My eyes widened as Dante entered the room. Finishing his applause, he slid his hands back into his pockets and pulled out a cigarette box, lighting a cigar.In a low voice, his gaze fixed on the lighter, he said, “You thought I wouldn’t find you? Why do you have to be so stupid all the time?”My lips trembled, and as my fingers shook frantically, I dropped the suitcase I was holding, which hit the floor with a loud thud.He glanced down and shrugged. “What’s that? You’re already packing your stuff?”“I…” I stammered.Before I could react, he rushed toward me like a cheetah chasing its prey and snatched the suitcase from my grip.This was the end of me! One wrong move, and I’d be finished.He removed the cigar from his mouth, threw it on the floor, and stamped it out. His gaze slowly swept over me. “Next time, if you don’t behave, your body will be the tray.”Dante opened the suitcase, and to my shock, there was no real cash inside—only paper money. Those fools had tried to scam me wit
Vanessa's povI looked at my arm; it was grazed by a bullet, and blood was trickling down. “Oh my God!” I screamed, clutching it with my other hand.Instead of hearing concern or pity, all I heard were cheers and shouts of celebration that seemed to pierce through my ears.“Nice one, Bella!” Dante said to her with a warm smile.I watched as she gave him a bow over me being shot, while neither of them lifted a finger to help or stop my bleeding. That’s when I realized he wasn’t angry at Arabella for hurting me all this time; he was only angry that she’d taken me without his permission.I could be hurt, but not taken.“Ouch!” I winced in pain, trying to hold the blood in.But instead of helping me, Dante and Bella returned to their shooting practice, while Alessandro merely stared.I took off on my heels, running to find any maid who might help.---MAID PIPER'S ROOMI watched as Maid Piper dressed my wound. She was the first person to actually help me without wanting anything in return
Vanessa's povMy fingers brushed down my warm, tense abs as I avoided looking at him. It had been a long time since I’d tried anything like this. Staring into his eyes while trying to seduce him felt like more of a challenge than I’d anticipated.Still, as I brushed my lips across his nose, he didn’t pull away. If anything, he seemed to enjoy it, even if I couldn’t fully relax into the moment myself.I waited, feeling my heart race, hoping he’d run his hands over my exposed back, trace every curve. But nothing. The silence broke when Alessandro burst in, pushing the door wide open.“Master Dante, you need to see this!” he shouted. In shock, I slipped into the water, hiding myself.I didn’t dare look up, but I felt Dante’s gaze linger on me. He must be wondering a hundred things, questioning why I was acting this way. The embarrassment made me bite my lip. I hadn’t noticed he was calling my name until he tapped my hand—right over my fresh wound.“Ow!” I gasped, narrowing my eyes at him
Vanessa's PovI screamed as the men closed in on me, my mind spinning. What the hell was Bella thinking, trying to hand me over to a group of quack doctors for some bizarre “surgery?”I darted toward the door, but Bella’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “Stop it!” she snapped, then hesitated before quickly adding, “He’s back! Everyone, act like you’re treating her!”The men stumbled to put on the act, pretending to check me over as “patients.” Then, just as they got in place, the door opened.He was back—Dante. The air shifted, heavy and silent as he scanned the room with a cold, unreadable expression. His gaze flicked between me and Bella, and I could practically feel the questions in his eyes.Before he could speak, Bella jumped in, forcing a warm smile. “I… I realized I might’ve overreacted earlier,” she said, her tone calm. “So, I brought in doctors to help with her wounds!”I felt a surge of anger. Two-faced liar!Dante narrowed his eyes, glancing at the “doctors” in surgical gown
Dante's povMy eyes narrowed, jaw clenched in rage. The slap echoed through the room, and for a moment, time stood still. Vanessa's defiance was replaced with a flicker of fear, but she stood her ground.'You dare to slap me?' My voice was low, menacing. 'You, a mere maid, think you can disrespect me?'I took a step closer, my movements deliberate, calculated. Vanessa's eyes widened as I grasped her wrist, my grip tightening.'You need to learn your place,' I hissed, my breath hot against her ear. 'And I'll make sure you do.'"I dragged Vanessa out of the room, her feet stumbling to keep up with my long strides. The maids watched in silence, their faces pale.'Where are we going?' Vanessa demanded, trying to wrestle free.I didn't respond yet I pulled her through the winding corridors, finally stopping at a door hidden behind a tapestry.'Inside,' i growled and shoved her into the dimly lit room.Vanessa stumbled, her eyes adjusting slowly. The room was sparse, with stone walls a
**Vanessa's POV**I froze as warm blood splattered across my face, painting my vision in red. The man in front of me collapsed to the ground, a gaping hole in his head where the bullet had struck."Oh my God!"My gaze darted up to find my savior—Alessandro, his gun now pointed at Dante. Alessandro saved me… but why? After everything, after betraying me last time, why would he come back?Enemy or not, he was the only person here I could cling to, hide behind, and trust even a little.My body trembled in fear as my eyes scanned the scene. Finally, I bolted behind Alessandro, seeking refuge, every nerve in my body on edge.Dante’s cold, dangerous voice shattered the silence. "What did you just do?" He moved closer, his gaze fixed on Alessandro.Alessandro lowered the gun slightly, still gripping it tightly. "I did what I had to do."Dante’s voice sharpened. "Alessandro, have you gone soft? Why would you do this?"Alessandro's tone was raw, as if revealing something painfully close to him
Vanessa's povThe knife pressed against my palm as I deliberated my next action. Should I kill her for intimidating me or let her go? I raised the blade but stopped midway, throwing it to the floor. The noise didn’t even wake her. She was so intoxicated that not even an earthquake could rouse her. Regardless, I saw no reward or good outcome in killing her. I still needed to find my sister, and the last thing I wanted was to end up dead—or to make another enemy. At some point, I wanted to give up, but thoughts of my sister—how she was breathing, eating, drinking—rekindled my determination. I groaned and muttered before leaving, “Jade… you’re one lucky bitch.” ---### 8 A.M. I was in the bathroom cleaning the toilet of a room next to Dante’s when I heard screams and cries. What’s going on? Who are they torturing now? I barged through the door and froze. Dante sat on his little throne, Alessandro and Bella standing with their arms crossed, and Jade lay half-naked on the fl
*Vanessa's POVI opened my mouth in fear as I saw the strand of red hair in his hand. What is happening? Am I dreaming? "There's no way my hair ended up in this room," I thought, my mind racing. I never cleaned his room, and I certainly didn't steal his drugs."Tell me... now! Why did you do it?" Dante yelled, his deep voice echoing off the walls, making my heart almost stop. His piercing gaze seemed to bore into my soul."I...," I began, but memories of Jade flooded my mind. Wait... did Jade set me up? I blinked rapidly, and my gaze met Jade's, who was laughing in the corner, her eyes gleaming with malice.The rage boiling inside me manifested in my actions as I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists, trying to break free from the guards. "You bitch... you set me up! How dare you? I saved you from that monster, and now you're shoving me under the bed!" I spat, my voice venomous.I couldn't get to her, but I heard her mocking laughter, fueling my fury. The nerve to betray me after I
NEXT MORNINGDante's POVI woke up feeling grumpy, my head throbbing with a familiar ache. The morning sunlight streaming through the window only intensified my irritation. My mom's meddling was the last thing I needed. Why did she always have to pry into my business? I thought I was the head of the family business, not her.Standing up from the plush bed, I opened the window to gaze out at the expansive pool below, its crystal-clear waters sparkling in the morning light. The sound of gentle lapping against the pool's edges was a brief respite from my anger.Suddenly, I heard a knock on the door, unusual since the maids knew better than to disturb me after 8 am. It couldn't be my mom; she never knocked. That left one possibility: Vanessa, the naive newcomer."Come in!" I yelled, my deep voice echoing through the room.Vanessa entered, dressed in a crisp maid's uniform, a tray of delicacies in her hands. Her bright red and black hair was tied back in a neat bun, and her green eyes spa
*Vanessa's POVI opened my mouth in fear as I saw the strand of red hair in his hand. What is happening? Am I dreaming? "There's no way my hair ended up in this room," I thought, my mind racing. I never cleaned his room, and I certainly didn't steal his drugs."Tell me... now! Why did you do it?" Dante yelled, his deep voice echoing off the walls, making my heart almost stop. His piercing gaze seemed to bore into my soul."I...," I began, but memories of Jade flooded my mind. Wait... did Jade set me up? I blinked rapidly, and my gaze met Jade's, who was laughing in the corner, her eyes gleaming with malice.The rage boiling inside me manifested in my actions as I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists, trying to break free from the guards. "You bitch... you set me up! How dare you? I saved you from that monster, and now you're shoving me under the bed!" I spat, my voice venomous.I couldn't get to her, but I heard her mocking laughter, fueling my fury. The nerve to betray me after I
Vanessa's povThe knife pressed against my palm as I deliberated my next action. Should I kill her for intimidating me or let her go? I raised the blade but stopped midway, throwing it to the floor. The noise didn’t even wake her. She was so intoxicated that not even an earthquake could rouse her. Regardless, I saw no reward or good outcome in killing her. I still needed to find my sister, and the last thing I wanted was to end up dead—or to make another enemy. At some point, I wanted to give up, but thoughts of my sister—how she was breathing, eating, drinking—rekindled my determination. I groaned and muttered before leaving, “Jade… you’re one lucky bitch.” ---### 8 A.M. I was in the bathroom cleaning the toilet of a room next to Dante’s when I heard screams and cries. What’s going on? Who are they torturing now? I barged through the door and froze. Dante sat on his little throne, Alessandro and Bella standing with their arms crossed, and Jade lay half-naked on the fl
**Vanessa's POV**I froze as warm blood splattered across my face, painting my vision in red. The man in front of me collapsed to the ground, a gaping hole in his head where the bullet had struck."Oh my God!"My gaze darted up to find my savior—Alessandro, his gun now pointed at Dante. Alessandro saved me… but why? After everything, after betraying me last time, why would he come back?Enemy or not, he was the only person here I could cling to, hide behind, and trust even a little.My body trembled in fear as my eyes scanned the scene. Finally, I bolted behind Alessandro, seeking refuge, every nerve in my body on edge.Dante’s cold, dangerous voice shattered the silence. "What did you just do?" He moved closer, his gaze fixed on Alessandro.Alessandro lowered the gun slightly, still gripping it tightly. "I did what I had to do."Dante’s voice sharpened. "Alessandro, have you gone soft? Why would you do this?"Alessandro's tone was raw, as if revealing something painfully close to him
Dante's povMy eyes narrowed, jaw clenched in rage. The slap echoed through the room, and for a moment, time stood still. Vanessa's defiance was replaced with a flicker of fear, but she stood her ground.'You dare to slap me?' My voice was low, menacing. 'You, a mere maid, think you can disrespect me?'I took a step closer, my movements deliberate, calculated. Vanessa's eyes widened as I grasped her wrist, my grip tightening.'You need to learn your place,' I hissed, my breath hot against her ear. 'And I'll make sure you do.'"I dragged Vanessa out of the room, her feet stumbling to keep up with my long strides. The maids watched in silence, their faces pale.'Where are we going?' Vanessa demanded, trying to wrestle free.I didn't respond yet I pulled her through the winding corridors, finally stopping at a door hidden behind a tapestry.'Inside,' i growled and shoved her into the dimly lit room.Vanessa stumbled, her eyes adjusting slowly. The room was sparse, with stone walls a
Vanessa's PovI screamed as the men closed in on me, my mind spinning. What the hell was Bella thinking, trying to hand me over to a group of quack doctors for some bizarre “surgery?”I darted toward the door, but Bella’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “Stop it!” she snapped, then hesitated before quickly adding, “He’s back! Everyone, act like you’re treating her!”The men stumbled to put on the act, pretending to check me over as “patients.” Then, just as they got in place, the door opened.He was back—Dante. The air shifted, heavy and silent as he scanned the room with a cold, unreadable expression. His gaze flicked between me and Bella, and I could practically feel the questions in his eyes.Before he could speak, Bella jumped in, forcing a warm smile. “I… I realized I might’ve overreacted earlier,” she said, her tone calm. “So, I brought in doctors to help with her wounds!”I felt a surge of anger. Two-faced liar!Dante narrowed his eyes, glancing at the “doctors” in surgical gown
Vanessa's povMy fingers brushed down my warm, tense abs as I avoided looking at him. It had been a long time since I’d tried anything like this. Staring into his eyes while trying to seduce him felt like more of a challenge than I’d anticipated.Still, as I brushed my lips across his nose, he didn’t pull away. If anything, he seemed to enjoy it, even if I couldn’t fully relax into the moment myself.I waited, feeling my heart race, hoping he’d run his hands over my exposed back, trace every curve. But nothing. The silence broke when Alessandro burst in, pushing the door wide open.“Master Dante, you need to see this!” he shouted. In shock, I slipped into the water, hiding myself.I didn’t dare look up, but I felt Dante’s gaze linger on me. He must be wondering a hundred things, questioning why I was acting this way. The embarrassment made me bite my lip. I hadn’t noticed he was calling my name until he tapped my hand—right over my fresh wound.“Ow!” I gasped, narrowing my eyes at him
Vanessa's povI looked at my arm; it was grazed by a bullet, and blood was trickling down. “Oh my God!” I screamed, clutching it with my other hand.Instead of hearing concern or pity, all I heard were cheers and shouts of celebration that seemed to pierce through my ears.“Nice one, Bella!” Dante said to her with a warm smile.I watched as she gave him a bow over me being shot, while neither of them lifted a finger to help or stop my bleeding. That’s when I realized he wasn’t angry at Arabella for hurting me all this time; he was only angry that she’d taken me without his permission.I could be hurt, but not taken.“Ouch!” I winced in pain, trying to hold the blood in.But instead of helping me, Dante and Bella returned to their shooting practice, while Alessandro merely stared.I took off on my heels, running to find any maid who might help.---MAID PIPER'S ROOMI watched as Maid Piper dressed my wound. She was the first person to actually help me without wanting anything in return
My eyes widened as Dante entered the room. Finishing his applause, he slid his hands back into his pockets and pulled out a cigarette box, lighting a cigar.In a low voice, his gaze fixed on the lighter, he said, “You thought I wouldn’t find you? Why do you have to be so stupid all the time?”My lips trembled, and as my fingers shook frantically, I dropped the suitcase I was holding, which hit the floor with a loud thud.He glanced down and shrugged. “What’s that? You’re already packing your stuff?”“I…” I stammered.Before I could react, he rushed toward me like a cheetah chasing its prey and snatched the suitcase from my grip.This was the end of me! One wrong move, and I’d be finished.He removed the cigar from his mouth, threw it on the floor, and stamped it out. His gaze slowly swept over me. “Next time, if you don’t behave, your body will be the tray.”Dante opened the suitcase, and to my shock, there was no real cash inside—only paper money. Those fools had tried to scam me wit