Sergio stood up and went to stand in front of the window. "You can not strike when he has not committed an offense"
Alfonso nodded in agreement. "I am sorry, Boss, I misinterpreted your order"
"We leave first thing tomorrow. Get the soldatos ready" [Soldiers]
"Yes, Boss"
******
******
[Next Day]
After having breakfast, Rosana decided to take a walk around the mansion. Since she arrived days ago, no one showed her around. She didn't even know most places in the building.
Viola followed behind her, acting as a tour guide. She showed her all the places she needed to know and warned her against the places she wasn't allowed to enter.
"That building over there is a cell."
Rosana paused and stared at the building which was far away from the mansion. "A cell? Why is there a cell here?"
"I do not know, My Lady. But it is not a good and decent place for anyone"
"Then why is it here? What happens there?"
Viola lowered her head and refused to say a word. She was always afraid of being around Rosana because she asked so many questions. Questions she wouldn't answer even if a knife was held to her throat.
But she couldn't hide things from her even when she knew it could cost her life. She was the Don's wife and she needed to know everything so as not to get into trouble.
"Viola..."
"Promise me you will not say a word about this to anyone. Not even the Don." Viola whispered and stepped closer to her. She looked scared. "Promise me, My Lady!"
"Yes, I swear, I promise. Now, talk"
Viola looked around one more time just to be sure no one was around. When she was fully conclusive, she turned back to Rosana and dragged her to a corner.
"I hear it is like hell, My Lady, and the Don is the King." She paused and looked around before whispering into Rosana's ears. "People get locked up in there. They are chained and tortured too. They are bûtchered and fed to the dogs. I also hear they break their heads and bones with a hammer. They drill holes into their eyeballs until they burst. They... He... He grinds people too"
A taste of nausea hit the back of Rosana's throat. She instantly fell to her knees against the hard ground and emptied her stomach on the floor. Viola knelt beside her and scooped her hair from her face so she wouldn't mess it up.
"My Lady... Are you okay? We should go inside!"
Rosana opened her mouth to respond but all that came out was the breakfast she managed to eat that morning. No matter how hard she tried to push the nauseous feeling away, it kept hitting the back of her throat, causing her to throw up even more.
"Goodness... I knew this would happen. I should never have told you all of that" Viola cried and kept patting her back.
By the time Rosana was done, she was out of breath. Her ability to breathe was stagnating and she couldn't even breathe no matter how hard she tried to.
Did Viola just mention that he grinded people too? Rosana wondered as she wiped her lips with the back of her hand. She was now very weak and felt sick.
"I am so sorry, My Lady! I should never have told you all of those."
"No... It is fine..." No, it wasn't.
How could everything be fine when she just learned that Sergio, her husband, had a cell where he chained and tortured people? He even used all sorts of torture instructions to make them suffer.
What kind of a man was he? Rosana wondered. Her hands were starting to shake and her vision was blurry. She felt highly repulsed by all she had just heard and still felt like throwing up.
"I will get you water, My Lady. Wait here!" Viola said and took off immediately.
Rosana remained rooted to the spot and kept staring at the cell in terror. It was impossible not to speculate what Viola just said because she had witnessed Sergio rip out a man's heart on their wedding night.
She couldn't believe that for the past few days, she had been living in the devil's chambers. She had been living with a man who did all kinds of dehumanizing things to people. He had used those same hands to touch her. And like hell, a part of her enjoyed it.
Rosana didn't know she had been walking the whole time until she bumped into a hard chest. She stepped backward and looked up at him without uttering a word. She was too traumatized to realize who it was.
"My Lady... Oh, My God!!!..." Viola cried out when she stepped outside with the bowl of water. Rosana was standing in front of Sergio. Does it mean she was telling him about what she had just told her? Viola thought.
If so, then she was done for. Sergio was going to kill her this time. The bowl of water she was holding fell from her hand and Sergio turned to look at her. She promptly turned pale.
What has she done? She kept asking herself.
"Cosa fai, Rosana?" Sergio asked with a deep and low voice. That was the first time he was calling her by her real name, Rosana noted. [What are you doing, Rosana?]
"I... I..." She didn't know what to say but she slowly realized it was him. She was standing in front of the devil. The ruthless Sergio De Niro.
"Do I have to make you step away from my path?"
She opened her mouth to respond but then she felt it again. The wave of nausea was stronger this time and before she could think of moving away, it hit the back of her throat and she threw up on Sergio.
She kept going on and on while he stood there, watching her with eyes that held so much anger and darkness. There was no way she could stop herself, especially when she kept recollecting what she was told about him grinding people.
When she was finally done, she stood straight and wiped her mouth with the back of her palm. She didn't look shocked or terrified that she had just messed him up badly.
Instead, she gritted. "I hate you so much. I wish you burn in your hell someday"
He paused and studied her for sometime. Then he asked. "Hai finito, Bambolina?" [Are you done, babydoll?]
She nodded and glared at him defiantly. "Sì. Yes, I am done!"
He stepped closer to her and she cowered backward in fear. "Well, it is now my turn to get started" He turned to the men beside him. "Get her!"
"Noooo! Let me go!!!" Rosana screamed as she was being taken away by Sergio's men. "Let me go!!!" She couldn't struggle or fight with them because they were more powerful. All she could do was scream and beg in tears but all of those fell on deaf ears. Sergio had given a command and there was no backing down. As the men kept dragging her with them, Alfonso appeared from a corner, causing them to halt. He made eye contact with them and they quickly got the message by stepping away from her. She took deep breaths and turned to glare at the men who now stood with their heads bent. She was relieved that they had finally taken their hands off her. Maybe Sergio changed his mind, she thought. "If you would excuse me, I will love to go back to my room!" She said to no one in particular and turned to leave. Before she knew what was happening, Alfonso took a step forward and pressed a white handkerchief to her nose. There was no time to struggle because her eyes rolled to the back of her he
Early the next morning, Rosana prepared and got down from breakfast. She was used to eating alone in the big dining room without Sergio or anyone. After taking her seat, the maids rushed out and began to serve her.She started eating quietly, relishing how calm the environment was. Sergio must've traveled with few of his men, she reckoned. Then his mother, Munika, and the Mistress were hard to come by. What did she look like? Rosana wondered.Was she an older woman or a young lady like her? Was she beautiful and curvy and tall? Did she have beautiful eyes? What did a man like Sergio see in her? Rosana shook her head immediately, clearing off the thought. She shouldn't be thinking about all of that. She was even gratified that Sergio had a Mistress whom he sought whenever he wanted. At least he never pestered her for sêx. That was the last thing she wanted. "I see you are eating all alone"Rosana looked up in surprise and forced a smile. "Yes."Munika hummed in response and looked aro
Rosana took a shower and sat to have breakfast in her room. After the last encounter with Munika, she ceased eating in the dining room. It was more like she was avoiding any contact with her. Munika didn't trust her and she knew that perfectly well. But what she couldn't understand was why. Why would she ask about her motives if she trusted her? Why would she ask her to run away? After eating, Viola cleared the table and left the room, leaving her to herself once again. She went over to the window and stood to stare outside. She was now a prisoner, she thought. Why would her father want this for her? Even after knowing the kind of man Sergio De Niro was, he still went along and forced her to marry him. And her mother... Rosana couldn't stop wondering how she was feeling. For the past month, she had not heard anything from her mother or her father. They abandoned her, she thought to herself as tears welled up in her eyes. If something bad happened to her, her father wouldn't care. B
"Do you like my surprise, Amore mio?"Rosana was speechless. She couldn't accept any of it. This isn't real, she kept telling herself. Her Allen was in California, probably at work or home. This person sitting right here and looking lifeless wasn't Allen. It couldn't be him."Allen... Allen!!!" She rushed over and tried to save him but she couldn't. The ropes were too tight. "Allen, it's me. It's your Rose. Please wake up!"She cupped his face in her palms and sobbed quietly. She still couldn't believe any of it was real. Her Allen being tied up, the bruises, the blood... She couldn't believe any of it.Standing to her feet, she turned to face Sergio who had been quiet the whole time. Her eyes were red and filled with so much hatred. "What did you do to him, you shameless monster?""Take these robes off him. Let him go, please!""And why should I?" Sergio asked and walked further into the room with both hands tucked inside his trouser pocket. "I just want to know the man you love so mu
"Rosana!" Munika called out with a fake smile. She was surprised to see her approaching them quietly. "Sei bellissima" [You look so beautiful!]"Grazie!" Rosana was dressed in a long black slitted gown that hugged her body perfectly. Her blonde hair was neatly tied to the back, giving her a beautiful look. "Let's go!" She took a deep breath and walked over to him. When she noticed him staring at her with dark metallic eyes, she shivered. Why was he looking at her that way? She wondered. Was her look not up to his taste? She had not even applied so much makeup. A little powder, eyeshadow, mascara, and red lipstick were all she used for the night. But with the way Sergio was staring at her, she had the urge to run up to her room and wipe everything off.Why did she even wear make-up? It's not like she was going on a date with Allen or attending a party. She was going out with Sergio, a man who was more than a devil. A man who could kill without second thoughts or any emotions."Ro?"
Rosana moaned low in her throat and turned on the bed only to meet another body lying beside her. She smiled in her sleep and gently placed her hand on Sergio's hard chest, caressing him.She could still feel the distance between them so she inched closer and flattened her hand on his chest. Slowly, she lowered it to his stomach and grazed his abs and biceps with her fingertips. His body felt so... Perfect, she thought in her sleep.But Allen's body had never been like that.He didn't have a hard chest or biceps and abs and stomach muscles. He never considered workouts so he was plain. But he was still very much handsome and she loved him that way although she wished he had the body of most male models she saw on television and in magazines. She kept lowering her hand, knowing how much Allen loved waking up to her touches. When she reached his crotch, she palmed him through the fabric of his trousers, running her palm over his length, from tip to base. She moved her hand upwards and
After breakfast, Rosana retreated to her room, wondering what suddenly changed with Sergio. He took her out for dinner, shared the same bed with her, and also had breakfast with her. Was it a coincidence that it all happened after he forced her to end things with Allen? That monster, she huffed and went to stand in front of the window. How could he start acting nice toward her after he had crushed her world? Not only her world, hers and Allen's. They were going to have a better future together not until he came and blew everything away. Her mind drifted to Allen and she sighed despondently. Without being told, she knew he was so miserable. They had made so many promises to each other but she ended up breaking hers. "My Lady?" Carmencita called out from behind and Rosana turned immediately. She had called for the older woman. "Oh, Carmen, you are here!" "I told you I will be here whenever you need me" Rosana smiled and went to sit on the bed. She was glad to finally have someone t
> Rosana sat on the cold floor, barely able to move. She felt numb and her limbs were heavy. When the cold air hit her lungs, it felt like she was breathing in knives. A sense of dread and hopelessness filled her. She was never going to survive this, she was going to die. Her fingers and toes were the first to become frozen. She couldn't tell how long she had been stuck in there but she knew it was a very long time. Long enough for her heartbeat to slow down. There were three other people in the room but two had been frozen to death. She knew this because they weren't trembling and didn't move either. They just remained on the floor, curled up like a fetus. Over the past four hours, Rosana had gone from crying and shivering to her skin becoming very cold. It began to burn, and slowly she could feel her blood starting to freeze. Her lips turned blue and her whole face felt like they poured lava over it, and then stabbed it with a thousand knives. "Goodness!"