Owned By Massimo

Chapter 19-Trapped

Isabella's POV

I woke up with a start, my body shivering from head to toe. The couch felt like ice under me. I sat up slowly, rubbing my arms, trying to get some warmth back into my skin.

The big shirt I was wearing did nothing against the cold night air. I glanced at the clock on the wall. 2:13 am. Damn. I hadn’t meant to fall asleep here. My neck ached from the awkward position, and my legs felt stiff.

Massimo still wasn’t back. I just knew it. If he had returned, I wouldn’t have woken up on this couch.

I stood up, ignoring the shiver that ran down my spine. The house was dead quiet. I had to find a way to contact him. A phone, a laptop, anything. I didn’t even know his number. How was I supposed to reach him? God, I had never been in a situation like this before. My heart started racing again as I moved through the dark halls.

I started searching for his office or study. This house was huge, like a maze. I tried the first door I came to. Locked. I twisted the handle harder, but it didn’t budge. Second door. Also locked. Frustration built in my chest.

Where the hell was his office? I turned another corner, my bare feet silent on the cold marble. Then I saw it…a heavy door at the end of the hallway. Something about it screamed “do not enter.” Dark wood, no fancy handle, just solid and intimidating. This had to be it.

I reached for the door and pushed. It opened easily. Who in their right mind would sneak into the Don’s office without being summoned? You guessed right, me.

I slipped inside and closed the door softly behind me. The room was massive and everything was black—black desk, black chairs, black shelves. It felt like stepping into Massimo’s mind. Powerful. Dangerous. Controlled.

My eyes landed on the laptop sitting on the big desk. Perfect. I rushed over, my pulse thundering in my ears, and opened it. The screen lit up, asking for a password. I tried his birthday…the only thing I could think of. Declined. Of course. He wasn’t that simple. I tried a few more guesses. His name. The estate address. Nothing worked. The screen stayed locked, mocking me.

I stared at it until my eyes blurred. What could his password be? Something personal? Something dark? I gritted my teeth in frustration and tried again. Declined. Sweat prickled on my skin even though the room was cold. Come on, Isabella. Think.

I was still typing random combinations when I heard footsteps. Heavy. Coming down the hallway. My heart jumped straight into my throat.

Oh s**t.

I didn’t have time to shut everything down properly. I slammed the laptop closed, the sound way too loud in the quiet room. I dove behind the big couch in the corner, dropping to the floor and holding my breath like my life depended on it. My body pressed flat against the cold tiles.

Please don’t let them find me.

The door opened. Heavy footsteps entered the room. The door clicked shut behind them. I stayed completely still, barely breathing, my cheek against the floor.

The person walked straight to the desk. I heard the laptop open again. Silence for a few seconds, then the soft sound of typing. My mind raced with questions. Who was this? One of the traitors? A guard?

The typing stopped. The laptop closed with a quiet snap. Footsteps moved again, heading toward the door. My heart pounded so loud I was scared they could hear it.

Then the worst sound came…the lock turning from the outside. Click.

The person had locked me in.

Oh no.

I stayed frozen on the floor for what felt like minutes after the footsteps faded. My mind spun wildly. I was trapped. In Massimo’s office. With no way out and no way to explain why I was here if someone found me.

What if Massimo returned and thought I was snooping for his enemies?

Slowly, I crawled out from behind the couch, my knees shaking. The room felt smaller now, darker, like the walls were closing in. I tried the door anyway. Locked tight. No give at all. I pressed my ear against the wood, listening for any sound in the hallway. Nothing. Just heavy silence that made my skin crawl.

I walked back to the desk on shaky legs and opened the laptop again. Still locked. Useless. I looked around the office for anything else…a phone, something that could help. Drawers were locked too. Everything was secured like a fortress. Of course it was. This was the Don’s private space.

And I was locked inside.

How the hell was I supposed to get out of this?