Chapter 3 The Spark of Revenge

The night was still.

But I wasn't.

My skin burned, every inch of me aching from the roughness of his touch, from his cruel hands that claimed my body without a second thought. Leonardo Vercetti had come again, taken me like he always did-harsh, demanding, as though I were nothing but an object for his pleasure.

But tonight felt different. The pain in my body seemed to reach deeper than just the physical. It felt like something inside me was breaking, shattering. And I realized it wasn't my spirit-no, that hadn't broken yet.

What shattered was my hope.

Hope for what? That he'd see me as something other than a tool, a possession, a pawn? That he'd care? That he'd stop using me and leave me alone in peace?

I wiped the tears that fell silently, burning my cheeks with the salt of my frustration. My heart ached for my sister, Aria. All I could think about now was how much I needed to get out of here. To escape from this man. To save her from a fate even worse than mine.

But how?

How was I supposed to fight this monster? I was weak. So weak. He was powerful, untouchable. He controlled everything-the house, the money, the empire.

But something inside me sparked.

I wasn't weak. Not anymore.

Tears continued to slip from my eyes as I lay there in the cold, the aftertaste of his touch lingering. I didn't care about the pain anymore. I didn't care about the humiliation. What I cared about now was my sister.

I had to do this for her. For Aria. The last promise I made to my mother before she died was that I'd protect her. I would give her a better life. A life that wasn't this. A life that didn't involve men like Leonardo, with power over everything. She deserved so much more than this.

I didn't know how, but I promised myself that somehow, I would take it all from him. I would take his empire, his fortune, his life, and I would make sure that no man, no person, would ever hurt Aria again.

I could feel the weight of the decision in my bones. It felt heavy. But it was the only thing that kept me going now.

I turned my eyes toward the door, watching the shadows play across the dark room. The emptiness in the house matched the emptiness inside me. I needed to understand this place. I needed to know the layout, the secrets, the weaknesses.

How would I get close enough to him? How could I get him to trust me, to let my guard down?

The plan was forming, slowly, painfully.

I would watch him. Watch every move he made. I'd find the cracks in his carefully constructed empire. I'd learn the vulnerabilities. And then, when the time was right, I would strike. But for now, I was biding my time.

The door creaked open, and I braced myself.

Leonardo stepped inside, his tall frame blocking the light from the hallway. His presence filled the room like an ominous storm cloud, dark and oppressive. He didn't even look at me. He just glanced at the bed and then back at me with a sneer on his face.

"You're still here?" he said, his voice flat and dismissive.

I didn't respond. I couldn't. He didn't deserve an answer.

He walked toward me, stepping closer to the bed, his eyes scanning my body in a way that made me feel small. He didn't care about me. He never would. I was nothing more than a possession to him, just another thing he could control.

He gripped my wrist, pulling me up from the bed like I was a ragdoll.

"Get up," he ordered, his tone harsh.

His words were a command, and I had no choice but to obey.

I stood before him, trembling slightly, but not from fear anymore. It was something else. It was determination. It was anger. And it was hate.

I wanted to scream at him. I wanted to shout that I would make him pay for what he had done. But I didn't. I couldn't. Not yet.

Instead, I just stood there, silently, looking him in the eye for the first time, not letting him break me.

He gave me a quick once-over before his eyes narrowed. "You should eat," he said dismissively, like he was doing me a favor. "All I'm touching is bones."

His words hit me like a slap. My body ached, my skin stretched tight over my ribs, and I couldn't help the way my stomach churned in hunger. But I wasn't going to let him see my weakness. I wasn't going to let him win.

His words weren't a concern to me anymore. His cruel comment barely registered.

"I'll eat when I'm ready," I finally said, my voice colder than I expected.

He looked at me for a moment, his gaze cold, calculating, and then he just shook his head in disgust.

"Don't make me remind you again," he muttered, then turned and walked out, leaving me alone in the silence.

I exhaled deeply, my heart pounding in my chest. He was right. I was weak. But only for now.

I would get stronger.