The Donna Who Vanished from the Portrait Chapter 04

The Donna Who Vanished from the Portrait Chapter 04

The next evening, the portrait unveiling gala commenced.

The unsigned divorce papers lay inside a drawer in the west wing.

My fever spiked to one hundred and three degrees. Adrian walked in carrying fever-reducing medicine.

He leaned over and touched my forehead. His brows knotted immediately. “Why didn’t tell me you were running this high a fever?”

For a foolish second, I almost hoped that he would simply tell me to stay upstairs, and then those papers would mean nothing.

But he held the medicine up to my lips. “I admit I’ve been neglectful. Drink this, then come down and show your face. Once the night is over, I’ll come back to you.”

I said nothing.

He let out a short, exasperated laugh. “Am I going to have to feed you myself? I’ve been far too indulgent with you.”

Nonna sent messengers hurrying us along.

Adrian wrapped a shawl around my shoulders. “You will perform the unveiling of the portrait and formally announce Elena as Nonna’s adopted daughter. Once all the gossip dies down, all of this will be behind us.”

The great hall was packed with guests.

They had placed my seat behind a gilded folding screen—present in the room, yet excluded from the official group view.

My place card read not “Mrs. Moretti”, only “Ms. Margaret”.

Adrian followed my gaze. “Nonna insisted on the change. Tonight is meant to celebrate Elena’s homecoming. If the press see ‘Mrs. Moretti’ on the card, they won’t leave you alone. It’s only a label. Don’t read too much into it.”

I looked straight at him. “There is still time to change it back.”

He lowered his voice. “Who the real Mrs. Moretti is—the woman I come home to when the doors close—is that not clear enough for you?”

The ceremony began. The Consigliere handed me the white ceremonial ribbon.

Nonna sat in the seat of honor. “Margaret, you are his legal wife. Today you will honor Elena and her daughter. This is what dignity looks like in this family.”

I set the ribbon back down on the tray. “I won’t be the one unveiling that portrait.”

Dead silence fell across the hall.

Adrian stepped to my side, one hand resting lightly on my waist, still forcing a strained public smile. “Everyone is watching us. I’ll carry you back upstairs and see you take your medicine afterward… is that not enough?”

His fingers dug faintly into my back. I looked him in the eye and gave him one final chance. “Take the portrait away right now, and I’ll go back with you.”

Adrian’s smile froze on his face. “Margaret, don’t force me to humiliate Elena in front of all these people.”

Tears spilled down Elena’s cheeks. “Margaret, Sophie and I’ll leave right now. Please don’t be angry with Adrian because of us.”

Sophie began crying too. “Does Margaret hate me? Then I won’t have a home anymore.”

Adrian’s polished smile vanished. “Margaret, take whatever anger you have out on me. Don’t make a child pay for your feelings.”

I said nothing. I turned and walked away.

The answer was final.

Adrian seized my wrist, and for the very first time, genuine panic flashed across his eyes. “If you walk out through that main door, I won’t come chasing after you.”

“Then don’t.”

As I spun away, Sophie ran forward and tripped over her gown, crashing hard into the portrait easel.

On pure instinct, Adrian let go of me and lunged forward to catch the girl. “Sophie!”

My arm fell loose, a raw red mark circling my wrist where he had gripped me.

He glanced back toward me for only a split second.

Nonna called out urgently. “Adrian, the guests are waiting! Unveil the portrait!”

He hesitated barely a heartbeat. “Wait by the entrance. We’ll deal with this later.”