4. Kidnapped

~Alina~

The moment the plane touched down in Milan, a wave of nostalgia crashed over me.

For a second, I wasn’t a heartbroken, penniless woman. I was a little girl again, running barefoot through the sun-drenched streets, my father’s laughter echoing beside me. I could almost taste the sticky sweetness of gelato on my tongue, feel the warmth of his large hand holding mine as we weaved through the bustling streets.

Back then, Milan had been magic.

Now, it was just another reminder of everything I had lost.

I tightened my grip on the handle of my suitcase, the wheels clicking softly against the airport’s shining floors. The air smelled like freshly brewed espresso, warm pastries, and expensive perfume. I moved through the crowd, my body heavy with exhaustion, my heart heavier with the weight of what awaited me.

By the time I slid into the back of a taxi, the midafternoon sun lights washed the streets in a golden glow.

The ride was silent.

I kept my eyes on the window, watching Milan blur past in streaks of ancient stone and modern glass,couples strolling hand in hand. The city was alive, yet I felt detached from it.

I used to belong here once upon a time.

Now, I wasn’t sure where I belonged at all.

The car slowed as we reached the outskirts of the city, where the streets grew quieter, the buildings giving way to stretches of olive trees and sprawling vineyards. My fingers curled against my lap as the taxi took the final turn onto a familiar road.

And then I saw it.

Nana’s house.

A soft gasp caught in my throat.

I pushed the car door open before the driver had even put the car in park, my heart sinking as I dragged my suitcase from the trunk.

The villa stood just as I remembered, tucked away behind an old rusty iron gate with stone walls that had been warmed by decades of summer suns. It wasn’t grand, not like the mansions my father’s wealth had afforded, but it had always felt bigger.

But something felt off.

The windows, always scrubbed clean, were slightly clouded with dust. The shutters, which Nana had insisted be repainted every spring, were chipped, their once-bright white now dull. The terracotta roof, usually gleaming under the evening sun, seemed muted.

My fingers trembled as I pushed open the iron gate and stepped onto the cobbled path.

The first thing I noticed was the flowers.

Nana’s favorite roses and hydrangeas, usually vibrant and full of life, were withering. The petals curled at the edges, their once-rich colors fading into dull browns and yellows.

A pang of worry shot through me. Nana loved her flowers more than anything. She used to make me water them every morning when I visited as a child, saying, “A home without flowers is a home without a soul.”

For them to be neglected meant her condition must be worse than I thought.

I swallowed hard and walked forward, my heart thudding in my chest.

A small gray cat darted past me, its fur slightly unkempt. Nana’s pets had always been well-fed and well-loved. Another bad sign.

The air felt colder as I walked forward, the wheels of my suitcase bouncing against the uneven stones. My breath was shallow, my fingers trembling.

I reached the door, hesitating for only a second before lifting my hand to knock.

I never got the chance.

The door flew open before I could touch it.

“Nana! Il mio dolce melanzana è tornata![Nana! Your sweet garden egg is back!]”

A blur of movement crashed into me, knocking the breath from my lungs.

Warm arms wrapped tightly around me, and a familiar scent of lavender and citrus filled my senses before I could even process what was happening.

“Giulia!”

My arms instinctively closed around my cousin as she squeezed me in an almost suffocating embrace.

“I missed you!” she breathed, pulling back just enough for me to see the bright smile on her face.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, my heart twisting painfully.

“I missed you too.”

She looked the same yet somehow different. Her dark brown curls were as wild as ever, tumbling past her shoulders in messy waves. Her green eyes, the color of summer leaves, sparkled with emotion, but there was something new in them—a maturity that hadn’t been there five years ago.

“You’ve grown bigger!” she teased, her hands still gripping my shoulders as she took me in.

“It’s been forever!”

I let out a breathless laugh. “You say that like I turned into a giant.”

She smirked. “Well, maybe a little.”

For a moment, the heaviness in my chest lifted.

Giulia had been my best friend growing up, my partner in crime every summer when I visited Italy. We had spent hours running through vineyards, stealing Nana’s fresh cookies.

But the moment of joy faded too quickly.

“Where’s Nana?” I asked, my voice quieter now.

“What’s wrong with her?”

Giulia’s smile faltered.

She opened her mouth, but she didn’t need to say it.

I already knew.

Inside, the house smelled exactly the same.

Tomato sauce simmering on the stove. Fresh bread cooling on the counter. The softest hint of lavender from Nana’s favorite soap.

But there was something different about the air. A heaviness.

And then I saw her.

Nana sat in her favorite chair near the fireplace, wrapped in a thick wool blanket.

She looked smaller.

Her once rosy cheeks were pale, her silver hair thinner than before. The warmth in her honey-brown eyes was still there, but exhaustion weighed heavily on her features.

“Alina, mia cara [my dear,]” she whispered, reaching for my hands.

I dropped to my knees beside her, taking her frail fingers in mine.

“Nana…”

She smiled softly. “You’re still as beautiful as ever. Your father would be so proud.”

At the mention of Dad, my chest tightened.

“I miss him,” I admitted.

“I do too, tesoro[darling,]” she said with a sigh.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then she squeezed my hand.

“Mio dolce melanzana, Nana is getting too old. I don’t have much time left,” she chuckled dryly.

“But there’s something I need to tell you,” she said. “Your father left something behind for you. Some properties and fortunes. A hidden inheritance.”

I blinked in shock. “What?”

“He anticipated that things might take a wrong turn in the future. To protect you, he made arrangements to secure your future. His wish is for you to settle down before claiming the inheritance, so you can build a stable life with your husband and children. That’s the only way he can ensure you’re safe from those who would take advantage of you.”

My breath hitched.

“Dad wants me to get married first before I can claim the inheritance?”

“Yes,” she nodded weakly.

“That’s why I wanted to see your fiancé,” Nana continued.

“The last time we spoke, you told me you were engaged. Where is he?”

My stomach dropped.

“Hmm… Nana, he’s coming soon. He got caught up with something.”

Her gaze searched mine as if she could sense my hesitation.

Finally, she nodded. “Alright. I’ll wait for him.”

I forced a smile, but inside, panic twisted like a knife.

I had no fiancé, thanks to Ethan and Jade.

I had nothing to my name. No home, no money. I had spent all my savings on the penthouse and the wedding, only for everything to fall apart.

I needed this inheritance.

And if that meant finding a fiancé overnight, then so be it.

The idea was reckless, but I had no choice.

I had explained everything to Giulia—how today was supposed to be my wedding, how I had lost everything in a single night.

And thanks to her, I now stood outside Inferno, one of Milan’s most exclusive and dangerous clubs. According to her, it was also the easiest place to find a man without complications.

“Just promise them a hot night, and they’ll be begging to play fiancé,” she had teased with a smirk.

At the time, I had rolled my eyes. But now, standing here, I wasn’t so sure she was wrong.

The night pulsed with life, music and voices spilling onto the street. Inferno stood before me, tall, sleek, and ominous, its black glass exterior reflecting the golden city lights.

Before I could take a step forward, a sleek black SUV pulled up beside me.

I barely had time to register the movement before something struck the back of my head.

A sharp, searing pain exploded through my skull, like a bolt of lightning splitting my senses apart. A dull ringing filled my ears, my vision tilting as my body lost all strength. My knees buckled, and the world around me blurred into nothing but shadows and distant noise.

Then, darkness swallowed me whole.