Chapter 3

• Clara sat there, her wrists still tied to the big wooden chair, her head spinning like a top. She couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. A dad she’d never known about. A little sister she’d never met. And now, some guy she’d never even seen before was supposed to be her husband? It was too much. Her whole life had flipped upside down in just one night, like someone had grabbed it and shaken it hard until everything broke.
• She pressed her lips together tight, trying to keep her face tough. No way was she letting Ricardo see how scared she was. He didn’t deserve to know how her stomach was twisting or how her heart was pounding so loud she could hear it in her ears. She wouldn’t give him that power over her.
• Ricardo watched her, his green eyes calm and sharp, like he could tell she was fighting a battle inside her head. A little smirk tugged at his mouth, like he thought it was funny.
• “You’re tougher than I thought,” he said, his voice smooth. “Most girls would be bawling their eyes out by now.”
• Clara lifted her chin, staring him down. “Most girls don’t get told they have to marry some stranger by a guy who says he’s their dad out of nowhere.”
• His smirk grew a little bigger. “Fair point. But you’re not like most girls, Clara. You’ve got Moretti blood running through you. You’ll figure out what that means soon enough.”
• She glared at him, her eyes burning. “I said I’d do it. I agreed to your stupid deal. So untie me already.”
• Ricardo tilted his head, like he was thinking it over. Then he waved his hand quick, signaling someone behind her. She didn’t even see who it was, but a second later, the ropes around her wrists went slack. She yanked her hands free, rubbing the sore spots where the rough cords had scratched her skin red. It stung, but she didn’t care. At least she could move her arms again.
• Ricardo leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, looking right into her eyes. “There’s rules you’ve got to follow now,” he said, his voice hard. “If you mess up—if you try to run or fight back—your sister’s dead. Got it?”
• Her stomach flipped over, making her feel sick, but she forced herself to nod. “Yeah, I get it.”
• “Good.” He stood up, straightening his fancy suit jacket and buttoning it up like he was heading to a business meeting. “You’re meeting Dante Costa tomorrow. We’ll tell everyone you’re engaged right after.”
• Clara’s whole body went stiff. “Tomorrow?” she blurted out. That was way too soon.
• “Yeah,” he said, like it was no big deal. “We can’t wait around.”
• Her hands curled into fists so tight her knuckles turned white. “And if I don’t play along?”
• Ricardo’s smirk disappeared, and his face went cold. “Then you’ll see Elena take her last breath.”
• Her nails dug into her palms, sharp and painful. She hated him. Hated his smug voice, his creepy calm, his stupid threats. She hated everything about this mess she was stuck in. But what could she do? If there really was a little girl out there—a sister she didn’t even know—she couldn’t let her get hurt. Not because of her.
• “I hope this Dante guy hates this as much as I do,” she muttered, her voice bitter and low.
• Ricardo laughed, a short, dry sound. “Oh, don’t worry. Dante Costa’s not the kind of guy who wastes time feeling sorry for himself.”
• Clara didn’t know what that meant, but it made her stomach sink even lower. Something told her she was about to find out, whether she wanted to or not.
• Later That Night
• Clara sat on the edge of a huge bed in a room that looked like it belonged in a magazine. The bedroom was massive—bigger than her whole apartment back home. The bed was king-sized, with soft white sheets and a pile of fluffy pillows. There was a stone fireplace crackling across the room, throwing warm shadows on the walls. A giant walk-in closet stood open, stuffed with fancy clothes she’d never wear—dresses and heels that probably cost more than she made in a year. Everything screamed money and power.
• But to her, it was just a jail cell with better furniture.
• She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them tight. The fire popped and hissed, but it didn’t make her feel any warmer. Her life was gone—snatched away in hours. She’d lost Ethan, Sofia, her freedom, everything. She should’ve been sobbing, curled up in a ball, letting it all spill out. But she wasn’t. All she felt was mad. Mad at Ethan for cheating. Mad at Sofia for stabbing her in the back. Mad at Ricardo for dragging her into this nightmare. Mad at the whole stupid world for letting this happen.
• A knock on the door snapped her out of her thoughts. She tensed up, her shoulders going stiff.
• “Come in,” she said, her voice flat. She figured it was Ricardo again, ready to bark more orders.
• But it wasn’t him. A woman walked in instead. She looked older, maybe in her forties, with dark hair tied back in a neat bun. Her brown eyes were soft and kind, not cold like Ricardo’s. She wore a plain black dress, like a uniform, and carried a tray in her hands.
• “I’m Rosa,” she said, her voice gentle. “I’m here to look after you, Miss Bennett.”
• Clara frowned, her eyebrows pulling together. “Look after me?”
• “Yeah,” Rosa said, setting the tray down on a little table next to the bed. It had a bowl of steaming soup, a chunk of fresh bread, and a glass of water. “I brought you some food.”
• Clara stared at it. Her stomach growled loud, reminding her she hadn’t eaten since breakfast—way before everything went wrong. But she didn’t reach for it. No way was she eating their food like some happy prisoner. She wouldn’t let them think she was okay with this.
• Rosa sighed, like she’d seen this coming. “I get it, you’re mad. I’d be mad too if I were you. But you’ve got to eat, kid. You need to keep your strength up.”
• Clara turned her head away, staring at the fire instead. “I don’t want anything from him.”
• “It’s not for him,” Rosa said, her voice soft but firm. “It’s for you.”
• Clara hesitated. Her stomach growled again, louder this time, and she felt a pang of hunger she couldn’t ignore. Finally, she let out a long breath and grabbed the spoon. She scooped up a little bit of the soup—something warm and creamy, maybe potato—and took a sip. It slid down her throat, spreading heat through her chest. It tasted good, but it didn’t touch the icy knot sitting in her gut.
• Rosa gave her a small, sad smile. “You’re a lot like your mom.”
• Clara’s hand stopped, the spoon hovering in the air. “You knew my mom?” she asked, her voice sharp.
• Rosa nodded, her eyes going distant. “Yeah. She was a good lady. Strong, like you. But she fell for the wrong guy, and it messed everything up.”
• Clara swallowed hard, her throat tight. “Did Ricardo… did he love her?”
• Rosa paused, like she wasn’t sure how to answer. Then she sighed. “Love? I don’t know if men like Ricardo Moretti know how to love. But he wanted her bad. And when he wants something, he doesn’t let go. Ever.”
• A cold shiver crawled down Clara’s back. She didn’t like how that sounded—not one bit.
• Rosa reached out and patted her hand, soft and quick. “Try to rest, okay? Tomorrow’s gonna be rough.”
• Clara nodded, but she didn’t say anything. She just watched as Rosa turned and left, the door clicking shut behind her.
• She flopped back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. It was high and fancy, with little patterns carved into it she didn’t care about. Tomorrow, she’d meet this Dante Costa guy—the one she was supposed to marry. A guy who didn’t feel misery, whatever that meant. It sounded bad. Really bad.
• She rolled onto her side, pulling the blanket over her shoulders. Her mind wouldn’t stop racing. What kind of person was Dante? Was he mean? Cold? Dangerous? Was he just like Ricardo, all suits and threats? She didn’t know, and that scared her more than anything.
• This wasn’t how her life was supposed to go. She was supposed to be planning a wedding with Ethan, laughing with Sofia, living a normal, happy life. Now she was trapped in some twisted game she didn’t even understand.
• Clara closed her eyes, trying to shut it all out. Tomorrow was coming fast, and she had a feeling it was just the start of something worse.