I’m Quitting After Marrying the Don as His Substitute Bride

On the day my sister fled her wedding, the mafia Don, Dominic Cross, slaughtered everyone at the harbor. Even the stray dogs passing by were torn to pieces.

Terrified of his wrath, the Vance family forced me into the wedding dress and sent me straight into Dominic’s estate as his substitute bride.

For seven years after marrying into the Cross family, I took bullets for him, laundered his dirty money, and even tasted his food for poison. The entire mafia family came to revere me as their Donna.

But in the eighth year, my sister, Elena, suddenly returned.

Clad in a scarlet dress, she strode right into the family banquet hall and tasted Dominic’s red wine for poison right in front of everyone.

Dominic’s grip on my hand tightened.

As she collapsed from the poison, she leaned into my ear and whispered, “Sienna, thank you for keeping my seat warm all these years. Now, it’s time to give it back.”

I stood frozen in place, watching Dominic’s face.

The horrors of that night eight years ago flashed before my eyes.

I couldn’t help but wonder.

Would this Don—this man who struck absolute terror into the hearts of the entire mafia underworld—lose his mind and burn the world down for her all over again?

Elena Vance was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.

Dominic Cross didn’t go with her. He brought me straight back to the estate, where a maid waiting downstairs smoothly took his blood-stained watch.

I walked into the bedroom, pulled open the wardrobe, and began packing my bags.

Dominic poured a glass of whiskey and offered it to me. When I didn’t take it, his gaze dropped to the jewelry I was placing inside my suitcase.

I looked up at him. He had given me these jewels; they never truly belonged to me. I took them out and placed them gently on the desk.

Struggling to keep my voice from cracking, I spoke.

“I won’t take anything of yours. This all belonged to my sister anyway.

“The jewelry, this position... it’s time to give them back to her.”

I had told Dominic these exact words the night I first entered his estate eight years ago.

Neither of us had brought it up since.

Now that the words were out in the open again, an inexplicable ache bloomed in my chest.

Eight years ago, Dominic had returned from a major negotiation on the East Coast. During the mafia family’s celebratory banquet, he approached my father and asked for Elena’s hand in marriage.

Everyone said it was a perfect match. The ring was customized, and the invitations were sent out.

But on the wedding day, my sister vanished.

Rumor had it she ran away with a painter.

Dominic locked down the entire harbor. He searched for her like a madman, slaughtering every single person who had helped her escape.

That night, gunshots rang out relentlessly, and blood painted the docks red.

Before it was the Vance family’s turn to