Chapter 4 : Escape

Isabella's Escape.

The message that flashed across my phone screen made my fingers shake as I read it: 

 "Meet me near the back gate at midnight." An automobile will be waiting for me. A flood of relief swept over her. At last, I had a strategy, a means of leaving Luca's estate. 

I could still clearly recall the horrifying incident in the corridor, including Luca's icy rage and the vicious blow that left the poor man sprawled on the ground. And it had been worse than any nightmare the way he looked at me afterwards, like though he was daring me to question him. 

My nerves pricked as the hours passed slowly, my mind whirling with hope and anxiety. I was aware that I could not afford to make any errors. I would need to be quick, quiet.

The home froze at last. Every minute seemed to drag on into eternity as midnight approached. my heart thumping, I reached for my phone, slipped it into my pocket, and walked carefully to my bedroom door. As I slowly opened the door and looked into the dim hallway outside, I held my breath. The floor was covered in shadows, with the moon's dim glimmer peeking in through a far-off window as the only source of light. 

I left my room quietly, taking deliberate, slow steps and praying the walls wouldn't creak as Ileft. Every breath felt like it scraped against my throat, and my pulse thundered in my ears. I sensed Luca's presence everywhere, as if he were still keeping an eye on her.

But I kept going, forcing my fears down, desperate to be free. When Ifinally reached the back gate, Isaw the car waiting just as promised. I couldn't make out the driver, but the car was there, and that was enough. Freedom was within my grasp.

Just as I reached out for the door handle, though, a shadow loomed over her. I froze, my breath catching in my chest. A hand clamped down on my shoulder, spinning me around, and I found myself face-to-face with Luca.

"Isabella," he muttered in a low, derisive tone. my heart sank like a stone at the glitter in his eyes. "I assumed you were asleep. I'm a fool. As the truth hit me, the color faded from my face. He was aware. He had been aware all along. Glancing over his shoulder, I saw the car drive away, leaving me and Luca alone in the dark, my one hope of freedom gone. my body refused to obey my mind's cries for me to run, fight, or do something. As Luca's icy stare pierced her, fear anchored me to the earth and paralyzed my muscles.

"I gave you everything, Bella," he added in a suave yet menacing voice. "A lovely house. safety. even faith. And this is how you pay me back?” he said, lifting my chin with a rough finger, making me meet his eyes. "I... Stumbled, scarcely able to speak, "I had to leave." "Please, Luca. You're not understanding. His fingers clenched on my jaw as he screamed, "Oh, I understand perfectly." His hold was excruciatingly tight, as if he were barely holding himself back from something much more sinister. "Yesterday, I spotted the phone. I questioned if you would be stupid enough to attempt this.

Panic swept through her, causing my chest to heave. He had been testing me, so he knew. I became aware that I had played perfectly into his hands, but it was too late. As I thought about what he may do next, my heart raced, fear taking over. Luca nodded sharply, and a tall figure emerged from the darkness before Icould think to protest. I had never seen the man before, and although his face was unreadable in the low light, he exuded a frightening aura similar to Luca's. Eyes that glinted like steel in the darkness, cold and disconnected. Although I was unaware of his name, I could not question his devotion to Luca.

"Lorenzo, take her to the dungeon," Luca commanded in a cold voice. "Perhaps a dark night will help her remember where she belongs." I eventually wrenched myself free of his hold and cried out, "Luca, please!" but it was too late. Lorenzo's face was expressionless as he dragged me backward, his hands closing around my arms like iron. my body thrashed against him as I struggled, but his strength was strangely overwhelming. I twisted and kicked, but his grip remained firm, making my efforts as pointless as trying to break through a wall. "Give me a break!" Luca merely stared, an insensitive sneer curving at the corner of his mouth, while I cried, my voice hoarse with despair.

"Isabella, you'll learn," he stated icily. "There are repercussions for disobedience in my world." Isabella's mind whirled as Lorenzo pulled me along the twisting hallways, the fear intensifying with each step. He didn't even flinch when I clawed at his hands, trying to pry his fingers off myself. He had the appearance of being composed of stone. They eventually arrived at a chilly, dim stairway. my feet were barely keeping up with him as he dragged me more into the mansion, my heart pounding as he pushed me down the stairs. Every step reverberated off the stone, and the walls were moist and mildew-scented. As they went more into Luca's territory, Icould feel the air getting heavier and colder.

They arrived at a big iron door at its base. I shuddered when Lorenzo pushed it open and heard it scrape against the stone. my heart was pounding as I looked around the tiny, poorly lighted cell. There were chains hanging from the walls, and the floor was rough and filthy. The smell of moist dirt permeated the air, blending with a subtle hint of metal, which made my skin tingle. I staggered forward, catching myself before I hit the floor when Lorenzo shoved me inside. My eyes were wide with fear as I looked around, but Lorenzo had already retreated and closed the door with a somber finality.

Hold on! I sobbed as I ran to the door and slammed my fists into the chilly metal. "Don't leave me here, please!" Lorenzo, however, remained silent. All he could do was watch myself with that cold stare, his face devoid of compassion, and then he turned, his face shadowed by the flickering torch light as he vanished up the steps. As the sound of his footsteps dwindled and I found myself alone in the oppressive dungeon silence, my heart fell. I leaned back against the wall, gasping for air, my thoughts racing as I attempted to process what had just transpired.

Panic building in my gut, I thought, “This can't be real. I strained to keep herself from collapsing and slipped to the ground, pulling my knees up to my chest. I glanced at every aspect in the cell, but there was nothing to see and no way out. Just stone, cold and unforgiving. Any remaining hope was crushed as the darkness of Luca's world and the weight of his betrayal fell hard upon me. I had believed that I could outsmart him and get away. But now that I was imprisoned in the center of his mansion, I understood how foolish I had been.

Hours went by, each one seeming to drag on forever. Every sound, every trickle of water, every slight creak was magnified by the darkness that closed in on me. Shivering as the cold crept into my bones, I gave myself a tight hug. Never before had I felt so isolated, so totally forsaken. my thoughts started to wander as the truth of my predicament set in, overtaken by anxiety and fatigue. I reflected on my family, my life prior to Luca, and the independence I had taken for granted. Would any of it ever come to me? 

But just when I was about to give up, a sound broke the stillness—a slow, purposeful footstep reverberated down the stairwell. I scurried to my feet, pressing myself against the distant wall as my eyes sprung open and my heart began to race. The steady, methodical footfall approached, as if the one descending knew I had nowhere to go. When the iron door finally groaned open, Luca entered, his icy, calculating gaze fixed on her.

He moved forward, and I felt as if the walls were closing in on me as his presence filled the little cell. I felt vulnerable and cornered, like prey. " Isabella, do you understand now?" He whispered in a quiet voice, but there was a fierceness in his eyes that made me shudder. "Disobedience leads to this." I made an effort to look him in the eye, to muster some semblance of resistance, but I betrayed myself.I spoke in a whisper, my voice trembling slightly. "Please... I... I was…… Luca, I was afraid. I had no idea— "You were unaware?" He cut in, his voice brimming with irony. "You believed you could flee and abandon me? 

Do you really think I'd let you go so lightly? I took a deep breath as the truth of what he had spoken set in. There was no way out of this nightmare, no way out of him. His voice grew softer as he extended his hand and traced my jaw in a way that made my skin crawl. "I thought I could trust you, Bella," he added. "But it looks like I'll have to explain loyalty to you now." my eyes pinched with tears, but I pushed them away, not allowing them to fall.