Arianna’s POV
I couldn’t tell what hurt me more. The fact that he had accused me or the fact that Eleana lied…
“Sofie, I swear I didn’t do anything!” I cried out to her.
I would lose the deal because of this drama and the chances of me leaving this place just became another impossible block of wall.
This was what broke me more than anything!
“I know you didn’t do it, Arianna. You don’t have to tell me that. Eleana is playing at something.” She consoled me.
But I was worried and devastated. I needed that job. I needed to feel the air of freedom. Even if the plan wasn’t so foul-proof, I would live better if I tried it at least.
And now, it was going to be taken away from me. I had to clear my name!
I couldn’t seat here and wait for Eleana to ruin my chances of escape. Why was she even doing this?
Was it Sara’s dying wish or what?
“I need to talk to her!” I suddenly said getting off the couch.
Sofie got off too at approximately the same speed and held my hand.
“Where are you going? The master asked you to stay right here!” She squeaked.
My eyes moved from the hand holding me to her eyes.
“Sofie, if I stay here, I will not be able to clear my name. Don’t you get it? I need to go talk to her.”
“Maybe there is a way I can convince her. Maybe… Someone is threatening her and I might be able to just help her as well!”
I could tell what I just said sounded like a movie script but what other choices did I have?
Eleana was very smart. Obviously, this had to be a move to something.
“But leaving here will put you in even more trouble!” Sofie screeched pulling me out of my thoughts.
I pulled at my hair as I struggled internally to stay calm. Sofie didn’t understand exactly what was at stake here.
Maybe if I told her she would believe me.
“You see,” I said holding her arm. “It isn’t just about Gabriele being angry with me…” I trailed off as I considered what I was about to say before letting it out.
“Gabriele offered me a job,” I said throwing my eyes around to be certain neither Gabriele nor Basilio was coming.
“He wants me to go out there and relate with his business partners! Do you know what that means?”
“Boss asked you to go out there for his business?” Sofie asked in a dreamy state.
I know it was too good to be true that was why I couldn’t afford to lose the chance to actually do it.
“Yes, Sofie. And this situation with Eleana will make him change his mind!” I told her.
Sofie nodded her head weakly. I could tell she was still overwhelmed by the news.
“You think he will really do that? Give you a job?” Sofie blurted out.
“Yes! He already gave me a job and I am going to lose it if you don’t let me go to Eleana!” I screeched.
“But, the boss-”
“Oh, Sofie can you stop with that already!” I hissed in irritation slapping my free hand to my forehead.
I pulled my hand out of her hold and raised my finger menacingly at her. “I am going to talk to her and you will stay here and cover for me.”
“If I get out of here. I won’t be the only one benefiting from this! My grandparents are not super rich but they have enough to take care of you and your family as well!” I told her.
She didn’t deserve to be here. Working in such a dangerous place wasn’t good at all. I would help us both.
“I am sorry!” I whispered.
Before she could say something else, I bolted out of the room and went on to the upper floors where her room was.
Eleana and Nadia had been kept on the upper floors ever since Sara’s incident. I knew they will still be there…
The guards on that floor straightened their backs as soon as they saw me approaching but I had nothing to do with them.
I came for Eleana and I went straight to her door. I reached for the door and was about to open yet when one of the guards in the second room came to me.
“I am sorry ma’am but you can’t go in there,” he said.
I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. “Why can’t I see Eleana?” I asked.
“She isn’t here. She is in the detention room downstairs.”
His response made me pause. “In the detention room?” I repeated and he responded with a gruff yes.
I nodded briefly and changed the direction of my legs to the detention room instead.
I would not give up till I get to talk to Eleana to take back what she said to Gabriele.
There were no guards and I prayed the doors wouldn’t be locked when I got to the door. Or they wouldn’t tell me she had disappeared or something.
As I took the final turn, I saw the single guard standing by the door. He was clothed in a dark suit with shoes that reflected the lights above him.
I shook off the anxiety in my body and took on a more soft step to my walk as I headed to him.
He raised his head when I got closer but his lips remained sealed.
Of course, he wouldn’t speak. Even in the movies, guards and assassins said nothing to the unsuspecting females. So, I took the courage and spoke first instead.
“I want to speak to her,” I said confidently.
His beady eyes glared at me. He looked like he was going to call the fucking backup.
“Gabriele himself asked me to come to talk to her,” I added quickly.
He let out a soft grunt and stepped out of my way.
I heaved a silent sigh as I squared my shoulders and walked to the door. My only prayer was that Gabriele or Basilio didn’t come down before I finished speaking to her. If they did, my little lie to the guard will be ruined.
Eleana who was standing by the window as I entered turned her eyes to me and a creepy smile covered her face at once.
Her beautiful hair was no longer appealing. She looked like a lunatic. What happened to her?
“I knew you will come,” she sang showing me her pearly set.
A frown covered my face as I narrowed my eyes at her. I had thought she said those lies to Gabriele because someone made her do it but seeing the expression on her face at this moment, I was certain she masterminded it all.
“Why did you lie to Gabriele?” I asked going straight to the point.
There was no use in beating around the battered forest.
“Oh, you have heard?” She squeaked placing her broken nails to her lips dramatically.
She threw her head back and let out a hysterical laugh.
Surely something wasn’t right with Eleana’s head anymore.
“Wasn’t it fun?” She asked after her cackling stopped.
“What are you talking about?”
“How did it feel being on the receiving end of the table for once?” She spat out more sharply but I still didn’t understand what she meant.
“What?”
She moved even closer to the window and started pacing around it.
“The first time I laid my eyes on Gabriele, I wanted him, Arianna,” she started saying.
“I wanted him so bad, I begged my brother to sell give me to him!”
“What?” I gasped. “You wanted to be sold?” This story didn’t even match the first one she told me.
“Yes!” She said stopping to glare at me.
“Yes! I begged my brother to sell me! I wanted to belong to him! And the only way was to be his sex gift! I didn’t mind!”
The psychopathic smile returned to her lips and her eyes enlarged even more.
“I got what I wanted all right… But when I came here, Sara took him away from me more than I would have liked it.”
The room suddenly grew hot like her emotions somehow controlled the weather.
Her eyes shone with so much hatred, I had to erase all I thought I knew of her and start taking new notes.
This Eleana was different from the one I had met during my early days with Gabriele.
“I was patient… I waited for so long… And now finally, she is dead.” Her bloodshot eyes turned to me and I took an involuntary step back.
She looked like a character from a zombie movie and I feared she might just have turned into one in the true sense of it.
“But you keep standing in my way!” She yelled and raised a finger to my face.
“I will no longer wait. Gabriele belongs to me!”