The “Deceased” Donna Chapter 05
Once home, I dug out every gift John had given me over the years.
I used to believe those were tokens of love.
Now, looking closer, I saw them for what they were—free extras thrown in whenever he bought something for Riva.
Even in the photos of us together, his hand held mine, but his eyes always drifted somewhere beyond the camera.
I threw it all into a garbage bag.
By dawn, John still hadn’t come back. He had only sent the Underboss with a pile of gifts.
The Underboss kept his head down. “Donna, the Don is tied up with family matters. These are gifts he prepared for you personally.”
I nodded.
“Leave them by the door.”
After he left, I opened Riva’s iMessage.
There was a video of John lifting her into the car.
A photo of him crouching down to massage her feet.
The most recent one—them together at the church.
Riva had sent a voice message: *”Mona, don’t imagine you can steal John away from me with a baby. Every man near you loves me, not you.”*
I called John on video.
He picked up on the fourth try.
On the screen, he stood at the church entrance, a crucifix necklace clutched in his palm.
“Mona, I know you’re still angry. I didn’t know what else to do, so I came to the church where we reunited to pray for you.”
I cut off his performance.
“John, I’m not feeling well. Can you come home?”
He answered instantly. “What’s wrong? What about the baby? I’ll have the Underboss take you to the hospital. There’s a family meeting tonight—an important one—I really can’t leave…”
Of course.
I calmly hung up and set my plan in motion.
On the way to the airport, another recording from Riva came through.
She said, *”John, I heard giving a mother a transfusion can lower the surgical risk. But what about Mona?”*
John was silent for a moment. *”I’ll sign the consent form on her behalf. Whether she pulls through—that’s up to fate.”*
Then, as if reassuring himself: *”She survived a war zone. Losing a little blood won’t hurt her.”*
At the end, he lowered his voice into a confession.
*”Riva, for you, I gave up a lifetime of happiness.”*
I turned off my phone and boarded the private jet the agency had arranged.
…
At the same time, John’s phone was buzzing without pause.
He unlocked it—and froze.
Breaking news across every network:
**”Donna Mona Drives Through the Night to Catch Don Cheating—Loses Control on Sharp Turn, Vehicle Explodes.”**
**”Mother and Unborn Child, Both Dead.”**