SARAH I stepped into the bathroom, the darkness wrapping aroundme as I tried to find the switch. I couldn’t see a thing, and in my rush, I stumbled, nearly losing my footing. “This night could not get any more annoying,” I hissed, catching myself on the sink. I fumbled for the light switch, finally flicking it on. The harsh light made me squint, but at least I could see now. I faced the sink and looked up at the mirror, my heart sinking at the sight before me. The woman staring back looked defeated, her eyes hollow and tired. I barely recognized myself. This wasn’t the life I wanted, and every day felt like a new kind of torture. I turned on the faucet and cupped my hands under the cold water, splashing it on my face. As I worked to remove the makeup, I couldn’t help but think about how much I hated this ritual. Makeup was such a drag. It felt like a mask I had to wear, hiding the real me underneath. And Marco, of course, insisted on it. He loved to control every aspect of my l
SARAH I sat on the desk as Marco instructed, my mind racing. My heart pounded in my chest as I tried to find my voice, my words coming out in a shaky whisper. “Marco, I think you’re drunk. You don’t want to do this.” He leaned in closer, his breath warm on my neck. “Oh, I want this, Sarah,” he murmured, his voice low and dangerous. “And you want it too. You know it.” I swallowed hard, trying to push down the conflicting emotions swirling inside me. Marco’s presence was overpowering, his hands gripping the desk on either side of me, trapping me in place. I could feel the heat radiating off his body, the intensity in his eyes. “I’m going to teach you a lot Sarah” he growled, his voice filled with possessive anger. “You need to learn who you belong to.” I tried to protest, to reason with him, but the words got stuck in my throat. My fear mixed with a strange, unwanted arousal, creating a confusing cocktail of emotions. I felt a tingle of anticipation and dread, my body betraying my m
SARAHMarco’s eyes bore into mine, a mixture of intensity and something I couldn’t quite place. He moved closer, his touch electric. I felt a shiver run down my spine as his fingers explored my skin. I wanted to resist, to push him away, but my body had other ideas. The wetness between my thighs was undeniable, and I hated myself for it.“This is just a one time thing,” I told myself, trying to maintain some form of control. “Just one time, and then it will never happen again.”Marco’s hand trailed down my side, his touch firm and possessive. He was in control, and he knew it. I bit my lip, trying to suppress a moan as he continued to edge me closer and closer to the brink.“Do you like this, Sarah?” he whispered, his voice low and dangerous. “Tell me you like it.”I glared at him, refusing to give him the satisfaction of hearing me admit it. But my body betrayed me, a soft moan escaping my lips as he increased the pressure.“Stubborn as always,” he murmured, a smirk playing on his li
SARAHIt had been a week since Marco’s cruel stunt, and I did everything in my power to avoid him. Every time I heard his voice, a chill ran down my spine. I couldn’t even bear to look in his direction. Our last encounter was still painfully fresh in my mind, and the humiliation and anger I felt had not subsided.I had become an expert at timing my movements around the house. If I heard his footsteps coming down the hall, I found a reason to be somewhere else. If he entered a room, I made an excuse to leave. It was exhausting, but the alternative—facing him and risking another encounter like the last—was unbearable.“I can’t keep doing this,” I muttered to myself, trying to summon the courage to face him, but my resolve crumbled every time I thought of his mocking laughter. The memory of him edging me, leaving me on the brink, then walking away with that smirk on his face, still haunted me.I sat in the kitchen, pretending to read a magazine, but my mind was elsewhere. The maids bustl
SARAHI spent the next few days studying the guards’ patterns. Every moment was an opportunity to observe, to find the weak spots in their routines. I felt like I was going crazy, but I knew it was the only way out.Every morning, I positioned myself near a window with a clear view of the front gate. I noted the times they manned the gates, their shift changes, and when they seemed less vigilant. I had to be meticulous. I had to know every detail.“Alright, they switch shifts at 8 a.m.,” I muttered to myself, scribbling down notes. “The next shift comes at 4 p.m., and the night shift starts at midnight.” It felt like I was planning a heist, but instead of stealing something, I was trying to steal my freedom.I noticed that around noon., the guards gathered near the gate for a smoke break. They would chat and laugh, momentarily distracted. “This is good,” I thought. “A potential opening.” I couldn’t help but feel a small thrill of excitement.During meal times, the number of guards dec
I spent the morning making the final preparations for my escape. Every moment felt like an unsafe balancing act, but I had to maintain my composure. My hidden stash was still intact: the maid’s uniform, a small container of gasoline, a lighter, and a makeshift rope. I checked each item, my heart racing as I imagined the steps I would need to take.I planned to hide in the back of one of the trucks, slipping out when the opportunity arose. The image of freedom beyond these gates was the only thing keeping me focused. I reviewed my plan in my head, ensuring I remembered every step, every detail. There was no room for error.The day began like any other, with the usual hustle and bustle around the house. I forced myself to interact with the maids as usual, maintaining my act. It was crucial that no one suspected anything. As I walked through the kitchen, I ran into Maria, occupied in her work. Stepping in she turned to me. “You look tired, Miss Sarah. Everything okay?” Maria asked, her
The adrenaline running through my veins felt to good to be true. I couldn’t believe I’d actually pulled it off. I had planned a heist and executed it without a single hitch. I couldn’t help but laugh to myself, a mixture of relief and disbelief. “Who would have thought?” I whispered. “All that time under Marco must have toughened me up.”I ducked into an alley, my heart still racing. My mind was buzzing with a million thoughts. I had to be careful now, more than ever. I needed to stay off Marco’s radar. “The last thing I want is to get caught and dragged back to that prison after all of this” I gritted.The first thought that crossed my mind was to call Nicole. She’d know what to do. She’d help me figure out the next steps. But then I stopped myself. Marco might find a way to trace the call and maybe even harm her too, he's that heartless. He had eyes and ears everywhere. I couldn’t risk it.Suddenly my thoughts drifted to my father. A wave of panic washed over me. Would Marco hurt
MARCOThe dimly lit room of my office buzzed with the low hum of conversation. I leaned back in my chair, observing the men around the table. Each of them had their own piece of the empire, their own slice of power. We were discussing territory disputes, something that always seemed to be on the agenda.“Vinny, how’s the situation on the east side?” I asked, my tone casual but firm.Vinny leaned forward, his voice gravelly. “We’ve had a few issues with the Rossi family. They’re trying to muscle in on our turf. I’ve got a meeting set up with the heads of the 5 families tomorrow. I’m gonna make it clear they need to back off.”I nodded. “Good. We can’t afford to show any weakness. If they don’t back down, we’ll handle it our way.”Tony, a heavyset man with a scar across his cheek, chimed in. “What about the shipments coming in next week? Any word from our contacts at the docks?”I smirked. “Everything’s on schedule. We’ve got the port authority in our pocket. There won’t be any issues.”
SARAHShowing up at the hospital to investigate felt unreal. I couldn’t shake the irony of it all—hospitals were supposed to be places of healing, sanctuaries of truth, where people put their trust in tests and results. Yet here I was, convinced that something as crucial as Marco’s DNA test had been tampered with, and the trail of deception had led me straight to the doors of this institution.Every step toward the entrance felt heavy, like I was dragging the weight of my doubts and fears behind me. This wasn’t just about Marco or Isabella anymore. It was about the truth, about justice. If someone had tampered with his test results, they had played with his life—and mine.Tony walked beside me, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his leather jacket, his expression neutral but sharp. He always had this way of staying calm, of making me feel like we weren’t walking into the lion’s den. But I couldn’t help the nerves twisting in my stomach.“This is a big risk,” I muttered, breaking th
SARAHI couldn’t shake the unease in my chest, the gnawing sensation that something sinister was at play. Those messages I’d found on Isabella’s phone were like pieces of a puzzle that didn’t fit. Marcel—the same man who had nearly killed Marco—was texting her. Why? What was the plan? I’d spent the better part of the day wracking my brain, going over every possible scenario, but none of my conclusions gave me any comfort.Was she working with Marcel? Was this about money? Revenge? Control? My thoughts circled back to the vague instructions in those texts—keeping Marco distracted, causing turmoil. But to what end? And why was Isabella still here, moving through this house like she belonged, when every fiber of my being screamed that she didn’t?I sighed heavily, putting down the crochet hook I’d been using to try to calm my nerves. The yarn sat limp in my lap, a testament to how little I’d managed to accomplish. I wasn’t going to get anywhere sitting here and stewing in my own thoughts
SARAHThe rhythmic motion of my hands moving the crochet hook through the yarn was oddly soothing. It was one of the few things that could keep my mind calm these days. I sat on the living room couch, determined to finish the little blanket I’d started weeks ago. The soft, repetitive motion allowed me to focus on something other than the chaos that had become my life.Across the room, Isabella was lounging on another couch, scrolling through her phone. She hadn’t said a word to me since she’d entered the room, and I wasn’t about to start a conversation. The silence between us was sharp, almost suffocating, but I preferred it over whatever fake kindness she’d try to throw my way. I kept my eyes fixed on my work, ignoring her presence entirely.Every now and then, I’d hear her let out a soft laugh or the click of her nails tapping against the phone screen. It was infuriating how comfortable she seemed, sitting there like she owned the place. I tightened my grip on the yarn, forcing myse
MARCO I sat at my desk, my eyes fixed on the ledger before me. The columns of numbers blurred into one another, mocking me with their impenetrable logic. No matter how hard I tried to focus, to force my mind into the calm precision I was known for, it felt like grasping at smoke. The harder I tried, the more elusive it became. I leaned back in my chair with a sharp sigh, running a hand through my hair. The scattered papers, the quiet hum of the office—it all felt like a testament to my failure. I’d been sitting here for hours, pretending to work, trying to keep my mind from going where it always went. But nothing worked. The numbers refused to make sense, and my thoughts refused to stay in line. This wasn’t me. I was always in control. Always sharp. But lately, it felt like control had slipped through my fingers. Like the more I tried to hold onto it, the faster it unraveled. I hated the feeling. Hated that I couldn’t snap my fingers and make it all go away. I pushed back my ch
SARAH“Where did you find my bracelet?” I snapped, my voice louder than I intended, trembling with the anger that had been bubbling inside me all day. My gaze locked onto the bracelet on Isabella’s wrist—a charm bracelet I could never mistake. My bracelet. The one I had been searching for like a lunatic all morning, tearing through every corner of the house only to find it here, now, dangling mockingly from her wrist.Isabella’s eyebrows lifted ever so slightly, her lips curving into the faintest hint of a smile, as if my frustration amused her. “Sarah,” she said softly, in a tone so calm it only fueled my fury, “there’s no need to get so worked up. It’s just a bracelet.”“Don’t tell me to calm down!” I spat, my chair scraping loudly against the floor as I shot to my feet. The sharp sound echoed in the room, but I didn’t care. My anger had its own momentum now, unstoppable. “Where the fuck did you find it? I’ve been looking for it all day, tearing this place apart, and now it’s just c
SARAHBy the time dinner rolled around, I felt more settled. The small victories of the day—reorganizing the spaces Isabella had claimed and setting some quiet boundaries with Martha—gave me a sense of control I hadn’t felt in weeks. It was almost laughable how reclaiming a few drawers and shelves could make me feel so accomplished, but after days of feeling like I was drowning in chaos, I would take every win I could get.As I made my way downstairs, I mentally ticked off everything I had rearranged earlier. The bookshelf in the living room? Back to its original setup. The vase Isabella had moved to the coffee table? Returned to its rightful place on the mantle. Even the pantry had been sorted, with labels that made sense to me instead of her haphazard system. Nothing seemed out of place. Good.When I entered the dining room, the familiar, comforting scent of roasted vegetables and seasoned chicken greeted me. My dinner was already set on the table, just like always. Martha, ever tho
SARAHI woke up feeling a little lighter, the tension from yesterday not completely gone but dulled enough to let me breathe. I stretched, letting the faint morning light seep into my room before heading to the bathroom. A warm shower was exactly what I needed to set the tone for the day.After drying off, I opened my wardrobe to pick out a dress, only to freeze. Something was off. The neatly arranged rows of clothes I’d spent time organizing were disheveled, with hangers out of place and garments folded in ways I would never fold them. My brow furrowed as I scanned the wardrobe again.“What the hell…” I muttered under my breath.I pushed aside a row of dresses, checking the back for anything missing. My eyes landed on an empty spot where one of my scarves used to hang. Confused, I stepped back, trying to recall the last time I’d used it. Shaking my head, I moved to the drawers and opened the one that held my jewelry.That’s when I noticed it—my bracelet was gone.I stared at the empt
SARAHAs I walked down the hallway, the house felt different—like someone had been here, touching things that didn’t belong to them. It was subtle at first. A throw pillow on the couch was slightly off-center, its crisp lines disturbed. The vase I had carefully placed on the mini table in the living room was now perched on the corner of the mantle.I frowned, stopping mid-step to glance around. I hadn’t moved it. No one ever moved anything in this house unless I told them to. The staff knew better than to tamper with my things.Who was behind this?I shook my head, forcing myself to keep walking, but the unease stayed with me. By the time I reached the kitchen, I was determined to find some kind of distraction. I'd rather be hanging around in the kitchen than seeing him. Avoiding him right now felt far more important.Martha was there, wiping down the counters with practiced efficiency. She turned as I entered, her face lighting up with a warm smile. “Good afternoon, ma’am,” she greet
SARAHI stood in the middle of my room, staring at the slight mess I’d made over the past few days. Clothes were draped over the chair in the corner, some hanging halfway to the floor, and a stack of books leaned precariously on my nightstand. It wasn’t a disaster, but it wasn’t neat either. Still, cleaning seemed like the best way to keep my mind from spiraling. Anything was better than sitting here and stewing over Isabella and her smug, self-satisfied attitude—or Marco, with his infuriatingly calm demeanor, like nothing in the world could touch him.I grabbed a shirt off the chair and folded it with a little more force than necessary, tucking it into the drawer. The movement was brisk, almost aggressive, but it felt good. At least this, I could control. Folding clothes, organizing, tidying—it was simple and didn’t come with strings attached.“The Isabella situation,” I muttered under my breath as I grabbed another shirt. That’s what I’d been calling it in my head. It sounded clinic