No Wedding in Sicily：Leaving The Don

My fiancé’s childhood sweetheart had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and only had a month left to live. Even though I disagreed, he still temporarily left me to accompany her in completing her bucket list of a hundred wishes. Three days before our engagement, I held the pregnancy test in my hand, wanting to tell him he was going to be a father. Instead, his childhood sweetheart posted a photo on her social media: “Thanks to Leo for spoiling me. I have no more regrets in this life.” In the picture, Leonardo was personally slipping a ring onto her finger. That ruby ring was a dying keepsake my mother had left me, and a priceless family heirloom. Before he left, he said he wanted to take it to the snowy mountains to pray for blessings on our marriage. I commented on her post: “Wishing you both a happy marriage.” Leonardo called me almost immediately: “Elena, don’t provoke Liliana.” “You will be my Donna. We have the rest of our lives. She doesn’t have much time left.” I smiled and told him it was fine. Because I had finally come to my senses: our lifetime would always be tainted by Liliana’s presence. If that was the case, neither I nor our child wanted him anymore. After getting my ring back, I was going to leave this place. Chapter 1 “Withdraw all the wedding invitations.” After hanging up with the wedding coordinator, I stared at the wall covered in couple photos; in every single one of them, we looked so happy. I took all the photos down and set them aside. I was leaving anyway, so keeping them served no purpose. A few hours later, Leonardo came back. He’d taken his private jet back from the Alps overnight. He was breathing slightly heavily, his hair blown into a messy tangle by the wind. "Elena, you're actually canceling the banquet just because you're throwing a tantrum?" His gaze fell on the empty frames on the wall, and he looked at me in sheer disbelief. “Liliana only has a few months to live. Do you really have to fight with her over a few days?” I stared at his empty hand. “Where is my family’s ruby ring? It belonged to my mother.” His expression turned awkward, and he shifted his gaze uncomfortably. “It’s just with Liliana for now. After her farewell banquet, I’ll get it back.” “It was my mother’s keepsake. What gives you the right to just hand it over to her?” “The ring is right there. It’s not going to get lost. Why are you being so petty about this?” Leonardo gripped the handle of my suitcase, his face turning cold. “Your mother wouldn’t be this selfish. You’re healthy and have your whole life ahead of you. Liliana only has months left. Do you really have to make things difficult for her?” I looked up at him. His azure eyes were filled with nothing but disapproval. “So whoever is closer to death is automatically in the right?” Liliana sat in a wheelchair as a maid pushed her inside. Her cheeks were rosy; there was absolutely no sign of her being sick. The ruby ring sat perfectly on her ring finger. Her face was pale, her voice weak. “Elena, I'm sorry, I just really like this ring. I just want to wear it until the farewell banquet ends. If it really bothers you, I’ll take it off right now.” She said the words, but her hands didn’t move an inch. Two dry tears rolled down her cheeks. I stepped forward, trying to take off the ring. Liliana immediately let out a piercing scream and tipped backward, wheelchair and all. Leonardo instinctively shoved me away. My back slammed hard against the wall, and a sharp pain shot through my lower belly. My document folder hit the ground, sending the pregnancy test and my flight ticket scattered on the floor. Leonardo dropped to his knees in a panic, frantically checking Liliana for injuries. He didn’t even notice my face draining of color. “Don’t blame Elena,” Liliana sobbed, clutching his sleeve. “She’s just scared I’ll steal you away. It’s normal for her to be angry.” A wave of agony washed over me. Clutching my stomach, I bent down to pick up the pregnancy test. Liliana’s gaze followed my hand. The moment she recognized the medical report, her eyes shifted. She spun her wheelchair, hiding the pregnancy test. I only managed to grab the mangled half; the other half was pinned firmly under her wheelchair. “What is this? Be careful. Don’t let this trash trip your wheelchair.” Just as he was about to crouch down and clean the debris off Liliana’s wheelchair, his eyes caught sight of the wedding cancellation notice lying nearby. Frowning, he stared at it for a moment before tearing it to shreds. “You can throw a tantrum if you want, but we are not canceling our wedding.” He stared fixedly at me, his eyes holding some unreadable emotion. “You will be my bride. Once Liliana’s farewell banquet is over, we’ll proceed with the wedding exactly as planned.” If this were the past, I would have been thrilled, foolishly thinking he actually cared about me but was just bad at expressing it. But now, I was done with him. I replied calmly, “You have no right to make that decision for me.” Leonardo froze, stepped closer to me, and frowned as if wanting to say something. Liliana shot me a venomous look. She suddenly clutched her chest, her breathing turning ragged. Sure enough, Leonardo scooped her up immediately. “Leo, it’s all my fault. I’m just an obstacle getting in the way of your relationship...” “Don’t say that. None of this is your fault. Let me take you to the hospital first.” Leonardo gave me a lingering look before hurrying away. Before the door closed, Liliana looked at me over Leonardo’s shoulder, a smug smirk playing on her lips. Gritting through the pain in my belly, I pressed my hand against my stomach and leaned against the wall as I made my way to the hospital. Thankfully, the doctor said the baby was fine for now, but my first trimester was unstable. I absolutely had to avoid any further impacts or stress. The moment I stepped out of the hospital, Liliana texted me a rendering of the banquet setup. Our wedding hall had been turned into Liliana’s farewell party, with massive lettering hanging above the stage: “Bucket List Item No.100: If I only have one day left, I want to be his bride.” The wedding altar that was supposed to be mine was plastered with photos of her and Leonardo completing their ninety-nine bucket list items. Underneath a photo of them in the Alps, there was a caption: Bucket List No.99: Wearing the promise ring Leo gave me. My mother’s keepsake, my family heirloom, had somehow become their token of love. I dialed Liliana’s number. “Give me back my ring within three days.” A soft chuckle came through the phone. “If you want it, come to the farewell banquet. Let all the major families see your... pathetic side.” After hanging up, Liliana sent another video. She was lying in a hospital bed while Leonardo fed her water. My ring glinted on her finger. Then, she picked up my wedding tiara from a gift box. “Leo says this tiara looks perfect on me.” “Elena, you wouldn’t refuse to fulfill a dying woman’s wish, would you?” Chapter 2 “Donna Elena, some one has already taken the tiara.” By the time I rushed to the bridal boutique, Liliana was wearing my custom-made wedding dress and my tiara, with my ring still on her finger. Looking at her in the mirror, she looked more like the Donna of this family than I am. Leonardo’s mother, Donna Conti, stepped in front of her. “It’s just an outfit. Just let Liliana have this.” “I designed all of this myself. If you want it so badly, go buy your own.” Liliana hid behind Donna Conti, her eyes reddening. “Auntie, forget it. Since Elena thinks I’ve tainted it by wearing it, I’ll just change back into my hospital gown.” “Elena, you’ve gone too far! Liliana is already so pitiful, and you still have to torment her like this?” Conti glared at me furiously, then splashed her half-empty glass of red wine all over me. The icy alcohol seemed to agitate my newly stabilized baby again. My heart gave a violent jolt. Conti had watched Liliana grow up and loved her dearly, while in her eyes, I was nothing but an ordinary woman. Without any family backing, not as docile as Liliana, I was completely unworthy of Don Leonardo. Moments later, Leonardo arrived. He looked somewhat shocked seeing the red liquid on my body. Frowning, he didn't say a word. He carefully wiped the wine off me, checking to make sure I wasn't hurt. He draped his jacket over my shoulders and asked softly why I looked so pale. “Don’t blame Auntie. It’s all my fault. I just thought this tiara was so beautiful, and I realized I would never have the chance to wear something this gorgeous again, so I just wanted to try it on.” Leonardo’s expression turned grim; clearly, he also knew this was the tiara meant for our wedding. But he hesitated for a moment before finally saying: “It’s just a tiara. Let her wear it for a bit. You can wear it the next day. It won’t delay our wedding.” I let out a cold laugh and tossed his jacket aside. He can't be unaware of how unseemly it is to share the same jewelry. “You know exactly how important these things are to me.” “She doesn’t just want a wedding dress. She wants my position.” “Are you really blind to it, or do you see it perfectly well and still expect me to back down?” Leonardo’s expression hardened. “It’s just a farewell banquet. It doesn’t change the fact that you’re the one marrying me in the end.” “But she’s using my wedding venue, my wedding dress, and my family heirloom.” I pointed at Liliana. “How much further does she have to push before you think it’s too much?” Liliana discreetly pinched her thigh until it was red, then tearfully took off the ring. “It’s all my fault. I won’t hold the farewell banquet anymore. Let this hundredth wish just be my final regret.” Tears streamed down her face as she looked at Leonardo, her eyes brimming with grievance. “I’m fine. I’m already more than satisfied. You two just have to live happily ever after.” She took two steps, then suddenly collapsed toward the glass display case. Amidst a chorus of shocked screams, she grabbed my arm and yanked me down with her. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around my stomach, but my palm landed squarely on shattered glass. Blood instantly welled up, staining my clothes crimson. Liliana wasn’t hurt at all, but she kept crying out in pain. Leonardo’s pupils contracted as he looked at me in panic. “Elena, your hand—” He walked toward me anxiously. “Leonardo！” Conti called out to him in a panic: “Liliana’s face has gone completely white. Rush her to the hospital first. Elena just got scratched. Leave a driver to handle her.” Hesitation flickered across Leonardo's face, but in the end, he turned around and picked up the other woman. As expected, he had chosen her once again. A bitter, self-mocking smile crossed my mind. I pressed a tissue against my wound and went to the emergency room by myself. That night, Conti summoned me back to the Salvatore family estate. She wanted my help preparing Liliana's farewell party at my wedding venue, right before my actual wedding the next day. Sitting beside Donna Conti, Liliana said softly: "Elena resents me so much. How could she possibly be willing to help me?" Afterward, he shoved the event itinerary into my hands. “Just show your face on stage. As long as you cooperate, I’ll have the wedding venue redecorated for you.” I tore the itinerary to pieces and threw it aside. "I just want my ring back. I don't want to marry you anymore." "How is that possible? Elena, don't be so unreasonable." Leonardo frowned and tried to hold my hand, but I shook him off. Donna Conti glared at me furiously: “Elena Russo, don’t push your luck! If your mother were still alive, she’d tell you to be kinder!” “Don’t bring my mother into this. You don’t deserve to speak her name.” I glared at her, and after speaking, I turned and walked away. Leonardo chased me all the way to the estate gates, grabbing my injured hand. The wound tore open again, blood seeping through the bandages. He froze, immediately letting go, his voice softening. “Stop being angry. Let me take you to the hospital first.” I pulled my hand back, forcing my tone to remain steady. “You should go tend to Liliana. Isn’t that what you always choose to do?” He stood there, stunned, watching my silhouette disappear into the night in silence. Chapter 3 I returned to my family villa alone, planning to pack up some of my mother’s belongings. But the locks had been changed, and strangers were wandering in and out of the house. “This house was left to me by my mother. Who gave you permission to be here?” The door opened from the inside. Leonardo stood in the doorway, holding a ring of new keys. There was one last item on Liliana's bucket list: filming a farewell video in a warm home. Leonardo didn't dare to meet my eyes as he explained. “She’s only staying for two days to take some photos. Once it’s over, I’ll restore it to how it was.” Liliana walked out of the living room holding my mother’s photo album. "Elena, please don't be angry. I just heard that your mother founded an orphanage before she passed away. I thought she was a kind-hearted woman, so I wanted to film here." "I figured she wouldn't mind." I reached out to take the album, but she let go before I could touch it. Though her words were about her respect for my mother, her eyes were filled with obvious malice and mockery The album hit the floor with a heavy thud. My mother’s portrait slipped out, the glass frame cracking cleanly in half. I crouched down to pick up the photo. Liliana covered her ears in front of a camera, sobbing: “I’m sorry, I’ll leave right away. I won’t ever touch your mother’s things again!” For once, Leonardo didn't defend her immediately. He turned off the camera, chased away the film crew, and pulled me into the kitchen to tend to my wounds. His movements were still practiced. He remembered that I was afraid of pain, gently blowing on the cut before applying the antiseptic。 "I'm sorry. Liliana went too far this time, and I shouldn't have let her in." "I'll have someone restore your mother's photos." "Elena, please don't be mad, okay?" I stared at his lowered eyelashes. Leonardo hadn't always been like this. After we fell in love at first sight, he didn't care about my ordinary background. He once paid the highest price at an auction for a pink diamond necklace, proving to the world that I'm the one he cherishes most. And on my birthday, he lit up the night with endless fireworks, officially making me his Donna. But then, his childhood sweetheart got sick. I was no longer his first priority. I realized once again that waiting for someone who is biased will never lead to anything. Suddenly, something crashed to the floor in the living room. Leonardo dropped the bandage and bolted out of the kitchen. Liliana was collapsed beside my mother’s rattan chair, blood at the corner of her mouth. She gasped that she might not make it to the farewell banquet after all. Leonardo scooped her up instantly. As he passed me, he left only one sentence: “We’ll talk about the house later. Stop provoking Liliana.” I didn't respond. I simply picked up the half-wrapped bandage and silently finished wrapping it. After they left, I found a medical billing statement Liliana had dropped on the floor. A few charges had been double-billed, and the nursing logs showed abnormal medication records. I took the billing records to the private clinic Liliana frequented. A retired nurse looked at the statement, hesitated for a long time, and finally lowered her voice to tell me: “Miss Liliana has two medical files. One is public, and the other is known only to her.” “The real test results show she isn’t terminally ill.” The nurse refused to say more. She just pressed a flash drive into my injured palm. I returned to my room, copied all the files onto the banquet’s main control system, and backed them up to my phone. Leonardo called. He asked first if my hand still hurt. He said the locks on the old villa had been changed back and the keys were left at my doorstep. Staring at the frozen medical record on my screen, I asked: “If one day you realize the person you’ve been protecting isn’t worth it at all, what then?” Leonardo let out a sigh, his voice heavy with exhaustion. “Elena, I know exactly what kind of person Liliana is. ” “I promised to walk her through the final chapter of her life, and I won’t abandon her halfway.” “I have always known that you are my bride. You should try to trust me.” I closed the video. “Okay. Then go ahead and say your proper goodbyes.” Leonardo didn’t catch the sarcasm in my voice. I just hung up the phone directly. Once I got my mother’s ring back, I would leave. There was no way I was going to be his bride. Chapter 4 “Donna Elena, could you confirm today’s event itinerary one more time?” My subordinate handed me the tablet, their tone hesitant. The engagement photo wall that used to be mine had been replaced with pictures of Leonardo and Liliana. The host introduced Leonardo as “the man who walked her through the final chapter of her life.” As for me, I was only introduced as “the organizer of this banquet.” In the center of the stage, Liliana wore an altered wedding dress, my tiara resting on her head. Leonardo was personally adjusting her train. The moment he saw me, he walked straight over. “After the banquet, I’ll take you back to the old villa and apologize to your mother in person.” “No need.” My gaze fell on the ring on Liliana’s finger. My voice was completely flat. “My mother wanted her belongings to be respected, not for you to wait until they’ve been ruined before apologizing to her portrait.” Guests from all the major families and high society had arrived. Whispers broke out among the crowd: "Is Miss Liliana really gravely ill?" “"They're even holding a farewell party, so she must be seriously ill, but she doesn't look frail at all." "Why is she wearing a wedding dress? And isn't that crown the one Miss Elena custom-made at a high price?" The murmurs from the guests made Liliana’s face flush with embarrassment. She quickly grabbed the microphone. “Elena kindly lent the ring to me. Even though she always scolds me, she’s actually very kind. Knowing about my illness, she’s been deeply worried about me.” "She was even prepared to go on stage today to bless me." With that, she turned her gaze toward me. She wore a beaming smile, but the malice in her eyes was impossible to hide. Everyone else at the venue also looked at me, waiting for my reaction. I looked at Leonardo with a calm expression, "Are you sure that once I give my blessing, I can get my ring back?" His Adam's apple bobbed. He looked guilty and uneasy, but still nodded at me. I walked onto the stage calmly, not noticing that Leonardo's reaching hand behind me grasped at empty air. Taking the microphone, I smiled and spoke softly, "I wish Liliana and Leonardo a happy life." The entire venue erupted in an uproar. To say something like this right before a wedding... Then, I took the ring and walked toward the exit without looking back. Amidst a deathly silence in the venue, Liliana placed the ring in the palm of my hand, tears welling in her eyes. Without another wordI walked out of the venue. I couldn’t stomach any more fake pleasantries. Leonardo chased after me from behind, his voice laced with anger: "Elena, how could you say something like that? I told you, I only see her as a little sister." "You are the only one who will be my future Donna." Feeling the weight of the ring in my pocket, I let out a relaxed smile. “Leonardo, hurry back. Liliana is still waiting for you, and she doesn’t have much time left.” Leonardo looked at me in silence for a moment, his tone solemn. “Wait for me to come back. This is the last time.” Watching his retreating back, I whispered silently in my heart: He might love me, but he would always choose her first. If that's the case, I'm done playing this game. Goodbye forever, Leonardo.