Ideas!

She pushed away from him and stood up from the bed quickly, her legs trembling the second they touched the floor. The weakness in her body betrayed her, and she nearly collapsed.

Before she could fall, Vincenzo caught her.

Her small, fragile frame fit easily into his arms. Without saying a word, he lifted her gently and carried her to the bathroom.

She didn’t resist.

He stepped inside, placed her down carefully into the bathtub, and turned on the warm water. Steam began to rise, surrounding her in soft mist.

“I’ll wait outside,” he said, his voice calm but commanding. “Don’t lock the door.”

Then he left the room without another word, closing the door but leaving it slightly open as instructed.

The warm water soothed her aching muscles. For the first time in days, her body began to relax. But the cold still crept through her skin, and she couldn’t stop shivering. After a few minutes, her lips began to tremble again.

She called out weakly, “I... I don’t have anything to wear.”

Her voice cracked from the cold. The bathwater wasn't enough. Her body was too thin, too fragile to hold in the warmth.

Vincenzo’s voice came from just outside the door. “Come out with the robe,” he said, and she could almost hear the smirk behind the words.

She didn’t reply.

The silence lasted a beat too long.

He understood what it meant.

“I’ll get you something from your room,” he said, his tone softening a little. “Just wait there.”

Her heart calmed slightly. For once, his voice didn’t carry its usual edge. She wrapped the bathrobe around herself and stepped out slowly, still shaking.

A few minutes later, Vincenzo returned with a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans. She stepped forward quietly, reaching to take them, but he pulled them out of her reach.

“Finish your food first,” he said simply, his smile light but serious. “Only then will I let you get dressed.”

She blinked at him, trying to read his face, but there was no teasing in his eyes. He meant it.

She sighed softly and sat down, her hands trembling slightly as she picked up the spoon. Every bite felt like a chore, but she forced it down, knowing he wouldn’t budge.

When she finished, he handed her the clothes. No words were exchanged.

She turned away and dressed slowly. Her movements were unsteady, her body still weak, but she managed. When she finally came out, her steps were uneven, and her head felt light.

Vincenzo stepped toward her and caught her again just as she stumbled.

“What’s happening to me?” she whispered, her fingers weakly gripping his arm. She touched her temple, her eyes filled with confusion. “Why do I feel like this?”

He looked into her eyes and answered calmly, “I don’t trust you. So, I mixed something into your food.”

Her mouth parted slightly in shock.

“You’ll be fine by evening,” he added, brushing a strand of her damp hair out of her face with a touch too soft for his words. “You have a lot of surprises waiting.”

His voice dropped to a husky whisper as his fingers grazed her cheek. His breath brushed against her skin and just like that, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted, collapsing into his arms.

He held her quietly for a second, then carefully carried her back to the bed and laid her down. He tucked the quilt around her, then walked over and locked the door with precision.

He stood there for a moment, watching her sleep.

Then he left.

Outside, Emma was pacing.

The second she saw him, her face twisted in frustration. “What the hell are you doing with her, Vincenzo?” Emma yelled in frustration.

Without hesitation, Vincenzo slapped her hard across the face.

“Sir…” she muttered, clutching her cheek, anger flashing in her eyes. Then she quickly masked it with a forced apology. “Sorry, sir.”

Her hand slid up to his neck, her fingers soft against his skin. “You need to release it, you need someone who knows how to handle you… someone who’s always been loyal.”

Vincenzo didn’t move. His face didn’t shift.

But her hand was now on his jaw.

Her body pressed gently against his, her lips close to his ear. “She betrayed you, lied to your face, and now you’re holding her like some priceless gem?” she whispered. “She doesn’t deserve it.”

She smiled and trailed her fingers down his chest again. “I’ve always been here. Always by your side.”

Her other hand moved lower, dangerously close to his belt. “You can use me however you want…. Right here…… Right now. Kill her, Vincenzo… I mean, Vincenzo sir,” she said, feigning concern while casting him a seductive look.

He turned his head toward her slowly, his expression cold and unreadable.

“Kill her?” he repeated, his voice low and calm.

Emma smiled, leaning in, her voice sweet and false. “You don’t need her anymore. She played you. She made a fool of you. If you ask me, she doesn’t deserve a second chance.”

He watched her for a moment, her face, her words, the poison in her smile.

Then a cruel smirk crept across his lips.

“No,” he said. “She shouldn’t die that easily.”

Emma’s smile faltered.

Vincenzo’s eyes darkened, and his grin widened slightly, laced with something dangerous. “Death is too simple for her. I want her to feel every second of what she’s done. Slowly.”

Emma’s fake concern faded into a cold and calculating smile. She nodded slowly, but she couldn’t hide the flicker of jealousy in her eyes.

She hated how he spoke about Seraphina….not like a man discarding someone, but like one obsessed. And that scared her more than anything.