"You're a Bellucci." His voice was devoid of any warmth. "His sins are your sins."
"That's not fair!"
"Fair?" He let out a cold laugh. "Noelle, that word doesn't exist in my world."
He turned and picked up the phone. "Dmitri, proceed as planned."
"No!" I lunged to grab it. "Kholod, please... spare my mom—she's innocent!"
He shoved me back with force, sending me stumbling.
"And what about me?" I screamed in despair. "I married you, got imprisoned by you, tormented by you, branded like some object—isn't that enough?!"
"Not enough." His voice was like ice as he advanced. "Far from it."
I retreated until my back hit the wall.
He planted his hands on either side of me, caging me in.
"When you were moaning beneath me, were you secretly laughing at what a fool I was? The Belluccis used your pretty face, your body, to earn my trust, to secure my protection for your family—did you think that was a good deal?"
"I didn't!"
"Still denying it!" He seized my arm with bruising force, makingme cry out in pain. "Your entire family is full of liars! Your father betrayed me, your mother exploited you, and you..."
His gaze darkened further. "You used your body, your tears, your feigned innocence to wear down my defenses, even plotting to sell out the Morozovs. Noelle Bellucci, you're a master manipulator."
"It's not..." Tears flooded my face. "Kholod, I never... how could I... I'm..."
"What?" He sneered. "You're in love with me? Don't make me laugh."
"Take her down."
At his command, two maids surged forward and restrained me. They pressed something against me—my body went limp, unable to move, my mouth muffled so tightly I couldn't even whimper.
Kholod led the way, opening a hidden door behind the storeroom. He entered a code, and the door slid open, revealing a descending staircase.
The stairs were narrow, flanked by cold concrete walls, illuminated by dim lights.
They dragged me down. The air grew colder, my heartbeat pounding faster.
It was a small room with thick soundproof walls. In the center stood a torture chair, and in the corner, cabinets and racks displayed an array of tools, gleaming with menacing silver light.
My legs turned to jelly. The maids forced me into the chair and shackled my wrists and ankles.
"Kholod, please..." My voice trembled. "Let's just talk this through..."
"No need for talk now." He approached, his eyes colder than I'd ever seen. "Noelle, you had countless opportunities to come clean."
"I didn't know anything!"
"You didn't know your father was a gambler? That he owed massive debts? That he received huge payments right around the time of my ambush?"
"I..."
I did know about the gambling and the debts. But I never knew who was behind them. Mom always kept me out of those matters.
"What? Cat got your tongue?"
