A sharp pain pierced through me.
I immediately clutched my abdomen and crouched down as tears began streaming down my face.
I thought he wouldn’t believe my act, but before I could do anything else, his arm slipped around me and lifted me into a bridal carry.
A soft muffled sound escaped my lips, and I froze at the sudden movement.
Everything remained dim and blurry until my gaze shifted toward the wall clock.
It was still eleven in the midnight.
He dropped me onto the bed, and my body sank into the soft mattress.
“Rest, and don’t you dare do anything reckless,” he warned.
I kept my eyes away from him.
The door creaked as he left, and only after I heard it close did I release the breath I had been holding.
Then I remembered.
The earpiece was still intact on my ears.
I was still wearing it.
I had completely forgotten about it after taking my bath.
I quickly touched it.
“Hello?” I whispered, checking whether the connection was still active.
For a moment, there was nothing.
I was about to relax, thinking Inferno hadn’t heard anything, when a deep voice suddenly came through.
“I thought you already abandoned our agreement, Savannah.” His piercing deep baritone voice that didn’t fail to startle me.
My eyes widened.
Then I heard familiar voices behind him.
“Are you alright? We heard you crying, did that bastard hurt you?” It was Chalia.
Relief washed over me when I realized they were still there.
“What should I do? He didn’t even allow me to take one step outside this freaking room, Inferno!” I whispered, keeping my voice low.
I was terrified someone outside might hear me.
“Let him do what he wants. Obey him so you can earn his trust,” he instructed.
I glared at the wall.
“What? Why don’t you come here and do that yourself?” I snapped.
I heard him hiss.
“I told you, Agent Beltran. I need the information surrounding the Ciffarellian Mafia. Once you have it, you can kill them. But if you don’t…”
He suddenly stopped.
Then I heard a metallic sound.
A gun being cocked.
My entire body went cold.
“Our conversation ends here,” he said.
My heart raced.
He was actually threatening me.
“Fine!” I answered through clenched teeth.
A low chuckle came through the earpiece.
“That’s what I wanted to hear from you, Miss Beltran.” I swallowed hard.
Then I heard footsteps coming my way.
They were coming from outside.
My blood ran cold.
Shit.
That bastard was coming back.
“I’ll handle this. Send someone after a month to check on me and retrieve the files. Give me a month, and I’ll earn his trust,” I whispered quickly.
I immediately removed the earpiece and rushed toward the bathroom.
I flushed it.
The sound of the toilet echoed through the room.
I hurried back to the bed, pulled the blanket over myself, and closed my eyes.
Seconds later the door opened.
I forced my breathing to become steady and pretended to be asleep.
“Is she the woman?” A woman’s voice.
“Stop asking questions, Ellise. Just do what you’re good at.” It was Keegan’s demanding and authoritative voice.
“Fine. Can you please leave, Mr. Ciffarelli?”
Silence stirred up then I heard the door open and close.
And I remained still.
Who was this woman?
They sounded familiar with each other, but that didn’t mean I could trust her.
A hand touched my forehead.
I resisted the urge to move.
Then she lifted the sleeve of my shirt toward my abdomen.
I felt something cold spread across my skin.
I flinched.
“You can open your eyes now, Miss.”
I was caught off guard but slowly, I opened my eyes.
A woman with an angelic face was standing beside me.
She wore a white gown, gloves covered her hands, and several medical instruments were arranged beside her.
“Hi. I’m Ellise, the family’s OB-GYN.”
She offered her hand.
I hesitated before taking it.
“Savannah.” I muttered unsure if I would trust her or not.
She gave me a warm smile.
“You must’ve been in shock. We’re not related to the family, but we’re close. And don’t worry. I won’t tell him anything”
I studied her carefully.
Was she telling the truth?
Or was this another test?
“Keegan told me you’re on your period,” she said.
Heat rushed to my face.
She chuckled.
“Don’t worry. He’s a grown man, but he’s far too demanding sometimes.”
I ignored the comment.
“You must know about their family hierarchy and their illegal activities, don’t you?” I asked and she seems to be intrigued by my question.
She looked at me for a moment before checking my blood pressure.
“Yes. But I’m not part of it. Men are the only ones accepted as leaders within the mafia organization.”
“Why? What’s wrong to being a female leader and what happens if they have a daughter?”
“The families form alliances with other bosses to maintain their power and to make it stronger. Some families are extremely protective of their daughters. They keep them away from the business and sometimes even send them abroad so they won’t be involved in the men’s dirty dealings.”
My brows furrowed.
I watched her face, searching for any sign that she was lying.
Instead, she gave me a faint smile.
“I’m not some kind of leech, okay? And you’re going to become part of this battle soon.” I immediately pulled away from her.
“What do you mean?” My brows creased by the words she just said.
She placed a hand on my arm.
“Did Keegan not tell you?”
I shook my head.
My mind struggled to process what she was saying.
“About what?” She hesitated.
Then she looked directly into my eyes.
“He picked you to bear his children.”
My breath caught.
For a moment, I bare couldn’t speak.
Then I let out a bitter, disbelieving laugh.
“That won’t happen. There’s no way I’m going to bear that asshole’s heir! Why can’t he get one of his comfort women to give him children? Why me?”
My voice grew louder despite myself.
My body tensed.
No.
This couldn’t be happening.
That son of a bitch hadn’t even told me.
Fuck you Inferno!
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to process everything Ellise had just revealed, but every thought only made me more frantic.
“W-what if I don’t agree? Would he release me?” I grabbed her hand.
She stared at me silently.
That silence told me enough.
“He won’t,” she finally said.
“Whether you agree or not, he won’t let you go. He chose you personally, Savannah. That makes it even harder to escape his grasp.”
My world seemed to tilt.
My palm turned cold as tears gathered in my eyes.
No.
I couldn’t let myself carry that bastard’s child.
Not when his family carried the blood of the people who killed my mother.
Grief ran through my veins.
Hatred settled in my heart and disgust filled my mind.
They hadn’t changed.
Not even a little.
I slowly wiped the tears from my face and stared at Ellise.
“If I agreed, would I at least have the freedom to go wherever I wanted?”
She shrugged.
“No one knows, Savannah. You’re the first woman he’s ever claimed.”
My stomach twisted.
The first woman?
Or the first woman to be tormented this way?
That sentence alone made my fear worse.
Ellise stepped away from me.
“If you want to survive, make whatever excuses you can. Buy yourself time. But you should also prepare yourself in case things don’t go according to plan.”
She gathered her things and headed toward the door.
Before leaving, she looked back at me.
“Be careful who you trust.”
Then she walked out.
The door closed shut behind her and I was alone again in this lonely room.
Silence filled the room.
I stared at my reflection in the dark window.
I looked hopeless.
Trapped with nothing but helplessness and hatred.
I was being held captive by the men I hated most, and they were already planning my future without asking me.
But they had made one mistake.
They thought they had captured a helpless woman.
They hadn’t.
I slowly pulled myself together.
I had promised to avenge my mother.
And now, the enemy had revealed himself right at my doorstep.
A cold expression settled across my face.
If Keegan wanted to keep me here, then I would make sure he regretted it.
“I’ll ruin him,” I whispered.
“Inside and out. I’ll make him endure the pain I felt when I lost the people I loved. And I’ll give it all back to him.”
My fingers curled tightly against the blanket.
This wasn’t surrender but a promise that I will fulfill even if it ruins me.
No one will be happy, not when I’m still breathing.
Please don’t get tired of reading.
Continue joining me untill this story ends