Time flew by so quickly. It had already been a week since Evelyn had been staying at the De Luca mansion, Lorenzo’s residence. She was no longer locked up in the basement, but every door she passed through was always guarded by armed men.
The mansion was too big. Security was extremely tight. Even so, the mansion felt too quiet and too unfamiliar to Evelyn.
That morning, a servant led Evelyn to the mansion’s backyard.
“The air is warmer here, Miss Evelyn,” the servant said kindly.
“Really?”
Evelyn nodded slowly. She sat on a stone bench, enjoying the gentle breeze that played with her hair. The air felt so refreshing.
For the first time in a long while, she felt a little at peace. However, that peace didn’t last long. Suddenly, someone came up to her.
“So you really do live here, Eve. You’re so lucky to be in this luxurious mansion.”
Evelyn’s smile vanished instantly. She recognized that voice.
Sophia.
“What are you doing here?” Evelyn asked softly.
Sophia chuckled. “Am I not allowed to visit you?”
“You’d better leave,” Evelyn said, still politely. “You shouldn’t be here; Lorenzo will be furious.”
Evelyn tried to warn her. However, Sophia ignored her warning.
“Dad told me to come here to bring you the things you left at our house,” Evelyn explained.
The sound of Sophia dropping the suitcase onto the ground startled Evelyn.
“Even though I don’t think you need them anymore, your things are making our house feel cramped.”
She then slowly approached Evelyn’s seat.
“I’m curious. What’s it like living with a monster like Lorenzo De Luca?” Sophia whispered with a cynical laugh.
Evelyn chose to remain silent. The more she responded, the happier Sophia would be.
“Why are you so quiet?”
Sophia clicked her tongue. “Don’t tell me you’re starting to fall in love with that old man. You should know he bought you not because he felt sorry for you, but because he plans to make you his slave for the rest of his life.”
“Stop it! I don’t want to argue with you.” Evelyn tried to remain patient with Sophia.
“But I want to. It’s been a long time since I’ve bothered you. The house is so quiet without you, Eve,” Sophia taunted, laughing.
Sophia roughly grabbed Evelyn’s arm.
“I’m the one who should be in this mansion. Not you. Not a blind woman like you. But this mansion belongs to a dangerous monster.”
Evelyn winced. “Sophia, let me go!”
“Why? Can you see my face now?”
Sophia laughed smugly. “Oh yeah, I forgot. You don’t even know who’s hurting you.”
Those words struck a blow to Evelyn’s pride. She pulled her arm away.
“Sophia, go away!”
But Sophia simply shoved her shoulder.
“I’m absolutely sick of looking at you. You should have died with your mother back then.”
Evelyn lost her balance. She didn’t realize that right behind her was a marble staircase leading to the main hall.
Her heel hit the first step.
Empty.
Her body fell backward. It all happened so fast.
“Miss Evelyn!” The servants’ shouts echoed.
Time seemed to slow down. Evelyn closed her eyes, bracing herself for a violent impact.
But it never happened. Someone grabbed her waist firmly before her body hit the steps.
Silence enveloped the hall.
Evelyn could feel a heartbeat that wasn’t her own. It was so warm and incredibly strong. For some reason, it actually made her feel safe.
“Boss,” whispered one of the bodyguards.
Lorenzo slowly helped Evelyn to her feet.
“Are you hurt?” he asked anxiously.
Evelyn shook her head gently. “No.”
Only after making sure Evelyn could stand on her own did Lorenzo turn around.
His gaze fell on Sophia. There was no anger on his face. Yet that was precisely what sent a chill through the entire room.
The sound of heavy footsteps echoed from the main hall. All the guards on duty bowed their heads in unison.
“Boss.”
Sophia turned her head instinctively. Then, she froze. The man walking into the mansion was much younger than she had imagined.
A perfectly tailored black suit hugged his tall, sturdy frame. His black hair was neatly combed, while his handsome face looked so cold that it was hard to tell what he was thinking.
However, what made it hardest for Sophia to look away was a pair of piercing gray eyes that seemed capable of reading a person’s very soul.
“So, he’s Lorenzo De Luca,” Sophia murmured, half-awake.
The mafia don whose name she’d only ever heard in the news and through the whispers of shady businesspeople.
‘So, this is the man they call the King of Blood. How fascinating.’
For some reason, Sophia’s heart was beating faster. Not out of fear. But because she was captivated.
“A man this handsome is the one who bought Evelyn,” she thought.
“It should be a woman like me standing beside him.”
Sophia unconsciously smoothed her hair, straightened her dress, and then flashed the sweetest smile she could muster.
“Good afternoon, Mr. De Luca,” Sophia greeted him warmly, extending her hand.
She made her voice as soft as possible, hoping Lorenzo would be drawn to her.
“I’m Sophia Moretti. Evelyn’s younger sister.”
There was no reply.
Lorenzo didn’t even glance in her direction or shake Sophia’s hand. He walked right past her as if she were just a piece of furniture in the mansion.
The smile on Sophia’s lips began to fade. She tried again.
“My father talks about you often. I’m so glad we finally get to meet.”
Still no response.
Lorenzo stopped a few steps in front of Evelyn, who was standing there accompanied by a servant.
“Is she all right?” he asked curtly.
“Yes, Boss.”
“Thank goodness, then.”
Only three words came out of Lorenzo’s mouth. Yet, Sophia felt as if her chest were being squeezed.
Ever since entering the hall, Lorenzo hadn’t looked at her even once. Instead, his gaze was fixed solely on the blind girl whom Sophia had always looked down on.
“Why does it have to be Evelyn?”
“What’s so special about her?”
Sophia clenched her fists.
The jealousy that had been nothing more than a small ember all this time had now turned into a raging fire.
“If only Evelyn weren’t here, the woman standing by Lorenzo’s side should be me.”
Her smile slowly faded, replaced by a cold determination.
If she wanted to capture Lorenzo’s attention, then she had to get rid of Evelyn. Yes, she wouldn’t hesitate to do it.
“Who dared to touch her?” Lorenzo asked his bodyguards.
No one dared to answer.
Sophia tried to smile. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.”
“You didn't mean to?” Lorenzo turned to look at her.
Lorenzo’s footsteps sounded soft. As he drew closer, Sophia unconsciously took a few steps back to avoid him.
“She almost fell.”
“I was just…”
A hard slap sent Sophia crashing to the floor. Everyone froze. No one had ever seen Lorenzo so angry—or seen him hit a woman.
Sophia held her cheek, trembling.
“You?”
Lorenzo crouched down until he was level with her. His voice was almost a whisper. Yet it sounded all the more terrifying.
“Listen to me carefully.” He grabbed Sophia’s chin, forcing her to look him in the eye.
“The woman you just shoved is my fiancée.”
Sophia turned pale instantly. “What?”
“That’s impossible.”
“Mr. Lorenzo,” her voice trembled. “She’s just a blind girl.”
Lorenzo released her chin with disgust.
“In my eyes, she’s far more valuable than the entire Moretti family.”
Richard, who had just arrived at the mansion, froze upon hearing those words. He never imagined that the man who had bought his daughter would be standing right in front of him like this.
Lorenzo took another step forward. Now all the bodyguards automatically cocked their weapons. No one moved. No one could breathe a sigh of relief.
Lorenzo’s gaze remained fixed on Sophia. Then, in a voice as cold as a death sentence, he said, “Dare to touch my wife again, and I’ll bury you alive.”
Sophia swallowed hard.
Lorenzo narrowed his eyes.