Vanessa sighed, her fingers gently rubbing her stomach. Fatigue weighed her down, and the mansion's silence pressed heavily against her. Vincenzo had left for Colombia with his crew, despite her pleas to accompany him. He refused, insisting the cold winds aboard the ship were too dangerous for her and their unborn child.
As much as she hated being left behind, she couldn't deny his protectiveness.
The telephone's shrill ring startled her. Vanessa reached for it, her hand trembling slightly.
"Hello?" she said softly, her voice tinged with weariness.
"Vanessa," came Vincenzo's deep, familiar voice.
Her breath hitched. "Vincenzo," she whispered, tears threatening to spill.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his tone filled with concern.
"I'm fine," she replied, her voice trembling. "You know, for someone they call heartless, you're so sweet."
A faint chuckle rumbled through the line, but before he could reply, a loud crash behind her made her spin around. The door burst open. Everything blurred as strong arms grabbed her.
---
When Vanessa came to, she was tied to a chair, her head pounding. A man loomed over her, his eyes glinting with malice.
"Who are you?" she demanded, trying to steady her voice despite the throbbing pain in her temple.
The man smirked. "Silver. Vincenzo's enemy. Nice to meet you, weak point."
Vanessa sighed, more annoyed than afraid. "I'm not in the mood for this," she muttered.
Silver crouched, his fingers brushing against her cheek. "Now, shut up," he said, mockingly gentle.
Vanessa's eyes flashed with defiance. Without hesitation, she spat in his face. "Don't touch me."
His expression darkened instantly. He slapped her hard, her head snapping to the side as her cheek burned. Vanessa whimpered, shifting her weight. The chair tipped, and she fell to the floor with a painful thud.
"Boss, take it easy," a woman's voice interrupted. Freesia, one of Silver's accomplices, glanced nervously at Vanessa. "She's pregnant."
"I don't care," Silver snapped.
Vanessa bit back a cry as a sharp pain flared in her stomach. Her thoughts raced, praying her baby was safe. "What do you want?" she hissed through gritted teeth.
"The contract Vincenzo stole from me," Silver sneered. "But I can see why he's so protective of you."
Before Vanessa could retort, the door crashed open with a thunderous bang.
---
Vincenzo stormed in, his eyes scanning the scene. His gaze fixed on Vanessa, her cheek red and swollen, and Silver standing over her with a dagger.
"Don't move," Silver warned, pressing the blade closer to Vanessa's neck. "One more step, and she dies."
"Vincenzo," Vanessa said weakly, her voice shaking. "Don't come closer."
Vincenzo's jaw clenched. His eyes flickered to the welt on her face, and his fists tightened as raw anger surged through him. "You dared to lay your hands on her," he growled, his voice low and menacing.
In a flash, Vincenzo disarmed Silver with a precise kick, sending the dagger clattering across the floor. He grabbed Silver by the collar and slammed him into the wall with bone-crushing force.
"You touched her," Vincenzo snarled, his voice trembling with rage. He dragged Silver to his knees and slammed his head into the floor repeatedly.
Freesia froze, panic spreading across her face, before slipping out of the room unnoticed.
Silver was barely conscious when Vincenzo pulled out his dagger. His movements were calculated but fueled by unrelenting fury. He stabbed Silver repeatedly, each strike punctuating his rage until the man slumped lifelessly to the ground.
---
"Lucia," Vincenzo barked, his voice still sharp with anger. "Feed him to Rocky and Teddy."
"Yes, boss," Lucia replied without hesitation.
Vincenzo exhaled heavily, pulling out a bottle of sanitizer. He meticulously cleaned his hands, knowing Vanessa hated the scent of blood. Only then did he approach her, his expression softening.
"My love," he murmured, crouching to untie her. "I'm sorry. The trip was a trap."
Vanessa winced as she tried to sit up, managing a weak smile. "It's fine. Just help me up."
Vincenzo's eyes darkened when he noticed the buried on her cheek,he touched you ?
Venessa nodded.
Fucking bustard, fucking bastard,let's go home I will call the doctor
He scooped her in his arms,she closed her eyes