Chapter eight :Breaking the last defenses ll
744 Words
The room was silent except for the occasional crackling of the fireplace. The dim glow of the flames barely reached the corners, leaving long, eerie shadows stretching across the walls. It was late—too late—but Serena couldn’t sleep.
She sat on the cold marble floor, her back pressed against the grand bedframe, knees pulled tightly to her chest. The silk nightgown Alessio had forced her into felt suffocating against her skin, a reminder of who owned her now. But that wasn’t what made her chest ache with unbearable pain.
It was him.
Her father.
The man who was supposed to protect her.
Tears burned in her eyes, but she blinked them away, biting her lower lip until she tasted blood. She refused to cry, refused to let even the walls of this prison witness her suffering. Yet, no matter how much she tried to swallow the pain, it was eating her alive from the inside.
"You’ll do what I say, Serena. It’s for the family. Don’t be selfish."
The words rang in her ears like a cruel taunt. She curled her fingers into fists, nails digging into her palms.
Selfish?
Had he truly called her that?
Her father had gambled her away like she was nothing more than an object, a bargaining chip for his own failures. He hadn't hesitated, hadn't even looked at her with regret when he made the deal.
And now she was here, trapped in this world of darkness, in the clutches of a man who saw her as nothing more than a possession.
Her breath hitched, her body trembling as a sob escaped her lips.
"I hate you."
Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it carried all the weight of her shattered heart.
"I hate you, Dad. I hate you for doing this to me. I hate you for making me his."
She clenched her jaw, trying to swallow the grief, but it was too much. She slammed her fist against the floor, the sharp pain shooting up her arm grounding her for a moment.
She had no one left.
No one to save her.
She was utterly and completely alone.
And the worst part?
No matter how much she screamed inside her own mind, no one would ever hear her.
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Serena sat curled up on the bed, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. The room was dimly lit, the only source of light coming from the chandelier above. The silk sheets beneath her felt cold, matching the emptiness in her chest. She had lost track of time. Hours? Days? The passage of time meant nothing when every waking moment was spent under Alessio’s control.
Her wrists still ached from how roughly she had been restrained last night. She had fought, screamed, even scratched him—but it had only made things worse. Alessio thrived on her defiance, enjoying the way she resisted before ultimately succumbing to his power.
A deep voice echoed from outside the door, followed by the sound of it unlocking. Her body tensed.
Alessio stepped in, his dark presence swallowing the room whole. Dressed in a black button-up with the sleeves rolled up, his forearms flexed as he closed the door behind him. The air shifted, heavy with tension.
He didn’t speak right away. Instead, he stalked toward her, his piercing gaze never leaving her face. Serena’s heart pounded as he reached the edge of the bed.
“You’re quiet today,” he murmured, his voice smooth but dangerous.
She refused to answer, keeping her eyes down.
A low chuckle. “Still fighting?”
He reached out, gripping her chin between his fingers, forcing her to look at him. The heat of his touch sent a shiver down her spine. His thumb brushed against her lower lip, his expression unreadable.
“I admire your resilience, dolcezza,” he said, tilting his head. “But you need to understand something.”
His grip tightened, his dominance absolute.
“You are mine.”
Serena swallowed hard, her nails digging into her palms.
“No,” she whispered, the word barely audible.
Alessio’s smirk deepened. “Oh, but you are.”
He leaned in, his breath ghosting over her ear. “And I will break you until you accept it.”
Serena’s body betrayed her—she wanted to fight, but fear kept her frozen. The battle between them had only just begun.
- Writer
