Evelyn
The car ride to Alessio's estate was silent. He sat beside me, his gaze fixed on the window as the city lights blurred past. I kept my hands clenched in my lap, my nails digging into my palms to keep myself grounded. The weight of his threat still hung in the air, suffocating me. "Don't think about running. If you do, I'll make sure your father pays the price." His words echoed in my mind, a constant reminder of the power he held over me. I wanted to hate him, to scream at him, to demand answers. But the fear in me paralysed me. The car pulled up to a massive iron gate, flanked by two armed guards. They nodded at Alessio as the gate creaked open, revealing a sprawling estate that looked more like a fortress than a home. The house was a monolith of stone and glass, lit by harsh floodlights that cast long shadows across the grounds. Alessio stepped out of the car and held the door open for me. I hesitated, my heart pounding as I stared up at the imposing structure. This wasn't a home. It was a prison. "Welcome to your new life," Alessio said, his voice cold and devoid of emotion. I didn't respond. I couldn't. My legs felt like they were made of lead as I followed him up the steps and into the house. The interior was just as intimidating as the exterior-cold, sterile, and devoid of any warmth. The walls were lined with expensive art, but it did nothing to soften the atmosphere. Alessio led me down a long hallway and stopped in front of a set of double doors. "This is your room," he said, pushing the doors open. I stepped inside, my eyes scanning the space. It was large and opulent, with a king-sized bed, a sitting area, and a balcony that overlooked the grounds. But it didn't feel like mine. It felt like another cage. "You'll stay here until I decide otherwise," Alessio said, his tone leaving no room for argument. I turned to face him, my anger finally breaking through the fear. "And what if I don't want to stay here? What if I want to leave?" He stepped closer, his dark eyes boring into mine. "Then your father will suffer the consequences. Do you understand?". He must have repeated that a hundred times. I clenched my fists, my nails digging deeper into my palms. "Yes," I whispered, my voice trembling. He nodded, seemingly satisfied, and turned to leave. But before he reached the door, he paused and glanced back at me. "One more thing," he said, his voice, low and dangerous. "Don't try to contact anyone. Your phone has been confiscated, and the guards have orders to shoot anyone who tries to leave." My heart sank as he walked out, closing the door behind him. I was alone. Trapped. And completely at his mercy. I sank down onto the edge of the bed, my mind racing. How has my life come to this? Just a few days ago, I'd been planning my escape, dreaming of a future where I could leave the mafia world behind. But now, those dreams felt like a cruel joke. I stood and walked over to the balcony, pushing the doors open and stepping outside. The night air was cool against my skin, but it did little to calm the storm raging inside me. I stared out at the grounds, my eyes scanning the perimeter. The estate was surrounded by a high stone wall, topped with barbed wire. Guards patrolled the grounds, their movements sharp and deliberate. There was no way out. I leaned against the railing, my hands gripping the cold metal as tears stung my eyes. I wanted to scream, to cry, to do something-anything-to make this nightmare end. But I knew it wouldn't do any good. I was trapped, and there was nothing I could do to change that. A sound behind me made me freeze. I turned, my heart pounding, and saw a figure standing in the doorway. It was a woman, tall and elegant, with dark hair and piercing green eyes. She looked at me with a mixture of curiosity and pity. "You must be Evelyn," she said, her voice soft but firm. I nodded, wiping the tears from my eyes. "Who are you?" "I'm Sofia," she said, stepping onto the balcony. "Alessio's sister." I stared at her, my mind racing. Alessio had a sister? Why hadn't he mentioned her? "I'm sorry about all of this," Sofia said, her gaze softening. "I know it's not what you wanted." I laughed bitterly. "That's an understatement." She sighed and leaned against the railing beside me. "Alessio can be... difficult. But he's not as heartless as he seems." "Really?" I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Because he seems pretty heartless to me." Sofia didn't respond. She just stared out at the grounds, her expression unreadable. After a long silence, Sofia turned to me, her eyes filled with something I couldn't quite place. "Be careful, Evelyn," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "There are things you don't know about Alessio. Things that could get you killed." And with that, she walked away, leaving me standing there with a sinking feeling in my chest. What had she meant? What was Alessio hiding? And how far was he willing to go to keep his secrets?.Evelyn Sofia's words lingered in my mind long after she left. "There are things you don't know about Alessio. Things that could get you killed."What had she meant? What was Alessio hiding? And why had she warned me? I wanted to chase after her, to demand answers, but I knew it wouldn't do any good. Sofia was as much a mystery as her brother, and I had no idea if I could trust her. I spent the rest of the night pacing the room, my mind racing with questions. Sleep was impossible. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Alessio's cold, calculating gaze, and heard his voice echoing in my mind. *"Don't think about running. If you do, I'll make sure your father pays the price."* When the first rays of sunlight crept through the balcony doors, I was still awake, my body tense and my nerves frayed. A knock at the door made me jump, my heart pounding as I turned to face it. "Come in," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. The door opened, and a maid stepped inside, carrying a tray of food
AlessioI stood in the study, staring out the window as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the estate. The meeting with Evelyn had left me unsettled, though I'd never let it show. She was stronger than I'd anticipated-defiant, even in the face of my threats. It was... intriguing. But I couldn't afford to be intrigued. Not now. Not when so much was at stake. The door creaked open behind me, and I turned to see Marco Moretti stepping inside. He looked nervous, his hands trembling as he closed the door behind him. "You wanted to see me?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. I nodded, gesturing for him to sit. He hesitated, then sank into the chair across from my desk, his eyes darting around the room like a cornered animal. "Your daughter is settling in," I said, my tone calm but firm. Marco flinched at the mention of Evelyn. "She's... she's a good girl," he stammered. "She doesn't deserve this." I leaned back in my chair, studying him. "And yet,
EvelynThe knock at my door came just after sunset. I'd been sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the untouched tray of food Maria had brought hours earlier. My stomach growled, but the thought of eating made me nauseous. How could I eat when my life had become a prison? The knock came again, sharper this time. I stood, smoothing my hands over my wrinkled dress, and opened the door. Alessio stood there, his expression unreadable. He was dressed in another perfectly tailored suit, this one a deep charcoal grey that made his dark eyes seem even more piercing. He didn't say anything at first; he just stared at me like he was trying to figure me out. "What do you want?" I asked, my voice steadier than I felt. "Come with me," he said, his tone leaving no room for an argument. I hesitated, my instincts screaming at me to refuse. But the memory of his threats that my father will suffer the consequences is rooted in place. I stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind me, and
Alessio I stood in the shadows of the basement hallway, watching Evelyn through the cracked door. She sat on the floor, her back against the cold stone wall, staring at the gun on the table like it was a venomous snake. Her hands were trembling, her face pale, and for a moment, I almost felt... guilty. Almost. But guilt was a luxury I couldn't afford. Not now. Not when so much was at stake. I turned and walked away, my mind racing. Evelyn was stronger than I'd anticipated-defiant, even in the face of my threats. It was... intriguing. But it was also a problem. If she couldn't follow orders, if she couldn't adapt to this world, then she was a liability. And I didn't have room for liabilities. I made my way to the study, where Sofia was waiting for me. She sat in the armchair by the fireplace, her legs crossed and a glass of wine in her hand. She looked up as I entered, her green eyes narrowing. "Well?" she asked, her tone sharp. "Did she pass your little test?" I walked ov
Evelyn I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the gun on the table. My hands were still trembling, my mind racing. Alessio's words echoed in my head, each one a reminder of the power he held over me. "You either learn to defend yourself or you die." But I didn't want to learn. I didn't want to be part of this world. I just wanted to escape. The sound of footsteps outside my door made me freeze. I stood, my heart pounding, and walked over to the window. The guards were patrolling the grounds as usual, their movements sharp and deliberate. But something felt... off. The door creaked open, and I turned to see Maria standing there, her expression tense. "Evie," she whispered, glancing over her shoulder. "You need to come with me. Now." I stared at her, my mind racing. "What's going on?" She stepped inside and closed the door behind her, her voice barely above a whisper. "Your father... he's gone. He ran. And Alessio's men are looking for him." My heart sank. "What does th
Alessio The door creaked open, and I stepped inside, my eyes scanning the dark room. Evelyn was there, her back pressed against the wall, her eyes wide with fear. She looked like a cornered animal, ready to bolt at any moment. "Evelyn," I said, my voice steady but edged with authority. "You shouldn't have run." She didn't respond, her hands trembling as she clutched the hoodie Maria had given her. I moved closer, each step deliberate, my presence filling the room like a storm cloud. "Do you have any idea what you've done?" I asked, my tone sharp enough to cut through the tension. "If my sister was dumb enough to help you escape, are you as dumb as her?." She shook her head, her eyes flickering with a mix of fear and defiance. "Your father ran," I said, my words clipped. "And now, you've run too. Do you know what that looks like to me?" She stayed silent, her breath coming in shallow gasps. "It looks like guilt," I said, closing the distance between us. "Like you're hidi
Evelyn I sat in the study, my hands trembling as I clutched the hoodie. Alessio's words echoed in my head, each one a reminder of the power he held over me. "You're the key to your father. And if you want to survive, you'll help me find him." But how could I help him? I didn't even know where my father was. And even if I did, could I really betray him? The door creaked open, and I looked up to see Sofia stepping inside. She closed the door behind her and walked over to the desk, her expression unreadable. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft. I shook my head, my throat tight. "No." She sighed and sat down in the chair across from me, her green eyes filled with something I couldn't quite place. "Alessio can be... difficult. But he's not as cruel as he seems." I laughed bitterly. "Really? Was that supposed to make me feel better?." She didn't respond, her gaze dropping to the floor. "Why are you helping me?" I asked, my voice trembling. She looked up at me, her
Evelyn I sat on the edge of my bed, the photograph Sofia had given me clutched tightly in my hands. My father’s face stared back at me, his smile frozen in time. Beside him stood Victor Romano, Alessio’s uncle, his expression unreadable. What had happened between them? And why had it led to Victor’s death? I tucked the photo under my mattress and stood, my mind racing. Sofia’s warning echoed in my head: “If Alessio thinks you know something, he’ll stop at nothing to get it out of you.” But I couldn’t just sit here and wait for answers. I had to find them myself. The estate was eerily quiet as I slipped out of my room and into the hallway. The guards were stationed at the main entrances, but the interior of the house was deserted at this hour. I made my way to Alessio’s study, my heart pounding with every step. The study was exactly as I’d left it—neat, orderly, and filled with the faint scent of whiskey and leather. I walked over to the desk and ran my fingers along the edge,
AlessioEvelyn stood in front of me, her back pressed against the bedroom wall, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and defiance. The crushed tracking device glinted in my palm, a silent accusation. She thought she’d outsmarted me. She thought I hadn’t noticed. Foolish girl.“Care to explain?” I asked, my voice cold and measured. She lifted her chin, her hands trembling but her voice steady. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I stepped closer, crowding her against the wall. The scent of her—lavender and something sharper, like defiance—filled the space between us. “Lying to me is a mistake, Evelyn. One you can’t afford.” She didn’t flinch. “I’m not lying.” I smirked, though the anger simmering beneath my skin threatened to crack my calm. “You’ve been in the hidden room. You’ve read Victor’s journal. You’ve even dragged my sister into your little rebellion. Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?” Her breath hitched, but she held my gaze. “If you knew, why didn’t you st
Evelyn Sofia grabbed my arm, her grip tight. “We need to go. Now.” I didn’t argue. We slipped out of the hidden room, leaving the journal and photos scattered on the desk. Alessio’s footsteps echoed faintly down the hall, growing quieter as we hurried in the opposite direction. The estate felt like a maze in the dark, every shadow threatening to reveal a guard or a trap. Sofia led me through a servants’ stairwell and into the empty kitchen, her movements silent and precise. We didn’t speak until we reached my bedroom, the door locked securely behind us. Sofia collapsed into the armchair by the window, her breath uneven. I leaned against the door, my hands trembling as I pulled the folded pages I’d stolen from the journal out of my pocket. “What is that?” Sofia asked, her eyes narrowing. “A map,” I said, smoothing the paper on the bed. It was hand-drawn, with cryptic symbols marking a location near the docks. “Victor hid it in the journal. Do you recognize it?” Sofia studi
Evelyn Maria stood in the doorway, the gun in her hand glinting in the dim light of the hidden room. Her expression was unreadable, but her eyes—sharp and calculating—locked onto mine. “You shouldn’t be here,” she said, her voice calm but laced with menace. I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. “Maria… what are you doing?” She stepped inside, closing the door behind her. “I could ask you the same question. Snooping around where you don’t belong. Did you really think no one would notice?” I glanced at the journal in my hands, then back at her. “I was just… curious.” “Curiosity can be dangerous,” she said, her tone icy. “Especially in this house.” She walked closer, the gun still trained on me. My mind raced, searching for a way out, but the room was small, and the only exit was blocked by Maria. “Give me the journal,” she said, her voice firm. I hesitated, clutching the journal tighter. “Why? What’s in it that you don’t want me to see?” Her eyes narrowed. “You don
Evelyn I sat on the edge of my bed, the photograph Sofia had given me clutched tightly in my hands. My father’s face stared back at me, his smile frozen in time. Beside him stood Victor Romano, Alessio’s uncle, his expression unreadable. What had happened between them? And why had it led to Victor’s death? I tucked the photo under my mattress and stood, my mind racing. Sofia’s warning echoed in my head: “If Alessio thinks you know something, he’ll stop at nothing to get it out of you.” But I couldn’t just sit here and wait for answers. I had to find them myself. The estate was eerily quiet as I slipped out of my room and into the hallway. The guards were stationed at the main entrances, but the interior of the house was deserted at this hour. I made my way to Alessio’s study, my heart pounding with every step. The study was exactly as I’d left it—neat, orderly, and filled with the faint scent of whiskey and leather. I walked over to the desk and ran my fingers along the edge,
Evelyn I sat in the study, my hands trembling as I clutched the hoodie. Alessio's words echoed in my head, each one a reminder of the power he held over me. "You're the key to your father. And if you want to survive, you'll help me find him." But how could I help him? I didn't even know where my father was. And even if I did, could I really betray him? The door creaked open, and I looked up to see Sofia stepping inside. She closed the door behind her and walked over to the desk, her expression unreadable. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft. I shook my head, my throat tight. "No." She sighed and sat down in the chair across from me, her green eyes filled with something I couldn't quite place. "Alessio can be... difficult. But he's not as cruel as he seems." I laughed bitterly. "Really? Was that supposed to make me feel better?." She didn't respond, her gaze dropping to the floor. "Why are you helping me?" I asked, my voice trembling. She looked up at me, her
Alessio The door creaked open, and I stepped inside, my eyes scanning the dark room. Evelyn was there, her back pressed against the wall, her eyes wide with fear. She looked like a cornered animal, ready to bolt at any moment. "Evelyn," I said, my voice steady but edged with authority. "You shouldn't have run." She didn't respond, her hands trembling as she clutched the hoodie Maria had given her. I moved closer, each step deliberate, my presence filling the room like a storm cloud. "Do you have any idea what you've done?" I asked, my tone sharp enough to cut through the tension. "If my sister was dumb enough to help you escape, are you as dumb as her?." She shook her head, her eyes flickering with a mix of fear and defiance. "Your father ran," I said, my words clipped. "And now, you've run too. Do you know what that looks like to me?" She stayed silent, her breath coming in shallow gasps. "It looks like guilt," I said, closing the distance between us. "Like you're hidi
Evelyn I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the gun on the table. My hands were still trembling, my mind racing. Alessio's words echoed in my head, each one a reminder of the power he held over me. "You either learn to defend yourself or you die." But I didn't want to learn. I didn't want to be part of this world. I just wanted to escape. The sound of footsteps outside my door made me freeze. I stood, my heart pounding, and walked over to the window. The guards were patrolling the grounds as usual, their movements sharp and deliberate. But something felt... off. The door creaked open, and I turned to see Maria standing there, her expression tense. "Evie," she whispered, glancing over her shoulder. "You need to come with me. Now." I stared at her, my mind racing. "What's going on?" She stepped inside and closed the door behind her, her voice barely above a whisper. "Your father... he's gone. He ran. And Alessio's men are looking for him." My heart sank. "What does th
Alessio I stood in the shadows of the basement hallway, watching Evelyn through the cracked door. She sat on the floor, her back against the cold stone wall, staring at the gun on the table like it was a venomous snake. Her hands were trembling, her face pale, and for a moment, I almost felt... guilty. Almost. But guilt was a luxury I couldn't afford. Not now. Not when so much was at stake. I turned and walked away, my mind racing. Evelyn was stronger than I'd anticipated-defiant, even in the face of my threats. It was... intriguing. But it was also a problem. If she couldn't follow orders, if she couldn't adapt to this world, then she was a liability. And I didn't have room for liabilities. I made my way to the study, where Sofia was waiting for me. She sat in the armchair by the fireplace, her legs crossed and a glass of wine in her hand. She looked up as I entered, her green eyes narrowing. "Well?" she asked, her tone sharp. "Did she pass your little test?" I walked ov
EvelynThe knock at my door came just after sunset. I'd been sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the untouched tray of food Maria had brought hours earlier. My stomach growled, but the thought of eating made me nauseous. How could I eat when my life had become a prison? The knock came again, sharper this time. I stood, smoothing my hands over my wrinkled dress, and opened the door. Alessio stood there, his expression unreadable. He was dressed in another perfectly tailored suit, this one a deep charcoal grey that made his dark eyes seem even more piercing. He didn't say anything at first; he just stared at me like he was trying to figure me out. "What do you want?" I asked, my voice steadier than I felt. "Come with me," he said, his tone leaving no room for an argument. I hesitated, my instincts screaming at me to refuse. But the memory of his threats that my father will suffer the consequences is rooted in place. I stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind me, and