Chapter 3 - The Cage of Silk and Steel
The Vitali estate sat on forty secluded acres in Lake Forest, hidden behind towering wrought-iron gates and guarded by armed men with Belgian Malinois attack dogs. The main mansion looked like an ancient European castle transported to the Midwest—all dark stone, grand arches, and silent, heavy grandeur.
Alessandro led me up a grand spiral staircase to a massive suite on the third floor. The room was breathtaking: French doors opening onto a stone balcony, a plush velvet sofa, a roaring fireplace, and a king-sized bed covered in crisp white linens.
It was a palace. It was also a prison.
"This is where you'll stay," Alessandro announced, tossing his suit jacket onto a chair. He motioned to a middle-aged woman in a grey maid's uniform who stood near the doorway. "This is Maria. She will bring you whatever you need. Food, clothing, books. But you do not leave this room without my permission."
"You can't kidnap me, Alessandro!" I shouted, my fear finally turning into desperate rage. "Liam will call the police! My diner manager—"
"Liam Carter is currently being watched by four of my best men," Alessandro interrupted coldly, stepping into my personal space. "If he minds his own business and keeps making his miserable coffee, he will remain unharmed. If he starts asking questions, things will get complicated for him."
I flinched at the subtle threat against Liam. "He has nothing to do with this!"
"Then keep him out of it by cooperating," Alessandro snapped. He turned toward the door, then stopped, looking back at my pale, trembling frame. He noticed the heavy sweat on my forehead and the way I was leaning heavily against the side table.
"You look ill," he noted, his amber eyes softening just a fraction. "Maria, bring her some tea and soup. Make sure she eats."
"I don't want your soup!" I yelled as Maria hurried out of the room.
Alessandro closed the distance between us in two smooth strides. He gripped my upper arms, holding me steady. Up close, I could smell his cologne—sandalwood, cedar, and expensive tobacco. It sent a sudden, traitorous wave of heat through my body despite my terror.
"Why are you so pale, Elizabeth?" he asked softly, searching my face with intense scrutiny. "You're shaking. Is it fear, or are you truly sick?"
"I'm terrified of you!" I lied, pushing against his chest. "That's why I'm shaking!"
He stared at me for a long, heavy moment, his thumb brushing over the pulse point at my wrist. It was racing at an alarming rate. He let out a low sigh, released my arms, and stepped back.
"The federal trial regarding my shipping company begins in three weeks," Alessandro said quietly. "If you are the informant who leaked those documents, Elizabeth, my family's legal team will tear you to pieces. But if you're innocent... I will personally find the person who set you up."
With those final words, he walked out and locked the heavy oak door from the outside.
May you like
Left alone, I collapsed onto the velvet sofa, pulling my knees to my chest as tears finally spilled over my cheeks. I pressed my hand against my stomach, feeling the tiny life growing inside me.
"I'll protect you," I whispered into the silent room. "I promise."
