02 - Taken By The Devil

Rosana sat quietly throughout the entire drive from the chapel while Sergio was on a phone call the entire time.

After what seems like ages, the car went through an automated gate, driving through a long driveway and eventually coming to a stop before an old but really elegant manor.

“We are her.” the chauffeur announced and at a nod from Sergio, he stepped out and opened the door on Rosana’s side.

“Where are we?” She asked with uncertainty, reluctant to step out of the car.

Sergio didn’t respond, instead stepping out through his own side, leaving her with no choice but to follow him.

“I'm asking you…” she asked him, catching up to him at the entrance. She held his arm at the elbow from behind, halting his strides.

“I will not be ignored. I deserve an answer after the stunt you pulled at the chapel.”

Sergio sneered, cocking his head to look at her with amusement in his eyes.

“What stunt.” he asked softly.

“Don't dare play dumb with me. You crashed my wedding, bit up my husband then kidnapped me. Isn't that a stunt to you?” She listed off his offenses.

Sergio rolled his eyes, chuckling beneath his breath.

“He isn't even your husband.”

Though it was faint, Rosy heard it and it aggravated her anger.

“He is. That was our wedding.” she argued, tightening her hold on his arm.

Sergio frowned slightly and looked down briefly at her her hand but made no move to extricate himself.

“Then why isn't a ring on your finger then?” he asked her in a mocking tone, grinning at her.

“Whose fault is that? There would have been some jerk hadn't decided to kidnap me.” She shot back at him. “By now, I would probably be heading back to our hotel suite.”

Sergio grimaced at her words.

“Well, that's not going to happen now, is it?” he asked, tearing his arm from her grasp. “I will not be cheated out of what was rightfully mine, so deal with it.”

Again with his obnoxious, ambiguous claim.

“I don't know what you are talking about.” she replied truthfully and he snorted in irritation.

“So you really do not recognise this place or you are pretending not to?” he asked her, his eyes on her hard and cold.

Rosana shook her head.

“I don't even know who you are and why you keep claiming I am yours.” she stated.

Her tone spoke of her obvious frustration and Sergio forehead furrowed, uncertainty coming into his eyes for the first time.

“This is my house.” he said after a while, watching her face keenly for any reaction. “But it originally belonged to__”.

A man rushed out just then and whispered something in his ear, interrupting what he was about to say.

“I will be there shortly.” He replied to whatever the man had told him. “Take her to her room and keep her there till I get back.”

“Wait.” She protested but the man who had whispered something to him held her firmly and gently pulled her into the manor.

She managed to look behind her as the entrance door closed, shutting off her view of Sergio's retreating broad back.

Despite herself, she found herself awed by the extravagant interior decor and marble walls. Strangely enough, she felt nostalgic walking through the hallway.

The man led her up two flight of stairs, and led her down a long hallway, pausing long enough to open the door.

He shoved her into the room, barring the door.

“Please don't lock me up in here.” She pleaded, rushing towards the man who looked at her with sympathetic eyes.

“I wish I could do what you want but I have orders. I'm sorry.” He explained.

Rosy banged desperately against the door as she heard the sound of the keypad activate on the other side.

She rushed to the french windows and looked down at the driveway, her eyes searching frantically till it fell on Sergio entering a car and driving off.

She slid the windows open and stuck her head dangerously out the window, the wind whipping her hair about and stealing wedding veil.

“Don't leave me here…please. Don't do this.” But he was already speeding off down the driveway.

Frustrated and confused, Rosy’s knees gave out and she collapsed in a heap to the floor, weeping and Wondering what she did wrong to deserve this.

*********************************************************

She spent several days locked up within the confines of the room with no contact with the outside world, occasionally going out to the overhanging balcony and the restroom.

The electronic sound of the keypad sounded and she looked up from her position on the bed.

“Can I leave now?” She asked hopefully.

“No. The master said you can only make use of the lbrary and garden.” a maid informed her, dashing her hopes. The man who had brought her in earlier was no where in sight.

At least that was better than being trapped in the room, with nothing but her now useless wedding as companion.

She walked out to the garden, enjoying the fragrance of the roses in the garden.

Her mind finally calm, she began to plan her escape. Surely, even an impenetrable fortress like this has its weak points.

“There's no use. You of all people should know that.” a soft voice said suddenly behind her, startling Rosy.

“Oh…it's you.” she said, seeing Sergio against a pilar.

“It's no use.” he repeated himself, going on as if she hadn't spoken. “So don't even think about running away.”

“Let me go, please.” She pleaded even though she could tell just by looking at him that he would do no such thing. "Christ, I don't even know why you want me here in the first place. It can't possibly be love."

“There are sixty highly trained men on this estate who are trained to shoot to kill. If by chance, you manage to get by them, then the dogs will surely tear you apart.” He informed her, still ignoring her pleas.

“Dogs?” She asked, dumbfounded.

He nodded. “There are ten of them scattered about. Blood-thirsty canines that will stop at nothing till every flesh is picked from your bones.”

Rosy staggered towards the stone bench in the garden, lowering herself.

There was no hope, after all. Forget the men, she was deathly scared of dogs.

“Do you remember this place now?” Sergio asked her, squatting before her.

She looked at him through teary eyes, her lips trembling then her eyes roved around the garden.

“Why does it seem vaguely familiar to me?” she asked him.

“Because this place was where we both grew up.”

That wasn’t the response she was expecting so she only got more confused.

“I don’t remember ever living in a place like this. Surely, it would have made a lasting impression.”

Sergio didn’t reply, even though Rosy sounded unconvinced.

“Please…” she didn’t know what she was pleading for.

“That’s all I can tell you. You need to find out on your own.”

They regarded each other in silence for a moment, one the captor and the other the captive. Something Sergio had mentioned at the wedding crept into her mind.

“Who do you think I am?” she asked this time but Sergio still remained tight-lipped.

Accepting he wasn’t going to give her an answer, she stood and made her way defeated back up to her room.

Rosy fell backwards into the bed, collapsing spread-eagled on the bed, tears already welling up in her eyes.

I wonder how Luca is. She thought absentmindedly to herself.

Her outstretched fingers grazed something, and she looked at it to see what it was.

A book.

That wasn’t there before, she thought, sitting up and retrieving the book from between the throw pillows.

The book in her hands, she flipped through its yellowish pages, shocked to discover it was the children's book she had with her when she was dumped on the orphanage steps. It wasn't just a copy, it was exactly the same.

How did this get here? She puzzled over the familiar book, glimpses of a childhood she couldn't remember slipping into her mind.

An old folded note tucked right in the middle of the book caught her attention, and she gently unfolded it. Somehow, she was sure she was meant to find the note.

Her blood ran cold as she read the content of the note, cold sweat springing up on her spine.

The contents of the note was simple but ominous.

“The sins of the father live in the blood of the daughter.”