Chapter 3 I'm your saviour.

Enzo smirked, his lips curving just enough to make Alessia uneasy as he sat on the couch facing her.

Staring intently at her, he asked. "First, what's your name?"

Alessia was reluctant, but eventually answered. "Alessia."

"Alessia, I'm your savior," he said smoothly, his deep voice carrying a mixture of confidence and something darker.

Alessia blinked, her lips parting as she struggled to process his words.

Trying hard to remember what had happened that made him her savior.

"S-savior?" she stammered, confused while knitting her brows. "What are you talking about?"

Enzo leaned back against the couch, his arms spreading along the backrest as if he owned not just the room but the very air in it.

His gaze locked onto her, sharp and unyielding.

"The men chasing you earlier," he said, his tone matter-of-fact. "Who are they? And why were they so desperate to drag you back?"

The question hit her like a stone and it brought back the fuzzy memories.

Her throat tightened, and she glanced down at her hands, which were now trembling in her lap.

She began fiddling with her fingers, her mind racing.

Should she tell him? Could she trust him? He had saved her, yes-but she had no idea who he truly was or what he wanted in return.

"I'm waiting," Enzo said, his voice low but firm, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Alessia bit her lip, hesitating before finally whispering, "They're my captors."

"Your captors?" he repeated, his dark brows lifting slightly.

"Yes," she said, her voice trembling.

"They..." She stopped, swallowing hard, but then decided to continue.

What choice did she have? He'd saved her.

Maybe he could help.

"They work for someone-someone my father owed a lot of money to."

Enzo's expression didn't change, but his piercing gaze remained fixed on her. "Go on."

"They came to our house a few days ago," she said, her voice cracking as the memory surfaced.

Her fingers twisted together so tightly that her knuckles turned white. "They-they killed him. My father."

Enzo's eyes narrowed slightly, but he remained silent, allowing her to speak.

"He was all I had," Alessia continued, tears pooling in her eyes but not falling yet.

"I don't have anyone else. And after they killed him, they took me."

"For what purpose?" Enzo asked, his tone calm but laced with curiosity.

She hesitated again, her breath catching.

"They said... They said they'd sell me. To make up for the debt." Her voice was barely a whisper, and her head lowered further as if she wanted to disappear into the bed.

Enzo leaned forward now, resting his elbows on his knees as he studied her intently.

"Sell you," he echoed, his voice growing colder. "So that's why they were chasing you. Because you escaped."

"Yes," Alessia said, nodding quickly.

"They had an argument, and they weren't paying attention to me. It was my only chance, so I ran."

Her voice broke on the last word, and she wiped at her cheeks as the tears finally fell.

"I didn't know where to go," she admitted. "I just kept running. And then... I ended up here."

Enzo let out a quiet hum, leaning back into the couch once more.

He crossed one leg over the other, his expression unreadable as he processed her story.

Alessia kept her gaze on her hands, unable to look at him.

"So, they were willing to kill your father and sell you off like property," he said after a long pause. "Disgusting."

Alessia's head lifted slightly at his words, her teary eyes flickering with a mix of relief and surprise.

She didn't know what she had expected him to say, but his disdain for her captors made something in her chest loosen, even if just a little.

"I can protect you," Enzo said suddenly, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade.

Her head snapped up fully now, her wide eyes locking onto his for the first time since they started talking.

"What?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"I said I can protect you," he repeated, his tone firm. "From them. From anyone else who tries to hurt you."

Alessia's lips parted, and for a moment, she couldn't speak.

Protect her? No one had ever offered her that before. No one had ever cared enough to.

Her entire life had been a series of battles she'd had to fight alone, and now this man-this stranger-was offering her something she had never dared to hope for.

"Why?" she finally managed to whisper, her voice cracking.

Enzo's sharp gaze softened, just a fraction.

He didn't answer right away, and instead, he stood up, adjusting his shirt sleeves as he did so.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he walked slowly to the window, the dim light casting long shadows across the room.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked, his voice calm but carrying an edge.

Alessia shook her head, though she realized he wasn't looking at her. "No."

He turned slightly, his profile illuminated by the moonlight outside. "My name is Enzo Vittorio."

The name meant nothing to her, but the weight with which he said it sent a shiver down her spine.

She didn't dare interrupt him.

Enzo turned back to the window, his gaze fixed on something far away.

"I'm a man who gets what he wants, Alessia. Always."

She swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest

She didn't know where this was going, but her instincts told her to tread carefully.

"I'll protect you," he said again, his tone quieter now.

"I'll make sure no one lays a hand on you ever again."

Alessia's fingers gripped the edge of the blanket covering her lap.

"Why would you do that?" she asked cautiously.

Enzo turned fully now, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her breath catch.

He began walking toward her, his steps slow and deliberate.

"There's only one condition," he said, his voice low but clear.

Alessia's heart stopped for a moment, her mind racing.

"Condition?" she whispered.

Enzo stopped in front of her, towering over the bed.

He crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze unwavering.

"You'll have to become my mistress," he said, his words sharp and final.

Alessia froze, her mind blank as his words echoed in her head.

The room fell silent, the tension so thick it was suffocating.