Chapter 27 CHAPTER 27

Chapter 27 CHAPTER 27
EMILIA

Today was Friday, and it was supposed to be my first happiest day in Andrea's mansion. He was leaving with his fiancée.

Finally, I would be able to breathe the breath of fresh air without having to fear who might be against it.

I stayed longer in bed, hoping by the time I would have to set out, those two might be gone, but none of that actually happened.

The door to my room burst open, and everything happened before I could even understand what was going on.

"Come with me," Andrea dragged me off the bed, his voice whispery. I tried to shield myself with the duvet, but it was useless as Andrea yanked it off.

"Wa… what’s going on?" I managed as I tried to make sense of everything.

Was the mansion on fire? Were we under attack? I looked around me as he dragged me through the top floor, but none of my assumptions seemed to be the case. And even if it were, I doubted Andrea had come to save me.

A frown settled on my face as he continued to drag me along, acting deaf to my questions. "I asked—"

"Shush." His index finger pressed lightly against my lips. My heartbeat dropped, then rose again. "Can you keep quiet for once?" His voice followed, low and barely audible.

Just then, Mama Rosa met us halfway with a smile on her face. She passed me a jacket and muttered, "Have a safe flight, ma’am." My eyes puzzled as I looked at her as if she had grown a second head.

Andrea’s hand wasn’t on mine now, as he also took a crisp white coat from Lucas that was covered with fur.

"Remember all that I have told you," Andrea turned to Mama Rosa, who nodded in response.

"Our flight leaves in thirty minutes," Lucas cut in, glancing at his watch.

"Good. We leave now," Andrea added, taking back my hand, but I yanked it off, taking a few steps back.

"I'm not your fiancée, just in case you're going blind," I muttered.

He sighed as he covered the distance between us, and with a smug look on his face, he mouthed, "I know, wifey… I'm glad you know your place."

My lips parted in protest, but Rosa stepped in before I could utter a word. "Ma'am," she started with a smile. "I advise you continue your conversation with your husband on your way to your destination. You wouldn't want to miss your flight, would you?"

She batted an eye at me as if it were some sort of signal. What stupid flight? What destination? I… I didn’t sign up for any of this.

"I'm not going," I said, finality ringing in my voice.

Andrea didn’t come near me this time, but he had a sinister smile on his face, as if to say, ‘don’t test my patience today.’

And mine said… ‘Try me.’

"Lucas," he called gently.

"Si, boss," Lucas got closer. And then his hand landed on his face in a loud smack. The impact of that slap sent my heart rippling faster as my feet got stuck to the ground.

Lucas’ face was still turned downwards on the tiles, his mouth closed.

"I thought I told you to make sure my wife went through the clause of our marriage closely."

"It was my error, Signore," Lucas added, his tone maintaining the same pitch. "I will make sure of that."

What clause? I read everything. I was sure I did.

How could he? Andrea knew too well that I had gone through the documents for the second time. Why was he punishing him for a crime that wasn't even there to begin with?

"Good," Andrea said, turning and walking towards me, his hand raised. My face turned sideways, already anticipating the cold breeze that usually came with a smack, but instead his hand settled on my hair as he pushed some curls behind my ears. "I'm sorry, wifey… I didn’t know you weren’t aware of the clause you signed. But we leave now."

He didn’t wait for my response as he already started heading out.

"Follow him, Emilia," Rosa rushed to me. "Do as he says and don’t try to get him upset, okay? Please."

I stared at her for a moment. She was right, only God knows what Andrea might do if I defied his orders this time.



I was now seated at the back of the car as Lucas steered his way through the traffic. Andrea and I were seated behind. It was the early hours of the morning, and the sun hadn’t properly risen yet.

A lot of questions swirled through my mind. I couldn’t ask Andrea, and neither Lucas, who had just suffered for something he didn’t do. He must probably hate me by now.

The jacket Rosa handed me came in handy as the early morning breeze threatened to freeze my tits out, despite the car heater being on.

"Where are we headed?" I asked. For all I could remember, Andrea had made plans to spend the weekend with his fiancée, but suddenly there was a change.

Just then, realization dawned on me. What if this was another exchange? Was Andrea giving me to his brother? I could remember the first night we met, he said I wouldn’t like to meet his brother, and I knew for a fact that he wasn’t joking then. Was he tired of me, that he wanted to trade me off?

Suddenly the car, which wasn’t hot before, became too hot that my throat burned. What if everything was a game all along? Rosa, Katalina, everyone? A game to get me comfortable long enough until it was time for them to discard me.

I knew it. I never should have trusted anyone… Crud, what have I gotten myself into?

"I said, where are you taking me to?" I breathed a little too loudly, causing both men to look at me weirdly, but Lucas quickly averted his gaze to the road as he pretended not to hear our conversation.

Andrea smiled as he leaned in to me. "Relax, wifey… Why are you so worked up?"

"Where are you taking me?" I spat.

He turned his face to the window, his cocky smile reappearing. "You will see. It’s a surprise."