THE MAFIA'S HEIR: BOUND BY HIS PROMISE

CHAPTER 004

Stephanie Chen's POV

As I got onto the platform at the gala, I was surrounded by flashing cameras, and the lights of the event caused me to become blind. The weight of the diamond ring on my finger was quite noticeable. In the light of the spotlight, it glistened and made fun of me. To Lu With a bright smile on his face, Samuel slipped it upon my finger.

I made an effort to grin, too. Every muscle in my face felt like it was being faked, but I had no choice but to go through with it. I had no other option. The deal was as follows. Pretend to be engaged. Not real love. There are actual dangers.

Lu said, "Smile for the cameras, darling," while placing his hand on my waist. His touch was inappropriately hard and possessive. It was necessary for him to remind me who was in charge.

With a larger smile, my jaw began to hurt. His hold became very firm.

There was a cacophony of acclaim from the reporters, but the only thing I could hear was the thumping of my heart.

Returning to the mansion, there was a change in the atmosphere. The cameras had been removed, but the feeling of dread continued. Despite the fact that my hands were shaking, I closed the door to the bedroom and threw my purse onto the bed. This was not a true event. I was not familiar with how to play this game, which was a game.

After turning around, I looked around the room with my eyes. Everything appeared to be... odd. It's the mirrors. It is the furnishings. But then my eyes landed on the table that was next to the bed. There was a peculiar quality to their behavior. My eyes were drawn to a momentary flash of metal.

The moment I made contact with the wooden surface, my fingers began to shake as I approached closer. It caused my heart to skip a beat. That was the case. Hidden amid the baubles was a little camera that was black in color.

I felt a shiver run down my spine.

I gently moved away from the camera, which gave me the impression that it was watching me. It was a race of thoughts. Could Lu have planted this? Was there another person who was observing me?

The feeling that I was being controlled, and not just by him, was something that I was unable to escape.

Suddenly, a dim sound emanated from the corridor of the building. This was the sound of a voice that was so quiet that it was nearly impossible to pick up on hearing it.

The young lady is present. Start the second phase."

I became numb. A chill ran through my veins. Who else was affected by this situation?

What led to my participation in this twisted game?

I was able to sneak out of the bedroom while my heart was pounding. My body was tense, and every sound in the house felt like it was too loud. What was going on was something I had to know. As I made my way down the corridor, I halted when I became aware of voices that were mumbled close to the staircase.

I moved without making any noise, and the sound of my shoes on the marble floor was hardly audible. I lowered myself to a low squat and peered over the corner, my breath becoming held in my throat.

The door was approached by two individuals dressed in black suits who were speaking in hushed tones. They were so preoccupied that they failed to notice me.

"The directions for step two are easy to understand. Observe her with great attention. According to one of the men, "The boss wants this to be completed as quickly as possible."

The other man gave a slight nod and then looked down at his phone. "She has arrived.

He is going to be happy."

My stomach suddenly flipped over. Did he? Which individual were they referring to?

Which phase were they engaged in?

I was unsure of how much more of this I could tolerate at that point. There were so many questions going through my thoughts that I couldn't let myself get caught up in them. They required me to follow them.

When they went outside, I waited for them to leave, and then I silently followed them.

They took me through the garden and down a path that was so narrow that I had never thought about it before. As my heartbeat became erratic, my breathing became shallow. The men did not dare to turn around.

They proceeded fast, certain that no one was following them due to their confidence. The more we traveled, the chillier the night air seemed to become. An eerie silence appeared to take the place of the sounds of the city, which seemed to slip away.

I observed them as they rounded a curve and vanished into the darkness. When I got to the corner, I did not move at all.

In the darkness, I could see an old church that had been abandoned for quite some time. The doors and windows of the building were damaged, and the wind made the doors moan. Although I had never seen it before, I couldn't help but feel that something about it was off, like I shouldn't be here.

However, I was unable to stop at this point.

While I was attempting to maintain as much silence as possible, I crept forward. A group of males went inside the church. After waiting for a few moments, I went inside and followed them inside. While I was pushing the door open with my heart in my throat, it made a loud creaking sound.

The cathedral was totally dark. The layer of dust in the air was thick. The figures of the men in black suits who were standing around a figure that was chained to a chair in the middle of the room were so closely together that I could hardly make out their silhouettes.

The moment I knew who it was, I found that my breath was trapped in my throat.

This is my brother.

In addition to his garments being torn, blood was streaming down his face. Even though he was barely aware, I could see the fear in his eyes as he pushed feebly against the ropes that bound him. He was being held and restrained.

It was one of the males who remarked, "Don't worry, little sister," while laughing in a sadistic manner. The fact that your sibling is involved in this game is really a side effect. Nothing that is personal."

I had a hard time breathing since the atmosphere was dense with fear.

For what reason had they treated him?

First and foremost, who was the person responsible for all of this?

I was taking in the spectacle, and my mind was racing. I was aware that I was unable to hurry in and help him, yet I longed to do so. It was necessary for me to remain hidden.

As I squeezed myself against the wall, I prayed that they wouldn't be able to hear my trembling gasps.

It was necessary for me to determine who was in charge of this situation.

But did I have faith in Lu?

Since the beginning, had he been aware of this? Or was he the same as the others in that he was playing me?

A shudder ran down my spine as I listened to the words that were spoken by the next person, whose voice I hardly heard.

It is still possible to play the girl. "You are aware of what to do."

When the man who had spoken turned around, he began to make his way toward the exit. The beat of my heart became more rapid in my chest.

I was forced to relocate. I was obligated to save my brother. But at that point, I was unsure of who I could trust anymore. Is it true that Lu was on my side? Or was he utilizing me in the same way that everyone else does?

Just what was the reality? In addition, what part did he play in all of this?

My hands were shaking so badly that I couldn't stop shaking as I turned to exit the church and tried to avoid making any noise. The unpredictability was wreaking havoc on my psyche, and it was tearing at me. However, the more I discovered, the less I knew about the situation. I needed answers.

Whom could I put my faith in?

I was completely clueless about what was going to happen next.

Without putting up a fight, however, I was not going to allow them to abduct my brother.

Who was Lu, and what was he doing? Or was he a part of the plot, or was he just trying to protect me?