That day had been bad.I didn’t feel like going downstairs. The weight of everything that happened...Luca, Asher, Alan my guilt, my silence, sat too heavily on my shoulders. And I guess Maria knew I wanted to be by myself, because Leon didn’t come up to bother me. Not even once.I stayed there, curled up in the room, until dinner time came. And I knew I had to go downstairs. Not for me. For my son. I didn’t want him to notice anything was wrong. I didn’t want him to sense that anything had changed. Because kids, they feel everything. Even when you smile.So I went downstairs. We had dinner together. We talked about his cartoons and what his action figures were arguing about that day. I laughed when I had to. Smiled when I didn’t want to. Because for him, I could fake sunshine.Later, I bathed him, tucked him into bed, and grabbed his favourite Toy Story book from the nightstand. It was routine. Familiar. Safe. I had barely read three pages when he said it....out of nowhere, with that
Lucas's tone sharpened.“I have people watching this house. Watching your every move..... And remember they’re not watching you because they have something against you,” he said, stepping closer. “They’re protecting you, Ariella. I want you to remember that. They are protecting you.”My chest burned with fury, but I said nothing.“And I will repeat again...your friendship with Dana? That’s over,” he spat. “Do not test me. No more games. You’ll be back in your cage before you can say Asher!”I flinched. I was still mad at Luca. I didn’t want to say yes. I didn’t want to give him that. I hated the fact that I had no power in my life, that he and Asher could just choose how I lived, who I saw, where I breathed, without my consent. Without even asking.Because I had no power I had to nod.He took in my reaction and said, “I’ll take that as an affirmation.”He turned toward the hallway again. “Let me go say goodbye to my little man, and I’ll be out of your way.”And then, just like that, L
I braced myself, muscles coiled tight, waiting for the blow. Luca straightened slowly, sliding his phone into his perfectly tailored pocket. The gesture is calm. Precise. Devastating. Then his eyes locked onto mine. "Okay." A pause. "So this is what is going to happen." I swallowed, waiting for whatever came next.“As much as I want to take you out of this house kicking and screaming and drag you by your hair to a cage where you belong,” he said, staring me down, “I’m going to let you stay.”I could have sighed with relief. And that’s exactly what I did.“Thank you. Thank you, Luca.... Thank you so much,” I said, my voice shaking. “You have no idea how much this means to me. This means a lot. I am sorry. I am sorry that I have been a problem to you. I just knew you had a good heart. I just knew that you weren’t as evil as you… as you wanted to believe. Thank you so very much...”But before I could finish thanking him, he interrupted.“Don’t,” he said flatly.His voice sliced t
“I don’t know, buddy,” Luca said, his voice soft but firm. “I just came to see you and take you, your mommy, and Aunt Maria on a little road trip, but I can’t stay. I've got work.”Leon immediately pouted, his little lips trembling."But why?"“When you grow up, when you’re gonna be a big boy like me, a man, you’ll understand. You’re gonna take care of your mom, and to take care of her, you’re going to have to work. You’re gonna have to work hard. Okay, my little man?”But Leon didn’t take that well.He just broke. He straight-up started crying.“Come on, you’re a man,” Luca told him, like that would help, but that only seemed to make Leon angrier.Leon started screaming right in Luca’s arms, thrashing so much that Luca had to let him go. He dropped to his feet, and I thought, maybe he was going to run away.But no. He suddenly threw himself on the floor, kicking his legs, his fists pounding, wiggling in the most dramatic tantrum I had ever seen.“I don’t want to leave!” he shouted ov
Luca's smile deepened....cruel, controlled.“I want you to remember that,” he said. “I don’t want to use your weakness against you.”A pause. “But....” He chuckled, dry and sharp. “I could.”He looked at his watch then, casually.“I’m going downstairs,” he said, turning for the door. “And in exactly ten minutes, I want your ass in the car.”And with that, he turned to walk out, leaving his threat hanging between us like smoke in the air. I stood there, heart pounding, dread crashing over me like a wave I couldn’t escape.I was going back to a cage. But this one? This one was going to be far worse.And then, like a soft whisper from the universe, a tiny little human came running into my bedroom. Luca had just reached the threshold of the doorway when Leon ran straight into him and wrapped his tiny arms around Luca’s legs.“Uncle Luca!” he said joyfully, his voice like a melody, innocent and untouched by everything that had just happened.I froze. Luca turned, just slightly, just enough
I looked at Luca. He was still sitting there in that chair, watching me, always watching.“I’m sorry, Luca, okay?” I finally said, my voice barely a whisper. “It was a mistake. I don’t even know what’s wrong with me. Can we just... forget it all happened?”And then I waited. For the answer I wasn’t sure I deserved.“You want us to forget?” Luca said, his voice dripping in sarcasm as he let out a bitter laugh. “You know this is gonna cost me, right?”I frowned. “What do you mean? How?”He looked at me with disbelief. “When Asher finds out that I not only went against his wishes....which, by the way, he is very mad about, but also that I pushed you right into another man’s arms? The enemy?” He let out a humourless chuckle. “Do you know how he’s gonna act? Because I have no idea. But I can promise you, it won’t be good. It won’t be good to watch, and it sure as hell won’t be good to be on the other end of his wrath.”I swallowed hard, already feeling my hands grow clammy. “I’m sorry. It