I make it out quickly. Elio is waiting, silent and patient.
"This way," is all he says.
I follow him through a maze of corridors, each more opulent than the last. Original artwork. Marble floors polished to a mirror shine. Vaulted ceilings with crystal chandeliers. Security cameras in every corner, discreet but present.
A beautiful prison.
We pass other people, guards in dark suits, staff in uniform, and every single one of them looks away when they see me. Like I'm already marked. Already claimed.
Already his.
"This will be your new room," Elio says finally, opening a door to reveal a suite that's larger than my entire apartment.
I step inside, and it's like walking into a luxury hotel. King-sized bed with silk sheets in deep charcoal gray. Sitting area with leather furniture and a fireplace. A desk with a state-of-the-art computer. Floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of manicured gardens and, beyond them, the city sprawling out like a glittering promise of a freedom I no longer have.
"The closet is through there," Elio gestures to a door on the left. "Bathroom on the right. If you need anything, there's a phone on the nightstand. Press one for the main house line."
I nod, unable to form words.
Elio studies me for a long moment. When he speaks again, his voice is quieter. Almost gentle.
"My brother isn't as bad as you think, Valentina."
"So, he doesn't kidnap women and force them into marriage, and this is just a sick joke?" Elio chuckles. "This is not a joke, but he keeps his word. If he says your family is safe, they're safe."
It's meant to be comforting.
It's not.
Elio is young and kind, and unlike Rosa who comes across scary as hell, he's... normal.
"The other brothers will be here for dinner, so you should meet them soon."
"Any advice?" I ask, trying to sound calm.
Elio pauses at the door. "Don't try to win them over. Don't try to make them like you. They'll respect you more if you don't."
He starts to leave, then turns back one more time.
"And Valentina? Whatever Salvatore told you about your family, about your mother... there's more to the story. Ask her about it. About the Castellanos and the Vitales. Before the wedding, it'll help you get some clarity."
"Any advice on how to escape your brother?" He laughs and walks away without answering.
Then he's gone, and I'm alone with that cryptic warning and my gilded cage.
The computer on the desk is already logged in, no password required.
Interesting.
I open the browser and type: how to disappear without a trace
Let him see that in his surveillance logs.
I make it to the all-marble bathroom with gold fixtures and a tub big enough to drown in, and lock the door.
Then I slide down to the floor, pull my knees to my chest, and finally let myself break.
Silent sobs shake my body, and my throat starts to burn.
