*Lily's P.O.V.*Getting entangled with those who lived in cruelty was a terrible circumstance. My chest heaves like my next breath would be my last—probably it would.I couldn't fight. Like a pawn in the game of power, I was nothing— absolutely nothing compared to those who wanted to show off how powerful they were.The danger I felt in their presence was extreme.Where the hell am I?I could hear the low hum of a car engine and feel the heat coming from it. Was that the Van Kylie talked about? Was I getting in there?It didn't take a second for me to feel the grip of someone's hand behind my neck and I was forced into the Van.“That's where you belong. With the boss.” I didn't fail to recognize Kylie's voice as she speaks viciously. She acts like I have done more than I actually did.I shouldn't and I wasn't in the position to be thinking about her words a moment earlier, but it has been ringing like a bell in my head—I can't ignore it despite the terrible state I was in.“You fell
*Vincenzo Ace.*I sensed it. The fear of impending danger. It was an intuition on my part.I got the information that Mitchell died. Whoever pulled that fucking trigger had cleared all evidence of their horrible acts—had silenced the only mouth that could speak to expose their ferocious plans, and at the same time, had presented to me that they were around, lurking in the shadows waiting for the perfect moment to strike.Although I got a bit shaken up by the unexpected twist, I was alert—alert to do whatever to save Lily. She was my fear—the only human I cared about. They did make a perfect choice when they decided to use her to get what they wanted from me. I didn't realize until this moment that a girl, as little, daring, and stubborn with nothing favorable to say about her attitude towards me could be used against me—could end up being my weakness.If only I could pretend that I didn't care about her, then their whole plans would crumble down their feet. But what can I do when I ca
Vincenzo's P.O.V“Can I have my lady?” I spoke in a low tone.Selena scoffed before taking a step forward, “Long time no see, Vincenzo.” She said her voice sounded rough and raspy.I nodded and gave her a little smirk, “I never expected to meet you—” I rolled my eyes in a circular gesture before speaking, “In such a devastating situation. However, I do not wish to see you at the moment, Selena. Can I have Lily back?”“You know we can't go through that much trouble for you to have her so easily, right?”I hummed at her shielding response, a smile tugged at the corner of my lips.“Makes sense. Unfortunately, all efforts and years of planning end up being chaotic and seem to be a total failure from your end. Moreover, I seemed to have heard someone saying she wanted to challenge me fairly with power instead. Let's do that. But first, I need to have—”She held up a hand to silence me. I instantly blinked back my amazement at her boldness.As usual, the fake smile never left her face, as
*Vincenzo Ace.*Eye contact needed to be avoided so I could stay sane enough to blurt out my next words with as much cruelty as I could.“I thought you were a little smarter. That's where you get it wrong, Lily. Someone like me is not meant to be trusted. You can only depend on yourself in this world—”“That's weird—” Selena chirps in, “Your words sound so bitter and you aren't even looking at her. What? You can't bring yourself to lie in her face?”I took in a sharp breath. Her words made my muscles tense and filled my body with resentment. I hated it when she talked too much—I hated the fact that she was taking advantage of me appearing so calm. No one bosses me around, I boss them around while I do just whatever I want.But the deeds need to be done and someone has to get hurt anyway. It was unavoidable.I turned to look at Lily, my face hardened, tightening all the avalanche of emotions showing on my face.Even in the dim light, I could see the bright pending tears building up in
*Lily's P.O.V.*I woke up with a splitting headache. My hands moved over to my forehead as I groaned mentally, twisting and curling up on the bed at how terrible I felt.However, I seemed to have moved over to the wrong side of the bed, because the blazing reflection of the sunlight struck me deep into the sockets of my eyes despite not having opened them yet.I tried to adjust to it, groaning audible this time at the discomfort, but, in the next minutes, I was breathing a sigh of relief when I heard the lid of the window shut down, abruptly putting an end to the little torture.But then, as of that moment, something seems to click in my head instead.I live alone!Swiftly, like being pulled out of a trance, I snapped my eyes open only to be met with a luxurious unfamiliar sight. My eyes scanned the high vaulted ceiling, with an enchanting fancy crystal ceiling pendant light in elegant design hung to it.My hands moved to feel the bed. So soft, big, and comfy, embracing me in the warm
*Lily's P.O.V.*I walked down the stairs, heading toward the dining table. His house was so magnificent, words cannot explain it. I mean, I thought my dad was rich, not until I met Vincenzo.He was so engrossed in his phone, but when he heard me walking down the stairs, he moved his gaze from his phone and then watched me intently as I ascended the stairs. He asked me to come down for breakfast and not to eat me up with his stares instead.Apparently, he has never for once attempted to hide the fact that he was devouring me with his stares. He makes his stares so obvious like it he had every right to.But then, the way he looked at me had my legs shivering. His icy glare trailed all the way down from my head right to my toe, taking in, yet again, the sight of me putting on his shirt.I was still in his shirt though and I had no clue how I got changed in the first place. And even my own dress, he is refusing to give them back.I pulled a chair from the dining table and sat on it, tryi
*Vincenzo Ace.*It was all for a competition, but she seems to hold a special hate in her heart for me.“Now, tell me—” I pulled a chair to sit right in front of Selena, “What are you?”She didn't show any indication that she had acknowledged my words. Her eyes roamed about, looking at anything else but not me.I see. She had decided that it was the best choice to handle the situation with arrogance and pride, thinking she could appear unshaken and confident.She knew perfectly since she had dwelt in the game of the kind of world I lived in. Showing fear was a great advantage to your enemies. Showing fear meant weakness.I nodded at her shielding act before turning to meet the cold eyes of my men. Hence, I instructed. “Over there—” I motioned towards the iron pipe. It has both sides stuck to the floor and one crossed over it.“I need you to tie her up there, using her hair.”Suddenly, her eyes sprout up to look at me. Her nose flared in storming rage, “What do you mean?”Regardless o
*Lily's P.O.V.*“Good Morning Ma’am.” I walked into the kitchen, my eyes roaming about in its luxury before settling down to meet a pair of brown bright eyes smiling up at me. She could be in her early forties, yet she looked gorgeous with a few wrinkles on her face.“Good Morning, Angel. How are you feeling today?”Angel? That sounded more like what Vincenzo would call me. It reminds me of him, unnecessarily, so, I'd prefer to be called by my name instead.“I am Lily.”I smiled genuinely at her. She studied me for a while before blinking in confusion.“Lily? He told me your name was Angel.”I chuckled in astonishment.What? Not only does he call me Angel, but he has also officially declared it my name to other people now or what?“I will prefer to be called Lily instead.”She nodded, and her smile grew as she spoke, “That's not a problem. But you should know—” She leaned forward and I leaned in. She talked so slowly, emphasizing each and every one of her words.“He said you were an a
*Lily's P. O. V.*I have been here, in Vincenzo's house for the past two days. The cook and her daughter have been my only companion. We've been discussing and talking about a lot of things but whenever I bring up the questions about Vincenzo's past, then there's always an awkward laugh coming from her with the same reply,“It will be best if he decides to let you know, himself.”I was curious about his past. What exactly had made him ruthless? I mean, everyone is not born to be ruthless but grows up to be, due to some reasons. But then, I knew, no matter how he joked with me, we were not close enough for me to suddenly bring up the question about his past. And besides I haven't set my eyes on Vincenzo for the past two days.It makes me wonder about the number of people that must have died in those two days.I definitely shouldn't be thinking about him, especially when I'd just received a call earlier from the landlady reminding me of my deadline to pack out.I have no place to go to
*Vincenzo Ace.*I stood right in front of her, and asked, yet again, “I asked. What are you, Selena?”She rolled her eyes and replied, sarcastically, “Selena: the girl you've been fucking. The daughter of a drug addict you've been going about searching for.”I gritted my teeth as my finger rolled up into a ball on their own accord.“You have no right whatsoever to speak in such a manner in your state. So, shut the fuck up and only speak what I need you to.”“What other response do you want from me? What hasn't that bastard said to you already.” She bellowed, her gaze darkening with fury.I should be the one mad at her—I should be the one yelling in her face, still, she held no regret whatsoever for her actions and acted like I was the reason for her misfortunes.An entirely different person—different from the submissive Selena I have always known was right in front of me. Her switching-up character still baffles me.“You killed him, right? You had the guts to pull your fucking trigger
*Lily's P.O.V.*“Good Morning Ma’am.” I walked into the kitchen, my eyes roaming about in its luxury before settling down to meet a pair of brown bright eyes smiling up at me. She could be in her early forties, yet she looked gorgeous with a few wrinkles on her face.“Good Morning, Angel. How are you feeling today?”Angel? That sounded more like what Vincenzo would call me. It reminds me of him, unnecessarily, so, I'd prefer to be called by my name instead.“I am Lily.”I smiled genuinely at her. She studied me for a while before blinking in confusion.“Lily? He told me your name was Angel.”I chuckled in astonishment.What? Not only does he call me Angel, but he has also officially declared it my name to other people now or what?“I will prefer to be called Lily instead.”She nodded, and her smile grew as she spoke, “That's not a problem. But you should know—” She leaned forward and I leaned in. She talked so slowly, emphasizing each and every one of her words.“He said you were an a
*Vincenzo Ace.*It was all for a competition, but she seems to hold a special hate in her heart for me.“Now, tell me—” I pulled a chair to sit right in front of Selena, “What are you?”She didn't show any indication that she had acknowledged my words. Her eyes roamed about, looking at anything else but not me.I see. She had decided that it was the best choice to handle the situation with arrogance and pride, thinking she could appear unshaken and confident.She knew perfectly since she had dwelt in the game of the kind of world I lived in. Showing fear was a great advantage to your enemies. Showing fear meant weakness.I nodded at her shielding act before turning to meet the cold eyes of my men. Hence, I instructed. “Over there—” I motioned towards the iron pipe. It has both sides stuck to the floor and one crossed over it.“I need you to tie her up there, using her hair.”Suddenly, her eyes sprout up to look at me. Her nose flared in storming rage, “What do you mean?”Regardless o
*Lily's P.O.V.*I walked down the stairs, heading toward the dining table. His house was so magnificent, words cannot explain it. I mean, I thought my dad was rich, not until I met Vincenzo.He was so engrossed in his phone, but when he heard me walking down the stairs, he moved his gaze from his phone and then watched me intently as I ascended the stairs. He asked me to come down for breakfast and not to eat me up with his stares instead.Apparently, he has never for once attempted to hide the fact that he was devouring me with his stares. He makes his stares so obvious like it he had every right to.But then, the way he looked at me had my legs shivering. His icy glare trailed all the way down from my head right to my toe, taking in, yet again, the sight of me putting on his shirt.I was still in his shirt though and I had no clue how I got changed in the first place. And even my own dress, he is refusing to give them back.I pulled a chair from the dining table and sat on it, tryi
*Lily's P.O.V.*I woke up with a splitting headache. My hands moved over to my forehead as I groaned mentally, twisting and curling up on the bed at how terrible I felt.However, I seemed to have moved over to the wrong side of the bed, because the blazing reflection of the sunlight struck me deep into the sockets of my eyes despite not having opened them yet.I tried to adjust to it, groaning audible this time at the discomfort, but, in the next minutes, I was breathing a sigh of relief when I heard the lid of the window shut down, abruptly putting an end to the little torture.But then, as of that moment, something seems to click in my head instead.I live alone!Swiftly, like being pulled out of a trance, I snapped my eyes open only to be met with a luxurious unfamiliar sight. My eyes scanned the high vaulted ceiling, with an enchanting fancy crystal ceiling pendant light in elegant design hung to it.My hands moved to feel the bed. So soft, big, and comfy, embracing me in the warm
*Vincenzo Ace.*Eye contact needed to be avoided so I could stay sane enough to blurt out my next words with as much cruelty as I could.“I thought you were a little smarter. That's where you get it wrong, Lily. Someone like me is not meant to be trusted. You can only depend on yourself in this world—”“That's weird—” Selena chirps in, “Your words sound so bitter and you aren't even looking at her. What? You can't bring yourself to lie in her face?”I took in a sharp breath. Her words made my muscles tense and filled my body with resentment. I hated it when she talked too much—I hated the fact that she was taking advantage of me appearing so calm. No one bosses me around, I boss them around while I do just whatever I want.But the deeds need to be done and someone has to get hurt anyway. It was unavoidable.I turned to look at Lily, my face hardened, tightening all the avalanche of emotions showing on my face.Even in the dim light, I could see the bright pending tears building up in
Vincenzo's P.O.V“Can I have my lady?” I spoke in a low tone.Selena scoffed before taking a step forward, “Long time no see, Vincenzo.” She said her voice sounded rough and raspy.I nodded and gave her a little smirk, “I never expected to meet you—” I rolled my eyes in a circular gesture before speaking, “In such a devastating situation. However, I do not wish to see you at the moment, Selena. Can I have Lily back?”“You know we can't go through that much trouble for you to have her so easily, right?”I hummed at her shielding response, a smile tugged at the corner of my lips.“Makes sense. Unfortunately, all efforts and years of planning end up being chaotic and seem to be a total failure from your end. Moreover, I seemed to have heard someone saying she wanted to challenge me fairly with power instead. Let's do that. But first, I need to have—”She held up a hand to silence me. I instantly blinked back my amazement at her boldness.As usual, the fake smile never left her face, as
*Vincenzo Ace.*I sensed it. The fear of impending danger. It was an intuition on my part.I got the information that Mitchell died. Whoever pulled that fucking trigger had cleared all evidence of their horrible acts—had silenced the only mouth that could speak to expose their ferocious plans, and at the same time, had presented to me that they were around, lurking in the shadows waiting for the perfect moment to strike.Although I got a bit shaken up by the unexpected twist, I was alert—alert to do whatever to save Lily. She was my fear—the only human I cared about. They did make a perfect choice when they decided to use her to get what they wanted from me. I didn't realize until this moment that a girl, as little, daring, and stubborn with nothing favorable to say about her attitude towards me could be used against me—could end up being my weakness.If only I could pretend that I didn't care about her, then their whole plans would crumble down their feet. But what can I do when I ca