A huge thank you to each one of you for your support. I can’t express my gratitude in words...😊😊

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I was sitting on a chair in a dark room, with only a small bulb dangling above me as a source of light. Both my hands and legs were bound tightly to the chair with the help of ropes. I desperately tried to free myself from the restraints, but it was futile.

I heard the creaking sound of the door opening, which felt so creepy; and a man walked inside. I could not figure out his face in the darkness, but I figured out that he was advancing towards me by the movement of his silhouette.

His presence filled me with dread to the core and I started thrashing violently against my bounds.

He chuckled at that and spoke, “Try all you want to sweetheart, but you can’t escape me.”

“Please let me go. I won’t tell anyone about it. I promise. Just please, let me go!” I pleaded him.

He scoffed at me and spoke, “You think I am afraid of you ratting out on me?” He laughed evilly and continued, “Oh sweetheart! No one can harm a single hair on my head even if they want to. I don’t care if you tell anyone about it or not.”

“Then why are you holding me a captive here? If you want to kill me, then do it already!” I shouted at him angrily.

He tsked at me and spoke, “No sweetheart! I won’t kill you, not unless my purpose is served. I won’t even put a scratch on you.”

I shouted at him, “I won’t let you succeed in your mission, even if I have to sacrifice my life for it.”

He sinisterly spoke, “And how are you going to stop me, when you are captivated here, in my clutches.”

His laughter echoed through the walls of the room.

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I woke up with a start. It was a nightmare, but it felt so real. As if, all of it was happening with me in reality.

All my body was drenched in sweat and my breathing was laboured. Wiping my face with my palms, I grabbed the glass of water kept on the bedside table and gulped it in one go. I then, took deep breaths to calm my wildly thumping heart and my irregular breathing.

I wondered who was that man in my dream? What purpose was he talking about? If the nightmare was some sort of vision of the future or my mind had conjured all of that after seeing Ermanno’s torture? Was it just a product of my fear and anxiety? Or was it really Ermanno? Would he torture me like that, after I had witnessed his brutality in in the basement?

I looked at the clock to see it was already morning. I decided to go outside and test my luck. Besides, I was too hungry, and I would starve to death if I didn’t eat anything real soon. If I really had to die, then why not leave this awful world with a full stomach!

Sighing, I took the remote and turned off the television I had left on last night and left my comfortable bed.

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After a nice, warm shower, I headed towards the kitchen. But I was moving with caution, looking around to catch any sight of Ermanno, so that I could sprint back to my room and lock myself in, if I saw him.

But fortunately, I didn’t find any trace of him. I guess he had not yet returned from wherever he had gone last day.

I wish that he remain wherever he was for all his lifetime and not come back here ever again!

I stepped inside the kitchen to find everyone busy in their chores, while Francesca was talking to a girl whose back was to me, along with instructing the helpers whenever required.

Her gaze fell on me and instantly a wide smile broke out on her face. She hurried towards me and engulfed me in a motherly hug. I hesitantly returned her hug.

She then, parted and cupped my face in her right hand and spoke, “I am so glad to see you, dear. I was so worried about you.”

“I am sorry for causing you so much trouble,” I told her, guiltily.

She shook her head and said, “Don’t be sorry, dear. I am happy that you decided to come out of your room. Besides, the way you reacted yesterday, was normal for anyone in that situation.”

“I was just so much frightened,” I spoke in a low voice.

She gently squeezed my hand and said, “I assure you that there is nothing for you to be afraid of. You are perfectly safe here. No one would dare to harm you.”

I wanted to ask her ‘even Ermanno’? But I bit my tongue and didn’t speak anything. Instead, I gave her a fake smile.

She must have seen through my facade, because she changed the subject, next moment. And I was glad for that.

She exclaimed, “Oh! I have to introduce you to someone. Come with me.”

She then, dragged me towards the girl, who was already looking at me expectantly with a wide grin playing on her lips.

She was so stunning like a model out of a magazine, with her sharp features and prim-prom dressing. Her pin-straight, black hair were so glossy, as they reached past her shoulders. She was really beautiful!

Upon reaching her, Francesca introduced both of us, “Rosalia, this is Adele. And Adele, this is Rosalia.”

“Finally! I get to meet you,” saying that, she enthusiastically engulfed me into a bone-crushing hug. I was too stunned at her reaction, so not trying to be rude, I awkwardly patted her back.

She finally parted from me and spoke, “I got to know about you yesterday only from my dad. Since then, I was so curious to meet you. So the first thing I did this morning was, to ask my brother to take me here, who himself was on his way to meet Ermanno.”

“Your father knows me?” I asked her, shockingly.

She slapped her forehead and spoke, “Oh! So silly of me. I didn’t introduce myself properly. My father was the right hand man of Ermanno’s nonno and my brother, Ricci followed his suit and is quite close to Ermanno. In fact, we all three grew up together and are really close friends. And now you are a part of our group.”

She seemed so excited and looked at me expectantly. But how do I tell her that I was there to escape, not to join a group of friends?

To think of it, if she was a close friend of him, then she must be aware of his brutal ways. Wasn’t she afraid of him?

Who was I kidding? Her father and brother were in the same profession, so she practically grew up in that sort of environment, seeing all that torture and gore. She must be used to people screaming out of pure terror and pain, or torturing someone to death.

Did she also take part in that inhumane act?!

“Do you also gauge the eyes of people?” I asked her absent-mindedly.

She was astonished at my statement, while Francesca looked at me worriedly.

I guess that I spoke the unexpected!

Francesca came to my rescue and spoke, “Oh Adele dear! Don’t mind her. She is a bit shaky because yesterday she accidentally went to the basement.” She then, turned to me and worriedly spoke, “Rosalia dear, trust me. She is nothing like that. In fact, she is so sweet and kind and I am sure that you both will get along really well.”

I felt guilty of judging her just because of her family background. Feeling ashamed of my accusations, I instantly apologised, “I am so sorry for judging you. It was so wrong of me. Please forgive me.”

She waved her hand in dismissal and spoke, “Oh! Don’t worry. I am not at all offended. Besides, I can only imagine how you must have felt, after going there. I myself, have not gone there, but sometimes, I have accidently heard them discussing what went down there, and it was enough to terrorize me for days.”

“Still, I am so sorry,” I insisted her.

She smiled at me and warmly spoke, “Let’s leave all that behind. What say?”

I smiled back at her and replied, “Definitely.”

Francesca spoke, “Now, that is settled. I’ll ask the help to serve breakfast.” She then, looked at me and spoke, “You must be hungry as you have not eaten anything since last night.”

I gave her a timid nod and she went away.

Adele turned to me and spoke, “I am so glad to finally have a girl as a friend. It was so wierd to have only boys around. I can’t share everything with them or cook with them or have a girl’s night out with them.”

I chuckled at her rant, while she continued, “And not to forget, the love of each girl, shopping. Finally, I have you.”

I smiled at her enthusiasm and told her, “I am also happy to find a friend at this lonely place.”

She pumped her fist in the air and spoke, “Yeah! So let’s start our friendship with a shopping spree. Let’s go out today. What say?”

Before I could reply to her, another voice interrupted from behind me. Or to be more precise, Ermanno spoke from behind me, “She is not allowed to leave this mansion.”

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Hello my lovely readers!

How was the chapter?

What are your thoughts on Lia’s nightmare? Has Ermanno’s brutal side gotten to her too deeply?

A new entry! Adele... What are your thoughts about her?

And... Our monster Ermanno D’Amelio is back!😎😎

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~A...