its grandeur and its secrets. Her mind kept returning to Giovanni's words-the chilling certainty in his voice, the dangerous undercurrent behind h

a place of comfort, now felt like a gilded cage. The walls, adorned with expensive art and soft lighting, only emphasized the

though they never spoke to her unless spoken to. She had been given a few hours to herself, but even in the solitude, she never fel

s she had worn to the dinner earlier still hung from the chair, its dark fabric a reminder of the night that had changed e

d toward it, her pulse quickening. It was too early for dinner-Giovanni

, her voice steady despit

dark as coal, were unyielding. His presence, like everything in this house, was a quiet force. His name was Luca-Giovanni'

to Giovanni," Luca said, his

een avoiding him all day, trying to come to terms with what was happenin

he said, standing

ragrance that reminded her of smoke and leather. She didn't know why the smell unse

rily quiet, save for the occasional creak of the floorboards or the distant murmur of voices. She could feel the weigh

you," Luca said, his voi

The door opened, revealing a room as lavish as the rest of the house. But this room held an intimacy, a sense of power that was undeniable. The heavy velve

ges of his profile, casting a sharp contrast against the darkness. There was a stillness to him, as if he wer

ithout turning, his voic

unable to turn away. "You asked for me," she said softly, her

r heart race. His eyes-the same dark eyes that had held her captive the nig

He moved closer, and the space between them seemed to shrink, his

rds caught in the web of her own fear and unce

dy know the answers to," he said, his tone light but laced with something darker. "Your father's

-hearing the cold finality in his voice-made it all the more real. She wanted to fight, wanted to screa

rom her face, the touch sending a shiver down her spine. "I can see the fe

er voice barely above a whisper. But she knew i

me, isn't it?" He stepped back, his gaze never leaving hers. "You're going to learn, Lina. You

d that he could make her feel so small, so powerless. But at the same time, she couldn't deny the pull between them.

g through her thoughts like a sharp blade.

She didn't know what her future held in this house, in this world. All