Chapter 7
The court issued temporary no-contact orders preventing Selena and Luca from approaching Ava while the child-abuse investigation continued.
The engagement ended the same day.
Not privately.
Through attorneys.
Selena’s ring was returned.
No final meeting.
No dramatic threat.
Donato wanted none.
The legal separation was simple because they had not married.
The emotional aftermath was not.
Selena released a statement through counsel describing the pool incident as a “reckless attempt at humor” that had spiraled.
Her attorney argued that Donato’s response showed more violence than Selena’s original act.
Rebecca warned him not to dismiss the argument.
“You punched Luca.”
“He swung first.”
“That helps.”
“I slapped Selena when she grabbed Ava.”
“That context helps too.”
“And my threat?”
“Doesn’t help.”
Donato nodded.
He would deal with his own conduct separately.
Then Luca produced a new defense.
He claimed Donato had become emotionally unstable after Isabella’s death and that Selena had been trying to stabilize the household.
He cited canceled meetings.
Shortened business trips.
Reduced late-night gatherings.
Decisions made because Ava needed Donato home.
None of those facts were false.
That made the strategy more dangerous.
A senior capo named Richard Vale admitted Luca had complained about the same things privately.
“He said you were changing.”
“I did.”
“He said everybody could see it.”
“What did you say?”
Richard hesitated.
“That maybe having a kid softened you.”
Donato leaned back.
“Did that bother you?”
“Sometimes.”
The answer was honest.
Donato appreciated it.
Richard continued.
“Then Isabella died and you started keeping Ava around even more.”
“She lost her mother.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Richard looked away.
There was a cultural problem larger than Selena.
Several men around Donato believed fatherhood should remain invisible during business.
Ava’s grief had made that impossible.
Luca had not invented the belief that her needs weakened Donato.
He had simply found a personal reason to exploit it.
Rebecca later showed Donato another document.
A draft “post-marriage household transition plan.”
It recommended that Ava eat weekday breakfast separately with a nanny.
Her access to Donato’s study would require staff permission.
Isabella’s keepsakes would be “consolidated.”
Selena would become primary domestic authority.
And Luca would coordinate conflicts between domestic scheduling and Donato’s business calendar.
Donato stared at that last sentence.
May you like
Luca was not only helping his sister become wife.
He was assigning himself control over when a daughter could reach her father.
