I stared at him, my eyes wide, fear clawing at my chest. My gaze shifted to the towering gates of the house,a house I had sworn to never set foot in again. My breath hitched, and my body froze, refusing to obey the urgent command to run.

"I can't do this," I whispered, my voice trembling. "Please, drop me somewhere else. Anywhere else. I can’t go in there."

Richard sighed deeply, rubbing the bridge of his nose like I was some stubborn child.

"Listen," he said, his voice firm but not unkind.

"I'm not the Don. I don't call the shots. But you and I both know how heartless he...