07. Negotiation

                                   Mia Miller

As I sorted through my father's belongings, my thoughts drifted to my baby. Was he being fed? Was he crying because he missed me?

My body was drained of energy; I couldn’t lift myself up.

As promised, the funeral expenses were all covered by Ethan. At least my father would be buried with dignity.

There were hardly any people here—just Charlotte and me. We didn’t have close family.

“Mia, you need to eat,” she said, holding my hand.

“I’m not hungry. I just want my son back.”

“If you don’t eat, you won’t have the strength to get him back. Please…”

She was right. And today, the damned driver would take me to God knows where. I wondered how I could have such a sweet, gentle son with such a horrible man. He was cold and calculated, and something about him sent chills down my spine.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. "I just hope this madness ends soon. I don’t know how much more I can take."

Charlotte pulled me into a hug, and there, in her arms, I let the tears fall once more. My father was gone, Lorenzo was lost, and the weight of it all felt crushing. But I knew I had to find strength, no matter how impossible it seemed.

When I finally pulled away, Charlotte looked at me with a determined expression. "Let’s get out of here, Mia. You need to eat something. Do it for Lorenzo."

I nodded, though without much conviction, allowing her to guide me out of the funeral home. Ethan might be a monster, but I wouldn’t let him take my son from me. I would fight with every bit of strength I had left.

Which wasn’t much.

I stayed home alone, as Charlotte had to leave for work. I held back the tears as best as I could, though it seemed like an impossible task.

When the black car pulled up in front of my house, my heart began to race. It was early, and the driver was there, just as Ethan had said. I didn’t know what to expect, but the idea of getting into that car made me uneasy.

“Miss,” the tall man with a Stoic expression said, and I just nodded.

I got into the vehicle in silence, and the driver, a man with a serious face and an impassive expression, started the engine without a word.

The drive was long, and as we moved further away from the city center, my discomfort only grew.

We passed through tree-lined streets and luxurious residential areas until, finally, the car entered through an iron gate that opened automatically. The property we entered was immense.

When the car stopped in front of the mansion, my eyes widened in surprise.

The building was imposing, with an architecture that mixed classical and modern elements. The gray stone facade and large glass windows gleamed under the sunlight, and there was a long marble staircase leading up to the main entrance, where two large, carved wooden doors awaited to be opened.

I got out of the car, feeling the knot in my stomach intensify. The place was impressive, but at the same time, it felt intimidating and cold. I had never seen anything like it before. Who was Ethan Greenwood, really? He was much more than I had imagined, and that only increased my fear.

The man gestured for me to follow him.

We ascended the steps, and I remained silent. The doors opened as we approached, revealing a grand foyer.

The marble floor almost gleamed.

I looked around, almost unable to believe what I was seeing. The walls were adorned with artwork, and luxurious furniture filled the space, but there was something cold and distant about it all. It was as if the grandeur of the mansion reflected Ethan’s personality: impressive, but dangerous.

The driver then led me down a corridor where the paintings on the walls almost seemed to watch me. We passed several closed doors until he finally stopped in front of one, opening it for me to enter. "Wait here. Mr. Greenwood will come to see you."

I sat on one of the sofas, feeling the softness of the upholstery, but unable to relax.

Every second there seemed to increase my anxiety. I didn’t know what Ethan wanted from me or what the next step would be, but one thing was clear: I was completely terrified.

As I waited, I tried to imagine how someone could possess so much power and wealth and yet be so cold and cruel.

"I see you’re quite observant," a deep, firm voice echoed across the room.

"Do you live here?" The question slipped out involuntarily.

"It depends," he looked me up and down. "I prefer the house in the forest, it’s my natural habitat."

Natural habitat? This guy was a lunatic, that’s for sure.

"Anyway, what do you want? What do you know about my son?" I asked, clenching my fingers.

He paced around the room, almost as if he were patrolling the space. This didn’t seem like the sexy, seductive man I had met in that bar.

"I’ll bring him back, I promised you. And promises are debts. I have enemies; one of them might have found out I had a son before I did and kidnapped him."

My eyes widened. If he had enemies, nothing good could come from it.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"You’re too curious, Mia Miller. I don’t like curious people; I like those who follow orders."

"I just want my son back," I murmured.

He gave a sarcastic smile.

"Oh… About that, I’ve changed my mind."

The awkward silence that filled the room made my breathing quicken. He walked slowly, coming closer to my face.

"Rapid breathing. Sweat. Heart racing," he brushed his fingers across my lips. "Hmm, you’re scared."

The tension between us intensified with every millisecond. His mouth was just inches from mine, and his piercing blue eyes scanned my entire face.

"No. I’m not afraid of you."

"Don’t be mediocre," he smirked. "If you’re not, start being."

"What did you change your mind about?"

"I won’t take Lorenzo from you anymore when I find him."

A spark of hope appeared on my face. Could there be some kindness in this man?

"Really?" I asked.

"Mhm… Because you’ll be mine, you’ll obey me, be my property. You’ll just need to follow the rules, and you’ll pay for all your lies, human."

My heart raced. What he was proposing—this was madness!

"You must be joking," I let out a sarcastic laugh.

"I’m not joking; I’m a serious man and leader. If you don’t agree, that’s fine. One way or another, I’ll find the child, and he’ll never see you again."

He made a move to leave the room, and I quickly stood up and shouted.

"WAIT!" He looked back. "I’ll do whatever you want, just bring my son back safely."

A satisfied smile appeared on his lips, and I wished I had never gotten involved with this man.

"Smart decision. You’re not as dumb as I thought. Now you’re mine, Mia Miller."