Chapter 53

Azalea

The door clicked shut. I stayed frozen on the floor, with my knees pressed against the cold marble tiles and my arms hanging limp at my sides. My breathing came in shallow, uneven gasps.

My entire body trembled, not from the chill in the air-conditioned room, but from the terror that had settled deep into my bones.

Emily. Her family. Amira.

His words echoed in my mind.

Emily and her family died because of you.

I pressed my hands against my chest, trying to hold my shattered heart together. I wanted to scream, to rage, to deny it all, but the sound died in my throat.

Was it true? Had innocent people died simply because I existed? Because I’d somehow stumbled into Cassian’s—no, Leo’s—twisted game?

I didn’t know how long I knelt there, lost in a storm of guilt and fear, but at some point, I dragged myself to the bed and curled into the smallest shape I could make. I clutched a pillow against me like it could shield me from the memories clawing their way in.

Leo had lied about everything.

His love. His promises. His protection.

It had all been an elaborate performance, perfectly designed to break me down piece by piece until I was nothing but a tool in his hands.

I’d thought I was falling in love with a man who saved me from loneliness. Instead, I’d handed my soul to my enemy and thanked him for destroying me.

But it was Amira’s name that kept echoing in my head. Not Emily’s. Not even Adriano’s.

Amira.

My innocent little sister who had nothing to do with any of this. I had to protect her.

I wiped my tears with shaking fingers and forced myself to sit up. I couldn’t afford to break down completely. Not when my sister’s life hung in the balance.

He had Amira. He said so himself.

Everything I did from this moment on would be used against me.

I had to be smarter than Leo. I had to play whatever game he wanted until I could find a way to save us both.

My reflection in the window made me flinch. I barely recognized the hollow-eyed woman staring back at me, pale skin, and tangled hair.

I didn’t know what Adriano felt for me. I didn’t know if he cared. Or maybe Cassian was just playing mind games.

A soft knock interrupted my thoughts. The door opened, and a middle-aged woman in a maid’s uniform entered carrying a tray.

“Your meal,” she said quietly, avoiding my eyes.

“Take it back,” I muttered. “I’m not hungry.”

She hesitated, then spoke carefully. “The master asked me to tell you, you’d better start behaving, or your sister will face the consequences of your actions.”

My stomach clenched with fresh fear. “Leave it there,” I said quietly. “I’ll eat it later.”

Without another word, she set the tray on the small table and left, locking the door behind her.

I stared at the food, some kind of pasta with vegetables. My stomach was empty, but the thought of eating made me sick. Still, I needed my strength if I was going to find a way out of this.

I forced myself to eat every bite. After eating, I went back to the bed, curled back as Amira’s thoughts filled my mind.

Days blurred into weeks. I was trapped in this luxurious prison, my only visitors the silent maid who brought my meals and Leo himself.

Leo’s visits became more frequent and more violent as time passed. He no longer bothered to hide his true nature, dropping the caring boyfriend act entirely. Each time he came, he grew more frustrated, and more dangerous.

“I never knew you were this useless,” he snarled as he stormed into the room one afternoon.

“Leo,” I said automatically, having learned not to call him by his fake name.

“That’s right,” he sneered. “At least you can remember that much. Though I’m starting to wonder if you can remember anything useful.”

His mood was darker than usual, more volatile. He paced the room like a caged animal.

“If I’d known you were this stupid and worthless, I would have killed you already,” he continued, grabbing me by my shirt and hauling me to my feet. “Why isn’t he here yet? Why hasn’t Adriano come for you?”

“I don’t know!” I cried. “I told you—he doesn’t care about me!”

“He does care!” Leo roared, his hands moving to my throat. “You should have slept with him when you had the chance. Maybe then he’d have come running to save his precious wife, and I could have put a bullet in his head.”

His grip tightened, cutting off my air supply. I clawed at his hands, panic flooding my system as black spots danced at the edges of my vision.

“Please,” I gasped. “Don’t... kill me...”

Something in my voice must have reached him because he released me suddenly. I collapsed to the floor, coughing and gasping for air.

“I’m giving you two more days,” he said, his voice deadly calm. “If your husband doesn’t show up by then, I’ll kill your sister. Slowly.”

“No, please,” I begged, crawling toward him on my hands and knees. “She’s innocent. She doesn’t even know about any of this.”

“I don’t care,” he said with a cold smile. “Pray that Adriano shows up, or else little Amira becomes fish food.”

I grabbed onto his leg, sobbing. “Please, I’ll do anything—”

He kicked me away with disgust. “You’d better hope he does something. Your prayers are all that’s keeping her alive.”

After he left, I lay on the floor crying until I had no tears left. But eventually, I realized that crying wouldn’t save Amira. I had to do something.

I struggled to my feet and tried the door, knowing it would be locked but needing to try anyway. When it didn’t budge, I searched the room desperately for anything I could use—a weapon or anything.

But I found nothing.

Defeated, I sank onto the bed. How could I contact Adriano? How could I even know if Leo was telling the truth about him caring? And if Adriano did care, would he really risk everything to save me?

I was still lost in these desperate thoughts when the door opened again. I looked up expecting to see the maid or Leo, but instead, a familiar figure stepped into the room.

Chiara.

“What are you doing here?” The question escaped before I could stop it.

“What am I doing in my fiancé’s house?” she replied, her voice carefully controlled but with an edge that made my skin crawl. “I should be asking you that question. What are you doing here, Azalea?”

My heart raced. If Chiara was here, if she was engaged to Leo, then maybe—

“You need to listen to me,” I said urgently, getting to my feet. “He kidnapped me. Leo kidnapped me and he’s threatening to kill my sister.”

Chiara laughed. “Really? That’s the story you’re going with?”

“It’s the truth! Please, you have to believe me.”

“Why should I believe the other woman?” she spat. “Why should I trust some home-wrecking bitch who’s been sleeping with my man?”