Then nodded. "Thank you. I will transfer the remaining payment as agreed." The staff member hesitated. "Ms. Moretti, there is still one week before the operation. You still have time to reconsider. If you change your mind, we won't charge you anything." I stood up. Without the slightest hesitation. "No. I won't regret it." Chapter 4 Elena's POV Over the next few days, messages from Damian and Isabella continued to arrive. Three days before our fifth anniversary. Isabella: The ocean breeze in Hawaii feels amazing. The seafood here is incredible too, but he said I shouldn't eat seafood while I'm pregnant, so he went all the way across town just to get me some food I'm used to. Attached was a photo of the Hawaiian beach, the sand, the palm trees, and Damian in the distance, opening a takeout box. Damian: The food here isn't really like what we have back home. Damian: Baby, what did you eat today? That day, I met up with a few of my closest friends at an Italian restaurant. We ordered pizza, pasta, and tiramisu. We talked about everything we had been through over the years. No one knew that it was the last time I would ever meet them as Elena. We laughed. We talked about old memories. We were happy. Because after today, I would leave this world behind under a new identity. Seeing them again in the future would probably be impossible. So before I disappeared, I wanted to see them one last time. Two days before our fifth anniversary. Isabella: The baby is only a little over a month old, and he's already researching how to raise children. Isabella: For a first-time father, he's already so responsible. I can't wait for our little family to begin. Attached was a photo of Damian's desk. A thick stack of parenting books sat on top. I glanced over them casually. The titles were: Newborn Parenting Guide The Science of Early Childhood Education A Complete Guide to Pregnancy and Infant Care Damian: Baby, I've been reading these books all day. Damian: What did you do today? That day, I went to the bank. I converted all the money in my accounts into cash. Then I closed every financial account registered under Elena Blackwood's name. From that moment on, there would be no place left in this world that carried my name. One day before our fifth anniversary. Isabella: He knows how exhausting pregnancy has been for me, and he didn't want the hotel staff touching my things. Isabella: So he did my laundry himself. Isabella: A man like this is really impossible not to love, right? In the photo, Damian was standing in the laundry room, folding clothes. I stared at the photo and couldn't help laughing. Five years of marriage. I was the one who made sure his suits were perfectly tailored, his shirts were pressed, and everything he wore was taken care of. I had spent years looking after him in ways no one else saw. And now, he was taking care of another woman's clothes himself. The irony was almost laughable. How ironic. The night before our fifth anniversary, I went alone to the Blackwood family pier. The ocean wind swept across the harbor. My hair whipped across my face, but I didn't feel the cold. I simply stood there, staring at the endless darkness beyond the water. The waves crashed softly against the shore. The moonlight reflected on the surface of the sea. For the first time in a long while, everything felt strangely peaceful. By the time Damian called, it was already late at night. His voice sounded unusually cheerful. "Baby, I just landed. I'll be home soon. I even brought your favorite dessert. Are you happy?" "I'm not at home." There was a pause on the other end. "It's so late. Where are you?" "Harbor." "Why are you there?" "I wanted to see the ocean." "Wait for me. I'll be there right away." Just then, a burst of noise came from his side of the call. It sounded like someone was talking. A woman. Damian lowered his voice and said something. But the woman didn't seem to leave. After a while, the phone became quiet. And then, I heard a sound that was both familiar and unfamiliar. The sound of a man and a woman kissing. Intimate. Passionate. And they weren't even trying to hide it from me. I let out a soft laugh. "Damian, are you still coming?" There was silence for several seconds. His voice was slightly hoarse. "Baby, starting tomorrow, I'll spend all my time with you. Tonight, I just need to finish handling the remaining family matters. So I can focus on you afterward. Okay?" I looked at the distant city lights across the water. Then softly replied, "Okay." "You are so understanding." Damian laughed. "Then I'll see you at the ceremony tomorrow morning. Oh, and remember to bring the gift you prepared for me. I'm really curious what surprise you made." "Damian." This was the last time I called his name. "What is it?" "Nothing." Nothing anymore. Because starting tomorrow, there would be no Elena Blackwood in this world. I took one last look at the dark ocean. Then I hailed a taxi. "Hello. To the airport." The driver glanced behind me. Noticing that I had no luggage. He asked with concern, "Miss, do you need help with your bags?" I shook my head. "No. I don't have any luggage. Just drive." Only a passport, a plane ticket, and the cash I would need for my new life. Everything else that belonged to Elena Blackwood had already been taken care of. Things worth donating were donated. Things that needed to be destroyed were destroyed. Everything connected to this identity would disappear completely. Half an hour later, the taxi pulled up outside the airport terminal. I stepped out of the taxi and walked away without looking back.