ELEANOR“You’re lucky I’m not the kind of man who doesn’t ask for consent,” Armando continued, his tone low but cutting. “Or I’d have had you right here and now without a second thought.”My heart skipped, and my pulse spiked at the subtle threat laced in his voice. I clenched my fists at my sides, forcing myself to breathe. I wouldn’t let him see how his words rattled me, how much they cut straight to the core of my fear.I swallowed hard as he lifted my chin. “You’d end up in jail.“ I shot back, my voice sharper than I felt inside. “And honestly… that doesn’t sound so bad for someone like you.” I added, letting spite creep into my tone.For a second, there was silence. Then Armando let out a low, dangerous laugh—a sound that sent chills down my spine. He tilted his head, his smirk sharp and mocking.“Well,” he said, dragging the word out, “if you want me to go to jail so badly, I might as well use you as my free pass.”He then moved his arm suddenly, bringing it close to my chest in
ELEANOR As I sat there—still uneasy, I finally gathered the nerve to speak. “What could you possibly want to know about me?” I asked, my voice flat with an edge of skepticism. “I’m not exactly the most interesting person.”Armando—who had just taken another bite from his meal—didn’t even look up at me as he replied. “Tell me whatever you’ve got,” he said casually, his tone almost too indifferent. “Your family, your background...” He paused for a bit, and then added with a slight mocking lilt, “Even the most boring person has a family and a past Eleanor. Don’t they?”“Well I don’t know about everyone else, but I don’t have much of either,” I answered quietly, my face neutral as I shifted in my seat. “No family, and certainly no ‘background’”That finally made Armando look up—his gaze sharp; almost as though he was scrutinizing me for the truth. It was unnerving so I turned my face away, pretending not to notice his growing impatience.After a moment, his voice cut through the silence
ELEANORWhen I opened my eyes, the first thing I noticed was how quiet the mansion felt. It wasn’t the kind of quiet I had gotten used to since Armando locked himself in his room. This was different—heavier, like the silence had a weight to it.I turned my head slightly towards the clock on the wall, and when I saw the time, my body jerked upright before I could even think.9:30 AM.“Crap,” I muttered, throwing the covers off and scrambling out of bed.My heart raced as I tried to make sense of how I’d overslept because it felt like I’d only closed my eyes for a few minutes, but somehow, I’d lost hours.I stood there for a moment staring at the clock again, as if the numbers might somehow change if I looked hard enough—although they never did.Dragging myself to the dresser, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror. My hair was a mess—tangled from tossing and turning all night, my face was lined with faint creases from the pillow, and I looked… tired. The kind that a single n
ELEANORI noticed for the first time, the small shopping bag in his right hand. It was subtle, but now that I’d seen it, I couldn’t look away. My mind immediately started racing. He’d never gotten me anything before—at least not like this—and I couldn’t remember asking him to. So what was in the bag?“What’s in there?” I asked, pointing to the bag in his hand.Armando didn’t answer right away. Instead, he smirked slightly, his expression unreadable. “If you really wanted to know,” he said, “you’d already be standing.”His words felt like a challenge, but I didn’t move right away. I wasn’t sure what I was more nervous about; the bag in his hand or how close he was standing. But after a second or two, I pushed myself up from the bed—my legs still feeling a little weak for reasons I wasn’t ready to admit—and stood beside it.I hesitated, unsure if I should step closer.“Can you see what’s in the bag from there?” he asked, his tone light but teasing.I didn’t bother answering because I co
Chapter 76ELEANORArmando's voice came low and sharp from behind me, brushing against my ear."Do you have any idea what you're asking for, Eleanor?" His words were slow and deliberate—each syllable wrapped in a teasing chill. "You know what you're about to get yourself into?"I opened my mouth, but my throat felt dry.I barely managed to whisper, "Maybe. I'm not sure." My voice shook, and I gasped softly when I felt his breath against the side of my neck, warm and unsettling.His hand moved then, his left still firm on my waist while his right slid lower, tracing circles just below my hips. My skin burned under his touch, every nerve alive and screaming. He leaned in closer, his lips brushing so lightly against my neck that it felt like they weren't even there.He chuckled softly, the sound low and dark, sending shivers down my spine."Maybe?" he repeated, his tone mocking but somehow laced with something that made me feel small and exposed. His hand on my waist then tightened sligh
ELEANORAfter Armando left the room, my legs felt weak—trembling from the overwhelming sensations still coursing through me, and my mind was a mess of scattered thoughts.I swallowed hard, taking slow breaths to calm myself, but my body refused to settle. I hated how much control he seemed to have over me. Even now—with him gone, I could still feel him like his presence had somehow soaked into the walls.“Why does he have to be like this?” I muttered under my breath. I tried to focus, to pull myself out of this haze, but every attempt was a failure.Armando was… intense. That was the only way I could describe him. I wanted to hate him for it, but at the same time, I couldn’t deny that when he touched me, it was like nothing else mattered.I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I forced myself to move, heading to the bathroom for a quick shower. The warm water helped a little—washing away the tension clinging to my skin, and by the time I was done, I felt slightly more grounded.
ELEANORThe sunlight peeked through the gap in my curtains and landed directly on my face, pulling me out of sleep. I groaned softly, turning my head to the side, but it was no use. Once the light hit my eyes, there was no going back. I blinked a few times—trying to adjust—and then stared at the ceiling for a moment before dragging myself out of the duvet.As I sat up, I glanced around my room and the mess stared back at me like a taunt. Clothes were scattered on the chair, books—which i usually read as a means of escape—were piled on the nightstand, and a few empty water bottles were sitting on the dresser.It wasn’t that I didn’t care about my space, but ever since I moved into Armando’s mansion, my days had been swallowed by cleaning everything else. His room, his library, the home office, the dining room—anywhere Armando might show up had to be spotless. My room always came last. And every time I planned to clean it, something would come up—some new task Armando would throw my wa
ELEANOR Armando’s voice shot through the mansion like a whip. “Eleanor!” he bellowed. “Get down here. Now!”I froze mid-pace, my heart hammering in my chest. Did he really just call my name, or was my panic starting to mess with my head? My mind raced, torn between the phone I had just hidden away and the constant paranoia of being found out.Before I could decide, his voice rang out again, louder this time. “Eleanor! I won’t call you again!”The echo bounced off the walls—filling every corner of the house—and for a few seconds, I couldn’t move, my mind spinning with all the worst possibilities. Had he found out i used the phone?My hands trembled as I paced aimlessly for a moment, trying to pull myself together. “Get it together,” I whispered under my breath. “Breathe. Act normal.”I rushed to the drawer, shoved the phone back inside, and slammed it shut. Adjusting my dress in the mirror, I brushed out the wrinkles and ran my fingers through my hair. My reflection stared back at me,
ARMANDO The room was quiet, save for the low hum of the TV. My study was always like this—dim lighting, the faint smell of leather, and silence that made it easier to think. I leaned back in my chair, my eyes fixed on the screen. The news anchor’s voice droned on about the recent police crackdowns. Another raid. Another group of men in cuffs.It wasn’t surprising. The authorities had been tightening their grip for months, thinking they could dismantle everything piece by piece. It wouldn’t work. I had been in this game too long to let it. Still, I watched, paying close attention to the details. You never knew when a name, a face, or a location might give you something to act on.My fingers tapped lightly on the armrest. A bad habit, but one I didn’t bother correcting. It helped me focus. The footage shifted to a warehouse raid—men dragged out with their hands behind their backs, flashing lights bouncing off the walls. Sloppy. Someone had slipped up, and now they were paying for it.T
ELEANOR My phone buzzed on the nightstand, jolting me from my thoughts. The screen lit up, and my stomach dropped when I saw the private number. My fingers hesitated for a moment before I grabbed the phone. I already knew what to expect, and that only made my heart pound harder.It was a text. “It’s time. Now or never. Face the consequences if you choose the latter.”I stared at the message, the words blurring as the weight of them hit me. I had been preparing for this moment but now that it was here, I felt paralyzed, my mind racing but coming up empty.I had already decided. I had to do this. There was no way out. Months of torment from Armando had driven me to this point, and Don Salvatore’s threats left no room for hesitation. My sister’s life depended on me going through with this.But there was one massive problem.I didn’t have the poison. I had no idea how to get it, where to find it, or even how to use it if I did. I had spent weeks stuck in limbo, hoping for some kind of so
ELEANORSeveral days had passed since Don Salvatore’s call, but I hadn’t known peace since. My mind was stuck in a constant cycle of worry and my heart heavy with fear. I couldn’t eat because the mere thought of food made my stomach churn and my body began growing weaker—my skin pale and dry. It wasn’t hard to tell that something was wrong with me, but there was no one to confide in—not here.And Armando? Despite the way I looked or sounded, he hadn’t eased up on my duties. I should’ve been a bit relieved that someone was hired to share the workload, but instead, I felt uneasy around her. She seemed off, like she didn’t belong. There was something about the way she carried herself—always watching, always calculating—that put me on edge. From the moment I laid eyes on her, I knew she was trouble.Mabel’s presence didn’t lighten my load. Her role was clear—cook whatever Armando wanted whenever he wanted it. Meanwhile, I was still left with everything else—the cleaning, the mopping, the
ELEANORI scrubbed the last dish, letting the warm water run over my hands until my fingers felt numb. The rhythmic clinking of plates against the sink was the only sound in the kitchen, but my thoughts were far from calm. Armando’s words from earlier echoed in my mind, and then there was Don Salvatore. His threats, my sister’s pale face in that photo—it all coiled around my chest like a vice.I kept scrubbing—pretending the kitchen was my sanctuary—and for a moment it almost worked, but then the door creaked. My body stiffened.I turned slowly—the soapy plate still in my hands—and my eyes fell on the profile of Armando leaned against the doorframe, watching me. His eyes were calm, but there was an edge to his gaze—the kind that always seemed to confuse me.“You’ve been hiding yourself away a lot lately,” he said, his voice low and smooth. “I don’t remember giving you permission to turn into a ghost. Not in my house.”I placed the plate on the drying rack, wiping my hands on a towel
ELEANORI sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the drawer where the phone was hidden. The silence in the mansion pressed down on me like a heavy weight and I hated how quiet it was—how every shift of the wind outside seemed louder than my own heartbeat. I just had this lingering feeling that he was going to call.My hands shook as I waited—each second feeling like an eternity—and then it happened. The phone rang.The sound sliced through the quiet like a knife, and for a moment, I couldn’t move. My heart raced as I reached for the drawer—my fingers fumbling to open it—and when I finally pulled the phone out, my stomach twisted into knots.I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves, and answered. “Hello?”The line was silent. Not a sound. Not even the faintest breath on the other end. I swallowed hard, gripping the phone tighter.And then, his voice came—smooth, calm and controlled. “Eleanor.”I didn’t respond right away. My mouth was dry, and my chest felt tight.“Have you been
ELEANOR Armando’s voice shot through the mansion like a whip. “Eleanor!” he bellowed. “Get down here. Now!”I froze mid-pace, my heart hammering in my chest. Did he really just call my name, or was my panic starting to mess with my head? My mind raced, torn between the phone I had just hidden away and the constant paranoia of being found out.Before I could decide, his voice rang out again, louder this time. “Eleanor! I won’t call you again!”The echo bounced off the walls—filling every corner of the house—and for a few seconds, I couldn’t move, my mind spinning with all the worst possibilities. Had he found out i used the phone?My hands trembled as I paced aimlessly for a moment, trying to pull myself together. “Get it together,” I whispered under my breath. “Breathe. Act normal.”I rushed to the drawer, shoved the phone back inside, and slammed it shut. Adjusting my dress in the mirror, I brushed out the wrinkles and ran my fingers through my hair. My reflection stared back at me,
ELEANORThe sunlight peeked through the gap in my curtains and landed directly on my face, pulling me out of sleep. I groaned softly, turning my head to the side, but it was no use. Once the light hit my eyes, there was no going back. I blinked a few times—trying to adjust—and then stared at the ceiling for a moment before dragging myself out of the duvet.As I sat up, I glanced around my room and the mess stared back at me like a taunt. Clothes were scattered on the chair, books—which i usually read as a means of escape—were piled on the nightstand, and a few empty water bottles were sitting on the dresser.It wasn’t that I didn’t care about my space, but ever since I moved into Armando’s mansion, my days had been swallowed by cleaning everything else. His room, his library, the home office, the dining room—anywhere Armando might show up had to be spotless. My room always came last. And every time I planned to clean it, something would come up—some new task Armando would throw my wa
ELEANORAfter Armando left the room, my legs felt weak—trembling from the overwhelming sensations still coursing through me, and my mind was a mess of scattered thoughts.I swallowed hard, taking slow breaths to calm myself, but my body refused to settle. I hated how much control he seemed to have over me. Even now—with him gone, I could still feel him like his presence had somehow soaked into the walls.“Why does he have to be like this?” I muttered under my breath. I tried to focus, to pull myself out of this haze, but every attempt was a failure.Armando was… intense. That was the only way I could describe him. I wanted to hate him for it, but at the same time, I couldn’t deny that when he touched me, it was like nothing else mattered.I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I forced myself to move, heading to the bathroom for a quick shower. The warm water helped a little—washing away the tension clinging to my skin, and by the time I was done, I felt slightly more grounded.
Chapter 76ELEANORArmando's voice came low and sharp from behind me, brushing against my ear."Do you have any idea what you're asking for, Eleanor?" His words were slow and deliberate—each syllable wrapped in a teasing chill. "You know what you're about to get yourself into?"I opened my mouth, but my throat felt dry.I barely managed to whisper, "Maybe. I'm not sure." My voice shook, and I gasped softly when I felt his breath against the side of my neck, warm and unsettling.His hand moved then, his left still firm on my waist while his right slid lower, tracing circles just below my hips. My skin burned under his touch, every nerve alive and screaming. He leaned in closer, his lips brushing so lightly against my neck that it felt like they weren't even there.He chuckled softly, the sound low and dark, sending shivers down my spine."Maybe?" he repeated, his tone mocking but somehow laced with something that made me feel small and exposed. His hand on my waist then tightened sligh