The Donna He Took for Granted Chapter 09
Corrado did not need an answer. He had already decided I must be insane.
How else could a quiet, accommodating woman who had worshiped him for eight years strike him for some unrelated man?
It had to be a dream.
Then he looked up and saw me take Ronan’s hand and weave our fingers tightly together, asking softly
whether his face hurt and if he needed a doctor.
Corrado went completely still.
Disbelief filled his reddening eyes.
Tessa scrambled up, finally allowing naked jealousy to twist her face, and pointed at me.
“You shameless bitch! Corrado has only ever wanted to marry you, yet you’ve been sleeping with this man
behind his back.”
In the past, there had always been some reason to endure Tessa’s lies and the way she turned Corrado against me.
Now she was standing in front of me, falsely branding Ronan the other man.
I gave a soft laugh, pulled off my right heel, and crossed the distance between us.
In the next instant, I did something no one expected.
“Stop! Ah… stop!”
I struck her mouth repeatedly with the dusty sole.
When she tried to retreat, I caught her hair and held her in place.
Within seconds, Tessa’s lips were swollen and
bleeding. Unable to bear the pain, she shrieked wildly as tears streamed down her cheeks.
Throughout it all, she looked desperately toward Corrado for help.
Corrado did nothing while she wailed and performed for his sympathy.
After I released her like a piece of garbage, he snatched
the shoe from my hand and crouched, trying to put it back on my foot.
“Ottavia, don’t be angry.
“I know you could never be the woman Tessa described.
“I finally understand. We ended up here because Tessa kept driving us apart…
“I promise I’ll never excuse her again because I pity her. I’ll fire her the moment I get back, all right?
“Please don’t end this, Tavia. I know I was wrong.”
I glanced at Tessa’s battered, ashen face, pulled off my remaining heel, and hurled it directly at Corrado.
“You could fire a hundred Tessas, and it wouldn’t change the fact that we’re over.”
I turned to leave, but the hem of my dress pulled tight. Corrado was clutching it with a trembling hand.
In all our years together, Corrado had never once looked this disoriented, vulnerable, or completely powerless.
“Don’t go. At least tell me what I did that was so terrible you had to leave.
“Are you really with him now?
“Ottavia, I can’t believe you would be this cruel to me…”
I stared at him with contempt.
“Let go.”
He refused with a rigid shake of his head, his voice painfully hoarse.
“Look at me, Ottavia.
“Unless you look into my eyes and tell me you don’t
love me, that you love Ronan instead…
“I will never believe you truly want to leave.”
I finally turned and met his deep–set eyes, now bloodshot, desperate, and shining with tears he could
no longer contain.