Chapter 4 Four

Daisy's POV

The conference was huge. Big bright chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and people were everywhere. The kind of people who had power, money, and everything I didn't. I stood next to Vincenzo, trying not to feel small. My black dress was nice, but here, it felt plain.

I had spent hours preparing for this moment. Marco had drilled me on protocols, how to stand, how to listen, and how to blend in.

"You're not just an assistant," he had told me. "You're an extension of Vincenzo Marino. Every move you make reflects on him."

Vincenzo leaned down slightly to speak to me, his voice low. "I need to take care of something. Don't wander too far."

Before I could say anything, he walked off. He blended into this world like he owned it. Well, probably because he did.

I stayed where I was, pretending to listen to the people around me. It was boring. Nothing they said made sense to me. I thought about how I'd gotten here. Just a while ago, I was a girl about to be engaged, living a life I thought I wanted. Now, I was an assistant to a man who'd just as easily kill someone like it meant nothing.

My phone buzzed. It was a message from Sofia.

"Enjoying playing secretary? I don't think Antonio would get back to you. You'll never belong in this world."

I deleted the message, my fingers pressing harder than necessary. I had no time for her mind games. But, if she already knew I was working for Vincenzo, then it wouldn't be long until my dad found me. I thought about asking Vincenzo for help but that didn't seem possible. I mean, why would he want to help me?

After a while, my feet started hurting, and I got tired of standing. I decided to go find Vincenzo. What's taking so long? I thought the assistant was supposed to be everywhere her boss was.

I walked out of the conference hall, the sounds of laughter and clinking glasses fading behind me. The estate was massive, with expensive art on the walls of the long hallways. I wandered around for a bit, not sure where I was going until I found the garden.

The garden was beautiful. The smell of roses filled my nose. For a second, I forgot about the party, and everything else. I felt calm.

Then I saw him.

Vincenzo stood at the far end of the garden. But he wasn't alone. Three men stood with him, and one man was kneeling on the ground. My heart started pounding as I got closer. I wasn't stupid, I knew what kind of man Vincenzo was. But this... this was different.

I moved closer so I could hear what they were saying, trying my best to stay in the shadows. Of course, I didn't want them to see me, but I couldn't look away. I tend to be extremely curious sometimes.

The man on the ground was crying. His face was swollen, and blood was dripping from a cut on his lip. He was begging.

"Please, Mr Marino," he said, his voice shaking. "I have a family. Two kids. They need me. I'll pay you back, I swear. Just give me more time."

Vincenzo's voice was cold as he spoke. "I think your time is already overdue. Don't you agree?"

The man shook his head frantically. "No, no, I swear I was going to..."

"I gave you time. More than enough." Vincenzo said. "And you thought you could play me. You thought I'd forget."

"No, I wasn't trying to play you!" The man's voice cracked. "It was a mistake! I'll fix it! Just a little more time, that's all I ask."

Vincenzo tilted his head like he was thinking. "Don't worry about your family," he said. "They'll be taken care of. But you? Your time is up. I'm sure they'll be better off without you."

The man screamed, begging for his life as Vincenzo pulled out a gun.

"Please..."

The gunshot was loud, ringing in my ears. The man fell forward, his body hitting the ground with a thud.

I gasped before I could stop myself. My hands flew to my mouth, but it was too late. Vincenzo's head snapped up, his dark eyes stared at me.

I panicked. Without thinking, I turned and walked away as fast as I could. I didn't run, I was too scared they'd come after me if I did. My heart was racing, my stomach twisting in disgust as I remembered how the bullet went through that man's head.

I made it back into the building, my heels clicking on the marble floor. I just wanted to leave. To get away from this place, from him. I think this was a dumb idea. There's no way I could get a man as ruthless as him to notice me. What if he realises what my plans are and then kills me too? No, never, I can't risk my life for this stupid revenge.

I felt a hand on my waist, causing me to flinch.

"Where do you think you're going, little woman?"

It was Vincenzo. His voice was calm, but there was something in it that made my skin prickle. I turned to face him, trying to hide how scared I was.

"I... I was just heading back," I said, my voice shaky. "I'm tired."

He raised an eyebrow, his grip on my waist firm. "Tired? Or running away because of what you saw?"

I froze. "I don't know what you're talking about, Mr Marino."

"Don't lie to me. Daisy." His hand moved to my chin, tilting my face up. His touch was soft, but it felt like a warning. "I hate lies."

"I wasn't... I didn't mean to see anything, I promise." I said quickly. "I was bored. I went for a walk. That's all."

He stared at me for a long moment, his eyes held mine. Then he chuckled, low and dark.

"You're scared," he said.

I nodded. What else could I do? I was terrified.

"Good," he said. "You should be."

He leaned closer, his face was so close I could feel his breath. My heart was pounding so hard I thought he might hear it.

"You came to me on your own, Daisy," he said, his voice soft but firm. "You could have stayed away after everything, but you didn't. And now that you've seen how I am, don't try to run. Because I won't let you."

I didn't know what to say. His words confused me and scared me. Did he mean he'd hurt me? Was it because I saw what happened earlier? But I'm not a threat. I wasn't planning to tell anyone, even if I did, there's nothing the police can do about it.

"I don't understand, sir," I whispered.

He straightened, letting go of my chin but not my waist. "Come. I'll drop you off at home."

"No," I said quickly, shaking my head. His eyebrows went up, and I rushed to explain. "I'm not going home. You can just drop me at the hotel where we first ran into each other."

"You're still staying at the hotel?"

"Yes," I said. "I mean, just until I find an apartment."

He didn't say anything, but I could tell he was thinking. After a moment, he nodded. "Fine."

He led me to his car, his hand resting on my lower back. His touch was light, but it made me nervous. Or maybe it made me feel something else. No, what's wrong with me? I just saw him kill a man a few minutes ago.

When we got to the car, he opened the door for me. I slid into the seat, my hands folded in my lap. He got in on the other side and instructed the driver on where to go.

The ride was quiet. I stared out the window, trying to calm my racing thoughts. What had I gotten myself into?

But despite everything that happened tonight, I wasn't as terrified as I thought I would be. The only thing I thought about was the way he looked in the garden, calm and in control. The way he had touched my chin and held my waist earlier.

I wasn't scared of Vincenzo Marino.

I was fascinated by him. A part of me wished I could be as ruthless and commanding as him. Maybe my life wouldn't have been a complete mess. My father wouldn't have so much power over me. And I could kill everyone who hurt me.

"You're not afraid, Daisy," Vincenzo said suddenly. It wasn't a question.

I looked at him. "Should I be?"

He laughed, q real laugh this time. "Most people would be terrified. But you, you're different."

"Different how?"

"Calculating," he said. "You're trying to understand, not judge."

I thought about my life. About Antonio. About Sofia. About everything I'd gone through. I remained silent, not knowing what to say.

His eyes met mine in the rearview mirror. Something passed between us... understanding. Some kind of connection.

---

That night in the hotel, I couldn't sleep. The image of the man in the garden kept replaying. I should be terrified. I should be planning on how to stay far from Vincenzo.

Instead, all I could think about was what it'd be like if my father knelt in front of me while I put a bullet through his head.