Chapter 54

Azalea

The hatred in Chiara’s eyes was real and terrifying. In that moment, I realized with growing horror that she wasn’t here to rescue me. She was here because she saw me as a threat to her relationship with Leo.

She had no idea what kind of monster she was engaged to.

“Tell me,” she snapped, her voice rising as she grabbed the hem of my dress. “Why should I believe a single word that comes out of your lying mouth, bitch?”

“Please, Chiara, just listen to me,” I begged, trying to stay calm. “Leo is not who you think he is. He’s a monster. He kidnapped me and threatened to hurt my sister if I didn’t cooperate.”

“You expect me to believe that?” she yelled, pushing me hard against the wall. Her eyes were filled with rage as she glared at me. “You’re just making excuses because you got caught!”

I could see the pain behind her anger. She really loved him, and she thought I had betrayed her.

“I told you everything about him,” she continued, her voice breaking slightly. “I showed you his picture. I talked about our wedding plans. Was it fun for you, Azalea? Sleeping with my man while pretending to be my friend? Did you laugh at me behind my back, thinking I was a fool?”

“Please, let me explain—”

But she wouldn’t let me speak. She was too hurt and angry to listen.

“I should have known better,” she said bitterly. “I should have seen what kind of person you really are. Isn’t your husband Adriano enough for you? Or are you just greedy for other women’s men?”

“I didn’t know,” I whispered desperately. “I swear I didn’t know he was your Leo.”

“Then why are you here?” she flared up. It was as if anything that came out of my mouth only added fuel to her rage. “Fucking tell me, bitch! Why are you in his home?”

She seized a fistful of my hair, jerking my head back with a force that sent pain searing through my skull.

“I didn’t know he was your man,” I said. “Believe me.”

“Liar!” she screamed. “You saw his picture! I showed it to you myself! I even asked you to be my maid of honor at our wedding!”

“He deceived me,” I tried to explain. “He told me his name was Cassian. He made me think—”

“You think Leo would go through all that trouble just for someone like you?” she interrupted with a cruel laugh. “Someone so ordinary?”

Her words stung, but I had to make her understand.

“He wants me because I am Adriano’s wife,” I screamed as her grip on my hair became tighter. “He’s using me to get back at him for something. This is all part of his plan! He is a liar.”

“You should have told me the truth when I showed you his picture,” she said, her voice getting quieter but more dangerous. “You should have confessed that you were the other woman.”

“I’m not the other woman!” I protested. “I never chose any of this!”

“You are, and now you’re going to pay for it,” she said with a cold smile that sent chills down my spine. “Since you’re so desperate for someone else’s man, let’s see how it feels to have them all at once.”

My eyes widened as I processed what I had just heard.

“No,” I pleaded. “Don’t do this.”

“I will ruin you,” she added. “I will ruin you beyond your imagination. I remember telling you what I would do if I ever caught another woman with my man, don’t you? And that is what I am intending to do to you.”

My heart started racing. I remembered that conversation clearly. She had been so angry talking about hypothetical situations, describing what she would do to any woman who tried to steal Leo from her.

“Chiara, I’m your friend,” I pleaded.

“Friend?” she laughed bitterly. “Do you really think I would have become your friend if it wasn’t for Adriano?”

Adriano again. This was always about him. Everything always came back to him and whatever history he had with these people.

“Please,” I begged as I saw her reach for her phone. “Don’t do whatever you’re planning. This is all a misunderstanding.”

“Come in,” she murmured darkly into the phone, a cruel smile playing on her lips.

“Show mercy.”

“Give me one good reason why I should show mercy to someone like you,” she said coldly.

“Because I never slept with him,” I said quickly. “I’m still... I never... Leo never actually...”

She raised an eyebrow, looking skeptical.

“And you expect me to believe that?”

I nodded my head, desperate for her to believe me. “Yes, I am still a virgin.”

“You’re Adriano’s woman, and I know exactly who he was, and you expect me to trust you, that you’re a virgin?” she fired. “You don’t deserve my trust since you decided to betray me.”

“Have mercy, Chiara,” I cried as I heard footsteps in the hallway. “Please, whatever you’re planning, don’t do it. I’m begging you.”

But I could see in her eyes that she had already made up her mind. The woman I thought was my friend was gone, replaced by someone consumed with jealousy and rage.

“Good, you’re here.” Five men strode in with chilling confidence. “Start.”

“No. No, please,” I screamed as one man grabbed me by my leg. “Chiara!”

“What the hell are you still waiting for?” Chiara screamed at the other four men, who hesitated.

“I want you to destroy her hole while I make a live video of her. This could teach any woman who was thinking of sleeping with my man behind my back.”

In the blink of an eye, the five men, who were already naked and ready to carry out their mission, surrounded me.

“Please.” Two of them grabbed my hands as the others tore my dress, revealing my lingerie. “Don’t do this.”

Chiara’s laugh could be heard in the room as she enjoyed my struggles.

One of them was about to penetrate inside me when he dropped dead.

“Ha!” I screamed as the blood stained my body and face. It was everywhere, warm and sticky.

My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline surging as I tried to make sense of the scene.

“What was that?” Chiara asked, looking toward the door with confusion.

The lights suddenly went out, plunging us into darkness.

“Who’s there?” Chiara called out, her voice now filled with fear instead of anger. “How dare you spoil my fun?”

That’s when I heard it, a voice that sent both relief and terror through my body.

“Your fun is over,” came a deep, familiar voice from the darkness.

It was a voice I recognized, though I couldn’t quite place it in my panic. But whoever it was, they had just saved me from whatever Chiara had been planning.