Munika clenched into fists as she paced in her dark, unkempt room, her eyes darting back and forth in panic. She had been so careful, so meticulous, but now her plan was in ruins, the Mistress nowhere to be found. Her phone rang and she rushed over to check the caller. With her heart pounding, she answered the call. "Tell me you have found that worthless soul"A deep, male voice responded. "I have not. She was discharged from the hospital before I arrived.""Well, she is not back here so she's gotta be somewhere, hiding. Are you certain she was discharged?""Yes.""Then, where did she go? She does not know anywhere else aside from this mansion and the confines of her master's bedroom." She paused and resumed pacing. "You need to find her, she could not have gone far""I hacked into the cameras, she was taken away by some soldiers."She stumbled backward, her eyes widening with fear. If she was taken by Sergio's men, that could only mean one thing: Vicenta, the Mistress was back and w
The air was thick with smoke, the haze clinging to the rich, leather furniture and mahogany bookshelves. Behind an antique desk, Sergio sat, the leather of his chair creaking as he leaned back. Enzo and Ville sat before him, each, having a glass of whisky in hand while Alfonso stood at attention beside the desk, his hands clasped behind his back. "What news, gentlemen?" he asked, his voice low and gravelly.The men started talking about their various businesses, and operations, as well as the Russian's attack. "We have played around with them for far too long. We need to attack" Enzo said, his tone clipped and precise. Alfonso pulled up a series of schematics and dossiers on his holographic interface, "We have cut off all of the Russian arms dealers who supply their weaponry and have also destroyed all their safehouses where they have been storing their ill-gotten gains. Our assets identified a weak point in their security perimeters, a point of entry that could be exploited to our
WARNING: This chapter contains explicit descriptions of violence that may be triggering for some readers. It is not recommended for readers under the age of 18❌🚫 ፠፠ ONE HOUR LATER ፠፠ In the damp, dark depth of a secret dungeon, screams could be heard as well as the cracking of bones and burning of flesh. The Russians were strung up by their wrists, their feet barely touching the floor. A few of them were dead from continuous torture while the rest were barely hanging on. "Please..." Pyotr begged in their language. The effects of the sedatives had expired a long time ago and now, he was feeling every pain inflicted on him. Before him, Enzo stood, his cold and calculating eyes sweeping over him with dispassionate cruelty. He began tightening the ropes around his wrists, the skin stretching and the nerves screaming in protest. With a quick, practiced motion, he plunged a branding iron into a roaring furnace. The metal seared white-hot and with a single, vicious smoke, he seared his
"Your father is waiting in his study" Rosana looked down at the luggage she was holding and sighed. She couldn't help wondering why her father urgently needed her in his study. What could be so important? She wasn't even allowed to drop her bags before her mother conveyed the message. "Is anything the problem, Mammà?" "No, absolutely not," Aria responded with a faux smile. She looked worried and anxious and Rosana could tell because she kept rubbing her hands. She gave her mother a suspicious look and turned to look around. Surely, this was not the atmosphere she expected to meet after being away for the past three years. "I will drop my bags first and then I will meet him in the study" Aria smiled and returned to the kitchen while Rosana headed up the stairs. Once inside her room, she smiled and dropped her bags on the neatly dressed bed. The room was clean which meant that Aria had taken care of it in preparation for her homecoming. Rosana looked at the ring on her middle fing
"Ro, la facciamo?" Sergio asked and held out his right hand. He was now standing beside her, facing her. He was cut an imposing figure, his tall frame encased in a black suit that spelled splendor. The fabric clung to his well-muscled chest, and the first three buttons were left undone, revealing intricate tattoos that snaked up his chest. The sight made her edgy but she couldn't look away. He wasn't even wearing a tie. Why her? She kept asking herself. How could her father do this to her? How could he force her to marry someone she didn't even love? Someone that looked deadly? Someone that spelled terror? She had always wanted to marry Allen and none other. But standing before the congregation, dressed in a white wedding gown and standing beside a man who was not Allen broke her frantic heart. Her eyes twitched, threatening to spill tears but she clicked her tongue with her teeth and tried to stop it. Her trick worked. Even if she cried in front of everyone, it wouldn't change a
Rosana followed him quietly. She was too traumatized to speak or notice that he was holding her with his bloodied hand. The same hand he had used in pulling out the man's heart. When they finally arrived in their bedroom, Sergio opened the door and ushered her in. "Welcome home!" She looked around the room in fright and finally turned to look at him. He was still standing behind the closed door, not making any attempt to step further into the room. She lowered her gaze to his hands and shivered when she saw it covered in blood. "Why?" She croaked, tears shimmering in her eyes. "Why did you kill him?" "He deserved to die, Amore" "Aveva una famiglia" [He had a family] Sergio scoffed and started walking towards her, causing her heartbeat to accelerate unusually. She took a step backward, trying to avoid him. If she had her way, she would've vanished completely. "Do not try to run away from me, Bambolina" He groaned and took another step closer but she stepped away. She was shaking
NEXT-MORNING After tossing and turning in bed countlessly, Rosana was finally able to sleep at dawn. She had expected Sergio to join her in bed but he didn't. How could he when he was still pounding his mistress and making her scream the whole night? Soft beams of morning glow fell into the room, causing her to stir a bit. She didn't have enough sleep and that was because she didn't want any. Aside from the uproar that was caused by Sergio and his mistress, she couldn't sleep because she was afraid he might walk into the room and try to hurt her. Besides, she had not forgotten the deadly look on his face after she slapped him. Rosana sighed and rubbed her eyes lazily. She was not fully awake but she could sense another presence in the room. Someone else was in the room, beside her. Immediately, she forced her eyes open and the first person she saw was Sergio. He sat beside her on the edge of the bed with a glass of whiskey, watching her with a pair of soul-piercing dark metallic
SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA, USA. "I'm glad you could join us for breakfast. And oh, where's your fiancée?" Samantha asked, stirring the pot of stew on fire. "I can't wait to see her" Allen took a deep breath and turned to look at the dining table which was filled with different kinds of dishes his mother had prepared. She was hosting a family celebration for his engagement. "I'm almost done. Just give me a minute." Allen pecked her and walked out of the kitchen. He pulled out his phone once again and checked but still, there was no call or message from her. Taking a deep breath, he dialed her number for the umpteenth time, hoping he'd get a positive response but It was still the same. Her number was not reachable. He sighed and rubbed his forehead, thinking hard. There was only one question that kept ringing in his mind. What happened to Rosana? "Allen honey, it's time to eat!" Samantha announced from the dining room. "I'll go get your father" During breakfast, everyone ate in sil