Chapter 80: Chapter: 80

ANDREA

I was surprised to find no one inside the house. We didn't come across anyone, not even my kidnapper. A house this big will definitely need at least a half-dozen staff to keep it clean and organized at all times.

I'm guessing the staff lives in a separate part of the mansion. We stopped in front of the dining table in the large living area.

There's a large white couch in a half circle, with little throw pillows on it, there's a glass table in the middle, and a complete sound system at the far wall, there's also a dining area that could seat two dozen, but the most interesting part is the huge fireplace which was now cold but could come in handy during winter.

The French windows and doors were huge, allowing a lot of air in this hot weather. The flooring is gleaming darkwood. A big crystal chandelier hung high up in the ceiling. I went to pull out the dining table chair and sit down, but Lorenzo beat me to it.

“Allow me. A beautiful woman should never have to lift a finger when a man is there to assist her,” he said, flashing his straight white teeth that contrasted sharply with his tan skin. His confident tone and relaxed posture made it clear he was used to taking control, leaving me unsure how to respond to his flirtatious behavior.

He walked around and pulled the opposite chair, and sat down, smiling at me like we were two friends or lovers who were about to have breakfast.

I tried not to give away the confusing thoughts in my head and the fact that I was contemplating whether to throw all the food on the table in his face and make a run for it. But I didn't do any of those things, and I even managed to force a smile out.

My eyes took in the breakfast table, which was filled with toast, boiled eggs, bacon, ham, cheese, olives, figs, butter, jam, and more baked goods.

There's so much food to feed an army, and it's all fresh, and everything smells so delicious. There's also orange juice, tea, and coffee.

I'm so hungry, starving actually, but I want some answers first because my mind is racing with questions. I should be freaking out about being kidnapped, but instead, I feel numb, caught between hunger and fear. I should be begging Lorenzo to let me go, but I can't bring myself to scream or plead.

But I knew this calm was temporary; it was the calm before the storm. The shock and panic would hit me soon enough, and I had no idea what I would do then in my hysteria, which made my stomach tighten with dread.

I know this calm was ephemeral; it's the calm before the storm. The shock and panic would come eventually, and only God knows what I will do then in my hysteria.

“What does your grandfather want with me, Lorenzo? And what plan does he have that involves me? I am absolutely no one—just a poor young woman who, as of right now, doesn't even have a job. Please, I need to know what's going on. If not for anything, at least for my sanity,” I begged, trying to appeal to his empathetic side if he has one.

“Let's eat first, just like I told you earlier, you find out everything in good times, now eat,” he replied, his face serious.

“I'm not hungry. I just want to go home, please,” I begged, as tears welled up in my eyes, making his handsome face blurry. I was dangerously close to saying fuck it and hitting him with something.

Just then, my stomach, that traitor, gave a loud grumble, and Lorenzo chuckled. My cheeks heated with embarrassment.

“Go on, eat, I promise I will answer any questions I deem appropriate and not invasive,” he relented with a sigh, still smiling as he shoved food in his mouth.

Even though I felt uncomfortable eating with Lorenzo, I didn't let him see that. I wipe the tears from my eyes and pull myself together. I needed to eat, and I will decide what to do afterward.

I made myself a cup of coffee with a lot of cream and a little sugar, then I piled my plates with everything except for the fig. Lorenzo eyed my plate with surprise, arching his dark brow—he almost looked like Nicklaus when he did that —and my heart gave a pang of longing, which I quickly squashed. I expected him to say something, but he didn't say a word; he just kept eating his breakfast.

Everything tasted delicious, which is why I ate more than I intended. I had been very hungry and had thought I wouldn't be able to eat much, but I was mistaken.

I had eaten everything on my plate and even added a second helping, Lorenzo kept staring at me through it all. Now, he hung back in his seat, watching me. He'd finished eating and was just leisurely sipping his coffee.

“Bella, let me be honest with you, when I heard about you. I didn't expect you to be so…interesting!” I didn't like that word any more than I like 'naive,' which I've been repeatedly proven I am. I tried not to stare at his phone, which he had placed on the table while he ate. I needed that phone.

“What does that even mean? And you still haven't told me why I was kidnapped. Please, Lorenzo, I know you said you had nothing to do with my kidnapping, but surely you know how wrong it is to kidnap a person. You promised to answer my questions.”

“I mean, I understand why Ombra fell for you. You're beautiful, kind, and innocent, that kind of quality called to people like us, maybe it's because of the darkness in our lives, we couldn't help wanting a little light in there,” he said, then added.

“I did promise to answer some of your questions. It's only right that I keep my promise, as I had told you earlier, I wasn't behind your kidnapping. But I know who did, I'm also ordered by the same person to watch you and not let you leave,”

“Who is it?” I asked, hoping he would say Nicklaus because at least I know Nicklaus, or I believe I did, in any case, the devil you know is better than the angel you didn't know, right? But his next words shattered that hope.

“My grandfather is the one who gave the order,” he said, looking straight at me before he continued.

“Ombra is a feared name in our world. The man is a shadow, feared by all and equally admired. If you cross him, he will kill you, period. It didn't matter where you ran or hid, how many men you had protecting you. He will always find you; he never misses his target. He had many loyal men and even more enemies who wanted his destruction. So many have tried to end Ombra, but all have failed; he had no weakness. No wife, no children, and no girlfriend, but all that changes when you come into the picture,” Lorenzo said all this calmly like he was reading a passage from a book, not shattering my hopes in pieces.

“Of course, my Nonno heard this; he didn't believe it at first. But when the proofs were sent to him. He couldn't deny it any longer; it's nothing personal. It really wasn't about you, grandfather just needed Ombra in his palm, you see, the man is stubborn and uncontrollable, but with you here, he will have to do what he wants in order to save you.”

Every word was a slash against my pounding heart, against my hopes that I could escape here. Try as I may, I couldn't believe this Ombra is Nicklaus. No! It can't be. I know I've had bad luck, but even so, my luck wouldn't be as rotten as this.

There's no way that after avoiding every and all things related to crime all my life, I had only ended up in the midst of it, or that I had given myself to a mafia man, a gun for hire. I shook my head hysterically as bile rose in my throat, every single food inside my stomach suddenly felt like lead weighing on me, and I wanted a quick exit.

But I forced it down as my right hand grabbed the butter knife, the other the phone I've been keeping an eye on— conspicuously. Everything has suddenly changed; they aren't going to let me go, not when I am collateral.

Until they get Ombra to come and agree to whatever it is they want, they will never let me go. Let's say this Ombra really is fake Nicklaus, not that I believe that, why would the man give his life for me, for all he knows they might be after his life too! This is my only chance. I'm going to have to make a break for it.

It’s now or never.

“No! You're mistaken, I don't know any Ombra or whatever the fuck his name is! I am not related to a criminal, nor do I want to be. All I want is to fucking go home!” I screamed, standing up, the dining chair clattered to the ground, and my hands were behind my back, hiding the knife and phone. Lorenzo stood up and blocked my way.

“I'm sorry, Bella. Really, I am. But you aren't leaving, not until grandfather says you could,” Lorenzo said regretfully. My heart pounds with what I was about to do.

“I'm really sorry too, I just want to go home,” I muttered, before I attacked him, taking him by surprise. I stabbed him, his hand shot out quickly and blocked the knife. I let the knife go and ran out of the mansion, his phone still in my hand while he kept screaming my name, telling me to stop.

I didn't stop; I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, without shoes, like a mad woman, because I had left the flats I wore under the dinner table. My hair whipped around me, the sun felt hot, my feet hurt, gravel digging into my soles, but I kept running.

I was shocked to see so many men and women, a little farther away from the mansion, working in the vineyards. Voices shouted behind me, and I could hear loud feet running after me.

I sped up and was close to the half dozen cars parked on the gravel driveway when I heard a man's voice so very close to me, a few seconds before I was tackled to the ground. I fell to the ground hard. Then the man who had stopped me from going to my freedom dragged me towards the mansion while I struggled, screaming and crying for help.

“Let me go! Fucking let me go! Someone, please help me. I was kidnapped. Someone! Anyone, please call the cops! I'm an American, I need to go back to my country, please!”

The men and women in the vineyards stared openly before going back to their work. More than a dozen men I hadn't accounted for were suddenly there, each holding a gun. I screamed, cried, begged, but no one tried to help me. I was alone and a prisoner in a strange country.

Lorenzo stood at the threshold of the villa Marchetti, glowering at me. My stomach dropped when the magnitude of what I did finally sank in, my eyes strayed to his bloody hand, and I could see that I didn't do much damage because the knife wasn't sharp.

But nonetheless, I had hurt him. Sure, he had kept me prisoner and refused to help me, but he hadn't mistreated me; he had been nice to me. Had invited me to breakfast, smiled and flirted with me, and even answered some of my questions.

And I had stabbed him, and I know if the knife had been sharper, I would have killed him, I know that, and I'm sure he realizes that too. My heartbeat tripled with trepidation. I'm sure he was going to retaliate and hurt me just like I hurt him.

Way to go, Andrea! Make them hurt you, as if I wasn't suffering enough, mentally, I was beyond exhausted. Why couldn't I do as I had planned? Why did I let my fear take over? Must be delayed shocked!

“You disappointed me, Bella. I thought we were getting along just fine. A mistake I won't be repeating,” he said. He actually looked disappointed, like I had hurt his feelings.

“Take her back to her room, Patrizio!” his voice lashed out like a whip.

With that, he walked away, while my kidnapper, who I now know is Patrizio, dragged me back to my prison. At least something came out of this day, right? Now I know the name of my kidnapper and the person who gave the order.

I also know where I was and why I was kidnapped. That's…that's progress…I guess. When Patrizio pushed me inside the room before slamming and locking the door, my legs gave out under me as I wept bitterly.