Oceane's PovI jolt awake at the feel of something cold dripping down my body. The realization that I’m bound to a chair hit me when I attempt moving my limbs.I wince, attempting to pull at the well knotted ropes, but I still fail at something so simple.Heaving out long and calming breaths, I try recollecting the memories of the past week. A week ago, I was in my home country. A week ago, I was in my province. A week ago, I was living amongst people whose faces were familiar. A week ago, I was having a fight with my father. A week ago, I ran away from home but was captured hours later.That day when I was captured by my father’s men was the day my entire life changed.Now I’m here, in a new country, with new people, suffering like a slave. Living a baseless and useless life.Laughter ripples out of me so loud that my voice bounces off each corner of the room.It’s laughable how I cried about how shitty my life had been just a week ago. It’s laughable how I prayed to the universe to
Oceane's PovHeaving in short and fast breaths, I lean against a wall, my fingers digging into my chest. It hurts so bad. My head, my chest, my legs–every part of me is in dire pain. I think I lost him. Finally.I’ve been running for so long– too long that I feel like I’m about to pass out. I’ve been running for so long that even the night has caught up with me.“Just a little bit longer.” I encourage myself. Shutting my eyes tightly, I drag in a long breath, exhaling shakily. I spin on my heels to begin walking when I bump into something rigid. Something hard. Something with a heartbeat. Something with a pulse.Realization hit me. It’s not a something, but a someone.“Did you have a swell time?” He questions, his cold eyes trained intently on me, his lips stretched into a grin.My bones wobble.I almost scream out a series of curse words but force myself to silently take whatever life throws at me. I know it in the back of my head how much I’ve tested this man’s patience, but here I
Oceane's Pov“She requires your presence.” I hear a sharp intake of breath behind me. I whip my head to the side so fast that my neck almost snaps in half.She’s covered in blood and sweat.I run. I run so fast and I don’t stop until I’m kneeling by my mother.“Did you make your father angry again?” She breathes out. I don’t answer. I’m too focused on how weak she looks to even provide her an answer.“Oceane.” She whispers.“Oceane.”“Oceane.”“Miss!”I jump awake, screaming, panting, clawing at my neck. I look to the side only to be met by a startled look thrown my way.It’s a young girl. Not as young as me, but young.Is she a maid?“It’s time for a bath, Miss.” Her voice slightly escapes a whisper. I shake my head in disagreement. “It’s an order from the boss. Plus, whatever activity you indulged in last night left you looking all filthy. Very unladylike if you ask me.”True.I shoot her a glare. The lady gulps thickly, as if afraid of what I might do to her. She shifts from one f
Angioletto's PovIt is considered a deformity to be fixated on a particular person or object. It is a deformity to be narrow minded. It is a deformity to only find psychological fulfillment from just one person.My therapist had so many words to describe my obsessive tendencies. But right now, all I want is to live with that deformity for the rest of my life.My new obsession. A beauty to behold. From the moment I set eyes on her, from dusk to dawn, every day since I’ve had her under my care, she has been imprinted in my DNA.A part of me and I have no complaints.She’s my obsession, constantly pouring through my soul like a soothing cold breeze that leaves me longing for more.“Oceane Augustin.” I test out the feel of her name on the tip of my tongue while I watch her through the cameras.Yes, my penthouse has security cameras placed in every corner, all of which are connected to the big screen in my room—for security reasons of course.Except now, it’s serving other purposes.It’s n
Angioletto's Pov“That means you wouldn’t come back to me for days?”She freezes.It’s like understanding finally dawns on her when my question escapes my lips. I see how her face changes, how her smile has become somewhat forced.Maybe she realizes that she has shared too much information.“I’ll be back like I never left, Gio.”I don’t utter a word. I stare at her silently, wondering what decision would be best. She’s my hostage but I’ve put ideas in her head. I’ve given her too much freedom.“Angiole–”“You’re not going to school.”That does it. Her bright, bubbly, and ambitious shine ceases. Her eyes, filled with dreams, suddenly dims so much that they look dead. She always appeared doll-like but she has suddenly become a completely different person in seconds. Like a plastic doll, distant, reserved.“W-h-at?” She fumbles with her words, as though fearful. As if doing so would lead to punishment.“I thought about it. . .”“You clearly didn’t give it a good thought.”“I can’t let y
Angioletto's PovWhen I received a text from my father informing me of this meeting, I knew something was off. I knew it had something to do with my hostage, and now, I’ve confirmed my suspicions to be true.Thirty minutes have I been here, still, there've been no words spoken, just the continuous rise in the tension radiating off of each person in the room.Mio padre, his first son, Massimo, and his second son, Antonio.“How have you been?” My older brother—Massimo questions, his eyes, as dark as the midnight, burning holes through my skull, reminding me that his question, as sweet as it might sound, is far from him merely inquiring about my physical state.“Fine.” I simply answer, gaining a unified hum from all three of the men.“Haven’t you been getting enough sleep? Your eyes are really sunken.” Mio padre further asks.Completely aware that his question springs from a place of genuine concern, I answer in a soft voice. “Sto bene, padre.”He nods. “What about Dumont Augustin, has t
Oceane's PovGrowing up, I wasn’t so good at a lot of things. Speaking, fencing, fighting, using a gun, I failed at so many things until the passing of my mother.After my mother had passed on due to my father’s selfishness and carelessness, I began to push myself into becoming better at the things I failed at.My mother’s passing was my motivation. It was only then that I realized all I had was me. Just me, alone in this wicked world.I could no longer condone my weakness. I could no longer leave myself vulnerable. I could no longer allow myself to be a prey in the midst of predators.I worked hard.Still, I failed.I was just a failure.I was just a girl who couldn’t grow taller than 5’2. I was significantly smaller than girls my age and it was to my disadvantage.My father’s hatred towards me only intensified after my series of failures and he began to take his abuse to the next level.His abuse was no longer verbal but physical, emotional, and mental.He’d hit me, force me into fi
Angioletto's PovThere are five stages of grief. Denial and Isolation.Anger.Bargaining.Desperation.And lastly, Acceptance.In the last seventy two hours, I’ve been roped into, and have suffered with great intensity each stage of grief respectively.While I was in denial, I couldn’t believe that my beautiful, little Oceane had left me without as much a goodbye note. She stole all my money, stole my car, and left, and I sat there in my room, watching all of it unfold before my own eyes.And then denial morphed into anger. I was aggravated, Infuriated, irritated. I lost my mind the minute she walked out my door. I was roped into intense anger that I didn’t realize when I had begun ruining everything until my penthouse was turned upside down. That was before I began to physically harm myself. I needed to feel something other than anger. Hurting myself physically was my last resolve.I blamed myself for allowing my brother’s words get to me. I am no logical thinker. I have never been