Chapter 1 4
1180 Words
Alice's POV
The punishment room was dark.
The only light came from a small window high up on the east wall. Thick iron rods crossed it, making sure no one inside could ever escape.
I had been here for hours now.
My wrists burned from the tight ropes that held my hands above my head. I tried to twist out of them, but it only made the pain worse. It was becoming unbearable.
Tears started rolling down my cheeks.
How could they be so wicked?
What did I do to deserve this? If they didn’t want me here, they should have told me to leave. Not accuse me of something I didn’t do.
My stomach grumbled, reminding me I hadn’t eaten anything since morning.
I looked up at the little window. The light was dim now. It was already evening.
at am I supposed to do now?
The door creaked open.
I looked up, my heart jumping. I was expecting to see Sir Alessandro.
And I was right. He didn’t disappoint.
He locked the door behind him and turned to me. Slow. Deliberate. Dangerous.
He stepped closer. His eyes scanned me from head to toe. His scent hit me alcohol and something metallic.
Blood.
Well, what did I expect? He was a Mafia boss.
“So, Alice,” he said quietly. “I’ll ask you a question, and I need you to be honest with me. Who sent you?”
I was confused.
“I... I don’t understand, Sir,” my voice came out shaky.
“Hahaha.”
He gave a cold laugh and pinched my chin hard, forcing me to look at him.
“So you’re trying to play innocent? I’ll ask you again. Answer me properly this time, or I’ll give you a fresh punishment. Do not test me.”
Oh God. I didn’t have an answer. What did he want from me?
“Sir, please. I’m innocent. I’m only a servant here trying to make ends meet. Sir, please, I didn’t take....
Argh!”
He landed a punch straight to my stomach.
Pain exploded through me and I gasped for air.
He grabbed my face, his grip tight.
“You think I’ll fall for your stupid innocent act? Let me tell you something. I’ve been through this too many times. I know exactly how to deal with people like you.”
“No, Sir, please. Hear me out... please.”
He didn’t listen.
He walked to the corner of the room and picked something up. At first I thought it was just a wipe. But when he came closer, I saw it clearly.
It wasn’t.
“I will teach you a lesson you won’t forget for a long time,” he said.
He started to undress me.
“Sir... what are you doing? Sir, no, please, don’t do this to me, please!”
What was he trying to do?
I struggled in his hold.
“Stay still,” he warned. “Or it will be worse.”
“Sir, please... please, no.” I sobbed.
God. What kind of humiliation was this? If only my parents were alive, I wouldn’t be going through this.
I struggled again and he delivered a heavy slap to my backside.
“Argh!” I cried out.
He stripped me down until I was left in only my singlet and shorts.
“I’ll let you know one of the things I do to my enemies.”
He took off his belt and wrapped one end around his hand.
Before I could even process it, he swung it down on me.
“Arrhh! Arrhh!!”
I screamed at the searing pain across my back.
“You will tell me the truth before I stop,” he said, and the belt came down again.
“Arrhh! Sir, please! I’m sorry! I don’t have anyone who sent me! Please... Argh!”
I thrashed. I begged. I pleaded.
But he didn’t stop.
The belt kept coming down until I felt warm blood trickling down my back.
My vision blurred.
And then everything went black.
***
I didn’t know how long I was out.
When I woke up, I was on the cold floor of the punishment room.
So cold. So empty. There was nothing to lie on except my own blood.
My whole body ached. Every inch of me hurt.
I tried to push myself up, but the pain in my wrists shot through me and I collapsed again.
My eyes caught something on the floor near me.
A letter. Written in red.
*“I am not done with you yet.”*
I shivered in fear.
“No... God, please. This isn’t what you planned for me.”
The door opened again and I almost jumped.
But it wasn’t Alessandro.
It was worse.
June and Maria.
“Oooh,” June said, looking me up and down with a cruel smile. “If it isn’t the boss’s favorite maid. Hahaha.”
Maria walked in behind her, arms crossed, eyes full of satisfaction.
“Look at you,” Maria said. “All dirty and bloody. This is what happens when you try to climb higher than you should.”
I tried to speak but my throat was dry. My lips were cracked.
“Please... water...”
June crouched in front of me. She tilted her head like she was studying an insect.
“Water? After what you did? You think you deserve water?”
She laughed. “You should be thanking my brother. He was merciful. If it were me, you’d be dead by now.”
Maria kicked my foot lightly. “Did you confess yet? Did you tell him who sent you?”
“I... I didn’t do anything,” I whispered.
“Still lying,” June clicked her tongue. Or maybe you are not lying.”
They both laughed.
I closed my eyes, trying to block them out. The pain in my back was throbbing. My wrists felt like they were on fire.
But the worst pain was in my chest.
Betrayed.
Framed.
And no one believed me.
June stood up. “We’ll leave you to rot for a while. Maybe by tomorrow you’ll remember who paid you.”
She turned to leave, then stopped at the door.
“Oh, and Alice? Don’t even think about trying to tell my brother we were here. No one comes in without his permission. And he won’t believe you anyway.”
The door slammed shut.
Silence again.
Only the sound of my breathing and the dripping of blood on the cold floor.
I curled up as much as the ropes would allow.
I was hungry. I was thirsty. I was in pain.
But more than that, I was scared.
Scared of what Alessandro would do next.
Scared of what June and Maria had planned.
Scared that no one would ever believe me.
Tears fell again, mixing with the blood on the floor.
God, please. If you’re listening... help me.
Because if help didn’t come soon, I wasn’t sure how much longer I could survive in this room.
- Writer
