Clara's heart pounded as the black SUV sped through the streets, the city lights blurring past her. The air was thick with tension, the silence inside the vehicle almost suffocating. The men who had dragged her from her shop sat stiff and unreadable, their faces impassive as they watched her struggle to make sense of what was happening.
Benjamin D'Angelo, sitting in the back seat across from her, barely acknowledged her presence. His cold grey eyes glinted in the dim light of the vehicle, his mind clearly elsewhere. Clara tried to make eye contact with him, but he remained distant, his jaw clenched, his expression unyielding.
"Why am I here?" she finally asked, her voice trembling despite her best effort to remain calm. "What do you want from me?"
Benjamin's gaze flicked to her for a brief moment before returning to the window. "You're here because you're connected to someone who betrayed me," he replied, his voice low and laced with menace.
Clara's confusion deepened. "I don't know what you mean. I don't know anyone who would—"
"Don't lie to me," he snapped, his tone cutting through the air like a blade. "I know everything about you, Clara. I know who you are, where you live, and what your little flower shop means to you. Now, tell me the truth. Are you working with the traitor?"
Clara flinched at the accusation. "No, I swear. I have nothing to do with any of this. I just—just run a flower shop. Please, let me go. I've done nothing wrong."
Benjamin's eyes narrowed as he studied her, his expression unreadable. He had been in this position countless times before, questioning those who had crossed him. He was used to seeing fear, used to seeing people crack under the pressure. But Clara—Clara was different. She wasn't like the others. There was something genuine about her, something that made him hesitate.
But he couldn't afford hesitation. His empire was built on trust and power, and betrayal would not be tolerated. Not even for someone like her.
The SUV slowed as they approached a large wrought-iron gate, which opened to reveal the sprawling mansion that loomed ahead. The place looked like something from a nightmare—a dark, imposing structure perched atop a hill, surrounded by high walls and sharp angles. It was a fortress, a symbol of Benjamin's rule.
Clara's stomach twisted as the car pulled up to the front entrance. The mansion's grand facade loomed over her, casting a shadow that felt heavier than any prison.
The doors of the SUV swung open, and one of the men grabbed Clara by the arm, pulling her out of the car. "This way," he ordered, leading her toward the front door.
"Wait!" Clara cried, her voice desperate. "Where are you taking me?"
Benjamin stepped out of the car, his tall, imposing figure towering over her. His presence was overpowering, and Clara instinctively took a step back, her pulse quickening.
"This is your new home for now," he said, his voice colder than ever. "You'll stay here until I get the answers I need."
Clara's throat tightened as they led her inside the mansion. The interior was just as intimidating as the exterior—cold marble floors, dark wooden beams, and dim lighting that seemed to add to the oppressive atmosphere. It felt as though the walls themselves were watching her, waiting for her to make a wrong move.
She was shown to a large, lavish bedroom, its opulence completely foreign to her. The bed was enormous, the curtains thick and dark, and the view from the window looked down on the vast estate. Clara sat on the edge of the bed, her head spinning, trying to wrap her mind around what had just happened. One moment, she had been closing her flower shop, and the next, she was trapped in the mansion of a man who was both terrifying and strangely captivating.
"Get some rest," one of the men told her before exiting the room and locking the door behind them.
Clara sat in silence, staring at the door, the weight of her situation pressing down on her. How had everything gone so wrong? Why had Benjamin targeted her? And what did he mean by betrayal?
She had so many questions, but no answers. The only thing she knew for certain was that her life had just taken a terrifying turn.