Chapter 111 Ch. 81
Zara looked at Imogen with a panicked expression, her heart thumping against her ribs so hard it felt painful.
If Lorenzo had been listening to the room, he knew everything. He knew she wanted to run, he knew about the woman’s arm she had broken, and he knew she was trying to talk Imogen into turning against him.
She looked at the floor, trying to hide the fear in her eyes, but her hands were shaking too much to hide the rest of it.
"You still have not learned your lesson, Lorenzo," Imogen said, her voice sounding bored as she looked at the men standing by the cabinets. "I am only here because I wish to be here. Do you think these little toys or these men can stop me if I decide I am done with you?"
"I think you enjoy the challenge," Lorenzo said, not looking at Zara at all. "And I think you know what happens to people who try to steal from me. Work on the girl. I will know if you are wasting time."
He turned and walked out of the room, the heavy door clicking shut behind him. The three men didn't move, standing in the corners of the room with their eyes fixed on Zara and Imogen. Imogen sighed and walked over to one of the cabinets, pulling out a small glass jar and looking at it with a frown.
“Well then,” Imogen sighed. “Let’s get started.”
++++
Ivanna pulled her car to a stop in front of the large gates of the mansion. She had driven straight from the news station, her mind racing with every turn of the steering wheel. She felt a mix of confusion and relief as she looked at the house through the windshield, glad that she had actually managed to find the place. She had only been here once and didn’t pay much attention because she was engrossed in a conversation with Lorenzo.
She stepped out of the car, her shoes crunching on the gravel, and walked toward the gate where several men were standing guard.
"Who are you looking for?" one of the men asked, stepping forward to block her path.
"I am here to see Lorenzo," Ivanna said, trying to keep her voice from wobbling. “Clan leader.”
"Who are you? We do not know you," the man said, looking her up and down with a suspicious look. "You are not a member of this house. You should leave before things get messy."
"Tell Lorenzo that Ivanna wishes to see him," she insisted, taking a step closer.
"Lorenzo is not within reach right now," the second guard said, crossing his arms. "He is busy with other matters. Come back another day, or better yet, don't come back at all."
Ivanna was about to argue when she heard footsteps jogging to meet her. One was a man who seemed like another guard, and the other was a teenage girl. Ivanna blinked in surprise as she recognized one of them. It was Zara, the girl from the news who had been the state champion before she was kidnapped. The same girl who gave her blood.
"It's you," Ivanna said, her eyes wide as she looked at the younger girl.
"Hi," Zara said, giving her a small, tired smile. “You look familiar.”
“We’ve never met— and if you knew about me, it sure wasn’t like this…”
“Oh?”
"Thank you for your blood. I heard it was what saved my life."
“Oh… you are… her… the journalist girlfriend.”
“Yeah.”
"I am glad you are okay," Zara said, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sudden meeting. He has come out here for some air aftee an intense training with Imogen.
“I see youre trapped here as well,” Ivanna commented aftee a few minutes kf awkward silence. She noticed the guards has some sort of unease and fear of Zara even though she was prisoner.
“Trapped, yes. But at least Im not locked up in the basement.” She pauses. “You wajto to see Dylan? I’m not sure Lorenzo is feeling particularly cheerful today, but come with me," Zara said, gesturing for Ivanna to follow.
They walked through the front doors and down a long hallway. Ivanna kept looking around, her eyes darting to the paintings on the walls and the high ceilings. They walked up the stairs and through another corridor bedore they reached a large oak door.
Zara pushed them open without knocking.
Lorenzo was sitting behind a large desk covered in papers. He looked up, his brow furrowing as he saw the group entering his private space.
"What is all this?" Lorenzo asked, slamming a folder shut. "I told the guards I did not want to be disturbed for any reason."
"Release Dylan," Ivanna said, stepping past Zara to stand right in front of the desk.
Lorenzo leaned back in his chair, a slow smile spreading across his face that made Ivanna’s skin crawl. "He has not served enough of his punishment yet, Ivanna. We’ve worked together for a short while. You know how I feel about people who break the rules of this clan."
"I don't care about your rules," Ivanna said, her voice rising as she leaned over the desk. “If he and Ethan didn’t make a move, you wouldn’t have the girl.”
“And if I release them, I may no longer have the girl.”
"Release him now, or I will go back to that news station and tell them everything I know. I have enough evidence to make sure the whole world knows what you are doing here."
"Are you threatening me in my own home?" Lorenzo asked, his voice coming out in a low, dangerous rumble.