~ELENA~

The silence as they lead me upstairs is worse than any threat.

Nico’s grip on my waist doesn’t falter, Riccardo’s hand still circles my wrist like an iron cuff, and Vincenzo walks a step ahead, his long strides unhurried, deliberate. He knows I won’t resist. He knows I can’t.

The click of our shoes echoes against the marble staircase, every sound magnified in the heavy stillness. My heart feels too loud, my breath too shallow.

When we reach the second floor, Vincenzo pushes open a door….not one I’ve ever dared to enter. Their private room. The one that always stayed locked.

Inside, the space is darker than I expected....