Chapter 4 was suffocating

The weeks that followed were nothing short of a whirlwind. Isolde had known that Luca's world was dangerous, but nothing could have prepared her for the harsh reality of it. It wasn't just the darkness that seeped into the air wherever he went-it was the way everything seemed to bend under his influence. His power, the way people moved and shifted around him like pawns, was suffocating. It was everywhere, in every corner, every glance. It was in the way the servants lowered their heads when he passed, how the silence grew in his presence.

And she was learning, slowly, what it meant to exist in a world like that.

Luca had kept his distance from her, for the most part. He had given her the list of people to contact, and she had done as she was told. The first few names were simple enough-low-level operatives in his network. People who dealt with logistics, with deliveries, who could move goods in and out of the city without drawing attention. But as the days passed, the tasks grew darker.

She had spent her days moving between the shadows, meeting with people she could barely trust, doing things she could never have imagined herself doing. But it was all for Nico. She couldn't forget that. Every action, every grim task, every moral compromise she made-she did it for him. To ensure he would grow up in a world where he wasn't tossed aside, like she had been.

The most difficult part was the meetings with Luca. He was always there, always watching. His presence was oppressive, suffusing every room with a sense of inevitability. He was everywhere, yet always untouchable. Every time their eyes met, she felt that strange combination of fear and something else-something darker, more unsettling.

It was on one of those days that Luca decided to make his first move.

The mansion was quiet that afternoon. Nico had just fallen asleep in her arms, his tiny breaths soft and even. Isolde stood by the window, looking out at the sprawling garden below. The autumn breeze stirred the branches of the trees, but it did little to ease the tightness in her chest. Her thoughts were clouded, conflicted. She had been living under Luca's roof for weeks now, her every movement dictated by his will, and she felt the weight of it every day. She hadn't seen any of the people from the list she'd been given for some time, and she wondered if Luca had forgotten about her.

The thought barely registered before the door to the study opened, and Luca stepped inside.

"Isolde," he said, his voice smooth but edged with something she couldn't quite place. "We need to talk."

She turned toward him, her heart leaping in her chest. "About what?"

He didn't answer immediately. Instead, his eyes swept over her-his gaze cold, calculating, as though he was measuring her, gauging her every reaction. He was like a predator sizing up his prey, and despite herself, she couldn't look away.

"I have a job for you," he continued, stepping closer. "A simple one. Nothing too difficult."

Isolde clenched her jaw, her grip tightening on Nico, who stirred in her arms. "I've been doing everything you've asked me to," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "I'm doing what I need to keep Nico safe. What more do you want from me?"

Luca's smile was small, almost imperceptible, but it was enough to send a chill down her spine. "You misunderstand," he said softly. "This is more than just about Nico. This is about you."

Her brow furrowed, her stomach tightening with unease. "What do you mean?"

He leaned forward, his eyes locking with hers in a way that felt far too intimate for comfort. "I told you before, Isolde. You're already mine. You just haven't accepted it yet."

The words hung in the air between them, sharp and heavy. For a moment, she could only stare at him, unable to form a response.

Luca took a step closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "You see, Isolde, you're not just a pawn in my game. You're the queen. And I'm offering you a seat at my side. You'll never have to worry about anything again. You'll have power. You'll have protection. But you'll also owe me."

She felt a shudder run through her, but she refused to show it. "I'm not your queen," she said, her voice trembling, but she didn't back away. "I'm not your anything. And I'll never be."

Luca raised an eyebrow, his amusement palpable. "You say that now. But things change. When the time comes, you'll understand. It always happens that way." His gaze softened for a brief moment, and then, like a switch, he was back to being the calculating man she had come to fear. "But there's something else. Something you'll want to consider."

Isolde frowned, confusion spreading through her. "What's that?"

"You've been living here for weeks, and I know you're not blind. You've seen the way things work. You've seen how things can change. How I make them change." Luca's smile returned, but this time, it was colder, more dangerous. "What I'm asking you to do now is simple, really. You'll meet someone for me. You'll be the face of our next move. And when the job's done, we'll both be one step closer to getting everything we want."

Her heart pounded in her chest. She didn't know whether to be angry or terrified. He wanted her to act as his puppet, to do whatever dirty work he wanted her to do, all while wearing the mask of his loyalty. She wanted to scream, to tell him no, but she knew better. She was already trapped.

"I'm not a part of your world, Luca," she said quietly. "I'm not one of your soldiers, your agents. I'm a mother. I just want to protect my son."

"And that's exactly why you'll do what I ask." Luca's voice was firm now, his tone no longer the coaxing one it had been earlier. "You protect Nico, and you make sure you're not just another casualty in this war. Because if you refuse me, Isolde, you'll be nothing. You'll have nothing."

The words stung, cutting deeper than any physical wound. But they were also a threat, a promise of what would happen if she didn't comply.

"Why do you care so much about me?" she asked, her voice quiet, yet desperate. "Why me?"

Luca stepped closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "Because you have something I need, Isolde. Something no one else can give me." His eyes flicked down to Nico, still peacefully asleep in her arms. "And if you play your part, you and Nico will be safe. But if you don't..." He trailed off, letting the threat hang in the air like a shadow.

She couldn't deny the truth in his words. She was trapped. The only question was how much she was willing to sacrifice to survive.

"I'll do it," she said finally, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Luca's smile widened, but there was no warmth in it. Only cold triumph.

"Good," he said. "You're learning."

Isolde looked down at Nico, the weight of her decision crashing down on her. There was no turning back now. She had made her choice. And with it, she had sealed her fate.