Ninety-nine days with him

Kimmie’s POV “I want you to be mine.” You… what? Those were the last words I heard before darkness swallowed me whole. When I came to, I was lying on a bed—no, not just a bed, but one placed in the most luxurious room I had ever seen. Everything about it whispered ancient royalty, from the intricate carvings on the walls to the heavy, regal drapes that framed the towering windows. “Where am I?” “Who owns a place like this?” My eyes moved slowly, searching the room for answers, for anything that might explain how I got here. As my vision cleared, I noticed a silhouette by the window—a tall, broad-shouldered man standing still, as though he had been watching me all along. And just like that, fragments of last night came crashing back. My breath hitched. I looked down at myself and froze. I was wearing a thin silk robe… and nothing else. None of my clothes. None of my belongings. “My phone…” I whispered, panic rising as my hands frantically searched the bed. “Where is it?” A soft cough cut through the silence. My body went rigid. The man by the window turned. I squinted, trying to make out his face as fear tightened around my chest. “No… it can’t be him.” My heart began to race. “Who are you?” I asked, forcing ignorance into my voice—even though a part of me already knew. After all, I had only come to Italy for a five-day business trip. Nothing more. “You really don’t know me?” he said, his tone laced with amusement. He stepped closer. “I am Marco Gevonese—the sole heir of the Gevonese empire.” His voice carried quiet authority. “Twenty-nine. Wealthy. Influential.” A faint smirk touched his lips. “And, obviously… handsome.” He stopped just beside the bed. “What else would you like to know?” My heart pounded violently against my ribs, as if trying to escape. “Why would I ever want anything to do with you? I wouldn't even want that for my enemy” But I didn’t dare say it aloud. “This man could destroy you and everyone you love with a single command.” His gaze remained fixed on me, intense and unreadable, as though he could hear every thought running through my mind. “Do you even know me?” I finally managed, my voice trembling despite my effort to stay composed. He tilted his head slightly. “Must I know you,” he said slowly, “to make you fall in love with me?” “What?” My mind reeled. “Who kidnaps someone and talks about love?” I had only ever seen him on the news as so-called powerful business mogul. Untouchable. Dangerous. “You have ninety-nine days,” he continued, cutting through my spiraling thoughts, “to fall in love with me.” I stared at him, disbelief washing over me. “And if you don’t…” he added calmly, “that's when I’ll let go of you.” “I promise not to touch you or do anything to you without your concent, you can be rest assured” he added, his tone sounding more serious. A bitter laugh escaped under my breath. “Oh, wow. So this is a deal now?” I muttered. “I'm I some kind of commodity or an object that he just own like that?” “So because he's so wealthy, he thinks he can kidnap me against my will? What does he actually take me for…you’ve got to be kidding me” He simply watched me. Unblinking. Unbothered, as if trying to read through the thoughts in my mind. “He’s insane” I thought. “Completely insane.” My eyes darted toward the door, already mapping out a possible escape. “And just so you know,” he said, straightening his suit as if brushing off invisible dust, “running away from my villa,” he said spreading his arms out wide,”would be like trying to fill a basket with water.” My stomach dropped. “If you need anything, ring the bell,” he added casually. “Someone will attend to you.” And with that, he turned and walked out. The door clicked shut. Silence. This wasn’t a room. It was a prison. There was no way out, not without getting caught. I sat on the edge of the bed, my chest tightening as thoughts of my mother flooded in. She would be worried sick. One day without hearing from me was already too much, how would she survive ninety-nine? “This is a nightmare,” I whispered, pinching my arm. Pain shot through my skin. Not a dream. Reality. “From a simple business trip to Italy… to being trapped in a mafia lord’s villa?” I let out a shaky breath. “This is insane…” No one would believe me. And my job—my job was everything. It was how I survived. “If I lose it, I’m done,” I murmured. “What am I going to tell my boss?” My voice cracked. “And my mom…” I shot to my feet. “No. I need to get out of here.” My gaze shifted to the windows. Third floor. Too high to jump. And above me, two more floors. No way to climb. I moved cautiously to the door and peered through the keyhole, expecting guards. Nothing. Slowly, I opened it. The hallway stretched endlessly before me–vast, silent, almost eerie. It felt like the entire mansion was empty. I stepped out, clutching the thin robe around me, painfully aware of how exposed I was. As I walked through the empty hallway , something interesting caught my eye. A portrait. Massive. Unnaturally so. It dominated the wall, larger than anything I had ever seen, so large I felt like I could step into it and disappear. Curiosity pulled me closer. I reached out— And suddenly, a hand grabbed my wrist. I gasped as I was yanked into a room. My eyes widened instantly. Awe replaced fear, if only for a second. “Where is this place?” I breathed, the words slipping out louder than I intended. “Shhh,” he whispered, pressing a finger to his lips. My pulse skyrocketed. *This is crazy.* *He’s crazy.* *Everyone here is crazy.* And somehow… I had become a part of it.