His Atonement, Our Freedom

My best friend, Cassandra Thorne, and I were pawns, married into the Grimaldi crime family to solidify their power. We were even arranged to get pregnant at the same time.

I married Donovan Grimaldi, the family's Underboss. Cassandra married his younger brother, Julian Grimaldi, a ruthless Capo.

The discomfort of my pregnancy was a constant plague. I was on my way to the family's secret clinic for a check-up, with Donovan driving.

But on the way, he received an urgent call from his old flame, Seraphina Russo. To deal with what she called a "territorial crisis," he thrust me out of the car into a torrential downpour, abandoning me in the most dangerous part of Chicago's South Side.

I grabbed his arm, begging, "Donovan, please! It's not safe here! Just take me to the clinic first, okay?"

Donovan impatiently shook me off. "Seraphina's life is on the line! This is about family honor! Evelyn, can't you get your priorities straight? I have to deal with this now! Get to the clinic yourself!"

The rain was relentless, but Donovan abandoned me in that lawless neighborhood without a second thought.

Left with no other choice, I called Cassandra to come get me. But as she sped toward me, a heavy-duty truck came barreling toward us, completely out of control.

Drifting in and out of consciousness, I heard Cassandra’s frantic, tearful call to Julian, only for him to viciously berate her.

"Cut the crap, Cassandra! Do you really have to pull these stunts for attention every time I'm with Seraphina?"

A passing family Soldato found us and called for backup, getting us rushed to the family's private clinic. We survived. But tragically, we both lost our babies—the long-awaited heirs to the Grimaldi family.

After regaining consciousness in the clinic, we looked at each other and shared a bitter smile.

"Want to escape this place together?"

"Of course."

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1

My hand drifted to my now-flat stomach as I whispered, "I'm so sorry, my sweet baby." Hot tears streamed down my face, a bitter smile twisting my lips. A life had been growing there—an heir to the Grimaldi family.

…

My husband, Donovan Grimaldi, had abandoned me for Seraphina Russo. He had abandoned me on the rain-battered streets of the South Side, heedless of my safety or that of our unborn child.

So, I unlocked my phone and sent Donovan a formal request to leave the family.

He usually took forever to reply, but this time, my phone rang almost instantly.

"Evelyn Monroe! Are you out of your mind, turning your back on this family and your own blood?" Donovan roared. "All because I didn't drive you to the clinic? You'd invent a lie like that? What kind of mother uses her own child as a bargaining chip?"

He continued, "I've already told you—Seraphina is fragile. She's an asset the family needs to protect. I was just doing my duty.

"And you had to go crying to Julian about it? Seraphina is our responsibility, period! If your jealousy pushes her over the edge and threatens this family, you'll be branded a traitor! Do you understand?"

He hung up.

The dial tone buzzed in my ear, my breath catching in my throat. Seraphina was an asset to be protected. And me? Wasn't I his wife?

I could tolerate him fussing over her day in and day out. But just the day before, he knew I was suffering from excruciating abdominal pain.

I was carrying his heir. Yet he still left me to fend for myself in Chicago's most dangerous neighborhood, letting the heavy rain soak me to the bone.

And all of this was just because Seraphina had whimpered over the phone, "Donny, I think I saw those people from last time near my place… I'm so scared. Do you think I'm a burden? Maybe I shouldn't have been saved by you all in the first place."

Hearing those words, he immediately spun the car around and drove back to her.

I had desperately tried to stop him, not because I was afraid of the rain, but because I was terrified of what the chaos might do to my baby.

I begged Donovan, tears streaming down my face, but he just dragged me out of the car. He tossed a flimsy, barely-functional umbrella at my feet and sped off, leaving me alone in the storm and the darkness.

With nowhere else to turn, I called my best friend, Cassandra Thorne.

When she heard what happened, she was livid, cursing a blue streak and vowing to make Donovan pay.