- 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
'Legitimate' businessman Dominic Ferrari stood on the second floor, his tall frame leaning against the gleaming golden railings of one of his many clubs.
A transaction was supposed to take place, but it had gone awry, adding to his frustration.
To compound matters, he had just discovered a mole among them, and his henchmen were currently dealing with her betrayal, further souring his mood.
Gazing down at the throngs of people below, revelling in laughter and drinks, he felt an overwhelming urge to unleash chaos, perhaps even use an AK47 and bring a sudden end to their joy.
"Crazy people, what the hell are they happy about!" he growled, his brow furrowed in annoyance.
Every action, every sound grated on his nerves, leaving him seething with irritation.
Even his secretary, standing silently beside him, knew better than to utter a word or make the slightest noise.
Dominic's intense gaze scanned the crowd until it landed on a particular figure, causing his demeanour to soften. He was so obviously smitten by her that his secretary dared to investigate.
"Should I fetch her for you?" Dominic waved him off dismissively, though his eyes betrayed his true desire.
Surprised by her presence, he murmured, "Arette..."
As she effortlessly made her way to the platform, her sweet voice filled the air, casting a spell over the crowd.
Despite her singing's relaxing impact, Dominic could not force himself to close his eyes; her presence captivated him.
Her performance not only brightened his emotions, but it also improved the mood of the club.
Dominic's mood dropped as soon as she ended her song.
With Matthew after him, he hurried out of the club, his fury evident as he snarled under his breath, "Fuck this shit!"
"Chairman Ferrari, where are we heading?" Matthew asked, attempting to match Dominic's brick-like gaits.
"Shooting range," was Ferrari's curt response.
Matthew swiftly opened the back door of Dominic's Sleek black Audi RS7, and Ferrari slid into the seat, settling in comfortably.
The car surged forward as the waiting driver accelerated, propelling them swiftly toward their destination.
After about an hour's drive into the outskirts of the city, they finally arrived at Dominic's mansion where a shooting range is one of the amenities.
Dominic slammed open the door and made his way to the range, quickly expressing his displeasure with the recoil of his rifle.
As Dominic fired shot after shot, Matthew wrestled with the weight of the message he had received regarding the mistaken identity of the captive woman.
He understood the dangerous nature of his boss and the potential consequences of such a grave error.
Yet, he also recognized the dangers of releasing a spy sent by the police.
Minutes ticked by, but Matthew remained unable to reach a decision.
However, this did not go unnoticed by Dominic, whose observation skills detected Matthew's nervousness.
"Why are you shaking like a person on death row?" With a tone that was cool but full of underlying anger, Dominic asked, making Matthew shudder.
Dominic looked angry, yet his calm voice had a threatening quality that was much more frightening than if he had yelled.
"Chairman, there's been an issue with the men we hired to detain the cop. They won't disclose the details, but it's urgent that you see for yourself... if you're able," Matthew carefully broached the subject, hoping to mitigate any potential outburst from Dominic.
He knew that the responsibility for the mistake should fall on those who made it, not on himself.
"What nonsense is this?" Dominic demanded, setting aside his revolver and directing his attention to Matthew.
Much to Matthew's relief, Dominic dutifully agreed to go with Matthew despite the lack of information supplied.
Arriving at the warehouse with Matthew at his side and a group of five imposing men trailing behind them, Dominic strode into the dimly lit space.
As he approached the center of the room, his gaze fell upon a woman bound to a metal chair, her form drenched in blood and her head concealed beneath a black cloth.
"What type of error did you fools make?" Dominic's voice was filled with contempt as he confronted the persons responsible.
He had expected them to handle the situation with more competence.
However, as he approached the woman tied to the chair, a familiar aura enveloped him, and his heart raced with dread. With a single glance at her sparkling silver heels, Dominic's blood ran cold.
He realized the grave error his men had committed.
With trembling hands, he reached out and removed the black cloth covering her head, revealing the battered form of Arette. Horror flooded Dominic's expression as he beheld her condition.
"Miss Arette?" Matthew's gasp echoed behind Dominic, who felt a surge of anger washing over him.
He took a few steps back, his mind reeling with the consequences of his men's actions. A monster was about to be unleashed, and Matthew wanted to ensure he wasn't caught in the crossfire.
Dominic's hands trembled as he crouched down to touch her bloody cheeks, "Arette. . ." he softly called, trying to catch her attention but her swollen eyes made it hard for her to see and she was only able to hear a male voice calling her name which caused a round of panic attack
Arette pleaded desperately, insisting she knew nothing and had just returned from school, her trembling form and bruised skin tearing at Dominic's heart.
With a surge of rage, he released her cheeks and swiftly turned to face the commander responsible.
Drawing his revolver in an instant, he fired multiple shots at the commander's skull before he could react.
Arette's screams filled the air at the deafening sound of gunfire, prompting Dominic to quickly discard the weapon.
Its metallic clatter resonated as it hit the cement floor.
He hurried to her anxiously, "Arette, please calm down. Look at me, I won't harm you, just relax. Everything will be okay," he reassured, gently holding her face, attempting to soothe her.
"What on earth are you people doing?! Untie her immediately!" He yelled at the top of his voice, glaring at everyone.
The henchmen were taken aback, as they had never seen their boss display such affection or concern for anyone before.
Even Matthew, who was aware of Dominic's infatuation with Arette since their first time at Evermore School of Music, was surprised by Dominic's reaction.
One of the men rushed towards Arette with a knife and swiftly cut through the thick ropes binding her, setting her free.
Her frail body slumped to the side, but before she could fall, Dominic caught her, cradling her in his arms like a child.
"Get to the car, NOW!" Dominic commanded, hurrying to the vehicle and seating her on his lap in the backseat.
Arette, completely disoriented and oblivious to her surroundings, clung to Dominic's neck, inadvertently staining his white shirt with blood.
Dominic gave her a gentle stroke on the back as he was overcome with thoughts of getting even with those who had hurt her.
-
Arette groaned in agony upon regaining consciousness, her eyes still closed as she struggled to comprehend the source of her pain.
Opening her eyes briefly, she quickly shut them again as the sunlight pierced through, threatening to blind her.
After a few moments, her eyes adjusted, allowing her to survey the unfamiliar room she found herself in.
With its sleek black furniture, matching dresser, nightstands, and leather desk, and its textured black wallpaper with gold accents, the room was a picture of wealth and elegance.
The room exuded luxury with its large black-framed mirrors and beautiful black crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
"Where am I?" Arette murmured, her confusion fading as the events of the previous night flooded back.
She had been kidnapped and brutally assaulted.
The thugs interrogated her relentlessly, demanding information she didn't possess.
Somehow, she learned that they were affiliated with Dominic Ferrari.
She found it difficult to contain her emotions as Dami's cautions about the man's evil resonanced.
She was still wondering where she was, and she was crying terribly.
She tossed the cozy blanket aside in a hurry and carefully laid her swollen legs on the ground.
Her eyes widened in horror as she saw her previously smooth skin scarred with black and purple bruises, and the simple act of standing proved to be more difficult than she had expected.
Arette had to fight through the anguish to find her way to the door, which stood tall in front of her.
She attempted to open it, only to find it locked from the outside.
Frustrated and desperate, she pounded on the door, tears streaming down her face. "HELP!!!" she cried out, her voice echoing through the room. "LET ME OUT OF HERE!!"
After what felt like an eternity of screaming, a woman finally opened the door.
She appeared to be in her fifties, and as she entered the room, Arette instinctively took a step back.
"Who are you, and where am I?" Arette demanded, her voice trembling with fear.
The woman sighed and offered Arette a faint smile before approaching her and gently taking her arms.
Guiding Arette back to the bed, the woman spoke softly, "I'm Mrs. Wolfe. How are you feeling?" Mrs. Wolfe ignored Arette's question about her surroundings and began to examine her, checking her body temperature.
"STOP TOUCHING ME! TELL ME WHAT THIS PLACE IS, WHY AM I HERE?!" Arette screamed at the top of her lungs, pushing Mrs. Wolfe away from her.
Arette leaped off the bed and bolted out of the room, but Mrs. Wolfe made no effort to detain her.
Arette sprinted through the corridors, attempting to stave off feelings of utter hopelessness.
However, with each passing moment, her despair deepened as she realized she was making no progress.
The passages seemed as confusing as the cosmic web, and it wasn't long before she collapsed to her knees.
Her body still bore the marks of the previous night's beatings, leaving her weak and vulnerable.
She let out a few quiet cries, wondering what on earth she could have done to deserve this situation she was in.
She only wanted to get back home, to her own bed, to fight with Garette, and to taste her mom's food.
The last thing she wanted was this nightmare.
A deep masculine voice called out, "Arette, my sweetheart." Tears filled Arette so much that she failed to see the person coming toward her.
Looking up, she identified Dominic Ferrari as the man in front of her.
Instinctively, she moved back, whispering, "Chairman Ferrari?"
He knelt to her level and stroked her arm, but she flinched away from his contact.
With a gentle voice, he told Arette, "You will be alright." But when she remembered Dami's warning about his trafficking people, his reassuring tone made her terror grow even more.
She started to shake from sheer horror. "Please don't hurt me, I don't know anything," she pleaded.
Dominic was furious with the men who took her rather than the police officer after witnessing her response, which broke his heart.
"Come with me," he said, with no ill intentions, yet his authoritative tone unintentionally scared Arette, leading her to misinterpret his unspoken motives.
"No, no, please, spare me. I swear I don't know anything, I beg you, please don't sell me!" Arette pleaded, shrinking closer to the floor as if hoping to vanish, but Dominic remained unmoved.
He became upset when she begged not to be sold, exposing her knowledge of his illegal actions.
His frustration at Arette's pitiful condition made him furious. Not knowing how to handle the situation, he grabbed her arm violently and said, "When I give you an order, obey it!" Arette caught her breath and cried silently as Dominic dragged her along, betraying the purity she once recognized in him.
After climbing a dark stairway that appeared to go to hell, they landed at a filthy room reeking of metal and rot.
Arette's sight fell on bloodstains, eliciting a horrified cry, only to discover that five men, tied and bloodied, awaited them rather than her probable death.
"Arette," the way Dominic uttered her name sent shivers down her spine, filling her with disgust and a desire to vanish.
"These bastards harmed you. They violated you against your will. They dared to put their dirty hands on my sweet girl.
He touched her cheeks, delicately tracing the injuries on her face, his stare possessive and cold.
His eyes sparkled with unsettling intensity, and his lips curled into a frightening smile.
He moved his hands to her hair and caressed the delicate strands before leaning in to kiss her trembling lips, only to recoil abruptly, his eyes rolling back as if she were a narcotic he had just swallowed.
"Damn it!" he shouted, releasing Arette and shifting his gaze to the chained guys, a wicked smirk forming across his face.
"Congratulations! I've lightened your punishment," he declared, his laughter sending a chill down Arette's spine as she instinctively retreated a few steps.
"Because you scumbags dared to lay a hand on the love of my life, you've earned a painful death. "But because of this serious mistake, my darling gets to stay with me," Dominic said to the prisoners, grinning at Arette, who could only give her a terrified look in return.
"Alright! I've decided to grant you a merciful end. Arette will deliver sulfuric acid to each of you individually. We will watch as the acid eats away at your flesh until only bones remain," he said, his voice lowering, sending shivers down Arette's spine.
She wondered if he actually viewed her as the love of his life, but the oncoming horror in front of her required her complete attention.