ARIA’s POV
I sprinted through the darkness, my feet pounding against the cold concrete floor, my heart racing with terror. The darkness seemed to swallow me whole, making it impossible to see my own hand in front of my face. But I didn’t dare slow down, didn’t dare look back. I knew he was behind me, could hear his heavy footsteps echoing off the walls, getting closer and closer.
The sound of his breathing was like a beast’s growl, low and menacing, and I could feel his hot breath on the back of my neck. My skin crawled with fear, my legs trembling beneath me. I stumbled, almost fell, but managed to catch myself just in time. My hands outstretched in front of me, and I felt my way through the darkness, desperate to find the stairs that led back up to the shed.
But the basement seemed to stretch on forever, the darkness seeming to shift and twist around me like a living thing. I could feel eyes upon me, but I could sense the presence of something sinister lurking just out of sight. The air was thick with the stench of decay and rot, and I could taste the fear in the back of my throat.
And then, just when I thought I couldn’t run anymore, I saw a glimmer of light ahead. The stairs. I summoned every last ounce of strength and sprinted towards them, my legs aching, my lungs burning. I stumbled up the first step, almost fell, but managed to catch myself on the railing. I pulled myself up, my hands shaking with fear, and kept climbing.
But I knew he was right behind me. I could hear his footsteps, heavy and deliberate, coming closer and closer. And then, just as I reached the top step, I felt a hand grab my ankle, pulling me back down into the darkness. I screamed, kicked out with my other foot, and managed to break free. I stumbled out into the shed, gasping for air, and slammed the door shut behind me. I leaned against it, my heart racing, my body trembling with fear. I knew I had to get out of there, and I had to get as far away from that basement as possible. I took a deep breath, pushed off from the door, and ran.
I burst out of the woods, my legs aching, my lungs burning, and my heart racing with fear. I had never run so fast in my life, my feet pounding against the earth, my breath coming in ragged gasps. Sweat dripped down my face, mixing with the dirt and grime from the basement, making me look like a wild animal.
As I emerged from the trees, I saw the mansion looming before me, its grandeur, and beauty, a huge difference to the horror I had just escaped. But even the sight of its familiar walls and windows couldn’t calm my racing heart. I knew he could still be behind me. He could still be chasing me.
I didn’t dare look back. I didn’t dare slow down. I kept running, my eyes fixed on the mansion’s front door, my legs pumping like pistons. I could feel my fear like a living thing, a cold, clammy presence that wrapped itself around my heart and squeezed tight.
I stumbled up the steps, my legs trembling beneath me, and grasped the door handle like a lifeline. I flung open the door and stumbled inside, slamming it shut behind me and leaning against it to catch my breath.
But even the safety of the mansion couldn’t calm my fears. I knew he could still find me. He could still get to me. I had to keep moving, and I had to keep hiding. I stumbled through the halls, my eyes darting back and forth, my heart racing with fear. Where could I go? Where could I hide?.
I knew I had to get to my room, had to lock myself in, and barricade the door. It was the only place I felt safe, the only place I could hide from the terror that pursued me. I ran up the stairs, my legs aching, my breath coming in ragged gasps. I flung open my door, but he got to me.
I screamed in pain as he grabbed me by my arm. He yanked me back into the living room. I struggled and kicked, but he was too strong.
I felt like a ragdoll, helpless and trapped.
As he threw me onto the couch, my head spun, and my heart raced with fear. I cowered in the corner, my eyes fixed on him, my mind paralyzed with terror. I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, couldn’t escape.
His eyes seemed to bore into my soul, filled with a malevolence that made my blood run cold. I felt like I was staring into the face of pure evil, and I knew I was in grave danger. I was at his mercy, and I had no idea what he was capable of.
My mind raced with thoughts of escape, but my body seemed to be frozen in place. I was trapped, and I knew it. All I could do was wait and see what he had in store for me. Then, he fell to his knees and pleaded. His eyes begging me to stay.
“Aria, please. I can explain”. Matteo begged.
“This isn’t something you see everyday”. I hear a familiar voice say from the corner of the room, and I see Carter, his smile gleaming with a sinister intensity, and my mind raced with questions. How did he manage to breach the mansion’s robust security? What was his true intention? But my attention was swiftly drawn back to Matteo, his eyes still fixed on me, his hands stained with blood, his expression a mix of desperation and pleading. Carter was calm and collected, and Matteo was broken.
“The leader of the biggest mafia family begging a woman?”. Carter asked, then scoffed as he threw the newspaper he pretended to be reading across the floor. “The fuck did she do to you, Matteo?”
“Mafia…”. I whispered and looked at my husband’s face. He was crying but his eyes never left mine.
“Aria, he has fucking killed hundreds of men…and women. Children as well”. I gasped. “He is a beast! In human form. Look at him”. Carter said and I looked at my husband. I broke into a sob as he kept begging.
“Stop, Carter! Cut it out!!”. Matteo yelled.
“Aria, you can’t possibly be with this man. Come with me. I’ll take you out of here. I promise”. Carter said in a soothing voice, but then Matteo rushed to him and slapped him across the face.
“Fuck!!”. Carter exclaimed as he laughed, checking to see if he bled. “You still have it in you. Thought you lost the balls to do anything”. Carter said with a grin on his face and that seemed to piss Matteo off.
“Go please”. I heard Matteo’s voice break.
“I bet you don’t want to put her in chains anymore cause in a while you haven’t felt anything for any woman but her”
“Carter”. Matteo warned.
“Aria, I can help you escape. Come with me”. I jumped off the couch and rushed to Carter, but Matteo held my arm softly like he was scared he would hurt me.
Carter’s smile seemed to grow wider, as if he knew I was wavering. “Aria, come with me,” he whispered, his voice low and urgent. “You deserve better than a monster like him.” But Matteo’s eyes, filled with a mix of sadness and determination, held mine, refusing to let go.
“I’ll change, Aria. I swear it. Just don’t leave me.”
But, I didn’t listen. Instead, I walked into Carter’s arms and held me there. I looked back at Matteo, and I saw his head hanging low.
Matteo’s face crumpled, his eyes welling up with tears as he gazed at me with a deep despair. His shoulders slumped, his chest caved in, and his entire being seemed to sag under the weight of his own defeat. The blood on his hands appeared to mock him.
His lips trembled, and a faint whimper escaped his throat, like a wounded animal’s cry. It was as if he knew, in that moment, that he had lost everything that truly mattered to him me. The thought sent a pang of guilt through my heart, but I steeled myself and took another step towards Carter, away from the broken man before me.