His Donna Was Never Legally His Chapter 08

His Donna Was Never Legally His Chapter 08

When Matteo arrived with his men, no one was there.

He was about to lose his temper when Mia returned holding Luca’s hand.

She carried several shopping bags and had clearly just come back from the mall.

Matteo breathed a sigh of relief.

“Did Ava do anything to you?”

Without the slightest guilt, Mia set down the bags and answered with red-rimmed eyes.

“She only hit me and cursed at me. I don’t mind.”

Matteo wasn’t as furious as she had expected.

He placed a bank card on the table.

“Mia, move out tomorrow. I promised her.”

Mia froze.

“Matteo, you’re throwing me out?”

Luca immediately wrapped his arms around her leg and cried, “I don’t want Mom to leave!”

Mia grabbed Matteo and sobbed.

“I’ve already given up everything. All I want is to stay with Luca. Is even that too much for Ms. Collins to

allow?”

Matteo rubbed his wedding ring with his thumb and spoke quietly.

“Mia, I want to start over with her.”

“You can visit Luca whenever you miss him.”

Mia lowered her head, jealousy filling her eyes.

After a few seconds, she said, “I understand, Matteo. Can you let me stay a few more days so I can say

goodbye to Luca properly?”

Matteo eventually agreed.

He relaxed and turned to the butler.

“Has the Donna returned yet?”

The butler froze for a moment before realizing he meant Ava.

He quickly answered with respect.

“Not yet.”

Matteo frowned.

He remembered Ava’s pale face and lifeless eyes before he left, and his chest suddenly tightened.

He forced down his unease, sat on the living room sofa, and waited for her while working.

The later it grew, the less Matteo could sit still.

He couldn’t focus on a single word in the documents.

His eyes kept drifting toward the front door.

Finally, he stood and made a call, suppressing his anger as he ordered, “Find Ava and bring her back!”

It was already well past midnight, but no one dared disobey him.

One of his men suddenly went pale.

“Boss, I don’t think you ever ordered anyone to untie Ms. Collins…”

Matteo’s expression changed instantly.

“Not one of you went back to release her from the bridge?”

His voice shook as the color slowly drained from his face.

After checking with everyone, the subordinate answered shakily.

“No… no one did.”

Matteo clenched his fists.

She was afraid of water and heights.

After being left on the George Washington Bridge for so long, she had to be terrified…

Matteo asked no more questions.

He immediately drove back.

Cold white moonlight shone across the deserted bridge.

Only half of a broken rope remained where Ava had been tied.

She was gone.

A subordinate picked up the rope, his face turning pale.

“Boss…”

The broken rope explained everything.

Ava had fallen into the raging river below.

Matteo stood frozen, staring at the frayed end.

Ava couldn’t swim.

He still remembered the time he had teased her by carrying her into a swimming pool and deliberately

falling in.

Ava had wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, her voice trembling.

“Matteo… I’m scared.”

Matteo had immediately stopped joking and carried her safely back to shore.

He had looked at her seriously.

“Don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you.”

Matteo suddenly tore off his jacket, climbed over the railing, and jumped into the Hudson River.

His men went pale and immediately rushed down beneath the bridge.

No matter how strong a swimmer Matteo was, the current kept dragging him off course.

He searched desperately for Ava.

But there was nothing.

The current forced him underwater again and again until he could barely breathe.

His men jumped into the river to save him.

Matteo finally climbed onto the bank, completely soaked.

He raised his head, his voice vicious.

“Find her. Search every inch of this river until you do!”