Reborn and Ruthless: I Won't Save the Don

I saved the life of Don Stefano Marino of the Marino family.

The moment a bullet was about to strike him, I was the one who shielded him from it.

Because of the life debt he owed me, Stefano decided that I would be the one marrying him instead of my older sister, Anna Costa, in the marriage alliance.

But on our wedding night, Stefano would rather drink himself into a stupor somewhere in the city than consummate our marriage with me.

Like a naive fool, I thought that I'd be able to melt his heart of ice someday with my love. But it had been less than five years when Stefano brought a kid, who resembled him, and Anna back.

"Anna has suffered tremendously during her time overseas while trying to raise her child on her own. I need to make it up to her."

Then, Stefano passed the divorce agreement to me. "You've hogged the position as the Donna for so many years. It's time for you to give it back to her."

Only then did I find out that Stefano had actually spent the night with Anna on the night of our wedding.

I pulled out the pregnancy report that I had meant to surprise Stefano with, only for him to rip it into shreds.

"I don't need another child."

Once those icy words fell, I was sent into the operating theater by force, where I suffered from heavy bleeding afterward, resulting in the deaths of me and my unborn baby.

When I woke up again, I saw Stefano, who was about to get shot. This time, I shoved Anna in his direction.

Stefano Marino struggled to stand up, and upon hearing footsteps, he coldly snapped, "Get lost!"

The next second, he heard the muffled sobs of a woman before him and froze.

"Anna?"

He looked into the distance and saw me standing at the entrance of the alley, watching coldly.

In my previous life, I had recklessly taken a bullet for him. But the moment he realized he was unharmed, he immediately pushed me away. When he looked at me, his gaze was filled with nothing but indifference.

Once his and my family's soldati arrived on the scene, he handed my severely injured self to my family's soldati without a second thought. Then, he took Anna Costa's hand and left the place with her.

"Stefano, I'm just glad you're okay," Anna said before passing out in Stefano's arms.

Seeing her wound, Stefano instantly understood what had happened.

When his soldati arrived, he shielded Anna in his arms and swiftly rushed toward the black sedan. As he passed by me, he didn't even spare me a glance.

I knew that the assassination Stefano encountered today was due to someone within the family leaking his whereabouts.

In my previous life, Stefano uncovered the truth that very night. Having lived through this once before, I saw no need to intervene this time.

During the pursuit earlier in the morning, I was also injured. But with my family's declining influence and to maintain my own standing, I chose not to seek professional medical help.

While bandaging my wounds late at night, I suddenly heard a knock on the window.

Staggering over to open it, I was stunned to see Stefano standing outside.

"What are you doing here?"

He had somehow bypassed all the guards and come to me alone.

Stefano stood at the door, his expression icy. "You did that on purpose today, didn't you?"

I averted my gaze. "You're overthinking it."

Stefano grabbed my wrist. "You were the closest to me, yet you suddenly stepped back and pushed Anna in front of me. If anything happens to her, will you finally be satisfied?"

I couldn't help but think Stefano had lost his mind. "Believe whatever you want."

When I saved him, he acted as if I were a nuisance. Yet, when the woman he loved stepped in to rescue him, he turned around and accused me of orchestrating it all.

If I had known this was going to happen, I would have just let the bullet pierce his heart and be done with it.

A cold breeze swept in, sharpening the sting of my wounds. Thus, I had no choice but to say to him, "I was injured too today. If there's nothing else, you should leave."

Stefano was likely taken aback by my attitude, as he had never seen me like this before. After a momentary pause, he let out a scornful laugh.

"Anita, are you trying to play the victim with me now? Do you think I'd pity you?"

I stared at him, speechless.

So, this was how he saw me.

For years, my feelings for Stefano had been an open secret. And because of my love for him, I had all but erased myself in his presence.

He once said he liked women in long skirts, so every day, I showed up before him wearing a different one.

When he mentioned he admired women who could cook, I devoted myself to the kitchen, experimenting with dishes day after day.

I thought that at the very least, my efforts would earn me a sliver of his affection.

It wasn't until I lay on the operating table, lifeless and carrying a child that would never be born, that I realized—as long as I wasn't Anna, nothing I did would ever matter.

The lesson learned from dying once was too painful. Thus, in this second chance at life, I chose to set Stefano free and spare myself from all the heartache.

The next day, Stefano ordered an investigation into the assassination attempt. And to my shock, the primary person of interest was me.

"Principessa Anita, apart from the injured Miss Anna, you were the only other person present that day. Thus, you are currently the prime suspect. Please cooperate with our investigation."

I found it utterly absurd. "I was injured that day, too."

Stefano's soldato remained stern. "Don Marino said you are cunning and may have orchestrated it yourself."

To say I was shocked would be an understatement.

Cunning? Was that really how Stefano saw me?

Disregarding my explanations, Stefano's soldati dragged me straight into a basement.

I fought desperately, shouting, "My father is also a Don! If he finds out about this, he'll definitely make you pay!"

The soldati remained calm. "These are Don Marino's orders, so I'm sure your father will understand."

Just like that, I was locked up for three days.

With my wounds still unhealed and the place damp and dark, I soon developed a fever and passed out.

In my dazed state, I heard the sound of a door opening. Then, the scent of a fir tree filled the air as someone lifted me and carried me away.