Chapter 4 You have to become my mistress!

Alessia sat frozen on the bed, Enzo's words ringing in her ears like a taunt.

"You'll have to become my mistress." It was absurd, unthinkable-yet, for a brief moment, she thought it might all be some cruel joke.

Maybe she had misheard him, or maybe she was hallucinating from exhaustion.

She pinched the skin on her arm sharply, the small sting jolting her back to reality.

No, this wasn't a dream.

Her eyes snapped up to meet Enzo's, her disbelief evident. "What did you just say?"

Enzo smirked at her, his tall frame now straightening to its full height, exuding dominance.

"You heard me the first time. I hate repeating myself, but I'll say it again ," he said, his tone calm yet dripping with authority.

"I said you'll have to become my mistress if you want my protection."

The air between them grew thick, the silence unbearable.

Alessia shook her head vehemently, her voice cracking as she finally spoke.

"No. I can't-I won't-be someone's mistress."

Enzo raised a brow, clearly unimpressed by her defiance.

He slipped his hands into his pockets, the smirk on his lips deepening.

"Alright," he said casually, as though her answer didn't faze him in the slightest. "That's your choice."

For a split second, Alessia felt a flicker of relief. She thought he might let it go.

But then, his next words shattered that illusion.

"Tomorrow morning," he continued, his voice turning colder, "I'll have my boys drop you off wherever you'd like. You'll be free to go."

Her lips parted slightly, her heartbeat quickening.

Something about the way he said it made her uneasy, and before she could respond, he stepped closer, his gaze darkening.

"But understand this," he added, his tone dropping to a menacing edge, "when those men find you-and trust me, they will find you-don't expect anyone to save you.

Not me. Not anyone else. My offer will no longer be available. And when they finally catch up to you..." He let his words hang in the air, deliberately leaving the conclusion to her imagination.

Alessia felt a cold shiver run down her spine. Her fists clenched the bedsheet tightly as her mind raced.

She knew exactly what he meant.

The men who had chased her wouldn't stop.

They'd already killed her father, tortured her for days, and planned to sell her like she was nothing more than a piece of property.

If they found her again, they'd show her no mercy.

"You can't scare me into agreeing to this," she whispered, though her voice trembled as she spoke.

Enzo tilted his head slightly, his eyes glinting with something dangerous.

"I'm not trying to scare you," he said evenly.

"I'm telling you the truth. The world you've fallen into doesn't play by the rules you're used to. There's no fairness, no justice. It's survival of the fittest. And right now, you're not fit to survive on your own."

His words hit harder than she wanted to admit, and for a moment, she couldn't find the strength to respond.

She stared down at her lap, her hands still trembling.

"I'm giving you an opportunity," Enzo continued, his voice softening just enough to catch her attention.

"You don't have to like it. You don't even have to like me. But if you want to live, you'll take my offer."

She gulped down the lump in her throat, her mind spinning.

Could she really do this? Could she trade her freedom-what little she had left-for his protection?

The only man she had ever trusted had betrayed her in the worst way possible.

Her ex-boyfriend, the one person she had loved, had slept with her best friend behind her back.

And now, this man-this stranger-was offering her safety, but at such a steep cost.

"I..." she started, but the words got caught in her throat.

Enzo's sharp gaze never left her. He didn't press her for an answer, didn't rush her to speak.

He simply stood there, waiting, his presence alone enough to keep her from looking away.

Before she could gather her thoughts, there was a knock at the door.

Enzo's jaw tightened slightly, and his eyes flicked toward the door. "Come in," he called out, his tone stern but not harsh.

The door creaked open, and a middle-aged woman stepped inside, holding a tray with a steaming bowl of soup and a glass of water.

Her head was slightly bowed as she entered, her movements quick but careful.

"Good evening, sir," the woman said softly, giving him a respectful nod before glancing at Alessia briefly.

Enzo nodded back, gesturing toward the bed. "Place it on her lap," he instructed.

The woman moved forward, setting the tray gently on Alessia's legs.

The warmth of the soup wafted upward, the smell of fresh herbs and chicken broth filling the room.

Alessia hadn't realized how hungry she was until that moment, but the knot in her stomach made it hard to think about eating.

"You can leave, Lucia," Enzo said, his voice sounding more cold.

The woman gave him a quick nod before retreating from the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

Enzo turned his attention back to Alessia.

"Eat," he said simply.

Alessia hesitated, her hands hovering over the tray. She didn't know what to say, what to do.

Her mind was still reeling from everything that had just happened.

Enzo's gaze softened, just a fraction.

"You'll need your strength," he added. "Eat."

Without waiting for her response, he strode toward the door.

He placed his hand on the doorknob but paused, glancing over his shoulder.

"Make your decision," he said, his tone calm but firm. "By morning, it won't matter. You won't see me again. My men will take you home. Or what's left of it."

Alessia flinched at the word 'home'.

The truth was, she didn't have a home to return to.

Her father was gone. The house she had grown up in was likely destroyed, or worse, occupied by the men who had turned her life into a nightmare.

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving her alone in the room.

For a moment, everything was silent.

The only sound was her own shaky breathing and the faint ticking of a clock somewhere in the distance.

She stared down at the tray on her lap, her vision blurring as tears filled her eyes.

Home.

The word echoed in her mind, bringing with it a wave of pain and despair. What home? She had nothing.

No one. She was completely alone.

A single tear slid down her cheek, followed by another, until she couldn't hold them back anymore.

Her shoulders shook as silent sobs racked her body, the weight of everything crashing down on her all at once.