THE MAFIA'S HEIR: BOUND BY HIS PROMISE

CHAPTER 002

LU SAMUEL POV

I observe her as she goes through the motions of trying to make sense of everything, her anxiety and confusion giving her the appearance of an animal that is confined. When she moves, the chains make a quiet clinking sound, but I do not move to assist her. Her assistance is not required. Not at this time. I'm not here to smother her in any way. Especially after everything that she has had me go through.

It is Stephanie Chen. When you consider how someone like her got themselves into this predicament, it's almost ridiculous. Would that she had any idea what was actually going on, what had brought me to this point in time. However, she is unaware of this. At this point, she does not comprehend.

Fire blazes in her eyes as she gives me a glare. Even now, she is too proud to ever reveal any signs of weakness. But I am able to see it. It is present, just below the surface of the water. The little tremor that her hands exhibit, as well as the tightening of her lips in response to each word that I tell her.

"Why am I here, Samuel?!" While she is attempting to appear powerful, her voice begins to break, but she immediately stabilizes it.

Taking in the sight of her, I do not immediately respond to her question. While she is ensconced in a gilded cage, she appears to be completely out of place in the extravagant apartment, which is surrounded by luxury. This is a cage that I set up.

In the end, I add, "You're here because you're mine now," maintaining a steady and icy tone of voice. "I bought you for a reason."

The width of her eyes increases, and a glimmer of comprehension appears in them. It appears as though she is attempting to flee the weight of my remarks, as she takes a step back.

"No... You can’t—"

However, before she can finish her sentence, I am standing directly in front of her. I interrupt her without interruption. Suddenly, she stumbles backward and collides with the mirror with the gold frame. The sound of her body striking the mirror is harsh but unobtrusive. How incredibly frail she is! She has no idea what she is talking about at all.

"I'm not going to touch you, at least not yet," I tell her, using a tone that is gentle but menacing. However, you will carry out everything I instruct you to do. You will be able to exercise your independence if you are able to cooperate.

Although her jaw is clenched, she does not speak. That's a positive thing. Too much pleasure is being taken from this.

"You no longer have the authority to make any decisions," I say, reducing the volume of my voice. "I am the one who owns you now. The entirety of your body."

The dread that I see in her eyes, the way that she wants to argue but knows she can't, is something that I take pleasure in. I make a conscious effort to control my feelings and emotions. It has nothing to do with her. She has never been the focus of this.

She begins to walk away from me in an effort to create some distance between us. Her steps are swift, but I am much quicker than she is. "I grab her arm and pull her back toward me with just enough force to cause her to stumble," I say.

She gasps and screams, "Let go!" with her eyes wide with fear.

Nevertheless, I simply smile, unfazed and unconcerned.

As I get closer to her, my breath is only a few inches away from her ear. "You’re going to help me destroy your brother," I mutter quietly to myself. "And you’ll do it wearing a smile."

As I waited for my words to register, I watched her eyes flicker with a mixture of betrayal and confusion. At this point, she does not comprehend. It is her belief that she is being punished. Despite the fact that she believes I am acting in this manner because I want her, the reality is that this is not the case at all.

Before I get a chance to stop her, she spits in my face. Her face contorts.

The back of my hand is used to wipe it off, and I do not even flinch when I do so. Without ever taking my gaze off of hers, my eyes are filled with nothing but icy calculation.

She is looking at me as if I were a monster, and it's possible that I am. Nevertheless, I am not the one who has taken things to this extreme.

"You think I’m some kind of monster?" With a voice that is dangerously low, I say. "You haven’t seen anything yet, Stephanie."

I let the silence linger between us, her breathing becoming short and her body becoming tight in response to my touch.

At this point, her voice is shaking as she draws away. The question that she asks, with a mixture of fury and dread in her voice, is, "What did my brother do to you?"

As I think about her inquiry, I tilt my head to the side. It is not just what he has done, but also what he is going to accomplish in the future. And I'm going to count on you to assist me in ensuring that he pays for it.

It is as if the air around us is being crushed by the weight of my words, which causes everything to feel heavier and colder.

However, she is unaware of the scheme. He is capable of doing things that she is unaware of. But I will make certain that she does.

As she looks at me, Stephanie appears helpless and uncertain. On the other hand, I can see the gears within her skull turning. Attempting to make sense of everything that is going on, she is attempting to figure it out. It will be irrelevant. Soon enough, she will be in the right place.

The phrases that she spouts out are hardly audible above a whisper. "You are going to regret this," she says.

The corner of my mouth curls into a sneer as I assert, "No," and I continue. "You’re the one who’s going to regret it."

I turn my back on her because I feel the need to break the tension that has been building up there. It's beginning to be intolerable. Because her eyes are still burning holes in me, I am unable to concentrate.

After taking a seat in the armchair, I look around the room with my eyes. "The question is, Stephanie," I begin, my voice level and under control once more, "how far are you willing to go in order to save your brother?"

It seems as if she is frozen in place. It is not answered by her.

As I watch her, I lean back in the chair and watch her. Will you not do whatever it takes to get what you want? Even if it means you completely lose yourself."

The only sound that can be heard is the ticking of the clock that is hanging on the wall: the quiet that exists between us is stifling. As time passes, she will soon be in a position where she has no other option but to assist me.

But for the time being, I left her to stew in the silence. Make sure she is aware of the challenges she is facing.

The future is completely unknown to her.