Chapter 17 The Photo Album
Day two in the mafia house. I mentally ticked it off.
I should probably stop counting—this isn’t some contract marriage with an end date. I wish it were, though, it would have made a lot of things better for me.
Last night, I didn’t have a very good sleep as I kept thinking about what Carlos said to me. I was really scared, scared that he’d hurt me one day, scared that if he found out about my sickness, he’d really use it against me.
I’ve been extra careful now. I can’t afford to be caught. I make sure to never show any signs of sickness in front of Carlos and I try my hardest to hold myself together even if I feel weak. Now that I know what Carlos is capable of doing to me, I can’t afford to risk it.
After taking my medicine today, I’m feeling much better. Still a little weak, but it’s a big improvement from before.
I am sitting in front of the mirror, dressed in a silk gown Carlos got me while the maid worked through my hair. For reasons unknown, Carlos wants me all dolled up today. He said we’re having an indoor lunch date. Not exactly my idea of fun, but his word is law, even when it makes no sense.
I haven’t recovered from last night's dinner and now this…. I am really starting to not like my stay here.
"I’m not supposed to ask questions," The maid said quietly, "But you seem very tense, Miss Nala. Is everything okay?"
I met her gaze in the mirror and offered a small, strained smile. "I’m fine. And you can call me Nala."
"I’m afraid I can’t. Sir Carlos wouldn’t like me calling you by your name."
"Well, Carlos isn’t here right now, so… call me Nala," I said not wanting any unnecessary authority
She smiled gently and went back to brushing. After a brief pause, she said softly, "You know, you’re really beautiful, Sir Carlos is very lucky to have you as his wife."
"Thank you. You’re gorgeous too," I said, and her smile grew even wider.
Carlos is indeed lucky to have me. But me? I’m not lucky at all. Carlos didn’t choose me out of love, he trapped me here and cut me off from everything that made me feel free. If anything, it’s almost as if I’m cursed to be here with him.
I wish I could just find a way to leave without having to hide my whole life. I already know Carlos, the second I leave, he’s gonna do all he can to find me and when he does, I’m gonna hate the fact that I left.
After a few more minutes of carefully styling my hair, she removed the curls, brushed through it gently, then stepped back.
"All done now," She said.
I glanced at my reflection and couldn’t hide my reaction. "Wow… I love it."
"It’s your hair, I just played around a little," She replied with a modest smile.
"Well, whatever you did, it looks absolutely beautiful. Thank you."
"You’re welcome." She gave a small nod. "Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a few chores to get back to."
"Wait, before you go, can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"I wanted to…" I halted realizing I don’t know her name. "What’s your name?"
"Sophia."
"Sophia, how long have you worked here?"
"A year," She replied simply.
"Okay, so… what’s it like out here? Does anyone ever visit? I mean, it’s pretty far from town, so I was just wondering," I asked.
"This is actually Sir Carlos’s vacation home," Sophie replied. "He and the family come here once every year."
"Oh, I see," I murmured. "But has he ever brought any girl here before? You know, like how he suddenly brought me?"
She smiled softly. "No, you’re the first. Honestly, for someone as tough as he is, I’ve never really seen him with any girl."
As flattering as that might sound, I didn’t care. I wasn’t asking for reassurance. I just needed to know if I was his first victim. Because if I wasn’t, then there was still a chance someone else had made it out.
"Okay," I said quietly.
"Is there a problem?" She asked
"No, I was just curious."
"Alright then. I’ll be outside if you need me, okay?"
"Sure, thank you," I said with a small nod.
Once Sophie stepped out of the room, I turned toward the mirror. I opened the first cupboard and picked up the earrings Carlos had brought for me. Diamond earrings. As much as I hated to admit it, they were stunning.
I put them on, then reached for the matching bracelet. After slipping it onto my wrist, I opened another cupboard to find a scarf to go with my dress.
The dress I’m wearing is stunning but just feels empty so I need a scarf. I wrapped the scarf around my neck and studied my reflection. It matched the dress, but something felt off. After a moment of indecision, I took it off and opted for a necklace instead.
As I opened the wardrobe to look for one, my eyes landed on an old album tucked in the corner. I hesitated… then picked it up.
I thought it might be Carlos’s. Maybe photos of his past, his family, something that would give me a glimpse into the man I barely understood.
But when I opened it, I froze.
It wasn’t Carlos.
It was me.
Page after page filled with photos of my childhood. Some I recognized, but most I didn’t. Some pictures, I had never seen before.
I kept flipping. Every single photo was of me. At home, in the park. In places, I couldn’t even remember being.
Some of them were taken from a distance, through windows, across streets, behind crowds.
My chest tightened with fear. I had never posed for these. I had never even known they existed so how could it be?
My hands began to shake as my mind pounded with the thought of that. How did Carlos get all these photos? Did he stalk me? And even if he did, for how long?
The more I stared, the more a terrifying thought began to creep in. What if I hadn’t just entered his world now? What if I had always been in it, without even knowing?
A chill ran through me as I looked further.
What if Carlos didn’t just find me? What if he had been watching me for years? Maybe even my whole life.