Chapter 5 V

Chapter 5

Sabrina Moretti p.o.v

The door to the room suddenly open, and I immediately became tensed.

I didn't need to look up to know it was Massimo Morano.

His presence was something no one could make a mistake about.

The atmosphere is always filled with a mixture of authority and danger when he is there.

I sat on the narrow bed with my knees drawn up to my chest as I stared at the untouched plate of food on the small table across the room.

It had been hours since the tray was brought in, but I hadn't touched it.

I couldn't.

The thought of eating anything made my stomach turn, not just from fear but from the refusal to comply with anything this man wanted.

Morano stopped just inside the doorway as he stared at me.

I could feel it.

It was sharp as if he were trying to read every thought in my mind.

I kept my eyes on the floor, determined not to give him the satisfaction of acknowledging his presence.

"You haven't eaten," he said with a low and too calm voice.

That's strange

This kind of calm tone was more terrifying than any shout or threat because it held a promise of something far worse.

I didn't respond to his question.

I couldn't.

My throat felt tight and choked with a mix of anger, fear, and a stubborn refusal to give in.

"Answer me, damn it!" he barked, making me flinch.

He crossed the room in two quick strides, grabbing the tray and slamming it down in front of me on the bed.

"Why haven't you eaten?"

I clenched my fists as I dig my nails into my palms to keep myself from trembling.

"I'm not hungry," I forcefully say.

My voice was barely above a whisper.

"I'm not hungry?" Morano echoed in a sarcastic tone.

"You think this is a game, don't you? Some little power play? Well, it's not. This isn't about you or your pride. It's about survival, Sabrina. And if you don't start cooperating, you won't last long enough to realize how foolish you are right now."

I kept my gaze away from him as Istardd at the tray as if it could save me from the storm of fury I knew that was brewing in him.

"I said, eat," Morano ordered, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

I shook my head, my stubbornness outweighing my fear, though only barely.

"I won't."

The room seemed to vibrate with the force of his rage as he slammed his fist down on the table, causing the tray to rattle.

I jumped, unable to help his sudden reaction, and finally looked up at him.

His eyes were blazing with anger.

His jaw clenched so tightly that a muscle in his cheek twitched.

"You won't?" he repeated in a mocking tone.

"You think you have a choice here, Sabrina? You don't. You are in my world now, and you will do what I say when I say it. Do you think starving yourself is going to make you stronger? Make you feel in control? You are wrong."

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady.

"I'm not trying to be strong. I just... I can't eat. Not like this."

"Not like this?" Morano's laugh was harsh and was emotionless.

"What exactly is 'this,' Sabrina? Being alive? Breathing? Having the luxury of food in front of you while others starve on the streets? You are acting like a spoiled child, throwing a tantrum because things aren't going your way."

His words cut deep.

It was like he was piercing through my heart.

But I refused to let him see how much they hurt.

I had to hold on to what little dignity I had left, even if it was just a thread.

Morano's eyes narrowed as he studied me, and I knew he could see right through me.

"You think you are strong, don't you? That refusing to eat is some kind of victory? Let me tell you something, Sabrina. Starvation doesn't make you strong. It makes you weak, vulnerable. Easy to break."

He leaned in closer.

His face inches from mine.

I could feel the heat of his anger.

"And I will break you, Sabrina," he whispered in a chillingly soft voice.

"I will tear down every wall of yours until there is nothing left but the truth. The truth that you are just a scared little girl, hiding behind a name that means nothing here."

My breath hitched, and I fought to keep my emotions in check.

But it was a losing battle.

The tears I had been holding back for so long began to well up causing my vision to be blurry.

Morano straightened, towering over me as he continued his verbal assault.

"You think your brother care about you? That he is going to swoop in and save the day? He is the one who handed you over, please keep in mind that. He gave you up to save his own skin because you are nothing more than a bargaining chip to him. A tool to be used and discarded."

The tears spilled over, and I hated myself for it.

I hated that he had managed to break through my defenses that his words had hit their mark so precisely.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop them.

I felt like my strength was crumbling.

Morano's voice grew softer, but no less cutting.

"Look at you," he said, his tone almost pitying.

"So proud, so determined to stand your ground... but in the end, you are just a frightened little girl, clinging to whatever scraps of control you think you have left."

He stepped back, giving me space, but the distance did nothing to lessen the impact of his words.

They echoed in my mind,

Words that I couldn't escape.

I wanted to scream, to lash out, to fight back in any way I could, but I was too exhausted.

Massimo Morano has shattered every last piece of my pride, leaving me with nothing but the cold, hard truth.

I am alone.

Helpless....

And completely at his mercy.

My mind was numb and my body shaking with the force of my tears.

I have never felt so broken.

I have never felt defeated.

I have always thought I am a strong woman.

I thought I am able to withstand whatever life throws at me.

But now... at this moment I feel like I am drowning...

I feel like I am sinking deeper into darkness that I couldn't escape.

Morano watched me for a moment.

Before he then turned and walked to the door.

"Whether you do it now or after, always remember that I'm in control now. But make no mistake, Sabrina, don't you ever forget that I will break you," he said over his shoulder with a dismissive tone.

" And don't let me come back to your room and still find this food untouched, or you won't like what next I will do to you. This time around, I will make sure I do something that will shatter you into pieces. Do not test me."

He left the room, slamming the door behind him.

To be continued