Chapter 4. Sit... and Wait
1524 Words
Elena Carter curled up, hugging her nearly naked body, trying to steal whatever warmth she could. The cold had sunk deep into her bones. At this point, she couldn't even tell if she was shaking from the freezing temperature or the rage still burning inside her.
"Bastard," she muttered under her breath, glaring at the security camera.
She'd already tried smashing it more than once, but every attempt had failed.
"I've been through way worse than this. This is nothing."
She tried to sound tough, but her voice still trembled.
The air in the room was brutally cold. Every inch of her body ached. Just a few minutes ago, the guards had come in and shackled both her wrists and ankles. No matter what they did, though, she refused to let them see her break.
"If you think this is gonna make me submit, think again. I'd rather rot in here than do anything you want."
She felt filthy. Humiliated. Exposed with nowhere to hide.
But what made her angriest...
...was herself.
How the hell had she let this happen?
Eventually, exhaustion caught up with her. The marble floor was too cold to lie on, so she curled herself into the smallest ball possible.
Before she knew it, she drifted off to sleep.
...
A soft whimper escaped her lips as she shifted, instinctively searching for a more comfortable position.
The last thing she remembered was lying on an ice-cold marble floor.
Then...
How was she here?
Her eyelids slowly fluttered open.
She wasn't on the floor anymore.
She was lying in a soft bed.
As she tried to sit up, a chain yanked her wrist, forcing her right back down.
Damn it.
They were still treating her like an animal.
She was still barely dressed, wearing nothing but her underwear. She had no idea who had moved her—or when.
And this room...
It wasn't the one she'd woken up in yesterday.
A low growl from somewhere nearby made her turn.
Black hair.
Sharp lips.
A broad, bare chest.
Was she still dreaming?
Elena rubbed her eyes.
When she looked again, her breath caught.
Enzo.
"Wait... what are you doing in my bed?" she blurted out.
Enzo shot her a cold look.
"I should be asking you that. How the hell did you end up in my room?"
His room?
Elena immediately shook her head.
"I... we... we didn't do anything, right?"
His expression turned even colder.
"You've seriously lost it if you think I'd ever touch you."
His voice dripped with disgust.
He got out of bed and started putting his clothes on.
"Whatever plan my father cooked up with you, you'd better shut it down now. Trust me, it's not gonna end well."
Elena rolled her eyes and yanked the blanket over herself.
"You think I wanted to be here?" she snapped. "You think I'm enjoying being forced to stay in this place? Listen carefully. I hate this place just as much as you do. Tell your psycho father to quit playing his sick little games and let me go."
Enzo didn't answer right away.
He just stared at her with a strange look, like she'd said something she wasn't supposed to.
But Elena couldn't care less.
Her chest rose and fell as she fought to keep her anger under control.
Enzo grabbed a black dress shirt and tossed it at her.
"Put that on."
Then he headed for the door.
"And get out of my room before my father comes back. If you're still here when he does..."
He glanced at the chain around her wrist.
"...you're gonna regret it."
Without waiting for a response, he slammed the door behind him.
"What an arrogant jerk."
Elena let out a frustrated sigh.
Then her eyes fell to the chain still locked around her wrist.
How was she supposed to get out of here?
Silence settled over the room again.
Her lips trembled.
The last seventy-two hours had completely destroyed her life.
This wasn't the future she'd imagined.
She was supposed to start her new job, build a new life, and finally be happy.
Instead...
She was trapped in a place she'd never seen before, treated like property someone could own whenever they felt like it.
The tears she'd been holding back finally spilled over.
She broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.
Who was ever going to find her here?
Was anyone even looking for her anymore?
The only people she had were Logan and Grace.
But she was sure her mother had already done something to keep them from getting suspicious.
Did that mean...
She was going to spend the rest of her life trapped here?
She had no idea how long she'd been crying when a knock came at the door.
Quickly, she wiped her face.
She refused to let Matteo Moretti see her like this.
But it wasn't Matteo who walked in.
An elderly woman entered carrying a tray of food that smelled incredible.
Elena's stomach growled instantly.
Only then did she realize she hadn't eaten since she'd been brought here.
The woman gave her a warm smile.
Elena almost started crying again.
"How am I supposed to eat with my hand still chained up?"
The woman's gaze dropped to the shackle around Elena's wrist.
"You can manage with one hand. But today's your lucky day. I was told to take it off."
Elena's eyes lit up.
This was her chance.
The second the chain came off, she jumped off the bed and bolted for the door.
She didn't care that she was barely dressed.
She just needed to get out.
But she'd barely taken a few steps before the old woman moved far faster than anyone her age should've been able to.
In the blink of an eye, Elena was slammed to the floor.
Pain shot through her body as she hit the hard ground.
The woman pinned her down with a knee pressed firmly into her back.
"Try that again..."
Her voice stayed calm.
"...and you'll regret it."
Elena couldn't believe it.
How could someone that old be so unbelievably strong?
"To hell with you," she muttered.
The woman casually stood up, straightened her apron, and pointed at a small bell beside the bed.
"After you've eaten, showered, and gotten dressed, ring that bell. A guard will take you to the Boss's office."
Elena just stared at her without saying a word.
"Don't keep the Boss waiting."
The woman gave her a faint smile before walking out.
Click.
The door locked again.
Another escape attempt...
Another failure.
Still, Elena wasn't ready to give up.
Following the woman's instructions, she finished her meal, took a shower, and changed into the blue floral dress that had been left out for her.
When she was done, she rang the bell.
A few moments later, the door opened.
Two guards walked in without saying a word.
Even though Elena struggled, they cuffed her wrists again.
They escorted her through hallway after hallway before stopping in front of a large door.
A hard shove sent her stumbling inside by herself.
The corridor beyond was much darker.
At the far end, another door stood open.
As she got closer, she heard soft sounds that made her slow down.
Not voices.
Breathy sighs... and quiet, uneven breathing coming from inside.
She looked up.
Her eyes met Matteo Moretti's golden gaze.
He was already looking straight at her.
He didn't seem bothered by her presence in the slightest.
Near his desk stood a woman with her back to Elena. The space between her and Matteo was practically nonexistent. One of his arms rested securely around her waist, keeping her close. Every so often, he leaned down and murmured something near her ear that Elena couldn't make out.
The woman closed her eyes, let out a slow breath, and leaned back against his chest. Soft sighs occasionally broke the silence filling the spacious office.
Nothing about their movements was rushed. They looked completely at ease with each other, as if no one else existed. Even when Elena appeared in the doorway, neither of them made any effort to step apart.
Matteo merely glanced at her for a second.
His expression stayed calm. Detached.
Like Elena's presence was nothing more than a minor interruption.
Watching such an intimate moment unfold so openly left her frozen.
She immediately looked away.
Her heart started pounding—not out of curiosity, but from a mix of embarrassment, anger, and disbelief.
She'd never imagined she'd walk in on something like this.
Even after turning away, though, she could still hear the uneven breathing and soft sighs behind her, making the entire room feel suffocating.
She pushed the thought out of her mind and turned to leave.
"I didn't tell you to leave."
Matteo's voice was calm.
But the quiet authority behind it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.
"Take one more step..."
He paused.
"...and you'll regret it."
Elena froze.
"Sit."
His voice remained even, but it left absolutely no room for argument.
"Be a good girl. Do what you're told."
A brief pause.
"Sit... and wait."
- Writer
