Chapter 4

He’s serious? I can’t believe it.

“What?” 

Dante smirks, amused at the results of our negotiation. “I’m granting you a favor, but now you owe me, Miss Atwood.”

“You’re serious?”

Is this really happening? I won’t have to go back to the Regis family and become their slave? I have a chance to reclaim my name and save my sister?

“Don’t regret your decision. And don’t make me regret mine.” He all but growls his words toward me. “Now, leave.”

I don’t fight the relief that floods through me, my legs giving out as I feel the tension leave my body. I suppose I’ve been running on adrenaline this entire time, it’s only now that it’s taking a toll on my body. Since I came home from my long flight, the rest of my night was spent running away from people literally trying to kill me. It’s a miracle I even survived. I guess I need to thank my sister for forcing me to go to the gym with her all these months.

I collapse onto the floor ungracefully, trying to gather my wits and my composure. I hear Dante speak but I don’t understand, my mind spinning. I only assume he called Luca back into the room because seconds later, I hear the door open and feel someone arrange me into their arms and carry me towards the door.

“Take her to my room,” I hear Dante’s voice call out. “I’ll take care of Serafino. He’ll be giving us hell for a good while so best be prepared for any unprecedented attacks. I’ll relay your orders to the soldiers once I’m done.”

“Very well, boss.”

Thank you.

“Wait,” I managed to voice out. Luca stops walking and turns back to Dante. I politely ask Luca to put me down and he does. “Can you get a word to my sister, Bianca? Just tell her to be strong and that I’m coming for her. Please.”

I wait until Dante nods before I follow Luca out of the room. I turn back one last time to catch a glimpse of Dante raising his cellphone to his ear. I assume he’s contacting Serafino. Please be okay, Bianca. 

I walk by Luca’s side, but my mind isn’t really present. I'm worried if this plan will work, I’m not even sure if Dante could buy me off. I know he’s rich, but would that be enough? What if Serafino refuses and forcibly takes me back? Considering how Dante warned Luca about any possible attacks, I can only assume that Serafino has some sinister plans just to take me back.

“Hello? Miss Atwood?” Luca’s voice jolts me out of my head. “Just through here.”

I mumble a quick sorry and enter the room. It’s huge. 

Dante’s room is dark and minimalistic. Bookshelves line the walls and I can glimpse a bed farther into the room. I don’t have time to admire the room because Luca speaks again.

“You can rest up here while Dante deals with you know what. The bathroom is just down there. I’ll have someone bring a change of clothes for you.”

“Thank you.“

So is this it? 

I walk further inside and find a couch to sit on. It’s black and follows the overall theme of the room. Even the carpet and curtains are dark. What is he, a vampire?

I’m tired… spent really. I realized that the moment Luca put me down but I did my best not to show it. My legs wobbled as we walked to this room but I didn’t want to be a burden. I lean down, placing my elbows on my knees.

“How did it come to this?” A harsh laugh escapes my lips as I recall tonight’s events. In a span of a few hours, I went from being an heiress to a slave. 

Jean, that’s who I am now. Just Jean, for the Atwood name, has been destroyed. From being one of the most influential families in the world to nothing. I need to make this right, but how?

My head falls into my hands, hunched over, curling in on myself. The action brings my hair into view. The light blonde strands clumped together, dirtied with blood.

My parents were murdered in front of me, their blood seeping through my fingers as I held their bodies. I haven’t seen my sister through all of this. “Oh God, Bianca. She’s only sixteen,” My heart breaks and the anger rises in me. No, not anger, rage. I pray to God that no one dares hurt or abuse my baby sister because I don’t know what I will do if they dare to.

I will raze the world to the ground and lay waste to all who touch her, and that’s a promise. Bianca is so sheltered, so pure, and for her to be involved in this shit before she’s even legal to drink is beyond ridiculous!

Being born into a high society one has to be strong. I was raised to be strong and ruthless by my parents. Trained to do things for the family, no matter the task. But despite all that preparation, all those lessons, nothing could have prepared me for this night.

It’s all too much. I lost the only life I’ve ever known in the blink of an eye and I haven’t even fully grasped what happened. A choked breath leaves me as the floodgates open. Unshed tears I’ve been holding back since earlier burst out of me. Images of my mother and father’s dead bodies filter into my mind and a scream tears through the room.

“M-Mom… Dad…”

I keep calling them but there’s nobody there, just me, covered in their blood. I stare at my arms in horror as another scream tears past my throat.

“No!” Frantically, I scrape at the dried blood on my skin and clothes. Scratching and wiping, doing anything to get rid of it. “Go away, please.” My hands move to my neck and hair anywhere I could feel the blood caked on, but it’s no use. I can still feel the warm liquid covering me as if it’s seeping into my skin and bones.

Anyone… please…

I feel the walls cave in, trapping me inside a darkness that I can’t describe. I feel restrained as if there are invisible arms holding me back even as I try to fight back.

It hurts.

The crushing feeling of defeat invades my mind.

Am I going to die?

“No!” I blink through the tears and fight to see and scramble away from those holding me. I can’t die now. I can’t leave my baby sister.

“Stay still and this will be quick,”

“Luca?” I could swear that was Luca’s voice. Is he here? Is he the one hurting me? I want to speak but a sudden prick on my arm distracts me.

“Dante can’t focus when you’re being this loud,” Luca says again, at least I think it’s Luca. My vision blurs again as my heart rate gradually slows down. “See you in a few hours.”

After that, there was nothing.