Fabio's eyes flickered with annoyance as he turned back to Rosa.He stood over her "I don't care what you think of me" his grip tightening in her hair "Silvio is a powerful man here in Italy. You should be grateful he's chosen you. And you should be grateful to me.
My decision is final-you're his now and You belong to him"
The words hit Rosa like a physical blow, It felt like something inside her was being ripped away. Is this how my life has become, No! no way.. I’m not letting my dad detect my life.
*****
As the first light of morning streamed through the curtains, Rosa stood by her window, already dressed in a black tank top and jeans.
Her black cap was pulled low over her long hair.
She picked up a frame of her mother from the nightstand and ran her hand gently over the frame,
"Sorry Mum but I have to leave" she whispered "I can't keep living like this.. I love you" She pressed a soft kiss to the photo, then set it down carefully.
The quiet moment was shattered as the door swung open. Rosa's heart leapt into her throat,she thought it was him—her father but then she froze
"Mom?" she gasped.
Hana stood in the doorway, her own black bag slung over her shoulder, a look of shock on her face. She stared at Rosa, her eyes scanning her daughter's appearance as if trying to understand what she was seeing.
Hana stepped into the room, her face filled with disbelief.
Without a word, Hana pulled Rosa into a tight embrace. Rosa stiffened for just a moment, then melted into her mother's arms. She buried her face in Hana's shoulder
"I'm not letting him control us anymore, Hana said quietly pulling back slightly to look into her daughter's eyes "We are leaving”
Rosa nodded, This was real and she isn’t alone.
Together, they hurried through the dark, silent house, Hana's fingers brushed the door handle of the sitting room.
when suddenly, a rough force yanked her hair back. Her body froze and she spun around to see Fabio's furious face.
Rosa immediately react, grabbing Fabio's arm to pull him away from her mother but he shoved her back with a force that sent her crashing hard to the floor.
"Rosa!" Hana screamed, her voice laced with panic.
Fabio's palm immediately struck her cheek. The sound of the slap echoed through the room.
Blood trickled on her lower lips, she staggered back but before she could recover, Fabio's grab Rosa's arm, yanking her backward with brutal force.
Rosa gasped, her body jerking as she tried to break free, her fingers clawing at his hand "Let go!" she cried, twisting and kicking but his grip was merciless
“You think you can escape?” Fabio snarled “not when I’m alive”
When they reached her room, he tossed her onto the bed with such force that she bounced once
"You're never leaving this room" Fabio growled, slamming the door with a bang that rattled the walls.
Rosa stood to her feet, her hands hitting the door "Let me out of here, Dad! Please!" Her voice cracked as tears blurred her vision "I'm begging you..”
Meanwhile, Fabio reached the sitting room, his eyes scanning the empty space..He paused for a moment. There was no sign of Hana but just as he turned to walk away, a faint sound behind him made him stop.
In an instant, something heavy crashed into the side of his head.
The pricing crack of porcelain was the last thing he heard. His legs collapsed and he hit the floor with a brutal thud, his hands flying to his head as blood trickled from the gashes
The world tilted around him, pain blooming in
his skull. His breath came in jagged gasps.
"Hana... you won't get away with this" he growled
Hana stood over him, calm and composed. She didn't flinch as she looked down at him, her expression cold.
She reached into his pocket, taking his keys.She crouched down slightly, meeting his gaze “I already did my dear husband” she said quietly “you are pathetic”
She turned and walked swiftly toward Rosa's room, not looking back. The door swung open and there stood Rosa, huddled at the edge of the bed. Her face was puffy and tear stained. The instant Rosa saw her mother, she rushed into her arms..sobbing without a word.
Hana wrapped her arms around her, feeling the tremble in Rosa's small frame "it's okay sweetheart" she whispered, pressing a kiss to her daughter's hair "Mommy will always protect you"
Rosa pulled back slightly, her hands clutching at Hana's arms as she nodded quickly
"Let's go" Hana said firmly, her fingers tightening on Rosa's shoulder. Without waiting for an answer, she guided her out of the room
When they reached the sitting room, Hana's gaze flicked to Fabio. He lay crumpled on the floor, blood spreading slowly around him. The sight stopped Rosa in her tracks, her stomach churned as she quickly turned away.. her hand clutching at her mother's sleeve.
"Don't look" Hana said, her voice tight as she gently tugged Rosa toward the door. They stepped outside, the cool morning air sharp against their skin
The car was parked outside the house, they both got in.
The engine roared to life and they pulled onto the road. For a moment, the world outside felt unreal. Rosa couldn't help but stare at the open road stretching ahead of them, they were free.
Rosa’s face lit up with a soft smile as she turned to her mother "Thank you, Mom"
Hana's fingers reached out, her hand finding
Rosa's and holding it tightly. "Don't thank me"
she said softly "It's mommy’s job to protect you”
Suddenly, a brutal impact from behind slammed into their car. Rosa's breath caught in her throat.
"What's happening?"
Hana's eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, her jaw tightening "We're being followed”
Rosa's gaze darted to the side mirror and color drained from her face as two black vans loomed just behind them, closing the gap with terrifying speed.
Another crash hit their bumper, sending Rosa's body forward, her head slamming into the seatbelt. The impact left her dizzy, her vision swirling.
“Rosa, are you okay?” Hana asked, her voice laced with panic
Rosa blinked, nodding weakly even though blood trickled down her forehead. The sound
of the engine revved as Hana pushed the pedal
to the floor.
From one of the vans, a voice yelled.. The window rolled down and a man in dark sunglasses leaned out, his tone sharp "Miss, I suggest you stop the car and hand over your daughter"
"Never!" Hana screamed, her grip tightening on the wheel.
Silvio's men. The words buzzed in her head like a wasp, the panic rising as she clutched the seatbelt
Without warning, the car lurched again and Rosa's body slammed into the door as Hana swerved to avoid the impact. But it was too late.
A truck appeared from nowhere, charging toward them and in an instant, their car was thrown sideways, tumbling with the sickening sound of glass shattering and the world spinning out of control.
The next day, Elena stood just outside the airport, her suitcase by her side. She paused, eyes darting across the busy drop-off lane, then tightened her grip on the handle and rolled it inside.In the waiting area, she sank into a chair, still with time before her flight. She drew a slow, shaky breath. Her fingers trembled as she reached into her coat pocket and pulled out her phone.For a long moment, she stared at the screen. Her thumb hovered above Jia's contact. Her lips parted, just barely as though preparing to speak even before the call connected. But then she stopped. A quiet sigh escaped her. She pressed the power button and slid the phone back into her pocket.Overhead, the intercom crackled "Flight SQ123 to Singapore now boarding"Elena's eyes flicked up. A glint of resolve passed over her face. She stood, grabbed her suitcase and headed to the gate.At the check-in counter, she handed over her boarding pass, barely meeting the attendant's gaze. Then she was walking again,
After snapping a few photos—carefully angled and discreet—Jia curled her lips into a satisfied smile."I never thought l would stumble on such a sweet moment" she murmured to herself.She didn't drive off right away. Instead, she lingered, eyes trained on the scene unfolding before her—Damian slowly pulled away from Mira, only for Mira to hand him a large envelope. He opened it with care and Jia's breath caught as she recognized the familiar shape and grainy black and white image. A pregnancy scan.She knew it the instant she saw it—how could she not? She had once held similar images of her own children.A soft smile crept onto Damian's face. Then his eyes dropped to Mira's rounded belly. Gently, he placed a hand on it, rubbing in slow, reverent circles.Mira smiled too.Jia's breath hitched. Could it be...? No.She shook the thought from her mind. She wasn't going to assume anything. Not yet.Moments later, the both climbed into their car and drove off. Jia let out a breath she hadn
Tiziano didn't miss a beat. He gave the men a curt nod. "Leave” They rose without a word, offered brief bows and exited, the door clicking shut behind them.Tiziano reached for a glass already filled with whiskey, swirling it leisurely as he regarded her "What is it you want?""Why did you fire Brandon?" Elena snapped.A smirk tugged at the corner of Tiziano's mouth. So, that's what this was about. He brought the glass to his lips, taking a slow sip without answering."You still haven't answered me" Elena said sharply.He downed the rest of the whiskey in one gulp, set the glass down and looked at her, eyes narrowing."You already know the answer" he said. "Maybe you should ask yourself.""You are being childish."Tiziano scoffed "Am I?""You are so unprofessional it's pathetic. You let your personal issues cloud your judgment. Brandon didn't do anything to deserve being fired."Tiziano stood and walked around the desk, sitting casually on its edge. "He did one thing,” he said co
"Why are you back so late?" he asked, voice low andsharp.Elena coughed, waving the smoke away "What are you doing here? And how did you get in?"Tiziano didn't answer. His eyes followed her every move as she stepped toward the window. Just as her fingers grazed the curtain, he shot up, grabbing her arm and spinning her around."You don't walk away when I'm talking to you" he snapped.She flinched but refused to meet his gaze. Her eyes flicked back toward the window. She tried to pullfree but his grip only tightened."Let go" she said quietly.Tiziano ignored her, his voice dropped to an icy whisper. "Was I not clear when I said you are mine?That no man is allowed to touch you—let alone take you out? But you—" He yanked her closer "you went against my words and let Brandon touch you"Elena's hands balled into fists at her sides, she stayed silent but when Tiziano gripped her chin, forcing her to face him, she felt the tremor of her breath. His eyes bored into hers."You are real
She stood up and gathered her clothes from the floor, then hurried to the bathroom. Moments later, she emerged, grabbed her bag from the same spot, opened the door and stepped outside.Everywhere was quiet. No sign of Tiziano. Not even serena, the woman she had seen last night. She booked a ride. Less than ten minutes later, the car pulled up outside Tiziano's gate. She got in and it zoomed off.When she arrived home, she made her way straight to the bathroom. She peeled off her dress and stepped into the shower. Water cascaded from her head down her body, washing away the night, but not the voice echoing in her mindYou are mine now. Stay away from other men.She quickly shook the thought away. After her shower, she dressed in a pair of fitted jeans, a white crop jacket, and clean white sneakers.Slinging her bag over her shoulder, Elena stepped outside and got into her car parked out front.She drove to the company building. Upon arrival, she remained in the car for a couple of min
Elena stood in front of the mirror, fully dressed and almost ready to leave. She had on plain black pants and a white silk shirt but Tiziano's words echoed in her mind "Dress nicely"With a sigh, she turned back to the wardrobe and pulled out a black silk gown. It was short, elegant and backless, revealing the delicate butterfly tattoo on her shoulder. She slipped into it quickly, then reached up to untie her messy ponytail.Her hair tumbled in loose waves down her back, softening her look.A sharp car horn broke the silence.That must be his driver, she thought.She grabbed her bag and headed downstairs. The moment she opened the front door, she spotted the black car idling at the curb. As she approached, the driver stepped out quickly and opened the back door for her."Thank you" she murmured.The driver gave her a polite nod, then returned to the front seat. The engine roared softly as they pulled away from the curb.Elena sat quietly, her fingers curled tightly around the strap