Chapter 7 - The Snake in the Room
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For three days, I lived in a surreal state of luxury. Gourmet meals were brought to my bed on silver trays. The pain in my leg began to dull, but the anxiety in my chest only grew sharper. Luca visited me every evening, asking about my recovery, his presence dominating the room.
But on the fourth afternoon, while Luca was away at a syndicate meeting downtown, the heavy oak door to my room clicked open.
Isabella walked in.
She wore a blood-red designer coat, her blonde hair pulled back tightly. Her eyes were venomous as she locked the door behind her. I instinctively pulled the blankets up to my chin, my heart hammering against my ribs.
"Enjoying the silk sheets, you pathetic little rat?" Isabella sneered, walking slowly toward the bed.
"Get out," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Mr. Moretti forbade you from coming in here."
Isabella laughed, a sharp, ugly sound. "Luca is a man. He likes playing the savior. But you are nothing to him. A temporary distraction. Do you really think he's going to throw away an alliance with the Romano family over a maid?"
She leaned over the bed, her face inches from mine. The smell of her expensive perfume was suffocating.
"You don't know who he really is," she whispered maliciously. "You think he’s your protector? He is a monster who has buried dozens of men in the foundation of his buildings. The moment you become a liability to his business, he will discard you."
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"I'm not afraid of him," I countered fiercely.
"You should be afraid of me," Isabella hissed, grabbing my wrist with bruising force. "Because if you don't pack your bags and leave this city tonight, I will make sure your mother has a very tragic accident."
