"You have this beauty that captivates men, don’t you? There were plenty of naked women in this room, but the second you walked in, the men lost control. They wanted a piece of you. They wanted to own you." His fingers trail down my jaw, tilting my chin up. "Not knowing you already belong to me." I swallow hard, my breath caught in my throat. He moves away, settling into a chair with ease. He unbuttons his coat, leans back, spreads his legs apart like a king, which I guess he is... And then, his voice turns lethal. "From now on, Ariella Costa, you are mine to use. Mine to play with. Mine to do with as I please." The words hit me like a heart attack. "Your body belongs to me. Your mind belongs to me. Your soul belongs to me." He smirks, his dark eyes locking onto mine. "I own you."
view more"Do you want me to get someone else?" Damien asked hesitantly. "A woman, maybe? Do you think you'll feel better talking to a woman rather than talking to me?"For the first time since this nightmare began, I answered. "No," my voice was barely above a whisper. "I just… I’d like to take a shower. Maybe a change of clothes?""Yes, of course!" His voice lifted as if I had finally given him something sensible to do—something that could help, even if just a little.He practically bolted out the door, his footsteps fading down the hall. For a few moments, I just stood there, hugging myself, my mind still reeling from everything. Then, not too long after, Damien returned, his arms full of clothes and toiletries."I brought everything I thought you might need," he said, placing them on a broken chair. One of its legs was missing, making it tilt slightly. "I asked Maddie to prepare it." He motioned toward the back of the room. "There's a bathroom right there behind you. You can use it. It has
"Nobody! It is nobody!" I cried out, my voice breaking with desperation. "I have never cheated on you, Asher. It’s always been you. It has always been only you.""Shut up, you bitch!" he snapped, his voice laced with pure fury. "You think I’m foolish? Do you think I’m stupid? You think I—" He cut himself off, running a hand through his hair before glaring down at me again. "Then where did this son come from? You think you're the virgin Mary?""No. I never said that, I....""You think I haven’t heard the rumours? People whispering behind my back, saying you were sneaking around? You think I don’t know why you were after me, the Don’s son?"I shook my head, my lips parting to speak, but he wasn’t done."You think I don’t know why you forced me to sleep with you just weeks before you faked your own death?" His voice dropped lower, more dangerous. "Staged it, I should say.""I don’t know what you’re talking about, Asher," I whispered, still curled up on the floor, my arms wrapped around m
Asher stood still, frozen, as seconds ticked by before he turned towards me. He looked at me, and I could see the anger, the fury, the fire burning hot in his eyes, and it made me scared. I took a step back, and that little movement seemed to be the thing that broke him from his trance because before I could blink an eye, he was already there—right there in front of mAs he looked at me, I tried avoiding eye contact. His gaze was too piercing, too intense, and it made me too scared, so I looked down.But he gritted out angrily, commanding, “Look at me.”I raised my head up, forcing myself to meet his gaze.“Look. At. Me.” He gritted out each syllable, his voice sharp. Then, he asked me, “What did you say?”I shook my head. I was afraid to speak out, afraid to repeat the words that had already left my mouth. Just moments ago, he had mocked the idea of me having a boyfriend, of being with someone else, of being married. And now, now he was acting so mad because I told him I had a son.
He smiles. It’s slow, calculating."Whatever it is," he murmurs, "if they find out, you know the rules of the famiglia."His eyes darken, his voice almost a whisper. "You. Are. Dead."A shudder of fear runs through me. I flinch. Because I know he’s telling the truth. The moment he takes me back, I am dead.Nobody will save me. I can’t leave Leon. I won’t leave Leon. He needs me.He sees the fear in my eyes. And he likes it."So you better just tell me why," he says, his voice quieter. "Why did you run away, Ariella?"He leans in slightly, watching me. "Were you scared I was going to hurt you?" His voice is almost teasing, taunting. "Was it fear—after breaking my trust—that made you run away?"I am desperate for a way out. I can see that he wants me to say yes. He wants me to admit I was scared of him.So I do. I nod. Trembling. Avoiding his eyes. He smirks."Good."He tilts my chin up, forcing me to meet his gaze."I like your fear." He says licking his lip. Then, he moves. His hands
I shake my head. No.Again and again, I shake my head, willing this moment to be a nightmare.But Asher just watches me, his lips curling into a cold, calculated smile. His eyes gleam with amusement as if he’s enjoying the way I’m crumbling before him.He isn’t speaking. Just watching. Like a predator toying with his prey.I try to absorb his words, to make sense of them, but they don’t fit. They don’t make sense."But you’re married," I whisper, my voice shaking. "You’ve moved on. What are you saying? I don’t understand."He laughs, low and cold, his mockery slicing through me."It looks like you got caught up in your feelings, Ariella." His voice is taunting, cruel."I never said I loved you. I never said I was going to marry you. I never even said you had any significance."My breath catches."What I did say," he continues, his tone dripping with venom, "is that you my toy. I am going to use you until there’s nothing left. Until you don’t recognize yourself. Until nobody can recogn
I don't even turn towards the voice. I feel like I'm going to turn to stone. I guess I should have expected that, given everything that happened years ago. Of course, he's married. Did I think he was going to wait for me his whole life?But I still can't believe it. I'm still not ready for the pain that envelops me when I hear that he's moved on, he's married, and he has a family.I feel like I'm going to cry.Asher doesn't say anything. He just looks at me, and I just stand there. Frozen into place.All of a sudden, he barks. "get out!" the sound of his voice, the power in it—there seems to be some anger in it, and I can't help myself but scramble and start running towards the door.But then he stops me again."Not you," he says."Everybody out," he continues.Everybody stands up, and the whole room clears out in an instant.I'm left standing there, looking at him as he looks back, he just stares at me blankly. There is no expression on his face.I don't know how to react. I'm nervou
I was late to work again. Having a four-year-old isn’t easy.This morning, Leon woke up sick, burning with a fever. I couldn’t take him to daycare or just leave him alone, so I had to ask my neighbour, Tracy, for help. She agreed after I promised to pay her with my tips. I handed her some money, gave Leon one last worried glance, and a kiss and then ran out the door.The minute I stepped into the restaurant, I knew something was different today. There was a tension in the air, an unease that I couldn’t quite place. I barely made it to the back room to change into my uniform before the manager appeared."Where have you been, Ariella?" he barked.He never yelled. He was always composed, even under pressure. But today, he seemed agitated—nervous, even.I swallowed hard.It hadn’t been easy to land this job. This wasn’t just any restaurant—it was an exclusive, high-end place, the kind where getting hired was nearly impossible. The only reason I was here was because of Damien. I had met hi
I was late to work again. Having a four-year-old isn’t easy.This morning, Leon woke up sick, burning with a fever. I couldn’t take him to daycare or just leave him alone, so I had to ask my neighbour, Tracy, for help. She agreed after I promised to pay her with my tips. I handed her some money, gave Leon one last worried glance, and a kiss and then ran out the door.The minute I stepped into the restaurant, I knew something was different today. There was a tension in the air, an unease that I couldn’t quite place. I barely made it to the back room to change into my uniform before the manager appeared."Where have you been, Ariella?" he barked.He never yelled. He was always composed, even under pressure. But today, he seemed agitated—nervous, even.I swallowed hard.It hadn’t been easy to land this job. This wasn’t just any restaurant—it was an exclusive, high-end place, the kind where getting hired was nearly impossible. The only reason I was here was because of Damien. I had met hi...
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