Chapter 176 You Leave My Son Alone
Chapter 176 You Leave My Son Alone
SANCIA
Tired but still furious, I dragged my feet across the room and dropped onto my bed, fuming. The irony of my situation would've made me laugh if it weren't for its implications.
For the third time in my life, a man I'd loved had locked me up while claiming it was for my own protection.
The pretentious asshole.
It was obvious Antonio had deliberately lured me back just to trap me here. Not for the first time, I wondered what the hell was going on and where Sergio was.
I hadn't seen him or any of the other family members since I'd arrived except Zia Lorena and Mama.
As I sat there, mulling everything over, I considered calling Lorenzo to tell him it had all been a trap. In the end, I decided against it.
It was too soon. I needed to wait and see what else was going on. Besides, I wasn't even sure it was safe to make a call in my own room.
For all I knew, Antonio had bugged it with cameras, and if he found out I had a burner phone, he'd definitely take it from me. I couldn't afford to lose my only way out of here.
I wish I knew what Antonio was thinking. Earlier, I'd been scared of him; the way he'd acted and the crazy look in his eyes made me realize this wasn't the same Antonio I'd known all my life.
This new Antonio was someone I had no experience dealing with. And if I held a hint of doubt about him being Papa's murderer, that doubt was completely gone.
Instead of doing something futile, like banging on the door again, I forced myself to calm down and think when that didn't work out.
I decided to take a shower, change into something comfortable, then lie on the bed, trying to organize my thoughts. For the rest of the day, I was left alone.
Locked away.
I thought about Dario and wondered how he's doing with Lorenzo; my lips twitch at the thought of Lorenzo being a dad in my absence.
My heart aches as I wonder if Dario will cry when he doesn't see me. We'd left London before he woke up.
Lorenzo had told me they'd be leaving for Italy as soon as Luca arrived, so they'll probably return to Villa Marchetti tomorrow.
I grabbed my phone, and the urge to call and ask him if he's already here was almost unbearable, but I threw it away before I was tempted.
When the door finally opened again, it was because my jailer had decided to send his little sidekick with my dinner.
Isabella walked in carrying a tray of food, smiling at me as though she hadn't just lied to me and betrayed me. The two guards outside peered into the room as if it were some maximum-security prison and they were checking for contraband.
I barely spared either them or her a glance as she walked over to where I sat on the bed, absentmindedly flipping through an old textbook I'd found in one of my drawers.
“I thought you might be hungry, so I brought you some food,” she said with a small smile, setting the tray on the table beside the bed.
“How very thoughtful of you. Now that you have, why don't you get the fuck out of my sight?”
Guilt flashed across Isabella's face before she lowered herself onto the edge of the bed.
“I know nothing I say will make you understand. Sancia, I don't have a choice. You're my sister, and I'll always want to protect you—”
“Oh, please. Don't give me that bullshit.” I cut her off. “I don't need you to protect me, Isabella. I'm an adult. I can protect myself. I've been doing just fine these past couple of years.”
“Sancia...”
“Get the fuck out, Isabella,” I snapped.
She opened her mouth as if to argue, but thought better of it.
“Eat, Sancia. Trust me, starving yourself is pointless.”
I never intended to starve myself anyway.
I'd need my strength if I were going to plan my escape, so starving myself was the last thing on my mind.
The next morning, I stood by my bedroom window, watching the guards rotate shifts around the grounds, when my bedroom door opened.
I didn't bother looking. Unless whoever was walking in planned on letting me leave, I wasn't interested.
“I'm here to take you downstairs for breakfast,” Antonio said.
“And since when do prisoners eat with their jailers?” I replied without taking my eyes off the window.
I didn't hear him move until I felt his presence; he was standing directly behind me, far too close for my liking.
“My God, Sia,” he began, his voice carrying that deceptively calm tone. “I'm so sorry. I never meant to lock you up. I just... panicked at the thought of you going out there. You have no idea how dangerous it is for you right now.”
“Then you should've fucking left me alone where I was, Antonio,” I spat, turning to face him. “You deliberately lied to me to get me here. You used my sister and Mama's illness to make me leave London.”
“Sia, I'm doing this… ”
“Don't you fucking say you're doing it for me.” I took several steps back the moment he tried to move closer. “Because that's a lie, Antonio. I left my son alone because I thought Mama was really sick and needed me. And now you're refusing to let me go back to him.”
“I know you're angry, and you have every right to be,” he said patiently. “But I'm trying to protect you, Sancia. I know you miss Dario, but you don't have to worry about him. I've already sent men to bring him here. You'll be reunited with him by tomorrow.”
My eyes narrowed as his words registered. “What are you talking about?” My voice came out dangerously quiet. “Bring Dario where?”
He reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear as though he had every right to touch me.
“I knew you'd be happier with him close to you, so I had someone bring him over from London.”
“No.” I slapped his hand away. “Absolutely not, Antonio. You leave my son alone, or I swear to God I'll fucking kill you.”
“My God, Sia.” He looked genuinely hurt. “What's wrong with you? I'm trying to protect you. I'm doing everything I can to make you happy. Why can't you see that?”
“I never asked you to protect me, Antonio.” My voice shook with rage. “And I don't want my son anywhere near this toxic place... or these toxic people. I thought I already made that clear.”
He sighed. “I don't want to fight with you, Sia. I'll admit I handled yesterday poorly and I'm sorry,” he murmured in that soft voice that used to fool me.
“I thought you'd be happy to have Dario here with you, so you don't have to worry about him.”
I glared at him so hard. “That wasn't your decision to make, and I don't expect nor want your protection. I'm not your responsibility, Antonio.”
“You'll always have my protection whether you want it or not,” he replied, then sighed and scratched the bridge of his nose.
“Listen, I know nothing I say will make you understand, but things aren't as simple as you think. While you're safe here in our territory, I can't guarantee your safety out there; it's dangerous for you, Sia. So you have to believe me and stay here for your own good.”
I snickered. “You were the one who dragged me into danger; I was doing great back in London with Luca’s protection.”
Instantly his eyes darkened. “Who do you think I'm protecting you from? The Marchettis are the biggest danger to your life,” he sneered. “You said it yourself, Lorenzo fucking wants you dead. The man is mad and will stop at nothing to get his revenge.”
If I defend Lorenzo or Luca, Antonio might start to suspect that I lied to him. So I nodded.
“Maybe, but you should have been honest with me from the get-go, not lie to me and then lock me up as though I were a child when I don’t agree with you.”
He nodded. “I was wrong about that, which is why I'm here to apologize and take you downstairs for breakfast,” he replied.
He’d said it as though he was doing me a great honor, like this wasn’t my home.
“But due to the circumstances, I'll have two of our soldiers guard you. They're necessary protection, nothing more. I won't lock you again as long as you don't try to run and put yourself in danger. You can do whatever you want to do within and around the property.”
“Geez, guess I should fall on my knees and thank you.”
“I'm just trying to….”
“Save it,” I snapped.
I don't want to hear another word about how he's holding me hostage to protect me, because that's some real bullshit if I ever heard one.