Valentina.
“I belong here, Valentina.”
The cold air bit into my skin as two men dragged me through the dimly lit hallway, my arms bound behind my back.
The echoes of their footsteps bounced off the concrete walls, a steady, ominous rhythm that sent chills down my spine.
I tried not to think about what had just happened, about the words that had left Isabella’s lips, but they replayed in my head like a broken record.
“I belong here, Valentina. I belong with Luca.”
No. She didn’t mean it. She couldn’t have.
My sister was brainwashed. That had to be it. Luca had done something to her, twisted her mind, poisoned her against me. There was no way she had chosen this life, chosen him.
She had loved Matteo. I knew she had. We’d talked about it, whispered her fears and hopes late into the night when we were younger. She had dreamed of eloping with him, finding freedom together.
Childish dreams.
But her dreams.
That wasn’t the same woman who had stood before me.
Luca’s men said nothing as they led me deeper into the bowels of the warehouse. The air was thick with the stench of mold and damp concrete, and the further we went, the colder it became. They shoved me into a small, windowless cell, the door slamming shut behind me with a deafening clang. I stumbled, barely catching myself before I hit the ground.
I was alone.
Completely alone.
I sank to the floor, pressing my back against the icy stone wall, my heart hammering in my chest. I could still hear Luca’s voice echoing in my head, his smug assurance that Isabella had chosen him, not Matteo, not me. But it wasn’t true. I couldn’t believe it.
I couldn’t accept it.
She was my sister. My better half. We had shared everything, every secret, every fear. There was no way she had chosen this nightmare willingly.
“But there were things she didn’t share with you.” My treacherous mind whispered.
Caterina. Sophia. Pedro Nevarro.
My eyelids fluttered shut, as I took slow, deep breaths to calm the storm of emotions threatening to overwhelm me. My mind raced, searching for an explanation, a reason that made sense.
“If Isabella comes back, would you be willing to give Matteo up?” My mind continued to whisper, even as I tried to make it stop.
Isabella was protecting me.
That had to be it. Maybe Luca was holding something over her, threatening her. Maybe she was only saying what she had to say to keep us both alive.
I couldn’t believe she would turn her back on me so completely.
I pressed my fists against my temples, fighting the rising tide of panic. I couldn’t stay here. I had to get out, had to find a way to get to her, to talk to her without Luca around. She would explain everything, I was sure of it. I had to believe that.
The cell was small, barely enough room to stretch out. The only light came from a small crack in the ceiling, casting a faint, eerie glow over the damp floor. Time passed slowly, each second dragging out as I sat in the dark, my thoughts circling like vultures, picking at my sanity.
I didn’t know how long I’d been there.
Hours? Days? The passing of time blurred together. They brought me food, but I barely touched it. Sleep was impossible, the cold seeping into my bones, keeping me awake with a constant ache. Every noise-every distant creak or footstep-set my nerves on edge, wondering if Luca was coming for me again, or worse, if Isabella was coming to tell me something I didn’t want to hear.
I didn’t want to face her again, not until I knew what was really going on.
But she came anyway.
It was late, at least I thought it was, when I heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching. Panic clawed at my throat, and I scrambled to my feet, my legs stiff and sore from days of sitting.
It wasn’t my usual feeding time.
When the door creaked open slowly, I was blinded by the light spilling in from the hallway for a moment.
Then I saw her.
Isabella, her eyes even darker than before.
She stepped into the cell, her figure silhouetted in the dim light. She looked thinner, paler than when I had last seen her.
But it was her.
My sister.
“Valentina.” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
I couldn’t speak.
My throat was tight with a mix of relief and fear, my heart racing in my chest. I wanted to run to her, hold her, but I stayed where I was, my back pressed against the wall.
“I…. ” she began, but I cut her off, my voice harsher than I intended.
“What are you doing here? Did Luca send you?”
She flinched, her face falling. “No. No, Valentina, I… ” She hesitated, her eyes darting to the hallway before she closed the door behind her, sealing us in the darkness. “I came to get you out.”
What?
I blinked, my mind struggling to catch up with her words.
“What?”
“We don’t have much time,” she whispered urgently, moving closer to me. “Luca will notice soon so we have to leave now, before it’s too late.”
I stared at her, trying to make sense of what she was saying. “But you said…. you said you belonged here. You said you wanted to be with Luca.”
Her expression crumpled, and for the first time, I saw the fear in her eyes.
Real, raw fear.
“I had to say that,” she whispered. “I had to make him believe I was loyal. It’s the only way I could get close enough to help you.”
My heart twisted in my chest, the flood of relief almost overwhelming. “I knew it,” I breathed. “I knew you wouldn’t betray me.”
She grabbed my hand, squeezing it tightly. “I would never betray you, Valentina. You’re my sister.”
Tears stung my eyes as I nodded, pulling her into a tight embrace. She hugged me back, her body trembling against mine. For a moment, we just stood there, holding on to each other like we had as children, when the world felt too big and too cruel.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “I’m so sorry for everything.”
I pulled back, wiping the tears from my cheeks. “It’s not your fault. We’ll get out of here. Together.”
She nodded, her jaw set with determination. “I’ve got a plan. I know where Luca’s keeping the keys. We can slip out through the back entrance. His men won’t notice until we’re long gone.”
I didn’t hesitate. “Let’s go.”
We moved quickly, Isabella leading the way through the narrow, winding corridors of the warehouse. The walls seemed to close in on us, the air thick with the smell of mildew and rust. I stayed close to her, my heart pounding in my chest as we passed one guard after another, all of them oblivious to our escape.
Isabella’s hand was steady in mine, her grip firm despite the fear that flickered in her eyes. I could feel the tension radiating from her, the way her shoulders tensed every time we turned a corner or passed a door.
But we kept moving, silent, and determined.
Finally, we reached the back entrance, a heavy metal door that led out to a dark alley. Isabella fumbled with the keys for a moment, her fingers trembling as she unlocked the door. The cool night air hit me like a slap to the face as the door swung open, and for the first time in days, I felt the tiniest glimmer of hope.
We were almost free.
“Come on,” Isabella whispered, pulling me through the door.
But as we stepped into the alley, a figure emerged from the shadows.
Luca.
He stood there, his arms crossed over his chest, a cruel smile playing on his lips. “Going somewhere?”
Fear shot through me like ice, freezing me in place.
Isabella’s grip tightened on my hand. “Run!” she screamed, shoving me forward. “Go, Valentina! Now!”
I didn’t think. I just ran, my sister by my side to escape the mad man that chased after us.
I didn’t care if Isabella wanted Matteo. She could have him.