CHAPTER 03

Matteo Moretti’s gaze nearly brought Catalina to her knees. His words echoed in her mind, each phrase sinking like stones into a bottomless well: You shall pay for your father’s sins. Though her whole body shook, she forced herself to breathe, to stay calm. Every instinct screamed at her to flee, but there was nowhere to go. The doors had closed behind her, trapping her in this gilded prison under the watchful eye of the man ruling this empire of shadows.

Matteo regarded her like a predator sizing up his prey. The silence was unbearable, stretching taut between them. Catalina felt as if she were teetering on the edge of a cliff, ready to fall. When her voice finally surfaced, it was no more than a whisper.

“Please,” she pleaded, desperation breaking her words. “It was a mistake. My father didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

Matteo’s eyes narrowed, and the faintest flicker of something—contempt, perhaps—crossed his face. He stepped back slightly, putting space between them, though it did nothing to ease her anxiety.

“A mistake?” he repeated, the word tasting bitter on his tongue. “Do you think that makes a difference to me?”

Catalina’s throat tightened. She wanted to scream, to proclaim her innocence, to demand that she didn’t belong here. But Matteo’s presence suffocated any rebellion she might have mustered. She could only stand there, vulnerable and defenseless, as he turned his back on her and returned to his desk.

He opened a large file folder, his movements deliberate. “My son Luca is ten years old,” he began, his voice dangerously soft. “Your father’s accident has put him in a hospital bed, fighting for his life. The bullet is lodged perilously close to his brain. Surgery is risky, but waiting is no better. Every moment he remains in that state is a moment I can never get back.”

Catalina’s heart constricted, guilt weighing her down like chains. She had never met Luca, but the image of a small, helpless child fighting for his life because of something her father had done was unbearable. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “If there’s anything I can do—”

Matteo’s head snapped up, freezing her mid-sentence. His dark eyes burned like embers, a sharp reminder of the fury he kept barely contained.

“Anything?” he echoed, his voice laced with sarcasm. “Do you even know what you’re offering, Catalina?”

The way he said her name sent a shiver down her spine—a warning, a reminder that she was utterly out of her depth. But she couldn’t back down now.

“Yes,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I’ll do anything you ask if it means saving Luca.”

Matteo’s lips curled into a dangerous smile, one that made her instantly regret her words. He leaned forward, bracing his hands on the desk. His voice dropped to a menacing whisper.

“Very well,” he said. “You will remain here, under my authority. You will look after Luca, ensure his condition remains stable, and prepare him for surgery. Should you fail—should his condition worsen—there will be consequences.”

Catalina’s stomach churned. His demand loomed over her like a suffocating weight. She was to be a prisoner in his home, at the mercy of a man who had every reason to despise her. But Luca had no choice, and neither did she.

Taking a shaky breath, she nodded. “I’ll do it.”

Matteo’s smile faded. He straightened, snapping the folder shut with a sharp thud that made her flinch.

“You will be watched every moment,” he continued. “If you attempt to run or defy me in any way, I won’t hesitate to make you regret it. Are we clear?”

Though her heart thundered in her chest, Catalina forced herself to meet his gaze. “Yes,” she murmured, even as her body trembled with fear.

Matteo said nothing. He turned away, dismissing her without another word. One of the guards who had brought her in stepped forward, his grip firm but not cruel as he took her arm and led her out of the study.

The door closed behind her with a heavy, echoing thud. Catalina felt as though she had just signed her soul over to the devil.

>><<

The guard led her down a long hallway, the marble floors cold beneath her feet. The mansion was rich and sophisticated, every detail exuding power and control. Catalina tried to memorize their path, but everything looked the same—cold, impersonal, and designed to remind her of her captivity.

This wasn’t just a house. It was a fortress, built to prevent escape and to assert the dominance of the man who ruled it.

They stopped in front of a solid wooden door. The guard opened it and motioned for her to step inside.

Catalina hesitated before entering. The room was larger and more opulent than anything she had ever seen. A grand four-poster bed, draped in dark, velvety fabrics, dominated the space. Heavy curtains filtered the night from the windows, and a plush rug softened the polished wood floor. A small fireplace crackled in the corner, casting a warm glow over the dark, luxurious furniture.

But even with all its splendor, the room felt like a golden prison.

The door locked behind her with a soft click, and she was alone—alone in enemy territory, surrounded by people who saw her as nothing more than collateral damage in a war she never asked to be part of.

Her hands trembling, Catalina sank onto the edge of the bed. The weight of everything crashed down on her, and for a moment, she allowed herself to cry.

She cried for Luca, the boy she had never met but now felt responsible for. She cried for her father, trapped somewhere she couldn’t reach. And she cried for herself—lost, terrified, and unsure how she would survive this ordeal.

This version refines the pacing, dialogue, and descriptions, keeping the tension high while adding depth to Catalina’s emotions. Let me know if you need further adjustments!