Chapter 29: Breaking the Silence

The air was thick with tension in the mansion. Every room seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for something, anything to happen. But Anna, standing in the privacy of her quarters, couldn't shake the memories of the night before. Luca's words echoed in her mind, spinning a web she wasn't sure she wanted to escape from. "You're mine."

The words haunted her, like a mantra she couldn't erase, a reality that was becoming too tangible to ignore.

She had spent the morning trying to escape the pull, focusing on trivial things, distractions that only worked temporarily. But she knew. She knew it was only a matter of time before she faced him again.

As if on cue, there was a knock on her door. Anna hesitated. She was certain it was Luca, yet she couldn't bring herself to open the door. It wasn't fear—it was something deeper, something that had been building inside her for days.

Another knock, this time louder, more persistent.

She took a steadying breath and opened the door.

To her surprise, it wasn't Luca standing there, but Isabelle, looking unusually serious. Her eyes quickly scanned Anna before settling on her face.

"Can we talk?" Isabelle asked, her tone softer than usual.

Anna stepped aside, allowing Isabelle into the room. She closed the door quietly behind her and leaned against it, her posture rigid.

"Is this about Luca?" Anna asked, the question hanging heavily in the air.

Isabelle let out a sigh, looking at her with a knowing expression. "You can't hide from this forever, Anna."

Anna's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't realized how much Isabelle had been observing her. "I'm not hiding."

Isabelle raised an eyebrow. "Then why do you look like you're running from something?"

Anna couldn't deny the truth in that statement. She was running, and she had been since that first night with Luca. The intensity between them was becoming more overwhelming, and no matter how much she tried to ignore it, it was always there, waiting for her to confront it.

But Isabelle wasn't the one she wanted to talk to about this. She wasn't the one who had the answers.

"I just need to figure things out," Anna said, a little more defensively than she intended.

Isabelle nodded. "I get it. I do. But you're not the only one who's struggling with their own desires." She paused, her voice softening. "Antonio's been distant. He won't talk about it, but I can see something's bothering him."

Anna looked at her, surprised by the sudden shift in conversation. "Antonio?"

Isabelle nodded. "Yes. He's been caught up in something. I don't know what it is, but I think it's connected to Luca."

Anna felt a chill run through her. The idea of Antonio being wrapped up in whatever Luca was involved in made her uneasy. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know yet," Isabelle replied, "but I'm going to find out. For both our sakes."

Anna didn't know what to say. She felt conflicted, her heart torn between her loyalty to Isabelle and her own unresolved feelings for Luca. But before she could speak, the door opened without a knock.

Luca.

His presence seemed to fill the room, his eyes immediately locking on Anna's, the tension between them palpable. He didn't say anything, just watched her, as if expecting her to acknowledge him.

Isabelle straightened up, clearly sensing the shift in the atmosphere. She smiled, but there was a hint of caution in her voice. "I'll leave you two to it," she said, giving Anna a meaningful look before exiting the room.

Anna didn't know whether to breathe a sigh of relief or be more nervous now that it was just the two of them.

Luca shut the door behind him quietly, his gaze never leaving her. The moment they were alone, the air seemed to grow heavier.

"You look troubled," Luca said, his voice low, dangerous.

"I'm fine," Anna replied, though her tone betrayed her.

Luca stepped closer, and with each step, the space between them felt more charged. "I don't believe you."

Anna wanted to say something—something strong, something defiant—but her voice faltered when he reached out, his fingers grazing the side of her cheek in the softest touch.

"You've been avoiding me," he murmured, his eyes searching hers.

"I haven't," Anna said, though the words didn't come out as firmly as she'd intended. "I just... need time."

Luca smiled, the expression dark and knowing. "You don't need time. You need to stop pretending."

Before she could respond, his lips were on hers, warm and insistent. It wasn't gentle. It wasn't soft. It was a kiss filled with urgency, with the tension that had been building between them for days.

Anna didn't pull away. Instead, she melted into it, her hands reaching for him, grabbing the fabric of his shirt and tugging him closer.

Luca pulled back slightly, his breath mingling with hers. "You want me," he whispered, his lips brushing against her ear. "You always have."

She didn't deny it. The truth was too clear now, too undeniable. The pull between them wasn't just about power. It was about something deeper, something darker that neither of them could control.

Luca's lips found hers again, this time more forcefully. His hands roamed her body, pushing her dress higher, exploring every inch of skin exposed to him.

And this time, Anna didn't hesitate. She didn't pull away. She didn't fight it.