Chapter 11

Aurea’s POV 

“Rea! Rea! I just heard the ne—“

Rita burst into the room looking worried as ever. “What happened?” She reached out gently to face. "Honestly, this isn't good. The Rossi brothers are the most feared men in this country. They won't hesitate for a second to ruin anyone who crosses them."

A huge, suffocating knot formed in my throat. “But everything is gonna be okay, you just have to stay away from their way.”

I was completely lost in my own thoughts as Rita kept rambling on, mentioning how jealous the other maids were. "But don't worry, girl," she added with a giggle. "Jade told me to tell you tomorrow, you'll be among the maids serving the Masters their breakfast so you can learn the routine. And honestly? They are so handsome you would literally die to give your life to them..."

Rita kept on for about half a minute before finally leaving my room. I sighed in relief while smiling a bit and placed my head on my bed. It didn’t take a second when the door clicked open. Lyra, one of the senior maids, stepped inside. A look of pure, toxic disgust twisted her features.

You think just because you’ve been assigned to their rooms, you’re something special? she sneered, closing the door behind her and advancing toward me in a slow, calculating stride.

Let me tell you something, you little slut, Lyra hissed. Suddenly, her hand shot out, her fingers gripping my jaw in a brutal, tight hold.

I flinched violently, a terrifying flashback ripping through my mind. It felt exactly like the way my foster father used to grip my foster mother’s face right before he beat her. The sudden, dark memory brought hot tears spilling over my eyelashes.

You think you can use this stupid, innocent little act to get the brothers to notice you? Lyra mocked, using her free hand to aggressively slap my cheek. They are mine, you little whore. So you better drop this useless act right now.

My face was entirely covered in tears, though I fought desperately to stop crying.

"Dirty maid," Lyra whispered maliciously into my ear. With a cruel smirk, she shoved me hand making me lost my balance completely, falling hard. My head collided sharply against the wooden edge of my bed. A sharp, stinging pain flared instantly, and when I pulled my hand away from my forehead, my fingers were coated in a thick, red liquid. I winced, staring at the blood. Lyra just looked down at me, a wicked, satisfied smirk on her face, before she turned on her heel and walked out of my room.

Trembling, I pulled myself up from the floor and went into the bathroom. Looking into the small mirror, I inspected the wound. It wasn't massive, but it was deep enough to bleed. I cleaned the cut thoroughly and pressed a small, cute plaster over it which has cute cartoon cats printed on it.

Just then, a sharp beep echoed from my phone. I picked it up and walked out of my bathroom to find a text from Nina.

“Girl, I am so sorry! There has been an insane amount of work around here, which is why I haven’t been able to visit. But I promise I’ll come see you in a week!”

A small, comforted smile managed to break through my fear, I quickly typed a reply and collapsed onto the softness of my mattress.

 I kept tossing and turning under my covers, but sleep completely refused to find its way to me. Eventually, I gave up and pushed myself out of bed, heading straight to the washroom. I desperately needed to clear my head. The truth was, I was utterly terrified to step foot outside my room and run straight into those terrifying brothers again.

The mere thought of them terrified me.I couldn't stay in this house for another second. What if they trapped me again? What if they went even further next time? The mere thought sent a sickening current of dread straight through my veins, forcing me to swallow the thick lump in my throat. I had to leave.

"I have to run," I whispered fiercely, pushing myself up from the floor.

But where could I possibly go? I didn't know a single soul in Italy. I didn't have money, and I didn't even know how to look for a legal job here. Then, a name flashed in my mind like a beacon of hope. Nina. Yes, Nina would save me. I could hide in her penthouse. She would protect me, and surely the brothers wouldn't dare cross their own sister.

Scrambling back into my bedroom, I grabbed my phone and hit the call button without a shred of hesitation. Nina picked up on the second ring.

"Well, has my princess missed me so much that she's calling me this early in the morning?" Nina’s voice groaned playfully through the line. She was notoriously loath to wake up early.

"Nina... can I please stay at your place today?" I asked, anxiously chewing on my bottom lip—a nervous habit I had been scolded for a thousand times whenever I felt vulnerable.

"Of course!" Nina’s tone shifted instantly. I heard the sharp rustle of sheets on the other end, signaling she had sat completely upright. "Aurea, what happened? Did someone hurt you? Tell me right now and I swear I will put them in their place!"

Despite the terror suffocating me, a faint, breathless laugh escaped my lips as I pictured her fierce, protective expression.

"No, nothing like that at all," I lied smoothly, nervously fidgeting with the hem of my skirt. "I just really want to spend some time with you."

A heavy silence stretched across the line for a long moment. When Nina spoke again, her voice was gentler. "I can tell you're lying to me, Rea... but I won't push you. Not yet. I'll send one of my personal drivers to come pick you up at the mansion around six this evening." We talked for a while before we said our goodbye and hang up the phone.

Six o’clock.

I repeated the time silently like a promise.

In a few hours, I would walk out of this mansion and never look back. No more terrifying encounters. No more feeling like prey trapped inside a cage.

I packed the few things I could carry, my hands shaking as I moved.

For the first time since arriving in Italy, I felt a small spark of hope.

I didn't know they already knew and they were watching.