Chapter 5 Five

Daisy was in the hotel room, getting ready for work when she heard a knock at the door. She paused, staring at it. It was too early for room service, and she hadn't ordered anything.

"Who is it?" She called cautiously, walking to the door.

There was no response. Her heart raced. Maybe it was just the staff, she thought, trying to convince herself as she opened the door. But the moment it swung open, her blood ran cold.

Her father stood there, staring coldly at her. Three of his men stood behind him.

"Dad," she whispered, taking a step back.

Before she could slam the door, he shoved it open with force, the impact sending her stumbling back. His hand came up faster than she could react, landing a hard slap across her face. Daisy fell to the ground, clutching her stinging cheek.

"You thought you could escape me?" He hissed, towering over her.

"I was... wasn't trying to escape. I swear," Daisy stammered, her voice trembling.

"Liar!" He barked, kicking her hard in the stomach. The force of it left her breathless, and she doubled over in pain.

She tried to crawl away, her fingers clawing at the carpet as tears blurred her vision. But her father grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking her up.

"Strip her," he ordered his men coldly.

"No!" Daisy screamed, her voice filled with desperation. "Dad, please I'm sorry! I made a mistake!"

Two of his men stepped forward without hesitation, their hands roughly ripping her shirt apart. Daisy sobbed, struggling against them, but it was no use.

"I'll teach you not to make any more mistakes," her father sneered, taking the whip one of his men handed him.

"Please! Don't..."

"Hold her down!"

The men pinned her to the ground, her struggles weakening as the first lash of the whip landed on her back. She let out a pained scream, her body jerking involuntarily. By the second lash, she stopped fighting, accepting her fate and reminding herself that he'd stop when he was satisfied.

He struck her twenty-four times. The agonising pain soon turned to numbness, her back was bleeding.

"The next time you try to defy me, you'll be back in the basement," he said coldly, tossing the whip aside.

Daisy shuddered at his words. The mention of the basement brought back suffocating dark memories.

"No, please," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I'll never run again."

Her father smirked, pleased with her submission. "Good. Now, you're going to make yourself useful. I heard you're working for Vincenzo now. Keep working there. Do whatever it takes to keep him in our family's good books. And don't you dare cause trouble for Sofia, or go anywhere near Antonio."

Daisy didn't respond. She couldn't. Her body ached too much to speak.

"Fix yourself up," he spat, adjusting his expensive cufflinks. "You don't want to be late for work."

He paused at the door, glancing back at her crumpled form. "And Daisy? Make sure no one hears about this little... incident. And by no one, I mean Vincenzo."

The door slammed with such force that the walls seemed to shake. Or maybe that was just her. For several long minutes, Daisy couldn't move. Her body felt like it was on fire. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth where she'd bitten her lip to keep her from screaming.

When she finally managed to uncurl herself, her tears had left dark spots on the beige carpet. A hysterical laugh bubbled up in her throat. She'd have to pay extra for staining the hotel's carpet. The absurdity of worrying about that, of all things, caused her to sob uncontrollably.

After a while, she crawled to the bathroom. She sobbed when she saw her reflection in the mirror. She had become bruised, battered, and utterly defeated. She cleaned herself as best as she could, covering the fresh marks on her face with makeup. By the time she left for work, she looked composed. But inside, she was shattered.

---

At work, Daisy moved through her morning routine like a ghost. Her body screamed in protest with every step she took. The bruises on her back hurt like hell, but she forced herself to push through. She had planned to quit working here today, but now it seems she has no choice.

"Good morning, Daisy!" Isabella stopped by her desk with a steaming cup of coffee. "You look a bit pale today. Is everything okay?"

Daisy forced a smile, grateful for the layers of makeup and clothing concealing her bruises. "Just didn't sleep well. You know how it is."

"Tell me about it. These deadlines are killing me." Isabella said, studying Daisy's face. "Are you sure you're alright? You seem... different."

"I'm fine," Daisy said quickly, perhaps too quickly. "Just need more coffee."

Isabella nodded, unconvinced, but walked away. "You should get something to eat as well."

Daisy released a shaky breath, remembering her father's words. Keep working there. Do whatever it takes.

She decided to take Isabella's advice and get some food in her system. Vincenzo's voice came through her desk phone before she could go.

"Daisy, I need you in my office. Now."

She sighed, muttering under her breath as she stood up. Every movement sent a fresh wave of pain through her body, but she couldn't let it show. Not here.

When she entered his office, Vincenzo was at his desk, flipping through some documents.

"Sir?" Daisy stood in the doorway of Vincenzo's office.

He looked up from his computer. "Come in. Close the door."

Daisy did as instructed, her heart racing.

"You've been distracted today," he said. "Three typing errors in the Anderson contract. That's not like you."

"I apologize," she said quietly. "It won't happen again."

Vincenzo leaned back in his chair. "No, it won't. I'll be leaving early today, and I'll finish the rest of today's work at home."

"Oh," Daisy said, a little surprised. "Does that mean I can leave early as well?"

Vincenzo finally glanced up, raising an eyebrow. "You'll be coming with me."

Her stomach dropped. "Why? I mean, do I have to?"

He leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing. "Don't tell me you've forgotten your job description. Stop wasting time and get your things."

Daisy opened her mouth to argue but thought better of it. She left the office with a sigh, muttering to herself about how demanding he was, compared to her father.

Vincenzo watched her leave, his gaze lingering a little longer than it should. Something was off about her today. She was quieter than usual, her movements were stiff, like she was being careful. He frowned, wondering if she was sick.

---

When they arrived at his mansion, Vincenzo immediately called for the maids.

"Prepare something for her to eat, and attend to every one of her needs." He ordered. His voice was calm, but the authority in it sent the staff scurrying off.

Daisy blinked in surprise, watching how everyone scrambled under his command. He didn't even raise his voice, yet they looked like their lives depended on pleasing him.

"You look tired. Go rest," Vincenzo told her. "I'll be in my office. I'll call you if I need you."

Daisy nodded, grateful for the chance to sit down. But as Vincenzo turned to leave, she felt her vision blur.

The next thing she knew, the world tilted, and she was falling.

Vincenzo heard the thud and turned around; his heart skipped a beat when he saw her lying on the floor.

"Daisy!"

He rushed to her side, lifting her into his arms with ease. He turned to the nearest guard and yelled, "Get the doctor. Now."

The guard bolted without a word.

Vincenzo carried her to the guest room, his jaw clenched. As he laid her on the bed, he noticed how warm she was. She was burning up.

"What the hell?" He muttered, frowning as he took in her appearance. She was wearing layers of clothes, completely inappropriate for the warm weather.

He carefully began removing the outer layers, intending to make her more comfortable. That's when he saw it, the red stain on the back of her shirt. Blood.

He froze, panic rising in his chest. With shaky hands, he peeled the shirt off her back. What he saw made his blood boil. Her back was a mess of bruises and open wounds, some fresh, others old but reopened.

"Who the hell did this to her?" He growled, his voice low but dangerous.

---

The doctor arrived shortly after and began examining her. Vincenzo stayed close, his arms crossed.

"She'll be fine," the doctor said after checking her vitals. "She passed out from exhaustion and stress."

Vincenzo's jaw clenched. "And the bruises? Look at her back."

The doctor pulled up her shirt and gasped. "This... looks like a whipping. These wounds are fresh... probably from today. Who did this to her?"

Vincenzo didn't answer, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"She'll need these medications," the doctor said, scribbling on a prescription pad. "Make sure she rests and avoids any strain."

The doctor packed up, but as he glanced at Daisy, he couldn't help but say, "She's stunning. Where'd you find someone like her?"

Vincenzo shot him a deadly glare. "Get out."

The doctor chuckled nervously. "Relax, I was just complimenting her."

"Out," Vincenzo said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Fine, I'm going." The doctor raised his hands in surrender. "No need to get so protective."

---

Daisy stirred not long after. Her eyes fluttered open, meeting Vincenzo's concerned gaze.

"W... what happened?" She asked weakly.

"You fainted," Vincenzo said. "Why didn't you call in sick today?"

"I couldn't." She whispered.

"You should have," he said firmly. "Now, tell me... how did you get those bruises?"

Daisy stiffened, realizing she was in a different shirt. "Did you... change my clothes?"

"Yes," he said bluntly. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. Not in front of me. Now answer me, who hurt you?"

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she looked away quickly. "I can't."

"Daisy," Vincenzo said, his tone softer now. "You don't have to protect anyone. Just tell me who it was. Give me a name."

But Daisy shook her head, biting her lip to hold back her sobs.

Vincenzo exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. Don't tell me. But whoever it is... they'll have to answer to me."

She looked at him, startled. The intensity in his eyes made her believe him. He couldn't be doing this because he was her boss, right? But why? Why did it bother him if she was getting hurt or not?

"Rest, you'll stay here from now on." He said gently.

"What?"

"I'm not letting you out of my sight until you tell me who laid hands on you," Vincenzo said firmly.

"But I have to go home."

"I wasn't asking you to stay, that was an order."

There was a brief knock on the door, and Maria, the head housekeeper approached with concern etched on her face. I'm sorry to bother you sir, I just wanted to ask if she would like some tea. Perhaps something to eat?

"She needs soup," Vincenzo told. "Something light but nourishing. And bring some pain relievers."

Maria's eyes widened slightly at his tone. "Right away, sir."

"You can't keep me here, sir." Daisy said as soon as Maria left.

"That's not debatable. Someone hurt you, Daisy. Someone thought they had the right to..." He stopped, jaw clenching. "I protect what's mine."

"I'm not yours," she said softly. "I'm just your assistant, not some property to be owned."

"You're under my employment, which makes your safety my responsibility. End of discussion."

"Rest," he said, standing. "We'll talk more when you're stronger."

As he left, Daisy stared at the ceiling, tears sliding silently down her cheeks. She was trapped again, but this time... this time felt different. But she wasn't sure if that was good or terrifying.