Sophia swallowed hard, her stomach churning with dread. She knew that she couldn’t back out now, that her own life depended on following through with Vito’s plan.
“What’s the plan?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Vito’s eyes narrowed. “You’ll meet Luca at the park,” he said, his voice cold and calculating. “You’ll apologize, tell him that you made a mistake. Then, when he’s not expecting it…”
“You’ll stab him,” Vito finished, his voice hard and emotionless.
Sophia’s breath caught in her throat, her heart racing with fear. “I can’t do that,” she whispered, her voice shaking.
Vito’s eyes flashed with anger. “You will do it, Sophia,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “You’ll do it, or you’ll regret it.”
Sophia’s mind raced as she frantically tried to think of a way out, her heart pounding with terror.
“Okay,” she finally whispered, her voice choked with fear. “I’ll do it. But please, Vito, I need the one week.”
Vito’s expression softened, a cruel smile curling his lips. “One week, Sophia,” he said, his voice soft and dangerous. “But if you betray me…” His voice trailed off, leaving the threat unspoken.
Sophia shuddered as Vito’s words echoed in her mind, her heart heavy with dread. She knew that she had no choice but to play along, to pretend that she was still his devoted girlfriend.
“I won’t betray you, Vito,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I swear.”
Vito nodded, his expression cold and calculating. “Good,” he said, his voice hard and commanding. “Now, go get some rest. You have a busy week ahead of you.”
Sophia nodded, her body shaking with fear as she turned and walked toward the bedroom, her mind racing with terror. She knew that she couldn’t afford to slip up, that any misstep could mean her own life.
As she climbed into bed, her mind replayed the events of the night, her heart pounding with dread. She knew that she had to find a way out, to save herself and Luca from Vito’s deadly plan.
Closing her eyes, she prayed for strength, for courage, for any kind of miracle that might save them both.
With a trembling hand, Sophia dialed Leo’s number, her heart pounding with fear as she waited for him to answer.
“Leo,” she whispered, her voice shaking with emotion. “I need your help.”
“Sophia,” Leo’s voice replied, his tone urgent and concerned. “What’s going on?”
“I’m pretending to stay with Vito,” Sophia whispered, her voice trembling. “I need to gather information for the police.
“I’m pretending to love him,” Sophia continued, her voice catching in her throat. “But it’s only to get close to him, to find out what he’s planning.”
“Sophia,” Leo replied, his voice low and serious. “That’s dangerous.”
“I know,” Sophia whispered, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. “But I have to do this. I have to protect Luca.”
“Leo,” Sophia continued, her voice shaking with emotion. “There’s a recording device in my room. I can use it to gather information.”
“Be careful, Sophia,” Leo whispered, his voice heavy with concern. “Vito is dangerous. You can’t let him know what you’re doing.”
“I won’t,” Sophia replied, her voice barely a whisper. “I need you to tell Luca that I love him. Tell him to forgive me. But don’t
…
“…don’t tell him about the plan,” Sophia finished, her voice low and urgent.
Leo was silent for a moment, his mind racing with thoughts. Finally, he spoke. “I’ll do it, Sophia,” he whispered. “I’ll tell him. But you have to promise me, you have to be careful.”
“I promise,” Sophia whispered, a shiver running through her body.
“Sophia,” Leo continued, his voice low and serious. “I’m worried about you. You’re taking a big risk.”
Sophia swallowed hard, her heart racing with fear. “I know, Leo,” she whispered, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. “But I have to do this. I have to protect Luca. I have to protect myself.”
Leo nodded, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. “Okay, Sophia,” he whispered.
“I’ll call you after I’ve talked to Luca,” Leo said, his voice low and serious. “And Sophia, please, be careful.”
“I will, Leo,” Sophia replied, a tear rolling down her cheek. “Thank you.”
They hung up, and Sophia sank onto her bed, her mind racing with thoughts. She knew that she was taking a huge risk, that she was putting her own life in danger.
But she also knew that she couldn’t sit back and do nothing.
Sophia spent the next day in a daze, her mind racing with thoughts as she tried to plan her next move.
She knew that she had to be careful, that any misstep could mean her own life. She spent hours pacing around the house, replaying the events of the past week in her mind, trying to find a way out.
Finally, after hours of agonizing, she made a decision.
She would do whatever it took to protect Luca. Even if it meant putting her own life in danger.
Leo sat across from Luca in a dimly lit coffee shop, the tension in the air palpable as they both sipped their coffee in silence.
Finally, Leo cleared his throat, breaking the quiet. “Luca,” he began, his voice low and serious. “I need to tell you something.”
Luca looked up, his expression guarded. “What is it?” he asked, his voice sharp with pain.
Leo took a deep breath, his heart pounding with fear. “Sophia wants you to know that she loves you…” Leo continued, his voice trembling with emotion. “She wants you to forgive her, for everything that happened.”
Luca’s face softened, his eyes searching Leo’s face. “Why are you telling me this now?” he asked, his voice heavy with suspicion.
Leo shook his head, a tear rolling down his cheek. “I can’t tell you,” he whispered, his voice shaking with emotion. “But I need you to trust me. Sophia is not in danger, Luca. You have to believe me.
Luca’s eyes widened, his body tensing with fear. ” What is she doing with Vito?” he asked, his voice low and urgent.
Leo took a deep breath, his heart racing with worry. “I can’t tell you,” he whispered, his voice shaking with emotion. “But you have to believe me, Luca.”
Luca leaned forward, his hands clenched into fists. “What do you mean,?” he asked, his voice rising with anger.
Leo took a deep breath, composing himself as he met Luca’s intense gaze. “Sophia knows what she’s doing,” he said, his voice firm and reassuring. “She loves you, and she doesn’t want you to fight for her. She wants you to trust her.”
Luca’s face softened, his expression tinged with sadness. “But why can’t she tell me herself?” he asked, his voice low and pained.
Leo shook his head, his eyes filled with compassion.
“I can’t tell you that,” Leo said, his voice heavy with regret. “But I can tell you this: she wants you to be happy. She wants you to move on, to find love again.”
Luca’s eyes filled with tears, and he looked down at the table, his voice choked with emotion. “How can I move on?” he asked, his voice breaking. “How can I love someone else when she’s still in my heart?”
Leo left the coffee shop, the weight of the conversation weighing heavily on him. He made his way to a nearby park and pulled out his phone, his fingers trembling as he dialed Sophia’s number.
The phone rang and rang, but Sophia didn’t answer.
Leo hung up, his heart racing with worry. He sent a quick text message: “I told Luca. Be careful.”
A few minutes later, Sophia sent a text back: “Thanks, Leo. Don’t call, I’m almost caught.”
Leo’s heart skipped a beat as he read Sophia’s message. He knew that she was in danger, that she was putting herself at risk to protect Luca. He wanted to do something, anything, to help her, but he knew that he couldn’t.
He sat down on a nearby bench, his mind racing with thoughts as he watched the sun set over the horizon.
A few hours later, just as the sun was disappearing behind the trees, Leo’s phone buzzed with a new message.
“I’m okay,” Sophia’
“I’m okay,” Sophia’s message continued, her words filling Leo with relief. “I managed to escape. I’m heading to the rendezvous point. I’ll call you when I’m safe.”
Leo exhaled deeply, a wave of relief washing over him as he realized that Sophia was out of danger. He sent a quick reply: “Be careful, Sophia. I’ll be waiting for your call.”
Several hours passed, the night sky darkening as Leo waited anxiously for Sophia’s call. He walked back to his car, his mind racing with thoughts as he started the engine and drove back to his apartment.
When he arrived, he poured himself a drink and sat down in front of the window, watching the city lights twinkle in the distance as he waited for Sophia to call.
Just as the clock struck midnight, Leo’s phone buzzed with a new message.
“I’m safe,” Sophia’s message read.
Leo’s heart filled with relief as he read Sophia’s message. He sent a quick reply: “Thank goodness you’re okay. What happened?”
He waited anxiously for Sophia’s response, his mind racing with possibilities as the minutes ticked by. Finally, his phone buzzed with a new message.
“It was a close call,” Sophia’s message read. “I’ll tell you everything when I see you. Meet me tomorrow at the usual place.”
Sophia was huddled on her bed in Vito’s mansion, her phone clutched tightly in her hands as she sent a message to Leo.
“I’m here,” she typed, her fingers trembling as she pressed send. “But Vito wants me at dinner. He wants me to feed him.”
As Sophia waited for Leo’s response, a loud knock echoed from her bedroom door. She jumped in surprise as Vito’s voice called from the other side.
“Sophia,” he called.
“Sophia,” Vito repeated, his voice dripping with menace. “Come to the dining room. Dinner is almost ready.”
Sophia shuddered as she heard the sound of Vito’s footsteps retreating down the hallway. She quickly hid her phone under her pillow, her heart racing with fear as she stood up and smoothed down her dress.
She walked slowly down the hallway, her hands shaking as she stepped into the dining room. Vito was seated at the head of the table, his plate piled high with food.
Sophia approached the table cautiously, her eyes darting nervously around the room. She glanced at Vito, her stomach twisting with disgust as he leered at her, his lips curling into a twisted smile.
“Sit down,” Vito commanded, gesturing to the chair next to him. “I’ve prepared a special meal for you.”
Sophia swallowed hard as she sat down, her hands clasped tightly together in her lap.
Vito leaned forward, his eyes fixed on Sophia as he picked up his fork and stabbed a piece of meat.
“Open your mouth,” he said, his voice low and dangerous.
Sophia felt bile rise in her throat as she complied, her mouth hanging open as Vito held the fork above her mouth.
“Don’t swallow,” he ordered. “I want you to savor the flavor.”
Sophia trembled as she tasted the meat, the taste of it bitter and acrid.
As Sophia chewed the meat, Vito’s eyes bored into hers, a sick smile spreading across his face.
“That’s it,” he said, his voice cold and calculating. “Chew slowly. Enjoy it.”
Sophia closed her eyes, her stomach churning as she tasted the meat. She couldn’t help but wonder what kind of meat it was, and where Vito had gotten it from.
Finally, she swallowed, her eyes opening as she gazed into Vito’s leering face.
Vito leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smirk spreading across his face. “Did you enjoy that, Sophia?” he asked, his voice dripping with malice.
Sophia felt a wave of nausea wash over her as she tried to steady her breathing. “Yes,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Vito chuckled darkly. “Good,” he said. “Because there’s more where that came from.”
Sophia’s breath caught in her throat as Vito reached for the bottle of wine on the table. He poured a glass for himself, then leaned forward and refilled Sophia’s glass.
“Drink up,” he said, his eyes glittering with amusement.
Sophia hesitated for a moment, then lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip. The wine was bitter and sour, tasting like blood.
She shuddered as she lowered the glass, her eyes darting around the room. She knew she had to get out of here, but she didn’t.
Vito smiled as he watched Sophia’s face contort in disgust, his amusement growing as he saw the panic in her eyes.
“Don’t worry, Sophia,” he said, his voice dripping with faux concern. “It’s only the blood of a chicken. And the meat has been garnished with bitter leaves to remind you that if you betray me, you will taste your own flesh.”
Sophia shuddered, her hand shaking as she lowered the glass.
Vito chuckled, a sinister gleam in his eyes. “But don’t worry, my dear,” he continued. “I know you wouldn’t betray me. You love me, after all. Isn’t that right?”
Sophia swallowed hard, her eyes flickering to the door. She knew she had to keep up the pretense, to pretend she loved Vito in order to save Luca.
“Yes,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I love you.”
Vito’s smile widened, a cruel glint in his eyes. “Good,” he said, reaching for the plate of food in front of him. “Then feed me.”
Sophia froze, her hands trembling as she reached for the fork. Slowly, she stabbed a piece of meat and lifted it to Vito’s mouth.
Vito opened his mouth and allowed Sophia to feed him, his eyes never leaving hers as he chewed and swallowed.
“Good girl,” he purred, his voice sending shivers down Sophia’
Sophia let out a shaky breath as she placed the fork back on the table, her hands trembling as she reached for the wine glass.
“Eat,” Vito ordered, gesturing to the plate of food in front of Sophia. “I don’t want you to starve.”
Sophia stared at the food, her stomach churning with disgust. But she knew she had to eat, to keep up the pretense that she was loyal to Vito.
Slowly, Sophia reached for the fork and began to eat, her eyes fixed on her plate as she tried to block out the sound of Vito’s chewing.
“Sophia,” Vito said suddenly, his voice cutting through the silence like a knife. “Do you love me more than Luca?”
Sophia froze, her heart pounding in her chest as she searched for the right words.
“Of course,” she said, her voice wavering. “I love you more than anyone else.”
Vito’s lips curled into a satisfied smile as he regarded Sophia, his eyes shining with triumph.
“Good,” he purred, his voice silky smooth. “Because if you betray me, I will find Luca and kill him myself. Do you understand?”
Sophia felt her stomach twist with fear, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew she couldn’t let that happen, not when Luca was all she had left in the world.
“I understand,” she whispered, her voice trembling with fear.
Vito smiled, leaning back in his chair as he regarded Sophia with satisfaction.
“Good,” he said, his voice cold and calm. “Then you will do as I say, and you will never betray me.”
Sophia nodded mutely, her eyes fixed on her plate as she forced herself to eat.
As she finished her meal, Vito stood and walked around the table, his hand resting on Sophia’s shoulder as he leaned down to whisper in her ear.
“I have a job for you, Sophia,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “And I expect you to carry it out without question.”
Sophia felt her heart pound faster as she turned to look at Vito, her eyes wide with fear.
“W-what is it?” she stammered, her voice trembling.
Vito smiled, his eyes glittering with malice. “I want you to kill someone for me,” he whispered, his hand tightening on Sophia’s shoulder.