CHAPTER 7 IS GETTING MESSY

ISLA

“I was raised in a world where love doesn’t exist,” I said quietly.

Adrian didn’t interrupt. He just listened.

“My father was a gambler. A bad one. And when he got into debt, he did what every selfish man does, he wanted to start selling my body to different men to pay off his debt but Morelli was the first customer he had and he didn't touch me instead we made a deal.

He will pay off my father's debt and take me away from his cruel world, but only if I agree to do anything he wants.

So he bought me to pay my father's debt and save me from cruelty but he became my worst nightmare.

Adrian’s expression darkened slightly, but he stayed silent.

I let out a bitter laugh. “He didn’t buy me out of love, Adrian. He bought me out of convenience. To him, I was just another possession to control. And when I refused to be obedient, he made sure I knew the consequences.”

Adrian’s eyes darkened. “He hurt you?”

I swallowed hard. “Not in the way you’re thinking. Victor doesn’t get his hands dirty. He prefers breaking people slowly, mentally, emotionally. He made sure I had no escape, no choices. He controlled what I ate, who I spoke to, where I went.”

Adrian’s fists tightened.

I took a deep breath. “I tried to escape so many times. I planned everything, routes, contacts, fake identities. But every time, he caught me. And each time, the punishment got worse.”

Adrian’s voice was low, dangerous. “And yet, you managed to escape this time.”

I nodded. “Because I had to.”

His gaze flickered to my stomach.

I looked away. “When I found out I was pregnant, I knew I couldn’t stay. I wouldn’t let Victor have control over my child.”

For a moment, there was silence.

Then, Adrian’s voice was softer than I expected.

“So, you ran.”

I nodded.

Adrian exhaled, leaning back. “And now, he knows where you are.”

I swallowed.

Because that was the part that scared me the most.

Victor wasn’t the type to let things go.

And now, I had nowhere left to run.

*********

Victor Morelli

I slid into the back of my black car, my expression impassive.

My driver shut the door behind me, and within seconds, the vehicle was moving.

The moment we hit the road, my phone rang.

I answered without looking at the caller ID.

“Speak.”

“Boss.” A low, cautious voice. One of my men. “It’s confirmed. She’s pregnant.”

I stared out the window, watching the city blur past.

I already knew the answer.

I had seen it in her eyes.

Still, hearing it aloud sent a sharp twist of anger through me.

Isla.

My Isla.

Carrying another man’s child.

Adrian Knight’s child.

The thought made my jaw clench.

For the first time in years, I had lost control of something that belonged to me.

Unacceptable.

AT THE PENTHOUSE

Isla

My heart raced, Victor stood there, his eyes never leaving me, his lips curling into a smile that made my skin crawl. The smugness radiated off of him in waves, and I could feel his malicious energy in every inch of my body. It was like a predator had me cornered, and I had no way out.

“You think you can just run from me, Isla?” Victor’s voice was cold, dangerously calm. “Do you really think Adrian can keep you safe?”

I swallowed hard, doing my best not to back down. The sharp echo of my voice filled the room when I spoke. “Adrian doesn’t need to keep me safe from you. I’m done with you, Victor.”

His smile widened. “You think so? It doesn’t work that way. You’re mine, Isla. You always have been. And you’ll come back to me. Whether you like it or not.”

I took a step back, but Victor was too fast. He crossed the distance between us in an instant, his hand grabbing my wrist with such force it felt like he might break it. My breath caught in my throat as I struggled to pull away.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he growled. “You’ll come with me now, or I’ll make sure you regret it.”

I knew if I didn’t get away from him now, I’d never have another chance. But as I tried to twist free, the door slammed open with a force that shook the room.

But there was Elena standing in front of me, I was still breathing heavily.

She stormed into the room, her eyes like daggers as she glared at me. She had always been one step ahead, controlling everything in her path. Even now, as I looked at her, I could see that look in her eyes, the look of someone who had already decided what would happen next.

“You think you can escape me too, Isla?” Elena sneered, her voice dripping with venom. “You think you’re going to just run off and leave me behind? You don’t get to leave me.”

Victor’s grip on my wrist tightened, his anger rising, but before I could say anything, Elena slapped me across the face.

The sting shot through me, my cheek burning from the impact. I barely had time to react before she raised her hand again, but this time I was prepared. With every ounce of strength, I shoved her away, sending her stumbling backward. “Don’t touch me!”

Elena’s lips curled into a wicked smile, and she straightened herself up, brushing off the insult. “You think you can fight me off? You’re nothing. And you’ll come back with me. We’ll make sure of it.”

But as she stepped forward, I saw the flash of steel. A gun.

My heart skipped a beat.

“No!” I screamed, but it was too late. Elena had already raised the weapon, her finger tightening around the trigger.

But then, a sound came from behind us, a shift of movement too quick for my mind to process.

Adrian.

I didn’t even see him coming. He had somehow re-entered the building, and before I could understand what was happening, he was standing between me and Elena, his body shielding me from the gun.

“Elena, stop!” Adrian’s voice was loud, filled with a fury I had never heard before.

But Elena didn’t listen. In one swift motion, she aimed the gun at him instead.

I couldn’t breathe. This was the moment everything could go wrong. The moment everything could spiral out of control.

“Elena, drop the weapon.” Adrian’s tone was calm, but there was a dangerous edge to it, something cold that sent a shiver down my spine. “You don’t want to do this.”

Adrian didn’t hesitate. He lunged toward her, his hand grabbing her wrist with such force that I heard her gasp in pain. Elena let out a yelp as Adrian twisted her arm, forcing the gun to the floor.

But just as quickly as it had all started, the battle between them came to an end. Adrian shoved Elena back, sending her sprawling to the floor. She scrambled to her feet, eyes burning with rage, but she didn’t make another move. Not yet.

I stood there, frozen, unable to comprehend what had just happened. But before I could collect my thoughts, Victor was back on his feet, a sick smile twisting his lips.

“Enough of this,” he spat. “You think you’ve won, Knight? You think you can protect her? You have no idea what you’re up against.”

Adrian didn’t say a word, but his jaw was clenched tight, his fists balled at his sides. It was clear to me now that this wasn’t just a game to them. It was war.

Victor took a step forward, his eyes fixed on Adrian and now With the gun. “We’re not done here. With that he pulled the trigger.

Noooooooo I screamed

And I jotted up from sleep.