CHAPTER 2

The moment I opened my eyes, I didn’t know where I was. I didn't remember instantly. I noticed the ceiling above me was too high. It was too white and too clean.

This couldn't be my room nor my house. Something felt off. I was feeling out of place for a moment. I thought I was dreaming.

The bed was softer than anything I’d ever slept on, and the sheets smelled like fresh linen and something expensive I couldn’t name.

Then it came back to me all at once: my brother, Luciano Romano, the cold deal, the black car, the gates, the silence.

I sat up fast, my heart racing. My room looked like something out of a magazine. It was way too big, way too perfect.

The gold curtains blocked out most of the sunlight, but even the slivers that broke through felt unreal. Everything in this room screamed money. Power. Control.

And I had none of it.

I spotted a note on the bedside table, written in dark ink with perfect handwriting:

“Be downstairs in ten minutes. Don’t be late.”

Ten minutes. That was all the time I had to figure out how to face the man I’d traded my freedom to.

I didn’t know what he wanted from me, not really. But I knew better than to keep a man like him waiting.

I threw off the covers and ran to the closet. Everything was neatly arranged dresses, pants, tops, even shoes in my size.

Someone had prepared all this, like they knew I’d be here long before I did. I grabbed a simple blouse and black pants, threw them on, and didn’t even waste time looking in the mirror.

The hallways were long and quiet. No noise. No footsteps. Just the sound of my own heart pounding as I walked.

I didn’t even know where the dining room was until a woman in black, probably one of the house staff, gave me a short nod and pointed to a door on the right.

I pushed it open.

Luciano was already seated at the head of the table. No surprise there. He looked like he belonged there.

Just like the other night, in his black suit with his sharp jaw and eyes like ice. He didn’t look up when I entered.

“You’re late.” His voice was calm, but every word felt like a warning.

“I didn’t know where" I tried to speak.

He raised a hand, silencing me. “No excuses. You’ll learn.”

I didn’t reply. My chest burned, but I kept it down. I walked to the other end of the table and sat down without saying a word.

The table was covered with food, eggs, fruit, toast, fresh juice, things I hadn’t eaten in months. My stomach growled, but I didn’t dare touch anything.

I was waiting for his permission. I needed his go-ahead before I did something unpardonable.

He kept scrolling through something on his phone, ignoring me like I wasn’t even there.

I still waited. I didn't touch a thing. All I did was to stare at the table.

Minutes passed. He still didn’t say anything.

Then he looked up, eyes locking on mine. “Eat.”

I reached for the toast and took a bite, forcing myself to chew slowly even though I wanted to shove everything into my mouth.

Luciano watched me like he was reading every thought in my head. He went back to scrolling through his phone.

“You’re not what I expected,” he said suddenly.

I looked at him, confused. “What did you expect?”

He smirked and dropped his phone on the table. “Tears. Pleading. Weakness.”

I swallowed my bite. “You’ll be disappointed, then.”

Something flickered across his face. Interest? Maybe. But it disappeared as quickly as it came.

When we finished eating, he stood without warning. “Follow me.” was all he said.

I stood too, wiping my hands, and followed him through the mansion.

“This house has rules,” he said as we walked. “You don’t speak to my men unless I say so. You don’t leave unless I grant you the permission to do so. You don’t go near the west wing. And above all, no lies. Got it?”

I nodded, keeping my eyes forward. “Understood.”

“Good. Because I don’t give second chances.”

We reached a tall wooden door. He opened it, and I stepped into a room that looked like a scene from a crime movie. It was an office. Only, it was colder.

Dark wood, books, a glass case filled with guns and knives.

He turned and faced me.

“You’ll start earning your keep today.”

I frowned. “Doing what?”

“Running errands. Learning the business. Staying useful. Keeping your mouth shut.”

I crossed my arms. “What if I mess up?”

His smile was slow and dangerous. “Then I’ll remind you why you’re here.”

I didn’t back down. “Why me?”

Luciano stepped closer, and I could feel the shift in the air. “Because you walked through my door. You looked me in the eye and offered yourself. That kind of thing stays with a man.”

My throat tightened, but I didn’t break eye contact.

“You think I’m scared of you?” I asked.

His voice dropped lower. “You should be.”

For a second, we just stared at each other. His cold eyes on mine, like he was trying to figure out whether I’d break. But I wouldn’t. Not for him. Not for anyone.

“You’ll stay close to me,” he said at last. “Watch. Learn. Keep your mouth shut unless I tell you to speak. Disobey once, and you’ll regret it.”

I gave him a sharp nod. “Fine. Just don’t expect me to be quiet forever.”

He smirked again. “Oh, I don’t. That’s what makes this interesting.”

And just like that, I was no longer just a girl paying off her brother’s debt. There was no backing out now. No retreat, no surrender.

I was in the game now. This game was like a game of chess. It was a do-or-die affair.

And Luciano Romano?

He was the kind of man who never played fair.