Chapter 91 SURVIVAL
.
.
.
AUTHOR’S POV
As Adeline stepped inside, a wave of heat, sweat, and alcohol hit her all at once. The room was dimly lit with flashing neon lights, casting a seductive glow over the space.
The bass of the music vibrated through the floor, matching the rapid thumping of her heart.
Her eyes scanned the scene, immediately taking in the group of women near the bar, clad in nothing but lace lingerie, fishnet stockings, and high heels.
Their bodies swayed with the rhythm of the music, some draped over men in tailored suits, while others danced provocatively on sleek countertops.
Strippers.
Adeline swallowed hard. She had expected this. Leonardo wasn’t the type to throw a normal party—it had to be decadent, depraved.
But what unsettled her the most was that the men weren’t much better.
Scattered throughout the room were several men dressed only in their underwear, their muscular bodies slick with sweat, laughing and drinking as women pressed against them.
The place had the feel of a club, but it was far worse than that—it was pure, unfiltered debauchery.
She barely contained the gag rising in her throat.
Focus, she reminded herself, forcing her gaze away from the obscene sights. She was here for a reason.
Her eyes darted around, scanning for Elena and Leonardo.
Nothing.
They weren’t here.
A flicker of frustration ran through her—where were they? She had risked so much to get in, and if they weren’t even present—
Her thoughts were cut off when she suddenly collided with a hard, bare chest.
A gasp escaped her lips as she stumbled slightly, her hands instinctively reaching out to steady herself.
A deep chuckle vibrated through the air.
“Careful, sweetheart,” a low, teasing voice murmured.
Adeline looked up, her stomach twisting in discomfort as she met the intense gaze of a shirtless man, his eyes gleaming with interest.
His smirk widened as he leaned in slightly, his breath warm against her cheek.
“You should really watch where you’re going.”
His tone was deliberately seductive, a purr meant to make her blush, to fluster her. But Adeline had dealt with men like him before.
She knew their games.
She forced a polite smile, mentally preparing herself for the act she had to play.
“My mistake,” she said sweetly.
The man’s smirk didn’t waver.
“Let me get you a drink to make up for it.”
Adeline hesitated for only a second. She couldn’t refuse. If she did, it might raise suspicion, and right now, she needed to blend in.
“Sure.”
With a satisfied look, the man gestured towards the bar, leading her through the chaotic scene of half-naked bodies and drunken laughter.
The moment they reached the sleek, black marble counter, the bartender—another man dressed only in tight black briefs—gave them an acknowledging nod before pouring two drinks.
The man beside her handed Adeline a glass filled with amber liquid.
She took it, forcing another smile, though she had no intention of drinking more than a sip.
But before she could even lift the glass to her lips, the man beside her spoke again.
“So,” he murmured, tilting his head as his eyes flicked over her with sudden sharpness.
“What exactly are you trying to find?”
Adeline’s stomach dropped.
Her fingers instinctively tightened around the glass as she kept her expression smooth, refusing to react too soon.
Shit.
Did he suspect something? Was he testing her? Or was this just a casual question meant to catch her off guard?
She let out a soft chuckle, tilting her head playfully.
“What do you mean?”
The man’s smirk deepened, his fingers lazily tracing the rim of his own glass.
“I mean, a woman like you… You don’t seem like the type who’s just here to party and give your performance” His gaze flickered over her again, assessing.
“You look… curious.”
Adeline forced a light laugh, taking a small sip of her drink as she tried to mask the unease curling in her stomach.
“Can’t a girl be curious where she is gonna be performing?” she teased, arching a brow.
The man watched her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, to her relief, he chuckled.
“I like you.”
She smiled, feigning amusement.
“Good to know.”
But even as she played along, she couldn’t shake the sinking feeling in her gut.
She had to be careful.
Very careful.
“ welcome everyone “
Adeline’s heart pounded as the deep, commanding voice echoed through the room.
The sound alone sent a chill down her spine. Slowly, she turned her gaze toward the grand staircase, her stomach twisting as her eyes landed on Leonardo and Elena.
Her breath caught in her throat.
Elena stood beside him, dressed in nothing but a sheer, lace lingerie set that barely covered anything.
Her blonde hair cascaded down her back, and her skin glowed under the dim, sultry lighting of the room.
But that wasn’t what made Adeline’s hands curl into tight fists.
It was the way Leonardo’s hand gripped Elena’s bare ass.
It wasn’t casual.
It wasn’t innocent.
It was possessive, crude… intimate.
Adeline’s eyes widened.
They were having an affair.
A sickening wave of disgust crashed over her. Elena— the woman who was loyal to Luciano, whom said she wanted Luciano—was with him.
With Leonardo.
The very man responsible for destroying their lives.
Adeline quickly ducked behind a group of strippers, her mind racing. She couldn’t be seen. Even though she was disguised.
Not yet.
Leonardo was too sharp, too cunning.
If he so much as caught a glimpse of her, she’d be dead before the night ended.
From her concealed position, she watched as Leonardo descended the staircase, walking as if he owned the entire world.
The room practically bowed to him, men stepping aside, women gazing at him with awe and fear. He looked like a king, the ruler of this depraved empire, drinking in the attention like it was his birthright.
Adeline’s fingers trembled at her sides.
How many lives had he ruined? How many people had suffered under his power?
Leonardo picked up a glass of whiskey from a nearby table, swirling the dark liquid before taking a slow sip.
His piercing eyes swept across the room, assessing, controlling.
“You all look fuckable.” His deep, smooth voice carried over the music, sending a ripple of tension through the women.
Beside him, Elena leaned in, pressing a slow, deliberate kiss to his neck.
Adeline’s stomach churned in revulsion.
How could she?
The woman who had once stood beside Luciano. Who said she was in love with Luciano. Whom hated her father and wanted revenge for separating her from the love of her life- Luciano, now wrapped around his killer like a whore.
Adeline forced herself to breathe.
Focus.
She had a mission.
As the tension in the room thickened, Leonardo’s voice cut through the air again.
“Ladies, get ready. The real show is about to begin.”
There was a brief moment of stillness before a man—one of Leonardo’s guards—clapped his hands sharply.
“You heard him. Move.”
The strippers instantly obeyed, giggling, whispering amongst themselves as they made their way toward the preparation room.
Adeline had no choice but to follow.
She stepped inside, the air thick with perfume, sweat, and desperation. The walls were lined with vanity mirrors, the bright bulbs casting an almost eerie glow over the room.
Girls hurriedly touched up their makeup, adjusted their lingerie, reapplied body shimmer.
Adeline’s chest tightened.
She had to be careful.
Leonardo was too smart. He would recognize her if she didn’t disguise herself properly.
Her eyes darted around the room, searching. Then she saw it—a wig, discarded on one of the vanities.
Perfect.
Glancing around quickly to make sure no one was watching, she grabbed it, slipping it over her hair and adjusting it in the mirror.
Her reflection stared back at her, unrecognizable.
Now no one could recognize her
Instead of her usual silky dark strands, her hair was now platinum blonde, styled in loose curls.
It framed her face differently, changed her entire look.
She exhaled sharply.
This might actually work.
Just as she finished securing the wig, a low giggle caught her attention.
She turned, her brows knitting together in confusion as she saw a few of the women stripping completely.
Lingerie hit the floor.
Bare bodies gleamed under the vanity lights.
Adeline’s frown deepened.
What the hell was going on?
She turned to a girl beside her—a redhead adjusting her lipstick.
“Why are some of them getting naked?” she asked in a low voice.
The girl chuckled, throwing Adeline a knowing smirk.
“Because, sweetheart,” she purred,
“if we don’t please him, he won’t let us walk out of here alive.”