Chapter 4

Alejandro's eyes seemed to hold a thousand unspoken words, his gaze piercing into her very being. His voice broke the silence, dripping with menace. "I'm sure you now understand the situation?"

Aria swallowed hard, her heart racing. "I... I think so," she stammered, sniffing as tears continued to pour down her cheeks. Alejandro's gaze never wavered.

“Good! Your brother stole from me, and that’s unacceptable. He also kidnapped my sister; now that’s him signing off his death sentence.”

Aria continued to shake, gripped by fear. "I’ll make it right," she promised, crying between her words. "I’ll pay back whatever he stole, and for your sister. I think... I think you’re mistaken. Jacewould never do such a thing," she added, her voice trembling.

Alejandro's expression turned livid. "It's not that simple!" he shouted. "Your brother's actions have consequences."

Aria's eyes pleaded with him. "Please, don’t hurt me," she begged tearfully. Alejandro's smile was cold. “I’m not promising you anything. All I see when I look at you is rage! Your presence and existence make me want to murder you.” His authoritative voice left Aria shaking.

Suddenly, he stepped closer, his presence suffocating and intimidating. "But I’ll give you a choice," he whispered. "Provide me with details about where Jace could be, and I might spare your life."

Aria's mind reeled. She knew this was death knocking. "I... I don’t know," she stammered. "That night was my first time seeing Jace in six years." She hoped he would believe her.

Alejandro's eyes seemed to bore into her soul, searching for any sign of deceit. His face gave no indication of whether he believed her or not. "Okay then," he said. "For now, let’s just say you’ll be... useful to me."

A chill ran down Aria's spine. "Please let me go, and I promise to find Jace’s whereabouts," she begged, trying to sound as brave as possible. Alejandro's laughter sent shivers down her spine. "You don’t even know his whereabouts!" he shouted at her. "You’re just a pathetic little girl! I think I’ll have so much use for you here." He added, giving her a wicked smile.

He moved closer, yanked her hair, and said, "You’re going nowhere until I get my sister, you ugly bitch!" Aria was terrified for her life as more tears streamed down her cheeks. She could feel her hair being pulled from her scalp.

Just then, the door opened, and Juan returned. "Boss, the package is ready," he said. Alejandro nodded and stepped away from Aria, pushing her to the side and releasing her hair.

"Good! Let’s go," he said as he turned away from her. "But first, get Valentine to clean her up and feed her. I don’t want her dead yet," he added. Aria's heart sank further.

They exited the room, leaving Aria still tied to the bed, feeling miserable but thankful that Juan had come at the right time. Valentine entered the room with two other maids carrying clothes and essentials like soap and a toothbrush.

"You stink," Valentine said, holding a hand to her nose while staring at her. She instructed the maids to untie Aria and get her clean. After bathing, Aria was given clothing that looked exactly like the maids' own, leaving her perplexed. Valentine told her she would be in charge of wiping the floors in the house.

Lost in thought, Aria wondered if this was what Alejandro meant when he said she would be useful, or if there was something more sinister he was hiding. Valentine instructed the maids to show her around the mansion and where the supplies were, warning her not to think of escaping, as she would be dead if she tried.

As she followed the maid, now known as Maria, through the maze-like halls, Aria couldn’t shake the sense of unease. The mansion's luxuriousness was suffocating, every room a testament to Alejandro's wealth and power. Maria, with her kind smile and gentle manner, seemed out of place amidst the grandeur.

"This is the east wing, señorita," she said, opening a door to reveal a bedroom that looked like it could fit Aria's entire apartment. "Your room."

Aria hesitated, unsure if she should feel grateful or terrified. "Thank you, Maria," she managed to say, wondering why she was being called señorita. Maria addressed her as such out of respect, even while dressed in the same maid outfit as herself.

As they continued the tour, Aria noticed the subtle presence of guards discreetly positioned throughout the mansion. CCTV cameras watched their every move, a constant reminder of Alejandro's surveillance.

When they reached the kitchen, another maid, Sofia, was preparing lunch that consisted of various meals enough to be called a feast. Everything smelled delicious, and Aria’s stomach rumbled; she hadn’t eaten anything in the past few days.

"Señorita, would you like to eat here or in the dining room?" Sofia asked.

"Please call me Aria," Aria said uncomfortably. She shrugged, feeling like a prisoner in a cage with no hope of being released. "Wherever is fine."

Maria's sympathetic glance told her she understood her predicament. As they ate, Aria couldn’t shake the feeling that Alejandro was watching, even though he was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, Maria's voice dropped to a whisper. "Señorita, be careful. El patrón (the boss), he’s not a patient man."

Aria nodded, her heart racing. What did Maria know, and what did she mean? She excused herself from Maria and Sofia, pondering over Maria's words. Was Maria hiding a secret from her? Did she know what the bigger plot was?

After a while, Aria decided she wanted to explore the mansion and uncover its secrets, perhaps even plan an escape. The halls seemed to stretch on forever, each door leading to a new room, a new mystery.

Aria wandered through the mansion alone, her footsteps echoing off the marble floors. Every step felt like a rebellion against Alejandro's control. She discovered a library, its shelves lined with leather-bound books and hidden compartments. A music room, with a grand piano and dusty music sheets that looked like they hadn’t been touched in months.

As she turned a corner, she stumbled upon a door hidden behind a small room. The doorknob felt cold in her hand. She pushed the door open, revealing a narrow stairway descending into darkness. Curiosity got the better of Aria. She took the stairs, her heart pounding so loudly that the voices in her head screamed at her to turn around and run for her life.

But Aria didn’t listen; she proceeded down into the darkness. At the bottom, she found herself in a dimly lit corridor lined with steel doors and surveillance monitors. The air was thick with the scent of disinfectant and bleach, so strong that she held her nose.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows. "Welcome, Aria," Juan said, his voice dripping with malice. "I see you’re curious."