I'm Done Being Your Donna

I'm the Donna of the Vitale family, the wife of Domenico Vitale, the woman everyone is expected to bow to. Yet whether I need to access family funds, arrange a car, make a doctor's appointment, or even prepare a gown for a party, I must submit an application first. The woman who approves every request is Camilla Marino, Domenico's most trusted secretary. He says this is family protocol. As the Donna, I should be the first to follow the rules. Things change when I suffer a massive hemorrhage during my pregnancy. My request for emergency medical treatment is pending approval, yet I have already waited longer than I should have. I call Domenico and beg, "Domenico, please. Tell Camilla to approve it. We're going to lose our baby." He gently scolds me for trying to bypass family protocol. "Do as Camilla says." Just like that, he hangs up. That night, I lose my baby, as well as whatever love I have left for Domenico. I file for divorce and leave with nothing but a few clothes I owned before the marriage. He's convinced I'm doing this out of jealousy toward Camilla, that it is a calculated scheme to make him come crawling after me. He even tracks me down at my new place of work and publicly orders my medical treatment to be stopped, certain that once I lose the Vitale family's money and protection, I'll have no choice but to beg him. Trembling, our private physician tells him the truth. "Don Vitale, Signora miscarried a long time ago." Chapter 1 Sofia's POV When I arrived at my husband Domenico Vitale's office, he was reading a report from his secretary, Camilla Marino. He didn't even look up when I told him I wanted a divorce. Instead, a cold chuckle escaped him. "Another tantrum? Sofia Moretti, is this because I didn't come home for dinner last night? Don't joke about things like this. It's not funny." I lowered my gaze, swallowing the hollow ache in my chest, and enunciated, "I'm not joking, Domenico. I want a divorce." At last, Domenico looked up at me. He came around his desk and reached for my hand, his touch gentle and familiar. I pulled away. His hand froze in midair. A barely perceptible frown creased his brow before his expression smoothed over again. "I know you're upset about what happened with the pregnancy, but you're carrying our baby. You shouldn't be taking so many medications. Camilla was only carrying out my orders. You shouldn't have gone after her. "Besides, I restored your access to the family funds yesterday. Tesoro, my time is valuable. I have an entire family to run. Don't make me waste more of it trying to calm you down, alright?" Before I could respond, he glanced at his watch. "I have a meeting. I'll bring you your favorite cake tonight. Be a good girl and wait for me at home." Domenico was certain I couldn't live without him. He thought that if he gave me the slightest bit of affection, I would bow my head and be grateful. After all, that was how I had always been. No matter how cold he was to me, all it took was one "I still love you" from him, and I would wipe away my tears and go home to him. But now, our baby was gone. Whether he restored my medical allowance or not no longer mattered. If he had believed me three days ago, I might still have loved him like the fool I had always been. I had begged him not to hang up and to hear me out. None of it had mattered against Camilla's soft, coaxing advice. "Don Vitale, if she really needs the money urgently, why not make an exception just once and approve it for her? "I'm only worried that if the elders find out later, it might damage your reputation…" By then, Domenico had already been convinced. He completely forgot about how I had begged him. "See, Sofia? Camilla is so considerate. She's always thinking about what's best for me. Can't you learn a thing or two from her? Stop being so impulsive and breaking the rules. Listen to Camilla. Everything has to be done by the book." Every time I needed Domenico, it was always the same. "I'm at the docks. If you need anything, talk to Camilla." "Do whatever Camilla arranges." "Whatever Camilla says, you do." I was his Donna, the rightful lady of the Vitale family, yet I lived without even the slightest shred of dignity. Forget having the freedom to come and go, even for family dinners which the Donna was expected to attend or the Feast of San Giuseppe, where I was supposed to stand at his side, I had to submit an application to Camilla to get a dress and jewelry. Every time, she would reject it with the same sweet smirk. "Donna, this dress isn't Don Vitale's favorite color. And this ruby necklace doesn't befit your position. Please submit a new request." "Oh, Donna, you submitted your request too late. All the custom gowns are already taken. Why don't you wear this one from last season instead? You're naturally beautiful. Don Vitale won't mind." "Donna, why do you always do this? Look at the list you submitted. Didn't I tell you to make sure everything was in order before bringing it to me for approval?" She always waited until the very last second to approve it. That way, she could watch as I stood beside the impeccably dressed Domenico in an outdated gown that didn't even fit properly, painfully aware of every eye on us. Once, at a family dinner, Camilla deliberately arranged a purple gown for me. In local tradition, purple was the color of mourning and bad omens. It was the kind of color you wore to a funeral. At that time, Domenico slipped an arm around my waist and leaned close to whisper in my ear, "Sofia, why are you wearing this again? I don't mind you being frugal, but don't embarrass the Vitale family like this. "You can't even handle something this simple without making Camilla clean up after you. When are you going to grow up?" Little did he know, the only reason I couldn't handle these supposedly simple tasks was because of his trusted secretary. He didn't care enough to find out the truth. Just as he knew my pregnancy was unstable and that I couldn't afford to stop my medication and delay treatment, he still expected me to go through Camilla as if that were the right thing to do. After leaving Domenico's office, I went straight back to the villa. While packing my things, I came across a post Camilla had shared on the family's private network. In the photo, Domenico stood beside her, guiding her hands as he taught her how to shoot. I calmly liked the post and left a comment. "Camilla is truly dedicated. She holds the Donna's seal and takes such good care of my husband. What devotion." The next second, Domenico called me. I declined once, then twice when he called again. In the end, I switched off my phone. For the first time, the world felt a little quieter. Chapter 2 Sofia's POV Whenever Camilla was involved, it took Domenico barely 15 minutes to get from the city center to the villa on the outskirts. Clearly, he had returned because of the comment I left on the family's private network. For a possessive man like Domenico, having his wife publicly embarrass him was no different from betrayal. He didn't even glance at the battered suitcase by my feet. He strode toward me, still carrying the faint trace of Camilla's perfume. "Sofia, what the hell are you doing?" His thumb brushed against my chin. "I told you Camilla is only my secretary. She's one of the family's most hardworking members. As the Don, it's my responsibility to train my people in shooting and self-defense." I turned my head, avoiding his touch. "Leave me alone." Domenico's hand fell away. He paused, then casually slipped an arm around my shoulders. "The elders were already prejudiced against you because of your background." He sighed, his warm breath brushing against my neck. "Don't spend all day obsessing over whether you're getting enough of my attention, okay?" My stomach churned at his words, yet I couldn't help laughing. This was how Domenico had controlled me all these years. He always knew how to say the cruelest words in the gentlest voice. "You think this is about your attention?" I stepped back and slipped out of his embrace. "Looks like you've been really busy, huh? So busy that you haven't even noticed that your secretary is strutting around the family like she's the Donna." Domenico's smile stiffened. "Sofia, since when did you become so difficult? It's not easy for a young woman like Camilla to find her place in this family. You're the Donna. You should be more understanding, not listen to rumors. "The last time you made a scene before the elders over the seal, Camilla cried all night. And she was still defending you." He looked at me with open reproach, as if I were the villain in all this. "I gave you the best life possible. You have everything you could ever need. But if you keep targeting Camilla like this, I'll be very disappointed. And besides, you're pregnant. Stop obsessing over things that don't matter all day." I burst out laughing. Pregnant? Me? That was rich coming from the very person who had given up on his own child. Right in his face, I yanked open the zipper of the battered suitcase at my feet. "The best life possible? Everything I could ever need? Domenico, is this what you call love?" The suitcase lay open, empty. Only a few T-shirts, washed so many times that the colors had faded and the collars had gone loose, lay inside. They were the old clothes I owned before coming to the Vitale family. "I'm leaving, and this is all I have to take with me. After being your so-called wife all these years, I don't even own a single decent dress. I have to ask your precious secretary just to buy a pair of underwear. Even the maids in this villa have more spending cash than I do!" Domenico frowned. "You're exaggerating here, Sofia…" I ignored him, grabbed the sleeve of his expensive custom-made suit, and dragged him to the closed door of the walk-in closet. I pointed at the red light blinking on the electronic lock. "Go ahead, Don Vitale. Tell me, how do I open this? I need a password or a fingerprint. In the end, I still need authorization from our hardworking Camilla! "The woman you claim to love lives no differently than a beggar. I have to wag my tail at her just to get anything done!" Domenico stared at the electronic lock, looking genuinely baffled. He turned to me in disbelief. "All this… over this? Tesoro, you make such a scene and even threaten to leave because you think it's inconvenient to access family funds? Or are you just jealous of Camilla?" My heart went cold at his words. All my anger and grief were nothing but the tantrum of a petty, materialistic wife. I let go of his sleeve and took two steps back, my gaze empty. "Forget it, Domenico. It doesn't matter what you think anymore. Let's get divorced." The resolve in my voice only made him chuckle. His face was so full of arrogance, as though he had finally figured me out. He pulled me into his arms. "Fine. I admit I didn't think it through. Tomorrow, I'll have the finance department issue you a black card with no spending limit. Buy whatever you want. No applications, no approvals. Happy?" He lowered his head and tried to kiss my forehead. "As for the seal, I'll have Camilla bring it to you. You can play with it for a few days. Since you care so much about it, I'll let you have it. "From now on, I'll personally approve all your medical expenses. We'll charge everything to my private offshore account. So, is this enough? I'm exhausted, Sofia. I've already spent too much time pleasing you today. As long as you listen to me, I'll give you whatever you want." For the past three years, this trick had worked on me every time. But now, it was too late. The baby was gone. I no longer wanted his money or the seal Camilla had handled countless times. Having Domenico this close to me only made me feel suffocated now. "I don't want anything, Domenico." I turned my head to avoid his kiss, my voice calm. "I just want a divorce." He froze. For the first time, he realized I wasn't throwing a tantrum or playing hard to get. I really was leaving. The mask of tenderness finally cracked, revealing the cold arrogance underneath. His demeanor turned sharp and menacing. "Stop being difficult, Sofia. Where do you think you can go without me? You're a woman from an ordinary background, and you're pregnant. "Once you lose my protection, there's no difference between you and some homeless woman on the street. It's dangerous out there. Without our private doctor and specialized medication, our baby will be at risk." He stroked my long hair. "I'm only doing this for your own good. Don't make me lock you up. Let's talk when you're calmer." Of course, everything he did was for my own good. That was why he handed my power over to someone else and let my baby die before it was even born. Frankly, I would rather die free out there than live like a caged songbird, watching him be happy with another woman. I zipped up the battered suitcase, grabbed the handle, and walked toward the front door without looking back at him. "Then I'll die out there." Domenico stood frozen. He had never imagined that the obedient, dependent woman would actually dare to walk out that door. He didn't chase after me, though. The pride of a Don told him this was nothing more than one of my tantrums. … Third-Person POV It wasn't until the sound of the door closing echoed through the villa that an inexplicable frustration settled over Domenico. He slipped a hand into his pocket without much thought and brushed against something cold and hard. It was the pendant Sofia had given him for his birthday the year before. She had carved it herself, hoping it would protect him and bring him home alive from every battle. Compared to the luxury watch Camilla had given him, the pendant was practically worthless. Still, he kept it with him at all times. He rubbed the stone between his fingers and remembered the messages Camilla had sent him earlier. "Don Vitale, Donna has obviously been spoiled rotten. She's just putting on this little show about leaving home to get your attention. "I know all these tricks too well. Whatever you do, don't go after her. Let her stay out there and taste how hard life is without you. "I'm sure in a day or two, she'll come crawling back, crying and begging for your forgiveness." Domenico clenched the pendant in his fist, his irritation simmering. "Camilla is right. Sofia can't live without me." Chapter 3 Sofia's POV In the end, I knocked on Professor Victor Harrington's door. The white-haired scholar took one look at me, disheveled and worn out, and didn't ask a single question. He simply stepped aside and let me in, as if I were still his best student. My eyes stung, and tears rolled down my cheeks. Years ago, when I gave up a full scholarship and insisted on marrying the man I thought was my true love, Victor had opposed it vehemently. He even refused to attend my wedding and only sent me a text that day. "Sofia, a man's mercy might save you, but it will destroy your soul. In a world where the strong prey on the weak, anyone who begs for mercy is doomed to spend the rest of their lives on their knees." Time had proven Victor right. After I had cried myself empty, he finally pushed up his glasses and spoke. "I hope you didn't forget everything you learned during those years with him. "There's a research project in a nature reserve. You'll have to go deep into the mountains to collect samples. It's dangerous, dirty work. Are you up for it?" I froze. Honestly, I had expected mockery. Instead, he had thrown me a lifeline. Victor looked at me. "What's wrong? You've been living the pampered life for so long that you can't even imagine yourself handling the hardships of real academic work anymore?" I wiped away my tears and smiled genuinely for the first time in three years. "Of course I can, Professor Harrington. As long as I never have to go back there, I can handle anything." He grunted, though the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. "Then start packing. Science waits for no one." With Victor's help, I joined the research team soon after. At first, I struggled to adjust to the harsh field conditions. But the knowledge I had spent years building soon came rushing back. Our stern team leader patted my shoulder and gave me a thumbs-up. "Sofia, at first, I was worried that you were just some pretty face sent here to pad her CV. Turns out, you really know your stuff." I laughed as I wiped the mud from my face. "Well, it took me some time, but I finally understand that the only person I can rely on is myself." We were gathered around the campfire, laughing and chatting, when a pair of glaring headlights cut through the darkness. A black car pulled up at the edge of the camp. The door opened, and Camilla stepped out in a designer outfit. She pinched her nose and looked around at me and my colleagues with disgust. "Don Vitale said you ran away. I wondered where you could have gone. Looks like you went back to mingle with these lowlifes." Without Domenico around, Camilla dropped the act. Gone was all the fake respect she showed me. My expression hardened. The team and I had just returned from the marsh, covered head to toe in mud. Somehow, I found the mud far cleaner than the filth her expensive perfume couldn't mask. "And which rock did you crawl out from under this time, Camilla? How do you manage to show up everywhere I go?" Her face flushed crimson. She was just about to explode when a tall, imposing figure stepped out of the car. "What's going on here?" Chapter 4 Sofia's POV Camilla went limp against Domenico, her voice suddenly turning pitiful. "Don Vitale, it's nothing… I was just worried about the Donna. She's been gone for so long. I never thought she'd rather… hang out with these people than come home. I had no idea she would misunderstand me and start insulting me…" Domenico turned to me. When he saw me covered in mud, his brow tightened almost imperceptibly. A flicker of confusion crossed his eyes. "Sofia…" He sighed and strode toward me. "Why would you do this to yourself? I know you're mad at me, but you don't have to degrade yourself just to get back at me." He reached out to straighten my messy bangs, gentle as ever. "Look at your hands. They're all rough now. Camilla was only worried about you. How can you be so snarky? Apologize to her and come home with me. We're done with this nonsense, okay?" I turned my head away from his touch and called out to my colleagues instead, "Let's go." A young female researcher from another institute leaned over and whispered, "Who's that hottie, Sofia? He seems really worried about you." I scoffed, loud enough for him to hear. "Just a lying bastard." Those who knew Domenico fell silent. The air grew heavy and suffocating. Domenico's authority finally cracked through his restraint. He strode over and blocked my path. "How can you say something like that, Sofia? You came all the way here to put on this little act, didn't you? You wanted me to show you I care. Fine. You got what you wanted. Happy now? "You're deliberately putting your health at risk. Are you trying to make me cut off your medical resources?" He stared at me, certain that the thought of losing access to medical treatment would frighten me into submission, just as it always had. But I simply looked at him wearily, as though he were the clown here. "Then do it," I said coldly. "Isn't your so-called love nothing more than stripping things from me, one thing after another, anyway? Just do it. You don't need an excuse." The disgust and indifference in my eyes cut him deeply. Anger flashed across his face, but beneath it was a trace of panic he could barely conceal. Those conflicting emotions consumed him so much that he failed to notice Camilla's face turning pale behind him. "Fine. You're the one who's pushed me this far," he seethed. "If I don't teach you a lesson, you'll never learn how to be a proper, obedient Donna." Domenico pulled out his phone right there and dialed Dr. Green, the Vitale family's private physician. "Suspend all of Sofia's treatment. She's taken this too far. She needs to understand that without my protection, she's nothing. Stop her medication first. Once she regains her senses and comes home, we can resume her treatment." He kept his eyes fixed on me as he spoke, clearly waiting for me to regret everything. All Domenico heard on the other end was silence. A few seconds later, Dr. Green's trembling voice finally came through. Amid the night breeze, his words sent a chill down Domenico's spine. "Don Vitale, w-what do you mean? The Donna miscarried a week ago. The baby is gone. We notified you at the time, but you told us not to bother you with a woman's trivial problems…" Domenico's expression froze. His lips parted in disbelief. "How… how is that possible?" Domenico's voice trembled with disbelief.