Sophia arrived at the table with the drinks, and Greg's men glanced up at her, starting to whistle. Greg looked at her and smirked.
"Ooo, who's this beautiful waitress?" he drawled, his eyes roving over her.
Sophia set the tray down on the table, ignoring the whistles and the smirk on Greg's face. She tried to maintain her cool, though her heart was pounding.
"Here are your drinks, gentlemen," she said politely, stepping back to put some distance between herself and the group.
Greg leaned back in his chair, still eyeing her. "Don't be in such a hurry to leave," he picked up a glass. "Why don't you join us for a drink?"
Sophia forced a smile. "I'm sorry, but I'm working," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady.
One of Greg's men chuckled. "Come on, just one drink," he insisted, patting the empty seat beside him.
Sophia shook her head. "I really can't."
Greg's smirk faded, replaced by a look of irritation. "You think you're too good for us?"
Sophia rolled her eyes. "No, it's just that I have other tables to attend to," she said.
Greg laughed and then stood up from his chair, holding his glass. "And if I don't want you to?" he challenged.
Sophia turned to leave, but Greg grabbed her arm with a tight grip. "Let go of me," she demanded, trying to pull away.
"You're not going anywhere, cutie. Besides, you look kinda familiar..." Greg's eyes roamed over her face, trying to place her.
"I don't know you from anywhere, you bastard, so let me fucking go," Sophia snapped, her voice rising in anger.
Greg's smirk widened. "Feisty, I like that." Suddenly, his expression shifted to one of confusion. "Marco?"
The name sent a chill down Sophia's spine. She froze, stopping her struggle as fear and then anger gripped her. She followed Greg's gaze and confirmed that it was indeed Marco, accompanied by Ariana. They were talking with Luca.
Her heart raced violently. What were they doing here? Did Luca want to sell her back to them? Were they here to finish her off?
Gathering all her strength, Sophia shoved Greg away with all her might, catching him off guard. The glass he was holding shattered on the floor.
"What the fuck!" Greg groaned, his eyes darkening with rage. "Come back here, you bitch!" he yelled, starting to chase after her.
She glanced over her shoulder, seeing Greg pushing people aside as he pursued her. Panic surged through her, but she pushed ahead.
She weaved through the party, ducking behind tables and slipping through clusters of guests. She could hear Greg's curses growing louder, closing the distance between them. She tried to think of a safe place to hide or someone to help her.
She dashed down the hallway, panting hard. Just as she was about to enter a room, Greg caught up with her and pushed her roughly against the wall.
"You fucking bitch, how dare you try to disgrace me that way," he growled, his face inches from hers. Sophia's mind was elsewhere; she had to get far away from here.
"I have to get out of here, please, let me go," she pleaded desperately.
"Let you go? No way. You have to pay for messing with me. And there's only one way to do so," he sneered, bringing his face closer to hers.
Without thinking, Sophia slapped him hard across the cheek. The sharp sound echoed down the hallway. "Whack!"
Greg's eyes darkened with rage. "You fucking bitch," he spat, raising his hand to strike her.
Before his hand could make contact, someone grabbed his wrist in a vice-like grip. Turning right, Greg saw Luca glaring at him with fiery eyes.
"That's enough," Luca's voice was low and dangerous. "Let her go."
Greg tried to yank his hand free, but Luca's grip tightened. "This isn't your business, Luca. Stay out of it," Greg hissed.
Luca's expression hardened. "This is my house and she works for me"
Greg glared at Luca but eventually released Sophia, shoving her away roughly. She stumbled but managed to stay on her feet.
"This isn't over," Greg warned, seething with anger. He stormed off down the hallway, casting one last glare over his shoulder.
Luca turned angry eyes toward Sophia. "What the fuck are you doing here... didn't Carla warn you to stay in the kitchen?"
The force of his voice made Sophia jump, though all she could think of was hiding far away from the party hall. She didn't want Marco and Ariana to see her there. Yes, she was afraid of what they might do to her, but she was also ashamed of her current condition. She wasn't the Sophia DeLuca that everyone knew and respected; now, she was just a lowly maid, putting on a silly outfit. It felt pathetic.
"Are you deaf?" Luca's voice brought her out of her raging thoughts.
"Please... I just want to be far away from here," she cried, glancing in the direction of the party.
Luca immediately caught on. "You saw them, didn't you? Is that why you were running away?" he chuckled, a dark and humorless sound. "Maybe I should teach you a lesson then."
He gripped her arm and started pulling her towards the party hall.
"No... no, please..." she begged, struggling with all her might. "Don't do this."