Chapter 2: Broken Boundary

Mariella's POV 

I opened my eyes with a start, but I was surrounded by darkness. 

“Hello?” I called out as I got up from the ground. Luciano wasn't here, and I had absolutely no idea where I was. All I could remember was that I had fallen on Luciano, snapped, and ended up… here.

I walked around for a while, then I heard something that caught my attention. A child was crying somewhere. I started to run in the direction of the sound, hoping it would lead me out of here. The crying grew louder and louder until I made it to the child.

He wouldn't stop crying so loudly, and I wondered who would abandon their child in the middle of nowhere. He suddenly stopped, like he knew I was there. As soon as he opened his eyes, I was met with blue, striking eyes, just like Luciano's.

It was finally beginning to make sense. I wasn't stranded anywhere. This was—

I suddenly started to cough, and I turned in a hurry to see a mansion, one that looked exactly like the De Lucases ' mansion. But only this time, it was on fire. The smoke clouded my nostrils, and I coughed, turning to grab the child and run when I noticed that the child wasn't there anymore.

The smoke ceased as well, and it was just an empty black space again. Until…

I spotted a woman on her knees, crouched as she cried. Her white dress was stained with blood, and my heart broke at how badly she cried. I slowly approached her with heartache, wanting to comfort her. But when she raised her head, I stiffened in shock.

How could this be? That was…

That was me.

I jolted awake with a start as I breathed heavily, my hands clawing at my throat like I couldn't breathe. Suddenly, hands grabbed mine, and I jerked back in horror, my eyes wide as I turned to see Luciano staring at me with what looked like worry.

I was back. I was back to reality. I had touched his skin, and whatever I just saw wasn't a dream. It wasn't a coincidence either. That was his future. And I was somehow included in it.

“What happened to you? You passed out for over twenty minutes. I thought I killed you or something.” Luciano's voice filled my ears, and I looked around to see that I was sitting on his bed.

I quickly pulled my hand out of his grip and scurried out of his bed, my heart pounding in terror from the vision and from knowing that a mere maid like me lay on his bed.

“I'm really sorry, Sir Luciano. I must have passed out from exhaustion. I really didn't mean to—” He was staring at me with those cold eyes of his, and my heart sank. “Please don't kill me… I'm very sorry.” I pleaded, bowing my head all the way until all I could see were his shoes.

“Cut the crap.” I heard him say, and I raised my head in confusion. “My head hurts, get me pills to take for it. Then I need you to clean my wounds and bandage them up. You fell on me, making it worse.” He ordered coldly, and my legs moved before I knew it. I was so lucky that he didn't want to kill me.

I rummaged through his drawers again and finally found the first aid kit. I took it out and paused for a second, my head spinning for a moment. The aftermath of getting a vision? Harsh headache for the rest of the day.

I shook it off anyway and took out what looked like pills. Since it was inside the first aid box, I figured it would be a pain reliever, so I handed him two pills, which he took with a glass of water by the side. The shattered table stand remained on the ground, forgotten and damaged, and I wondered how he was still standing strong after that.

“You take some too.” He said to me, and I looked at him in confusion.

“What?”

“You look like shit. You need the pills as well.” He pointed out, and I shook my head, ready to refuse, when he stared at me coldly. “It's not a request, it's an order. I don't want you passing out on me again.”

With a resigned sigh, I popped two pills into my mouth and gulped down the glass of water before placing the empty glass down. He lay on the bed, and I tried not to show how scared I was of him as I approached him slowly. Placing the box beside him, I sat on the edge of the bed, but he suddenly grabbed my waist and pulled me closer, causing me to stiffen in shock.

This wasn't right. Heavenly Father, forgive me for my sins. None of them is intentional anyway.

He didn't let go of my waist, and I couldn't tell him to let go; he could blow my head off instantly. With shaky hands, I reached for the cotton swab and gently cleaned his wounds that seemed to have stopped bleeding for a while now.

The room started to get hot, and I began to pay more attention to his hands on my waist. My breathing got heavier as I gently placed a bandage over his wounds, and the moment I met his eyes, everything else melted away.

I could see the hunger in his eyes, and I couldn't look away. Because I knew I probably mirrored his expression. His hands slipped under my shirt, and I suddenly stopped him, realizing what was going on.

“You feel that too?” He questioned softly, and I gulped. “That heat. That need. What did you do to me?” 

“I didn't—” 

My grip on his hands loosened, and he moved them upward until he was touching my breasts.

“Holy… Mary… God, this isn't right.” I suddenly said and pushed his hands off me. “I can't be doing this—”

My words got caught in my throat when he suddenly pulled me closer and placed his lips on mine, sending every logical thought out of my head.

Nuns shouldn't be kissing their boss. They shouldn't be kissing anyone at all. But I couldn't think straight, even as his fingers fumbled with the hem of my shirt. All I knew was that I wanted him so bad.

More than I've ever wanted anything in my life.