Chapter 6 - The Rebirth of Donatella
Three weeks later.
The grand ballroom of the Detroit Metropolitan Center was filled with soft orchestral music, glittering crystal chandeliers, and three hundred of the most powerful politicians, CEOs, and socialites in the Midwest.
The fall of Arthur Shaw and the collapse of Rossi Holdings had sent shockwaves through the region. In their place, Lombardi Enterprises had expanded into a multi-billion-dollar empire, dominating both logistics and financial tech.
At the center of it all was Donatella Greco.
She stood near the grand champagne tower, wearing a custom emerald-green silk gown that hugged her voluptuous curves flawlessly. A diamond necklace sparkled at her collarbone, and her dark hair was pinned up in an elegant vintage cascade.
She wasn't hiding in the shadows. She wasn't standing behind a man. She was the star of the night.
“Miss Greco!” a senior senator from Michigan smiled, approaching her with a glass of champagne. “I was just reading the quarterly report for the new Lombardi tech acquisition. The restructuring plan you authored is nothing short of miraculous.”
“Thank you, Senator,” Donatella replied smoothly, offering a radiant, confident smile. “We’re projecting a thirty percent increase in local employment by the second quarter.”
“Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant,” the senator praised before bowing politely and moving toward the bar.
Donatella took a sip of her champagne, feeling a deep sense of pride. For years, she had been told that her curves were too much, her presence was too quiet, and her mind was too cold.
Tonight, she was the most revered woman in the city.
Suddenly, a commotion near the main entrance caught the attention of the crowd.
Donatella turned her head.
Standing near the coat check, looking pale, tired, and completely out of place, was Cordelia Shaw.
Her family’s assets had been frozen, her father was facing twenty years in federal prison, and her social standing had vanished overnight. She was wearing an old dress, her hair unstyled, looking desperately around the room until her eyes locked onto Donatella.
Cordelia marched through the crowd, her heels clicking loudly against the polished marble floor. Whispers broke out among the guests as people parted ways to let her pass.
“You!” Cordelia shouted, stopping six feet away from Donatella. Her eyes were bloodshot with rage and humiliation. “You destroyed my family! You ruined my life!”
The ballroom fell dead silent. Security guards immediately started moving toward her, but Donatella held up a single manicured hand, stopping them.
Donatella didn't flinch. She didn't panic. She stood tall in her emerald gown, looking down at Cordelia with calm superiority.
“Your father destroyed your family when he committed insurance fraud, Cordelia,” Donatella said, her voice carrying clearly across the silent room. “I simply calculated the math.”
“You think you’re better than me?” Cordelia spat, tears spilling over her mascara. “Look at you! You’re just a cheap accountant playing dress-up in Marco Lombardi’s world! He’s going to get bored of you just like Leo did! You’re nothing!”
Before anyone could react, a heavy, commanding hand settled onto Donatella’s waist from behind.
Marco stepped into the light.
He looked devastatingly handsome in a black velvet tuxedo. His gaze, when he fixed it on Cordelia, was so cold it could have turned water to ice.
“Cordelia,” Marco said, his baritone voice cutting through the silence like a blade. “You are trespassing.”
“Marco! Please!” Cordelia cried, shifting her desperate eyes to him. “You don't understand! She set my father up! She’s using you to get revenge on Leo!”
Marco chuckled—a low, terrifying sound that made Cordelia step back.
“Donatella doesn't need to use me, Cordelia,” Marco said, pulling Donatella firmly against his side, his large hand resting possessively over her hip. “She owns half of my company. She runs my financial board. And in three months, she will be taking my last name.”
Donatella’s heart skipped a beat. She looked up at Marco in surprise.
Marco didn't break eye contact with Cordelia as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a velvet box. He flipped it open, revealing an enormous, flawless twelve-carat canary diamond ring that glowed like sunlight under the chandeliers.
The crowd gasped in collective shock.
Cordelia’s mouth fell open, her face draining of all color.
“You...” Cordelia whispered, trembling uncontrollably. “You’re marrying her?”
“I am marrying the most brilliant, breathtaking woman in this city,” Marco said coldly. “Now, security, remove this trash from my gala.”
Four security guards stepped forward, grabbing Cordelia by the arms and escorting her kicking and screaming out the rear exit.
The ballroom broke into applause, guests raising their glasses to the power couple standing at the center of the floor.
Donatella looked at the yellow diamond ring, then up at Marco’s dark, intense eyes.
“Marco...” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. “Did you just propose to me in front of three hundred people?”
May you like
Marco smiled, a rare, breathtakingly genuine expression that softened his hard features. He slipped the ring onto her left ring finger. It fit perfectly.
“I told you, Donatella,” Marco whispered, leaning down to press a soft, lingering kiss against her lips. “I don't play games. And I never let go of what’s mine.”