***Milan, Italy***
Damian sat in his office, the gentle hum of the air conditioning the only sound enveloping him.
His concentration was broken by a knock on the door.
"Come in," he responded, his voice steady and authoritative.
The door swung open, and a man stepped inside.
"How did it go?" Damian inquired.
"Sir, they deceived us and launched an attack without our knowledge," the man replied.
"They did what?" Damian exclaimed, rising to his feet in fury as he approached the man.
"Sir—"
Before he could complete his words,
Damian struck him across the jaw. The man stumbled backward, collapsing onto his knees.
"Sir, I'm sorry. I promise I won't make that mistake again," he begged.
Damian's face hardened further, a menacing glare in his eyes. "I don't care about your excuses. You failed me. You didn't keep your end of the deal. I don't tolerate failure."
The man cowered under Damian's intense gaze. "I'm sorry, sir," he stuttered. "It won't happen again. I swear."
"It better not," Damian snarled, his hands balled into fists. "Or there will be consequences. Are we clear?"
The man nodded quickly, clearly terrified by Damian's menacing presence. "Yes, sir. Crystal clear. It won't happen again."
Suddenly, the ringing of Damian's phone interrupted them.
"Leave," he commanded.
The man stood up and exited at once. As soon as the door closed, Damian answered the call.
"Speak," he ordered.
"Sir, Marcus has acquired a girl," came the voice on the other end.
"And where is she?" Damian inquired.
"She is currently at his mansion, sir," was the reply.
"Alright, let me know if you find out anything else," Damian instructed.
"Yes, sir," the voice responded before the call ended.
"Hmmm, so Marcus has gotten himself a girl. It seems he's moved on. This will make it all the easier for me to strike when he least expects it," Damian said, a sly smile spreading across his face.
**the don's mansion
Later that night**
Anna's sleep was interrupted by a light knock on the door. She turned expectantly, her heart racing, wondering who it could be.
The door opened, revealing the maid who had brought the food. Anna eyes widened as she got a better look at her for the first time. The maid was middle-aged, with greying hair and a stern expression on her face.
"Here's your dinner," the maid said, placing the tray on the bedside table. anna looked at the food, her stomach clenching in hunger, but her heart sinking at the sight of the meager meal.
The maid stood silently for a moment, her eyes taking in the girl's appearance with a critical eye. She looked at the clothes that anna was wearing, but her expression did not soften. It was clear that she was not here to befriend her, but rather to make sure she was properly fed and cared for .
Anna swallowed hard, her throat dry. She had a thousand questions swirling in her mind, but she knew that the maid would likely not answer any of them. She watched silently as the maid turned to leave, her shoulders slumped slightly in resignation.
As the door closed behind the maid, anna sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the food before her. It was hardly a meal, just a small portion of rice and vegetables.
She picked up the bowl and began to eat, the food tasting like ash in her mouth. It was bland and unappetizing, but it filled her stomach, at least for a while. As she ate, her thoughts once again turned to her situation.
After she finished eating, she put the bowl back on the tray and laid back on the bed. The room felt smaller than ever, the walls closing in around her.
For hours, anna stared at the ceiling, her mind racing. She tried to sleep, but the only sounds in the room was the sound of her own ragged breathing. It was a stark reminder of her isolation and helplessness.
Suddenly, the sound of the door opening again broke the silence, and anna sat up in bed, heart racing. The maid poked her head in, her face expressionless. "The master request to see you."
Anna's heart skipped a beat as she heard the words. She knew that being summoned by her marcus was never a good sign. She rose from the bed, her legs trembling slightly as anxiety coursed through her.
The maid said nothing, only waiting for anna to follow her. With a deep breath, she walked toward the door, her mind racing with possibilities of what the master wanted from her.
The maid led the way down a narrow corridor, and the girl walked closely behind, her footsteps sounding impossibly loud in the silence of the hall. As they turned a corner, the hallway opened up into a large chamber. There, at the far end, sat her master, with a smile on his face.