His sin, Her salvation

chapter thirteen

Serena sat on the edge of the bed, her body still weak from the fever that had held her captive for days. Her skin was clammy, a thin sheen of sweat clinging to her forehead as she pressed a trembling hand to her chest. The room felt colder than usual, the thick walls of the mansion trapping her in an unrelenting cycle of despair.

The doctor had come earlier that morning, checking her vitals with a clinical detachment that made her feel more like an object than a human being. "She's recovering, but she needs rest," the man had informed the guards before leaving.

Rest.

How could she possibly rest when her world had shattered beyond repair?

Serena's fingers traced the bruises around her wrist, remnants of the shackles Alessio had placed on her. She hated how her mind wandered to him—to the unexpected gentleness he'd shown in her fevered state, to the hands that had wiped her sweat away even as they had inflicted so much pain before. The contrast was maddening.

But none of that mattered now.

She had decided.

Tonight, she would escape.

And also, she had no chains around her any longer and that due to her being sick. She knew after a while they will put the chains back to where it belong and that's her neck, as a slave , a prisoner and a toy. This wasn't the life she planned for herself..and instead of living this cruel life, she will escape or die. That's true, why hasn't he killed her already or is he still waiting for her submission.. "dreamer"

The Attempted Escape

The night was suffocating in its silence. Serena had waited for the guards to change shifts, memorizing their patterns, their conversations, their brief moments of distraction. Dressed in a simple black dress that wouldn't hinder her movements, she crept toward the heavy wooden door, pressing her ear against it.

Nothing.

Heart pounding, she reached for the handle, twisting it as gently as possible. It clicked open.

Step by step, she slipped through the dimly lit hallways, her breath held hostage by fear. The corridors stretched endlessly, each turn a potential death sentence. But she didn't stop.

She wouldn't stop.

The moment she reached the garden, she sprinted. The wind lashed against her fevered skin, but she didn't care. The iron gates stood tall before her, her last obstacle to freedom. She climbed, her hands shaking as they gripped the cold metal. Pain seared through her palm as the sharp edges cut into her flesh, but she pushed through, heaving herself over the top.

For a fleeting second, she thought she had made it.

Then the alarms blared.

A floodlight illuminated her figure, and before she could take another step, men swarmed from the shadows like wolves. A rough hand yanked her backward, and she hit the ground with a sharp cry.

"Stupid girl," one of the guards hissed.

They grabbed her arms, dragging her back toward the mansion as she thrashed against them, her screams piercing the night.

"Let me go!" she shrieked, her voice raw with desperation.

No one listened.

"what was i even thinking" she thought to herself in regret. Even though the gaurds were distracted, the gate can never be distracted.. How could she not have reasoned her escape properly, most especially the alarm..she couldn't be blamed after all she was to eager to run for her life and future.

The Return to the Devil

Alessio sat in his grand study, a glass of whiskey swirling in his grip. He had been waiting.

The moment his men informed him of Serena’s escape, a dark amusement curled at his lips. She had tried to run. Again.

Did she truly think she could leave him?

As the doors swung open, revealing her trembling figure between his guards, his smirk deepened.

"Put her down," he commanded, his voice like ice.

The men released her, and she crumpled to the floor, her breath coming in shallow gasps.

Alessio rose from his seat, his steps measured as he approached her. He crouched before her, tilting her chin up with his fingers.

"Tell me, cara mia, did you really think you could escape me?" His voice was low, laced with menace.

Serena spat at him.

For a moment, silence reigned.

Then, Alessio laughed. A slow, chilling sound that sent shivers down her spine.

"You just signed your punishment," he murmured.

And as he grabbed her by the throat, dragging her to her feet, Serena knew—she had only made things worse, extremely worst and judging from the last time, he could even do worst things to her.