Chapter 2 :The Black Mansion
960 Words
The rain had not stopped.
It poured relentlessly over the city of Rome as a convoy of black luxury cars sped through the empty streets.
Inside the first limousine...
Silence filled the air.
Isabella sat by the window, staring at the blurred lights outside.
The wedding ring on her finger felt heavier with every passing second.
Across from her sat Alessio Vieri.
His eyes never left the tablet resting on his lap.
As if nothing had happened.
As if bullets flying through a cathedral were part of an ordinary afternoon.
Finally...
Isabella broke the silence.
"My brother."
Alessio didn't look up.
"What about him?"
"Where is Matteo?"
"No idea."
She laughed bitterly.
"Do you enjoy lying?"
Only then did he raise his eyes.
Cold.
Unreadable.
"If I were the one holding your brother..."
"...you would've known."
Her heartbeat faltered.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means," he said calmly, "I don't hide behind children."
The car fell silent again.
For the first time...
A small seed of doubt crept into Isabella's heart.
If Alessio wasn't behind Matteo's kidnapping...
Then who was it?
Forty minutes later...
The convoy passed through towering iron gates.
A magnificent estate emerged from the darkness.
Vieri Manor.
It looked less like a home...
And more like a fortress.
Armed guards patrolled every entrance.
Surveillance cameras covered every angle.
A massive black fountain stood in the center of the courtyard.
Its water flowed around a marble statue of a wolf.
A predator.
Always watching.
The front doors opened before the cars even stopped.
Dozens of servants lined both sides of the grand entrance.
"Welcome home, Don Alessio."
Not a single person greeted Isabella.
She wasn't family.
Not yet.
Perhaps...
Not ever.
An older man stepped forward.
Silver hair.
Perfect posture.
A scar ran across his left cheek.
"This is Vittorio."
Alessio finally spoke.
"My butler."
Vittorio bowed politely.
"Welcome to Vieri Manor, Mrs. Vieri."
The title made Isabella uncomfortable.
"I prefer Isabella."
Vittorio smiled kindly.
"I'm afraid this house doesn't care about preferences."
Before she could reply...
A woman's voice echoed across the marble hall.
"So..."
The footsteps of high heels approached.
"This is the girl who married my brother."
A stunning woman in a crimson dress descended the staircase.
Elegant.
Confident.
Dangerous.
She stopped only inches away from Isabella.
Studying her from head to toe.
Then...
She smirked.
"I expected someone prettier."
Isabella smiled sweetly.
"I expected someone kinder."
The woman laughed.
"Oh, I like her."
She extended her hand.
"Bianca Vieri."
"My sister."
Alessio sounded almost bored.
Bianca rolled her eyes.
"You could at least pretend to be happy."
"I don't pretend."
"No."
Bianca glanced at Isabella.
"He really doesn't."
Dinner was served an hour later.
The dining table was long enough to seat thirty people.
Only four chairs were occupied.
Alessio.
Bianca.
An older man with sharp blue eyes.
And Isabella.
"This," Alessio said, "is my uncle."
Cesare Vieri.
The old man didn't smile.
Instead...
He stared at Isabella as if she were a mistake.
"A Moretti."
His voice was rough.
"Have we fallen so low that we invite snakes into our home?"
Before Isabella could answer...
Alessio calmly placed his wine glass on the table.
The soft sound echoed through the room.
"My wife."
Two simple words.
Yet every servant immediately lowered their heads.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Cesare narrowed his eyes.
Alessio continued eating.
"As long as she carries my name..."
"...she will be treated as a Vieri."
No one argued.
Not even Cesare.
Isabella looked at Alessio in surprise.
He had just defended her.
Why?
Later that night...
Vittorio led Isabella to the master bedroom.
The room was enormous.
Dark wooden walls.
A fireplace.
A grand piano.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city.
And one king-sized bed.
She stopped walking.
"I'm not sleeping here."
Vittorio blinked.
"I'm afraid there isn't another room."
"There is now."
She grabbed a pillow.
Before she could leave...
The bedroom door opened.
Alessio walked inside.
His tie had been removed.
The top buttons of his shirt were undone.
He looked exhausted.
He noticed the pillow in her arms.
"Planning an escape?"
"I'm sleeping somewhere else."
"No."
She frowned.
"You don't get to decide."
"I already did."
She crossed her arms.
"And if I refuse?"
Alessio slowly closed the door.
Locked it.
Then leaned against it.
"Tomorrow morning..."
"The entire staff will expect to see the Don and his wife leaving this room together."
"I don't care."
"I do."
His voice was quiet.
"But don't misunderstand."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"I'm protecting appearances."
"Not our marriage."
Without another word...
He picked up a blanket.
Walked toward the sofa by the fireplace.
And lay down.
Isabella stood frozen.
"You..."
He closed his eyes.
"The bed is yours."
She stared at him in disbelief.
"You hate me."
"I do."
"So why are you sleeping on the couch?"
His answer came after a long silence.
"Because I made a promise."
"What promise?"
He opened one eye.
"I never force a woman."
Then he closed it again.
Leaving Isabella speechless.
Near midnight...
Unable to sleep, Isabella walked to the balcony.
The cold wind brushed against her face.
She looked toward the iron gates far below.
A faint movement caught her attention.
Someone...
Was standing outside the estate.
Watching the mansion through binoculars.
The stranger slowly raised a phone.
A camera flash lit up the darkness.
Click.
Before disappearing into the night.
End of Chapter 2
Cliffhanger
The next morning, a small black envelope arrived on Isabella's breakfast plate.
There was no sender.
Inside was a single photograph.
It showed Matteo.
Alive.
But behind him stood a masked man holding a knife.
On the back of the photo, written in black ink:
"Welcome to the Vieri family. Your countdown begins."
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