Chapter 7: Tortured

Antonio:

As I leaned in to kiss Sofia, the tension of the room was suddenly shattered by the shrill ring of my phone. I pulled back, cursing under my breath as I dug the device from my pocket.

It was Vincenzo. "Boss, there's a situation." His voice crackled over the line. "I think you should come down to the warehouse. Now."

Sofia stared up at me, concern clouding her eyes. "What's going on?" she asked

Okay..

"Something's come up, Sofia. I'm needed elsewhere." I kept my voice even, my expression neutral. But inside, my mind was racing. What could Vincenzo have found?

I turned to the door. "I'll have my driver take you home."

Sofia opened her mouth as if to protest, but then she hesitated, seemingly struck by the same realization I had: our encounter had crossed a line.

She nodded slowly. "Fine. But we're not done here, Antonio."

I smiled, a hint of amusement in my expression. "Oh, I don't think we'll ever be done, Sofia." I turned to the door and pressed the intercom button. "Luca, please escort Ms. Venditti home."

The door swung open, revealing my ever-faithful bodyguard, Luca, his expression unreadable. Sofia gave me one last lingering look before following Luca out of the room.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever I would find at the warehouse.

Sofia:

I felt numb as Luca escorted me to Antonio's car. My thoughts raced faster than the car's engine. I'd let myself get carried away with Antonio, forgetting my place, forgetting my duties.

When we arrived at my home, I quickly dismissed Luca and hurried inside. But my relief at being home was short-lived.

"Where have you been?" My father's voice boomed from the hallway.

I flinched, my heart racing. "Father, I -"

"Silence!" He hissed.

My father grabbed me by the arm, his grip like iron. "You disobedient little girl," he growled, his face twisted with rage. "You think you can flaunt my rules, run off with another man, without consequence? You think I'll tolerate such disrespect?"

I bit my lip, trying to hold back tears. "Father, please -"

"No more excuses," he snapped, dragging me down the stairs. "You will learn obedience if it's the last thing you do. And when you do, I'll let you out of that basement."

My father shoved me into the basement, his rage boiling over. "You want to play games?" he snarled, unbuckling his belt. "Then let's play."

I cowered in the corner, trembling, but he grabbed me by the hair, yanking me to my feet. The first lash of the belt seared across my back, followed by another and another.

I bit down on my lip to stifle the screams of pain, but he hit me harder and harder until I collapsed to the ground, semi-conscious and sobbing.

My father sneered, "You've brought this on yourself. Remember that." He strode out of the basement, locking the door behind him.

I lay on the cold, hard floor, wincing at the pain radiating from my body. My back felt like it was on fire, and each breath was agony.

But through the fog of pain, I was filled with a resolve stronger than ever. I would escape from this prison.

The basement door creaked open, the light blinding me once again. I squinted, only to see Chiara's shadowed figure in the doorway.

"Sofia, dear sister," she sneered, her voice dripping with contempt. "I see Father's finally gotten tired of your games."

My heart sank.

My eyes were squeezed shut against the pain as Chiara's voice echoed around me.

"Now, let's see how you like this," she cackled, her voice dripping with malice.

The next thing I felt was an icy, burning sensation as the alcohol seared into my wounds, causing me to cry out. I thrashed against the ropes, but Chiara's hold was firm.

"You're pathetic, Sofia," she spat. "A weak, pathetic girl who cannot do anything"

Chiara left the basement, the door slamming shut behind her with a final, echoing thud.

I was left alone in the darkness, my body still burning with pain. Tears of agony and anger streamed down my cheeks, but I refused to cry out any more. I would not give Chiara the satisfaction.

As my breathing slowed, the fire of determination welled up within me. I would survive this. I would get out of here.

I lay in agony, my mind racing with thoughts of escape. Chiara's words echoed in my head, but there was one voice I couldn't shake: Antonio Cattaneo's.

He was the reason I'd been locked up here, wasn't he? The reason my life had spiraled out of control?

I closed my eyes, gritting my teeth against the pain.

As the pain started to fade, replaced by an eerie numbness, images of my mother began to flood my mind. Memories I'd tried so hard to push away resurfaced, playing out before my eyes like a movie.

I saw her face, her smile, her laugh. I remembered the way she used to hum while she cooked, or how she'd brush my hair and whisper words of love in my ear.

I let the memories wash over me, each one more vivid and painful than the last. And with them came a wave of realization: I was my mother's daughter. I was strong. I was resilient. And I was going to get out of this basement, no matter what it took.

The tears welling in my eyes were no longer tears of pain, but tears of determination. I wouldn't allow my mother's spirit to be broken, just as I wouldn't allow mine to be.

I wouldn't stop until I was free. I need to figure out a way to to leave this place , a way to inform Antonio . He is my only ticket to getting out of here.