Chapter Twenty-Eight
Lily
The next morning, I am alone in the condo, feeling bereft and untethered, when the front door opens and Sophia comes in with two large men in tow.
They must be her bodyguards. As much as seeing her sends a jolt of joy through me, I can’t stop my annoyance at the thought that she can open the damn door whenever she wants while I am kept in here like a prisoner.
Not that I would let her know that I am trapped in here.
What is wrong with me? I groan internally
“Lily, dear, good to see you! I thought we could go shopping together. Are you free?”
I almost let out a hysterical laughter. If I am free? No, I have to plan my escape, but maybe next time?
“I would love to go shopping with you. Can I offer you a coffee? Gentlemen?” I gesture to her bodyguards, feeling bad not to include them, but they decline with polite smiles, so we’re out the door and on our way in no time.
Fifteen minutes later, I’m sitting in the back of her car, her two men sitting up front, their presence uncomfortably obvious.
Should I run? I know I should. This could be my chance. I feel jittery. Would they follow me to drag me back to Damiano? There is only one way to find out.
But then we pull up to a luxury boutique, and I spot another car stopping behind us. Two more men step out. Clearly, they were following us. My stomach drops. Right on cue, my phone rings and “Dark” flashes on the screen.
Showtime.
“Hello, darling,” I chirp.
“Behave, sweetheart.” His voice is low, and there is an edge of warning to it that sends a chill through me. “Take whatever you want. The store knows where to send the bill.”
I glance at Sophia, who is looking at me with that expectant, bright smile of hers, and I return it as best I can.
“It’s so sweet of you to check on me, darling. Your mother and I are going shopping. Don’t worry, we won’t bankrupt you.”
“As if you could.” He huffs, and I am tempted to try to do exactly that. “I have to go,” he continues. “And remember, sweetheart, I have men watching you so don’t try anything stupid.”
“Awww, you are the sweetest. Don’t worry, we will be back when we are finished. Have a good time at work. Byeee!” I hang up before he can growl more orders into my ear.
Sophia looks adoringly at me and shame coils in my belly.
She will hate me so much when she finds out the truth.
But I don’t have time to ponder. She is already leading me into the boutique, her arm looped through mine.
The store is quiet, exclusive, the way I’ve come to expect.
Every time we move to a new store, it’s the same—only us, no other customers.
Weird. It makes any thought of escape feel foolish, impossible.
But as much as I want to flee, I can’t help but find myself enjoying her company.
She’s so different from what I expected.
Warm, open-hearted and surprisingly down-to-earth.
She chats with the salespeople as though they’re old friends, and even when they show her something she doesn’t like, she’s kind to them.
It’s a world away from Daria’s cold, diva demeanor.
By the time we reach a quiet Japanese restaurant for lunch, I find myself laughing at something she said, genuinely engaged in our conversation. She’s telling me about a trip to the Amalfi Coast, and I can almost picture the sparkling blue water and the sun-drenched cliffs.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” I confess as I take a sip of my tea, “but I’m actually enjoying myself.”
Sophia smiles at me, a touch of pride in her gaze. “I’m glad, tesoro. I want you to feel at home with us.”
I nod, but there’s a sadness in my chest that won’t go away.
I wish that things were different, wish that I could be here, in this moment, without all the lies and secrets weighing me down.
But time is slipping through my fingers, like sand in the wind.
I can already feel it—this is merely a fleeting dream.
And when it’s over, I’ll be left with nothing but memories.
When Sophia accompanies me back to the condo, I can’t help but feel a strange sense of contentment.
We’ve had a good day together. She’s bought a few dresses and accessories from some famous American designers who aren’t yet known in Europe, always so eager to share her finds with me.
Despite her insistence that I pick out a few things for myself, I couldn’t bring myself to indulge.
I don’t feel comfortable spending Damiano’s money on something as trivial as clothes.
“I have a full wardrobe at Damiano’s condo,” I told her with a smile.
“I really don’t need anything more.” She raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised, but didn’t push the issue.
Instead, she kept encouraging me to enjoy the experience with her, and for the most part, I did.
But it is hard to truly relax when I am constantly reminded of the lie I am living.
When we step off the elevator, Damiano is already waiting by the front door, as if he’s been expecting us.
He stands there, a commanding figure in the doorway, and I can’t help but feel a flutter of something, a mix of warmth and trepidation when I see him.
He pulls the door open for us with an easy, confident smile.
I make my way toward him, standing on tiptoe with the intention of giving him a quick peck on the lips.
But before I can even get close, he anticipates my movement and grabs my face, pulling me into a deep, blistering kiss that leaves me breathless.
He slips his tongue into my mouth, demanding and sure, and for a moment, I forget everything but him.
“Hello, sweetheart,” he murmurs against my lips when he finally pulls away. “Did you have a good time?”
I’m a little disoriented, my heart racing as I try to regain my composure. “The best. I had so much fun shopping with your mother,” I manage to say, my voice a bit shakier than I intended.
Sophia’s voice breaks the moment. “The fun was all mine, especially since Lily didn’t buy anything for herself. Now I feel bad dragging her along for nothing.”
Damiano’s brow furrows, his eyes flicking between us. “You didn’t buy anything?”
“Well…” I hesitate, unwilling to explain myself further.
“I don’t need anything, since you had your personal shopper deliver a full wardrobe to the condo recently.
” I smile sweetly up at him, willing him to drop the subject.
He seems to get the hint and pulls my hand to his lips, kissing the ring on my finger with a tenderness that feels all too real.
Sophia looks between us, eyes filled with affection. “I’ll leave you two lovebirds to enjoy your evening,” she says, kissing Damiano on the cheek, then me, before she heads out the door.
As the door clicks shut behind her, Damiano turns to me with a raised eyebrow, his gaze sharp. “Why didn’t you buy anything?”
I scowl at him, trying to suppress the frustration bubbling inside me. “Because I don’t need anything. Why should I buy something just for the sake of spending money that’s not mine?”
He studies me for a moment, his eyes narrowing in that way that always makes me feel like I’m being dissected.
“One, my money is your money. I already told you that. Two, people expect me to spoil my fiancée. And three…” He pauses, his jaw tightening slightly.
“Your behavior is unusual for someone in your position.”
I snort at the mention of my “position”. His prisoner. The words twist in my stomach, bitter and humiliating. I meet his gaze defiantly. “And what exactly is my position? I’m your prisoner here, so who cares what people think?”
He freezes, his expression hardening for a moment before his usual mask of control slides back into place. But the flicker of something—anger, maybe?—passes through his eyes before he turns and walks away without saying another word.
The tension in the room thickens, and I’m left standing there, feeling more trapped than ever.