A Throne Without a Memory

"As for leaving the company, there'll be compensation. Go home, take it easy, maybe a little vacation. In 10 days, I promise you'll have an answer you're happy with."

He thought he played the amnesia card close to his chest, planning to use it in 10 days to silence me, offer an apology, bend a little, and we would be back to square one.

However, in 9 days, his antics were about to blow a 5 billion deal with the Romano family right out of the water.

I had the contract nearly in the bag, just one final step to go. That signature in 9 days would shape the Ricci family's future for decades, potentially crowning us the top mafia family of Italor's underworld.

A breach meant more than just coughing up a fortune in penalties; it put us on the brink of ruin.

Once, for the family's sake and my steadfast love for him, I would have put his interests first, braving every danger and heartache alone.

However, this time, it was not just exhaustion I felt, it was a deep, piercing cold.

I was done with him and the company.

In that moment, Sebastian reached out to touch my hair, then, remembering his act, he retracted his hand with an embarrassed chuckle.

I grabbed my phone off the table and firmly wiped [My Favorite Sebastian] from it.

Glancing at the 100,000 lying there, I told Sebastian in a calm, even tone, "Sebastian, I want a divorce."

Shock painted his face. "I won't agree!

"Why divorce when everything's fine?"

The moment he finished speaking, he realized he might have jumped the gun and quickly backpedaled, "Divorce? What are you even talking about?

"Rosa's my wife. What kind of marriage do we have that we could divorce from?"

I watched him ramble and could not help but feel the absurdity of it all. It was like a joke too big for the world to hold.

I let out a laugh I could not hold back.

Arguing with him felt pointless, like trying to wake someone who's faking sleep.

I did not want to waste my breath on a pointless debate, so I played along with his wild story.

"Yeah, right, I tricked you into going to church. Let's just go and get this divorce over with."

Rosa's grin was too big to hide, her teeth shining as she said, "If we knew it would end like this, why even start? Let's just get it done with."

Sebastian's face was a storm cloud, too caught up to catch the slip in my words. He clutched his forehead, feigning a migraine, "My head's killing me, something's off. Let me sort it out, and we'll talk later."

Rosa latched onto Sebastian's arm, batting her eyelashes, "Honey, Don Ricci, I'm your one true love. How could you think of marrying someone else in a church?"

Pressed by both Rosa and me, Sebastian had no choice but to play along.

Soon, we were at the church doors. Sebastian pretended to be struck by a headache and doubled over. I was wondering what his game was when I felt a tug on my sleeve.

Looking down, I saw Sebastian's eyes, clouded with fake confusion, "Have we been here before? This feels so familiar."

He got to his feet, suddenly bursting with feigned excitement, "Elena, now I remember! We came here together that year. It was my birthday, and there was this long line of happy couples, just like us, waiting to get married."

He knew that was the happiest day of my life.

Up until now, he was still playing on my heartstrings, convinced that just by bringing up 'that day,' I would never have the heart to leave him.

Before, whenever he screwed up, he would skate by on the coattails of our so-called happy memories.

However, not this time. I caught him red-handed, plotting to fake amnesia to trick me, and I overheard Sebastian spill the beans about the so-called blissful marriage I was so proud of, which was nothing more than a house of cards.

"Her love, it's suffocating," he said.

"Marrying's marrying, but with her, I get more bang for my buck.

"She's out there hustling, and I'm kicking back at home with a cigar, having a little fun on the side.

"She's got chops, and she's a real sweetheart, clueless and bends over backward for me. Marrying her? All pros, no cons."

Their words hit me like a ton of bricks, praise laced with scorn, sending a chill through my heart and weighing down my legs like they were made of lead.