The Girl Who Was His Replacement for Nine Years Finally Left Him Chapter 02

The Girl Who Was His Replacement for Nine Years Finally Left Him Chapter 02

Just like always, I went after Matteo’s mistress.

I cornered Chloe at a private club.

One second, I was warning her to stay the hell away from Matteo.

The next, a member of the Valenti family council who had rushed over after hearing what happened brought a whip crashing down across my back.

The pain was so brutal that I screamed.

One hundred and ninety-nine lashes.

Every single one was meant to remind me that I was nothing but a jealous, useless wife who was putting her family’s interests at risk.

My wounds hadn’t even begun to heal when Chloe came to my door.

Every word out of her mouth was a vicious curse, wishing me dead in a ditch.

I snapped and slapped her across the face.

That same night, following “Don Matteo’s orders,” the Valenti family council threw me off the second-floor balcony.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

The incidents came closer and closer together.

By the ninety-ninth time, Chloe came looking for another fight.

She took the lop-eared rabbit Matteo had given me and drowned it in the estate’s ornamental pond.

Covered in injuries, I dragged myself to the underground arms depot where Matteo was inspecting a shipment.

I cried and begged him to do something.

With a cigarette hanging from his lips, Matteo gave me a careless smile.

“Fine. I’ll deal with Chloe for you.”

But the moment he turned around, he ordered his men to throw me into the Valenti family’s private punishment chamber.

“Come back out when you’ve learned to behave.”

My mind went blank.

A deafening buzz filled my ears as the world spun around me.

Only then did I finally understand.

Why had the Valenti family, who had always been too afraid to interfere with me, shown up every single time I confronted Chloe?

Why had they punished me without hesitation?

It had all been Matteo.

He wanted to protect Chloe, but he couldn’t be bothered to get his own hands dirty.

So he gave the Valenti family orders and let them deal with his disobedient wife for him.

After six months of being broken down in that dark, merciless punishment chamber, I had finally learned to behave.

I really had.

After leaving the Moretti estate, I flagged down a cab and went back to the villa.

The moment I opened the door, clothes were scattered across the floor.

My breath caught.

I immediately lowered my head and tried to back out.

“Come here.”

Matteo’s voice stopped me.

“Stay right there and watch.”

My fingernails dug into my palms.

I said nothing.

I walked over and stood there with my head lowered.

My husband was having sex with another woman right in front of me.

I dropped my gaze even further, squeezing my hands until my knuckles turned white.

“The air conditioning is too cold. I’ll turn it up.”

“Did I tell you to leave?”

His voice was cold.

“Don’t move. What, jealous again?”

Matteo gave a mocking laugh, clearly waiting for what he thought would come next.

He expected me to cry and beg him.

Or throw myself at Chloe and slap her across the face.

Just like I always had.

But I didn’t.

I kept my head down.

“No. I’m just worried you’ll get cold.”

The old wounds across my back still throbbed faintly.

Every pulse reminded me exactly what it had cost me to fall in love with him.

How could I be jealous?

How could I ever dare fall for him again?

I couldn’t.

I never would.

Matteo let out another contemptuous laugh.

“Good. As long as you’re not jealous, I don’t have to call the Valenti family and have them deal with your mental breakdown. What a pain in the ass.”

His expression twisted with disgust.

“Get out. Looking at that dead expression on your face is killing my appetite.”

I stumbled as I turned around, then limped my way upstairs.

Matteo didn’t know it yet.

In two days, he wouldn’t have to deal with me anymore.

Because I was about to walk completely out of his world.