The Rules of His World
1436 Words
Isabella didn’t sleep much that night.
Even after the mansion went quiet and the lights in the hallways dimmed, her mind refused to settle. Every time she closed her eyes, she remembered Marco’s words.
Movement near the outer gate.
She had asked Vincenzo what it meant.
He had simply said, “Probably nothing.”
But the look in his eyes had said otherwise.
The soft morning light filtered through the tall windows of the guest room, pulling Isabella out of the restless sleep she had eventually fallen into.
For a moment she forgot where she was.
Then she saw the high ceiling.
The expensive furniture.
The balcony doors.
Right.
The mafia mansion.
She groaned quietly and sat up.
“This is my life now,” she muttered.
She walked to the balcony and pushed the doors open.
Fresh air rushed into the room.
The gardens below looked peaceful in the morning sunlight. Birds moved between the trees, and a gardener trimmed the hedges with careful precision.
It looked like the kind of place where nothing bad could ever happen.
But Isabella knew better now.
A soft knock sounded at the door.
“Come in,” she said.
Maria stepped inside carrying a tray.
“Good morning, Miss Isabella.”
The smell of fresh coffee immediately filled the room.
“Good morning,” Isabella replied.
Maria placed the tray on a small table near the window.
“I brought breakfast.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“It’s my job.”
She smiled gently.
Isabella sat down at the table and picked up the coffee.
“Thank you.”
Maria hesitated for a moment.
“Mr. Romano asked if you would join him downstairs after breakfast.”
Isabella raised an eyebrow.
“Was that a request or an order?”
Maria smiled again.
“With him it can be both.”
That sounded about right.
Half an hour later Isabella followed Maria downstairs.
The mansion looked different in daylight.
Less mysterious.
Still intimidating.
Voices echoed faintly from another room as she walked down the hallway.
She stopped when she reached the dining room entrance.
Vincenzo sat at the head of a long table, reading something on his tablet. Sunlight from the tall windows lit one side of his face.
He looked… calmer than last night.
But still intense.
He glanced up when he noticed her standing there.
“Good morning.”
“Morning.”
She walked inside and sat across from him.
“You sleep well?” he asked.
“Not really.”
“That’s understandable.”
She studied him for a moment.
“You look like you slept fine.”
“I’m used to interruptions.”
That probably meant danger was normal for him.
The thought made her uneasy.
Vincenzo set the tablet aside.
“We should talk.”
Isabella leaned back in her chair.
“That sentence never leads to anything relaxing.”
“No.”
He folded his hands on the table.
“You’re entering a world that operates very differently from the one you’re used to.”
“That’s the understatement of the year.”
“I need you to understand the rules.”
“Rules?”
“Yes.”
She sighed.
“Alright.”
He leaned back slightly.
“First rule: trust very few people.”
She frowned.
“That sounds depressing.”
“It’s practical.”
“Who can I trust then?”
He met her eyes calmly.
“Me.”
That answer made her pause.
“Anyone else?”
“Marco. Maria. A few others.”
“And everyone else?”
“Be careful.”
Isabella rubbed her temple.
“This marriage just keeps sounding more relaxing.”
He ignored the sarcasm.
“Second rule,” he continued, “never leave the estate alone.”
Her head snapped up.
“Excuse me?”
“Until certain issues are resolved, it’s safer here.”
“I’m not a prisoner.”
“I didn’t say you were.”
“That sounds exactly like what a prisoner would say.”
A faint smile touched his lips.
“You’re free to leave with security.”
“That’s still not freedom.”
“It’s protection.”
She crossed her arms.
“You’re very controlling.”
“And you’re very stubborn.”
They stared at each other for a moment.
Then unexpectedly, Vincenzo laughed softly.
The tension broke instantly.
“I suppose this conversation was inevitable,” he said.
“Probably.”
Isabella relaxed slightly.
“What’s the third rule?”
He became serious again.
“Do not trust Adriana.”
That name immediately brought back memories of the restaurant.
Her confident smile.
Her warning.
“I already figured that out,” Isabella said.
“She’s intelligent.”
“And?”
“And dangerous.”
Isabella leaned forward.
“Why?”
“Because she knows this world very well.”
“And she doesn’t like me.”
“No.”
“That’s obvious.”
A short silence passed between them.
Then Isabella asked the question that had been bothering her.
“Do you still care about her?”
Vincenzo didn’t react immediately.
But eventually he shook his head.
“No.”
That answer felt… reassuring.
Even though she wasn’t sure why.
Just then footsteps approached the dining room.
Marco appeared in the doorway.
“Sir.”
Vincenzo turned slightly.
“What is it?”
“There’s someone here to see you.”
“Who?”
Marco hesitated.
“Miss Bellini.”
Isabella groaned.
“Of course.”
Vincenzo stood slowly.
“I’ll handle it.”
But Isabella stood too.
“No.”
His eyebrows lifted slightly.
“No?”
“If she came here to cause problems, I want to see it.”
“You don’t have to deal with her.”
“Maybe not,” Isabella said.
“But she clearly wants to deal with me.”
Marco looked between them uncertainly.
Finally Vincenzo sighed.
“Fine.”
Adriana Bellini stood in the main hall when they arrived.
She looked exactly as confident as the night before.
Elegant black dress.
Perfect makeup.
Sharp green eyes.
When she saw Isabella, her smile widened slightly.
“Well,” she said smoothly.
“This is convenient.”
Vincenzo’s voice was cold.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
Adriana shrugged lightly.
“I wanted to see the bride.”
“I’m not a tourist attraction,” Isabella said.
Adriana’s gaze moved to her.
“And yet here you are.”
Isabella crossed her arms.
“Why did you come?”
Adriana stepped closer.
Her heels clicked against the marble floor.
“To give you some advice.”
“I already got some yesterday.”
“Yes,” Adriana said.
“But I wasn’t finished.”
Vincenzo stepped forward.
“That’s enough.”
But Adriana ignored him.
Her eyes remained fixed on Isabella.
“You think marrying him will protect you.”
“I know it will help my family.”
Adriana smiled slightly.
“Ah.”
“So it’s about money.”
Isabella’s jaw tightened.
“It’s about loyalty.”
“Same thing in this world.”
She leaned closer.
“Tell me something, Isabella.”
“What?”
“Do you really think you can survive here?”
The question hung in the air.
For a moment Isabella considered backing down.
Walking away.
But something inside her refused to.
Instead she met Adriana’s gaze calmly.
“I guess we’ll find out.”
For the first time, Adriana looked slightly surprised.
Then she laughed.
“You might actually be interesting.”
She turned toward Vincenzo.
“Take care of her.”
“That’s not your concern.”
“No,” Adriana said softly.
“But it will become your problem.”
And with that, she walked toward the door.
The hall became quiet again once she left.
Isabella exhaled slowly.
“She’s exhausting.”
“Yes.”
She looked at him.
“You dated that?”
He didn’t respond.
Which was probably answer enough.
Isabella shook her head.
“This marriage is going to be chaos.”
Vincenzo studied her face.
“You’re not afraid.”
She shrugged.
“I am.”
“But?”
“But I’m also curious.”
A small smile appeared on his face again.
“Good.”
“Why?”
“Because curiosity is the only way to survive this world.”
Isabella glanced toward the door Adriana had exited through.
For some reason she had the feeling this was only the beginning.
And deep down she knew something else too.
Life with Vincenzo Romano was never going to be simple.
- Writer
