The Billionaire’s Prodigal Wife (Mackenna and Alessandro) novel Chapter 1

"Mac, are you sure you want to do this?” Savannah Kirkland eyed her best friend carefully. “You know if you return to Milan to file this divorce, he’ll come after you.”

“It’s time I moved on. I can’t start dating someone when I’m still married to someone else. Derrick is a nice guy and I’d like to give him a chance, but I want to start with a clean slate.” Mackenna lifted her slender shoulders into an elegant shrug. “Besides Alessandro didn’t want me five years ago so I doubt very much he’ll want me now. He made his choice.”

Billionaire and mogul Alessandro Giordano was a world-renown fashion designer holding the position of CEO of the Giordano Fashion House of Milan, a company founded by his great-grandfather and was now one of the most influential fashion companies in the world.

Alessandro had selected a young model to be the face of his company barely a year into their marriage and a year before Mackenna had left him. Dulce never left his side, much to Mackenna’s annoyance. Over the year, Mackenna had become convinced the couple were sleeping together, mostly because Dulce had said they were. When she’d asked him, he’d told her it was her overactive imagination putting a spin on Dulce’s words.

She’d learned over her brief marriage he was a controlling man and liked everything his way or not at all. It had never bothered her since initially she had lived only to please him anyway, but she had known intuitively he’d never let her leave him. Even though he was sleeping with someone else, he would expect her to remain his wife. He’d as much as said so to her and it had been the proverbial straw to break the camel’s back.

Her self-respect in tatters, her dignity in shreds and her humiliation complete after the tabloids had spread the photo of Alessandro and Dulce dancing provocatively at a night club, she’d told him it was her or the other woman. He’d laughed at her and then seduced her telling her even if he slept with Dulce every day, she would still let him in her bed every night. She’d woken past midnight to find he’d gone back to the clubs with Dulce. She’d returned to their bedroom, smashed their wedding photo on the nightstand, left her wedding ring on it. She had picked up the few items which were hers when she’d met him and had walked out of the house in the dead of night.

She’d called her grandparents and told them she was leaving but she would not tell them where she was going because she knew Alessandro would somehow convince her to stay and she knew she could no longer continue in the marriage. Her grandfather, a devout Catholic who she had expected to argue with her over the matter, had agreed Alessandro was a scoundrel who obviously did not appreciate the young woman he’d taken for his wife. He’d told her no matter what, he would support her decision and he now regretted giving the suave smooth-talking man his blessing in the marriage to his only grandchild. He himself had seen in the tabloids the way his granddaughter was being treated.

“I think he proved he did want you considering he essentially has stalked your grandparents for the last five years to the point where you cannot even tell them which part of the United States you live in.” Savannah touched her hand across the kitchen table they shared in their tiny apartment. “Isn’t there some way to do this long distance?”

“No, I have to sign the divorce petition in front of a clerk.” She rolled her eyes. “My grandfather said he’ll accompany me. I’ve already contacted a lawyer and they have assured me discretion until it’s filed.” Mackenna’s long light brown hair hung over her shoulder, and she reached behind her neck and twisted it into a knot behind the nape of her neck. The sound of a taxi honking outside the basement apartment made her cringe. “Okay, I’m off to the airport. I’ll call you the minute I get there. Wish me luck.”

“The only luck you need is to ensure Alessandro doesn’t find you.” Savannah grimaced.

“No, what I need is to find out Alessandro has had a heart transplant and he no longer is a cold-hearted insensitive bastard but is now sweet, kind and considerate and will grant me my divorce just so I can have peace.” She walked up the stairs into the entryway and turned to hug Savannah squeezing her so tightly she worried her ribs would crack. “Don’t miss me too much.”

“I won’t.” Savannah grinned. “I’ll be busy working double shifts for the next week. Buy me something hot.”

“Will do.” She gave a wave as she reluctantly walked away. She climbed into the taxi and gave him the instructions to take her to the airport.

“Going on a trip?” The cabbie was only trying to be friendly, but she was in no mood to talk.

“Yes.”

“Anywhere fun?” He tried to keep the conversation flowing with nosy and unwanted questions.

Mackenna faced him head on. She decided to give him something to talk about for the rest of the night. “Caribbean. I’m going to one of those hedonistic resorts where anything goes. I’m hoping to meet a whole bunch of Mr.-Right-Nows.”

Her rude comment silenced him, and she watched wickedly as the man’s mouth made fish movements, opening, and closing in rapid succession. She settled back into the seat and tried to quell her nervous stomach as she thought about returning to Milan.

It had been too long since she’d gone. As she sat in the back of the car, she let her mind wander to the past and the ugliness of how she’d gotten so far off track.