Chapter Two
1089 Words
ANDREA'S POV
I was suspended from work the day after my public outburst at the restaurant. Two months without income meant two months of struggle. With my mother’s condition worsening, I needed money fast, so I started job hunting immediately. But rejection after rejection came, and I soon realized why—no restaurant wanted to hire the woman who dared to tarnish Mr. Leonardo Rodriguez’s spotless reputation.
Frustrated, I decided to step out and clear my mind. After grabbing my brown leather coat and shoving my credit card into my pocket, I shut the door behind me.
On my way to my favorite pizza spot, I rolled my eyes at a couple blocking the sidewalk, lost in each other.
"Watch where you're going," I muttered.
"Sorry," the woman giggled, unfazed.
At least someone was having a good time.
When I reached the pizza stand, the vendor greeted me warmly.
"Welcome, Miss Andrea!"
I forced a smile. "The usual, please."
"Ready in five minutes!" she chirped.
The momentary warmth of normalcy faded as I picked up a few groceries from a nearby mall. By the time I reached my apartment, an unsettling feeling crept over me. I double-checked my bags—everything was intact. Yet, something felt... off.
I shook it off, unlocking my door.
And then—black suits. A dark presence. A sharp pain.
Darkness.
***
I woke up trembling. My hands were cuffed, my feet bound tightly to an uncomfortable chair. The dim room reeked of dampness and something metallic. I tried to make sense of my surroundings, but panic clouded my mind.
Then, his words echoed in my head—“I, Leonardo Rodriguez, will make you pay so dearly for this, Andrea Morgan.”
I let out a shaky breath, forcing my voice to stay steady. "I know Leonardo sent you. Tell him he’s not just a perverted beast but a coward! Let me go!"
Silence.
Then, a thick, deep voice answered, "You talk too much."
A tall, broad-shouldered man emerged from the shadows, his face void of sympathy. From the way the others deferred to him, it was clear—he was in charge.
"Where is Leonardo?" I demanded. "This is between me and him, so why send his minions?"
No answer. They just watched as I struggled, my breath growing heavier.
"Please, suspend this joke and get me out of here," I tried again, softening my tone. "I’ll do whatever you ask—just let me go."
The man gave a signal.
Before I could react, my arms were seized. My coat ripped away, followed by my shirt, then my jeans. Panic shot through me as I fought against their grasp, but they were too strong.
I was left in nothing but my black lace bra and panties.
"You should never have messed with Mr. Rodriguez," the man said, pulling a leather whip from a hidden drawer.
My stomach twisted. No. No, no, no…
"P-please," I stammered, but my plea only earned a smirk.
I barely had time to brace myself before the first lash landed.
A white-hot stripe of pain seared my back. I screamed. Another blow. And another. The sharp crack of leather against skin echoed through the room, each lash sending shockwaves through my body.
Tears blurred my vision. The floor beneath me was stained red.
"She’ll die if you keep going," one of them warned.
The man scoffed. "Fine. Take over."
As they switched, my body slumped in exhaustion, but the torture resumed. The pain blurred into a distant, dull ache—until a familiar voice cut through the torment.
"Andrea Morgan," Leonardo drawled, stepping into view. His dark eyes raked over my battered form with chilling indifference. "Wife of New York’s richest billionaire."
I let out a weak, bitter laugh. "You are not my husband, and I will never be your wife."
His jaw tightened. "Oh, but you will."
My fists clenched. "You know what you did, Leonardo. You turned my sister into a slut and left her to die! You think breaking me will erase your crimes?"
A flicker of something unreadable crossed his face, but it was gone as fast as it appeared.
"Your sister willingly gave herself to me," he said coolly. "Maybe there are things she never told you. So stop pointing fingers at me when you know nothing."
Rage flared in my chest.
He sighed as if I were an inconvenience. "I’ll make you an offer. Ten thousand dollars—more if needed. Disappear, and we never have to see each other again."
I spat at his feet. "You think money can erase what you’ve done? I will never stop until you pay for it."
Leonardo exhaled, patience thinning. "Fine. Then I’ll make you mine."
He tossed a thick file onto the floor near me. It landed painfully on my bruised skin. I forced my trembling hands to open it—only for my breath to hitch.
A marriage contract.
"You’re insane," I whispered.
"Don’t make this harder for yourself, Andrea," he said, voice eerily calm. "Your mother stays in a public psychiatric hospital, doesn’t she? I just have to give an order… and she’ll be a distant memory."
Tears pricked my eyes. My mother—the only family I had left.
A laptop was placed before me, the screen flashing to life. The live feed showed my mother, frail and unaware. A nurse hovered beside her, syringe in hand, waiting for a command.
Leonardo’s associate spoke into a device. "Do it now."
The nurse moved.
"Wait!" I choked. "Leonardo, please—my sister is dead. I can’t lose my mother too."
His gaze was devoid of sympathy. "Then sign the contract."
I shook my head, trying to fight back the inevitable.
"You have three counts to sign the damn paper, Andrea Morgan," His cold and hard demeanour stared back at me while his bodyguard unlocked my handcuffs.
"f**k you—"
"One… Two…"
I picked the cold metal pen and endorsed my signature on the vacant spaces before he could count to three. I looked him in the eyes only to see that his eyes were swallowed by something darker than the last time I saw them two years ago. I'm sure he never shows it to the outside world, but it didn't matter. He was a fully grown demon now, that's if it qualified his current demeanour in comparison to two years ago.
“Perfect,” he smirked and left the room with every soul that was present, leaving just me.
- Writer
