You belong to Edward Poletto

Cecilia clung to Josh’s lifeless hand, her tears falling onto the cold metal of the hospital stretcher. Her fingers trembled as she traced the contours of his calloused palm, a hand that once held hers with so much love and promise. Now, it was stiff, devoid of the warmth she had cherished.  

“Josh,” she whispered brokenly, her voice cracking under the weight of her sorrow. “Why did this happen? Why did you leave me?”  

Her tears blurred her vision, but even through the haze, she could see the bruises and marks on his face—the signs of a struggle. Her heart clenched with both grief and fury. Josh had been strong and brave, but now he lay here, a victim of something far more sinister than a simple robbery.  

“I won’t forgive him,” Cecilia muttered, her voice low but resolute. Her words carried a weight that pierced through her despair.  

The nurse who had been silently observing from the doorway approached hesitantly. “Miss, I’m so sorry for your loss. But perhaps you should rest—”  

Cecilia turned to her, her eyes blazing through her tears. “Rest?” she snapped, her voice shaking. “When the man I loved has been taken from me like this? No, I won’t rest until I find out the truth.”  

The nurse took a step back, startled by the intensity in Cecilia’s tone.  

Cecilia stood abruptly, her legs trembling but her determination solid. She cast one last lingering glance at Josh, her hand brushing his one final time. “I’ll make this right,” she promised softly.  

Edward leaned casually against the hood of his sleek black car, his expression unreadable as he lit a cigarette. The flicker of the lighter briefly illuminated his sharp features, but his eyes remained cold and calculating.  

“She’s strong,” he murmured to himself, watching as Cecilia’s anguished silhouette moved through the hospital window. Her resilience intrigued him, even as it threatened his plans.  

“Sir,” his bodyguard interrupted cautiously, “are you sure this is wise? She’s clearly devastated. Forcing her hand now might backfire.”  

Edward exhaled a cloud of smoke, his lips curling into a smirk. “Let her grieve,” he said, his voice calm but carrying an edge of menace. “Her pain will only deepen her dependence on me when the time comes. Joshua’s death was inevitable—he was nothing more than an inconvenience.”  

The bodyguard shifted uncomfortably. He had witnessed Edward’s ruthlessness countless times, but this felt personal, almost obsessive.  

Edward’s eyes flickered with a strange intensity as he crushed the cigarette under his heel. “She’ll fight, yes,” he said, almost as if savoring the thought. “But it won’t matter. Cecilia belongs to me. And if she can’t see that yet, I’ll make her understand.”  

For a moment, the wind carried the sound of Cecilia’s sobs to where Edward stood. His smirk faltered, replaced by something unreadable—a flicker of guilt, or perhaps longing. But it vanished as quickly as it came, buried beneath his cold resolve.  

“Let’s go,” Edward commanded, slipping into the car. As the engine roared to life, he cast one last glance at the hospital.  

The bodyguard hesitated before speaking again. “And if she finds out what really happened to him?”  

Edward’s expression darkened, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “She won’t. And even if she does, it will be too late. By then, she’ll be mine—body, soul, and spirit.”  

In the car sped off into the night, leaving Cecilia alone with her grief and a growing sense of something terribly amiss. As she wiped her tears and stared into the darkness, a single thought burned in her mind I’ll find the truth. No matter the cost.

 Edward paced the luxurious study of his sprawling mansion, his polished leather shoes clicking against the marble floor. His mind was a storm of thoughts, all centered on one person—Cecilia. Her cries, her defiance, and her heartbreak haunted him, though he’d never admit it aloud. She belonged to him now, and nothing, not even her own will, would change that.  

Turning sharply, he fixed his icy gaze on his bodyguard, who stood stiffly by the door, awaiting orders.  

“Bring her here,” Edward said, his voice calm but carrying an unmistakable edge of authority. “Now.”  

The bodyguard hesitated, his brow furrowing. “Sir, she’s grieving. Forcing her now might—”  

“I didn’t ask for your opinion,” Edward interrupted, his tone sharp enough to cut steel. He stepped closer, towering over the man. “I said bring her. Whether she likes it or not.”  

The bodyguard nodded reluctantly. “Understood.”  

Edward turned away, his fingers gripping the edge of his desk. For a fleeting moment, his cold facade cracked, revealing something more complicated beneath. Guilt? Longing? He couldn’t say.  

“She’s better off here,” he muttered to himself, though the words rang hollow. “She’ll be safe. She’ll have everything she could ever need.”  

But deep down, Edward knew his actions were driven by something far darker than concern for her safety.  

After Joshua's funeral, Cecilia returns to her small apartment,  

She sat on the edge of her small, wooden bed, clutching a photo of Josh. Her tear-streaked face was pale, her eyes hollow from sleepless nights. Grief weighed heavily on her, but beneath the sorrow, a simmering rage was beginning to take hold.  

A loud knock at the door startled her. She wiped her face quickly, setting the photo aside. “Who is it?” she called, her voice hoarse.  

No answer came, but the door creaked open to reveal two men—Edward’s bodyguard and another towering figure, both dressed in dark suits.  

“Miss Cecilia,” the bodyguard said, his tone firm but not unkind. “We’ve been sent to escort you.”  

Cecilia frowned, her instincts flaring. “Escort me? Where? Who sent you?”  

“Mr. Edward Poletto,” he replied, stepping into the room.  

Her blood ran cold at the mention of his name. Edward—the man whose presence in her life always felt suffocating, the man she had tried to keep at arm’s length. “I’m not going anywhere,” she said firmly, taking a step back.  

The bodyguard sighed, his expression tightening. “This isn’t a request.”  

Before Cecilia could react, the other man moved swiftly, grabbing her arm. She struggled, her cries echoing through the small cottage. “Let me go! You can’t do this!”  

But her protests fell on deaf ears. They carried her out of the house and into a sleek black car parked outside. Cecilia kicked and screamed, her voice breaking with desperation.  

“You’ll regret this!” she yelled, her fists pounding against the bodyguard’s chest.  

The car door slammed shut, trapping her inside. She stared out of the window, her chest heaving with rage and fear as the vehicle sped away, leaving her small cottage behind.  

In Edward’s Mansion  

The grand doors of Edward’s mansion loomed ahead as the car pulled into the long driveway. Cecilia’s heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing with ways to escape.  

When the car stopped, the bodyguards opened the door and gestured for her to step out. She glared at them but complied, her chin held high despite the fear coursing through her veins.  

Edward stood at the top of the marble staircase, his hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable. His piercing gaze locked onto Cecilia as she approached, her defiance evident in every step she took.  

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Cecilia spat, her voice trembling with fury. “You have no right—”  

Edward raised a hand, silencing her. “I told you, Cecilia. You belong to me now. This is where you’ll stay.”  

Her eyes burned with hatred as she stared up at him. “I’ll never belong to you, Edward. Never.”  

His lips curled into a cold smile. “We’ll see about that.”  

Without another word, he turned and walked inside, leaving Cecilia standing on the grand steps, her fists clenched and her heart pounding with both fear and determination.