He Signed Our Divorce Without Looking

Dante Valieri, the most sought-after mafia lawyer in New York, had just signed his own name on my divorce papers.

But he had no idea.

Because while he was signing them, his eyes never left Camille.

The second Camille walked in, Dante had already looked up.

He watched her disappear into the lounge before finally turning back to me.

“What did I just sign?”

“Nothing important. You never really look at the things I hand you anyway.”

He started toward the lounge.

“Next time, just send it to my phone. Don’t make a special trip.”

As he closed the door behind him, I heard him say to Camille—

“You came so early. I was worried I’d miss you.”

And just like that, I was shut out on the other side of the door.

You won’t miss anything anymore, Dante.

In ten days, I’ll be going home.

After that, no one will interrupt the two of you ever again.

“Dad, I’ve decided to come home.”

“Finally ready to come back?”

My father let out a low chuckle.

“Come home, Serafina.”

“A Vescari daughter shouldn’t have to hide in New York and cry alone.”

Five years ago, I told my father I wanted to study in New York.

The truth was, I only came here for Dante.

Everyone said the Vescari princess was obedient and well-behaved.

They only saw what I let them see.

Dante had always worked for my father.

He was his man in New York.

Powerful. Untouchable.

Every day, he drove me to class and picked me up afterward.

He wouldn’t let me go to frat parties.

Wouldn’t let me drink with college boys either.

So I grabbed a bottle on purpose and drank with some handsome stranger in a nightclub.

Right in front of him.

Dante only watched from the dark.

Then he snapped the guy’s wrist for touching me.

Pressed one of his business cards against the man’s forehead.

Then he threw me over his shoulder and shoved me into the car.

He carried me back to my apartment.

I shoved him against the door and kissed him.

He didn’t push me away.

Two months later, I found out I was pregnant.

He proposed to me beneath the golden ginkgo trees in late autumn.

He said having a wedding while I was pregnant would be too exhausting.

We could go back to Chicago and do it after the baby was born.

Four months later, I lost the baby.

Looking back now, Dante always said,

“I’ll protect you.”

But he never once said,

“I love you.”

Then I found the photo album hidden in the attic.

From the time he was ten until twenty-five, every single page was Camille Arden.

And even after our marriage, he was still adding new photos.

That was when I finally understood.

The secret marriage was never about protecting me.

And it definitely wasn’t because he was afraid my father would kill him.

He was afraid Camille would find out.

Dante never drank.