005

NATHAN

Hours passed, days maybe, or even weeks—how the fuck was I supposed to know when I was still stuck here—caged and chained like an animal?

My wrists were decorated with fresh bruises, where the chains dug deeper into my skin every time I moved.

The dungeon reeked of my waste; my nose had gotten used to the odor. The only time it stunk less was when the maids came to clean after two days.

I anticipated their arrival each time, not because I cared if they were cleaning, but because of her.

Seraphina.

Where the hell had she gone?

She had promised she would help me, so what could have happened?

Has Alessandro found out? Maybe he caught her sneaking into the dungeon?

Or did she change her mind? Lied to give me some kind of hope?

My head was in a constant question session anytime I didn't see her among the maids. I knew it was stupid of me to trust the words of the daughter of the man holding me captive.

But she was literally my only ticket to leaving this place.

The iron door creaking open broke me away from my thoughts.

I didn't bother looking… I already knew who it was.

The scent of expensive cologne filled the dungeon, giving me room to breathe with my nose for a minute as heavy-sounding footsteps approached closer.

Of course it was him—Alessandro.

He had made visiting me part of his daily routine, and I still couldn't understand why.

If revenge was all he wanted, surely throwing me in a dungeon should've been enough.

Yet every day, he came.

Sometimes to insult me.

Sometimes to watch.

Sometimes saying nothing at all.

It's like he was jobless or waiting for me to break down, and that was something I vowed never to show him.

He was never going to see me weak—NEVER!

“You've gotten quieter,” his baritone voice echoed throughout the hall.

I remained quiet, my eyes closed.

There was a moment of silence then— “How are you doing, Nathaniel?”

The nerve to ask me that!

Still, I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction that he craved so bad.

He didn't stop as expected. “You stink, Nathan,” he added, his tone mocking. “Hungry, filthy, miserable—nothing like the once vibrant, sharp-mouthed Marco’s boy.”

I swallowed hard, my fists clenching hard.

He must have noticed since he spoke. “Your fists are aching to touch me?” He taunted with a laugh. “I promise you, my boy, if you can do it, I'll let the guards serve you my urine to quench your thirst.”

“Bastard!” I screamed, my voice dripping with venom.

A loud laughter erupted from him as I watched with blazing eyes until it died down.

“That’s more like it, my boy,” he said. “The unbreakable Nathan, who still has the guts to shout at his captor in this state.”

I ignored him.

“You know, I enjoyed watching how you struggled last night,” he continued. “It seemed worse than the other night, and I stayed glued to my screen laughing at how frightened you were of those snakes.”

“You are sick,” I spat. “Can't you see how obsessed you are with me now? My life has literally become a film to you? Are you that bored or jobless?”

“Very jobless, Nathan,” he shot back. “Your life is literally my personal movie. Tell me, what were you more scared of? The snakes coming close, or the snakes feasting on that little cock of yours?”

“Also analyzing my genitals? You're nothing but a disgusting, stupid, obsessed manwhore.”

He wanted to speak, but I beat him to it.

“If you watch me sleep, I'm certain you also watch me every minute. You also visit every fucking day. Do I make you that happy?”

“No, you don't,” he replied, his tone serious. “Watching you suffer makes me the happiest man on earth!”

I scoffed. “But why though? I mean, I never did anything; my father did. So how does watching me give you any sort of satisfaction?”

“Knowing you are Marco’s offspring does.”

“One he doesn't even know is in captivity and never will. He's enjoying his new family, but you are too much of a coward to try shit with him, so you kidnap his son, thinking, what will happen?” I laughed in his face.

“Even if I die today, Marco would never know. Did you know why? I told them I might never return.”

Silence.

For the first time since he walked into this dungeon, Alessandro didn't have a response.

I watched as his face contorted in rage. “What's wrong?” I taunted. “Cat got your tongue? Or does the truth hurt like venom?”

“Starve him!” He thundered, rising to his feet.

I scoffed loudly. “Is that all your weakling ass got?”

Alessandro ignored me. “He shouldn't be given water or food until I say so,” he concluded, before walking out and slamming the door hard.

The smile on my face slowly faded, replaced by a deep frown as my stomach rumbled painfully—a cruel reminder of how hungry I already was.

'It was worth it,' I tried to console myself as I shut my tired eyes.

At least for once… I wiped that smug look off the bastard's face.