The Acting Donna's Gambit

From the moment I was born, my fate has always been tied to Marco's.

We were the golden couple of the Chicago underworld, admired by all. I once loved him beyond all reason.

We had sworn a blood oath before the Virgin Mary to love only each other for a lifetime.

That was the first time I saw him cry.

After that, our days were filled with a sweet peace.

Until one day, while we were out surveying our territory, we were ambushed by the Rinaldi family. I stayed behind to cover his retreat and was taken captive.

Marco lay in a pool of his own blood, watching the enemy's car disappear into the distance. In his rage and grief, he swore to rescue me, no matter the cost.

But he broke his vow.

In the three years I was gone, he fell in love with someone else, forgetting that I was still languishing in hell, waiting for him to save me.

In my past life, Marco's breathing grew shallow against my back. Before he died, he used his last ounce of strength to speak.

"Alessia… I did love you… but that's… in the past. The three years you were gone… it tore my heart out every day. It was Bianca… she was there for me. She filled the void for Nico. She's… the most important person in my life now. Let my life… be my repayment. If… if there's a next life… don't come between me and Bianca."

He whispered one last sentence, his voice barely a breath.

"Bianca, I'm coming for you."

Then, he died on my back.

A torrential downpour began. Rain, blood, and mud mixed together.

Yet, all I felt was an endless, hollow desolation.

Clutching Marco's body, I cried out in agony.

"Why? I'm your wife! I saved your life! And still… the only one in your heart is her? The woman you knew for three years? We were so in love… how did we end up like this?"

A corpse offers no answers. All I could do was clutch his body as it grew cold and stiff in my arms.

Marco would rather join Bianca in death than live with me.

This time, I wouldn't lie to myself anymore.

Since being with Bianca was what he wanted, I would grant him his wish.

"That's all in the past. I don't love him anymore. Besides, Bianca is the one he loves now. As long as she's here, he'll never forget her. Are you really prepared to cast her out, to let our enemies hunt her down?"

The moment my mother heard the words "cast her out," she panicked, pulling Bianca into her arms, her voice trembling.

"Cast her out? How can you be so heartless? Bianca is my daughter too! Sending her away is no different from killing her."

She endlessly soothed the softly weeping Bianca in her arms, with a tenderness she never showed me.

I shook my head with a bitter smile.

If my own mother could abandon her daughter for her own benefit, how could I possibly believe Marco's lies of an everlasting love?

But it didn't matter anymore. After tonight, I would be free.

I would be free of this family that had never truly loved me.

Just then, Bianca wiped her tears and walked toward me. A few steps away, she suddenly covered her nose and mouth in disgust.

"I know you resent me for taking your place, and it's only natural that you hate me. But as the family's Donna, appearing before everyone dressed like this is not only a disgrace to yourself but to the entire Galliano family."

Saying this, she took my hand, putting on a gentle expression.

"Let me help you get into some clean clothes. Marco has bought me so many new things, the closet is overflowing. Please, pick anything you like. Consider it my apology."

Whispers rippled through the crowd, every word filled with disgust for me and praise for Bianca's kindness.

I had seen this performance a hundred times.

In my past life, it was Bianca's schemes that had turned everyone against me.

But now, I saw through it all, and I no longer cared what they said.

God had given me a second chance. This life, I would live for myself.

Just then, the chapel bells rang out, a fitting herald for my new beginning. I would never again shed a tear for any of them.