Elena's POV
I came home late that night. The streets were almost deserted, lit only by streetlamps that cast long, unsettling shadows. My bag weighed heavy on my shoulder, and I quickened my pace, eager to reach the safety of my room. Every sound echoed too loudly in the silence of the city.
A noise behind me. Footsteps. I spun around, but there was nothing—only the breath of the wind. My heart raced, my fingers tightening around the strap of my bag. Don't panic, Elena...
I crossed a narrow alley, and suddenly a black car appeared, its headlights blinding me. Before I could scream, a door slammed and strong hands seized me.
"Let me go!" I shouted, struggling with all my strength.
A rough cloth pressed against my mouth. The chemical scent overwhelmed me. I clawed, I fought, but my movements dissolved into emptiness.
"Calm down," a deep voice whispered at my ear.
My body was lifted, thrown into the back of the vehicle. Doors slammed, the engine roared. My vision blurred, my strength drained away. Why me...? Then darkness swallowed me whole.
I woke with a jolt, breath shallow. Silk sheets slid against my skin like a stranger's caress. The room around me felt unreal: black marble, golden chandeliers, heavy curtains smothering the light. Everything breathed luxury... but a suffocating luxury, a gilded prison.
My heart pounded so hard I could hear it in my ears. Where am I? What's happening?
A shiver traced my neck. I lifted my gaze—and saw him.
In a leather armchair, a man watched me. His posture was relaxed, almost insolent, but his eyes... dark, burning, cutting into me like a blade. His shirt hung open over a sculpted chest, every line of his body carved for dominance. He chewed gum slowly, with icy arrogance.
His voice broke the silence, low and unyielding. "Wake up, Elena.
I instinctively stepped back, clutching the sheets against me like a useless shield. "Who... who are you?"
His smile widened, cruel. He leaned closer, his breath brushing my skin. "Dante Valerio. Remember that name... it will change your life."
The name pierced me. My father's words echoed instantly in my memory: One day, a man will come to claim what I could never repay...
My lips trembled. "You... you're the man my father spoke of..."
He tilted his head, satisfied, and his fingers slid over my shoulder. His hand was warm, slow, deliberate. "Your father sold you to me, Elena. You are now my property."
I froze, unable to breathe. His words thundered inside me. My father... had sold me? No. It was impossible. He had every flaw in the world—liar, coward, selfish. But to go so far as to hand me over like merchandise...
"You're lying..." I whispered, broken. "He would never..."
Dante didn't answer. Calmly, he pulled a folded sheet of paper from the inside pocket of his jacket and placed it before me. My fingers shook as I opened it. The printed words struck me like a slap: transfer contract, debt amount, my father's signature.
My blood turned cold. It was written in black and white. No doubt remained. My father had sold me to pay his debt.
My eyes blurred with tears. "So... it's true..." I murmured, devastated.
Dante's gaze darkened, sharp as a blade. "You refuse to believe it. But it is the truth. You are the price of his debt. And from now on... you belong to me."
My hands were still trembling around the paper. I lifted my head toward him, my throat tight. "What do you expect from me?" I whispered.
A flash of satisfaction crossed his gaze. Slowly, he placed a photo on the coffee table. I approached, hesitant, and my breath caught. On the image, a man—elegant, powerful, with an icy stare.
"Him. Cassian Riva. You will seduce him, enter his life... and bring me everything he hides."
I stared at the photo, horrified. "How... how could I ever seduce a man like him? He seems... untouchable."
Dante leaned back in his chair, insolent, his shirt half open. "Every man has a weakness. Even the strongest. And you... you will be that weakness."
Panic rose inside me, burning. Shame tightened around my throat. "I will never be able to convince him..." My voice broke. "To seduce, you must be experienced... and I... I am still a virgin."
The silence thickened, heavy, suffocating. I lowered my eyes, ashamed, unable to meet his gaze.
A slow, predatory smile stretched across his lips. He chewed his gum with calculated insolence. "You think your innocence is a weakness... but I am the one who will decide what you become."
I felt my hands clutch the sheets. My heart pounded so hard it seemed ready to burst from my chest. "Please..." I whispered, tears in my eyes. "Don't force me..."
He stepped closer, his shadow engulfing me. His burning gaze locked onto mine as he murmured, "Don't worry , Elena. Soon... you will no longer be the girl you once were."
"Consider yourself lucky that it's me who's deflowering you." "Lie down."
"I beg you, I'm not ready for this. I'll do anything you want, but not this."
You can't enter this world without having gone through that," he replied, his breath against my skin.
He stepped closer, his shadow engulfing me. His burning eyes locked onto mine, and I understood there was no escape. My body stiffened, my hands clutching the sheets, but his voice cut through the silence, cold and final.
"You belong to me, Elena. Tonight, you will no longer be the girl you once were."
Tears blurred my vision. My heart was breaking, each beat echoing like a useless protest. I wanted to scream, to run, to disappear… but I was nothing more than prey trapped in his gilded cage.
Dante savored every second of my despair. His gaze fed on my fear, my shame, my surrender. He didn't just want to possess me — he wanted to break me, to reshape me, to turn me into the weapon of his vengeance.
And in that suffocating silence, I realized my life had shifted forever. The girl I had been was gone. In her place remained only a woman, forged under the grip of Dante Valerio.
The Next Morning –
The light filtered through the heavy curtains. I opened my eyes with difficulty. My head hurt, a dull migraine pounding at my temples. I rose cautiously, my movements clumsy, my hair in disarray.
"What is this… my head hurts… it feels like it's going to explode."
I staggered toward the coffee table. My legs were heavy, my body sore. I bent to grab a glass of water, but as I straightened, I rubbed my aching hips with a grimace.
"Ouch… even that hurts…" I murmured, ironic despite myself.
I hadn't realized Dante was already watching me, seated in the armchair. His gaze pierced through me. I startled when I saw him, the glass trembling in my hand. "You… you were here… since when?"
He didn't answer immediately. He simply stared, impassive. Embarrassed, I sat awkwardly back on the bed, my body still aching. The silence was heavy, almost mocking. At last, he gave a cold smile.
"Now you are a woman, no longer a girl. The pain will pass… I'll make sure of it."
"Can I… at least have something for the pain?" I asked in a pleading voice.
A knock at the door. A maid entered, setting down a tray: steaming coffee, fruit, pastries… and a box of painkillers. Dante took the box, stepped forward, and placed it slowly on the bedside table.
"There. Even your relief depends on me," he murmured.
He pressed a kiss to my shoulder. I shivered, confused. "You must learn to seduce before meeting our man," he said in a low voice.
"Yesterday it was sex… now seduction? What exactly do you want me to do?" I protested.
He smiled, dangerous. Sitting across from me, he began. "First lesson: the gaze. Never lower your eyes. A man must feel you hold him, even in silence."
He forced my chin up, making me meet his stare. "See? Even without a word, you already belong to me."
"Second lesson: the gesture. A smile, a hand that brushes, a calculated pause… all must make him feel trapped."
He guided my hand to his chest. I hesitated, then brushed against his shirt. Dante closed his eyes briefly, satisfied. "See? Even a clumsy touch can make a man believe he is desired."
I pulled my hand back abruptly, ashamed. He laughed softly, cruel. "Third lesson: silence. Sometimes, saying nothing is more powerful than any speech."
He leaned closer, his face inches from mine. I held my breath. He smiled. "There… you understand. Silence can be a promise."
I recoiled, shaken. I realized he wasn't just teaching me to seduce — he was shaping me, turning me into an instrument of his game.
He rose, his shadow stretching across the marble. "Tonight, you will dine with me. Consider it your first practice."
He pulled me suddenly against him. I lost balance and fell onto his lap. I gasped, my hands clutching at his neck.
"I'll show you… how to kiss with the tongue," he said sharply.
Our lips brushed. I closed my eyes, unable to resist. The kiss came, brutal, overwhelming. My throat tightened, my body stiffened, yet a strange heat coursed through me.
He deepened the gesture. His tongue forced its way, invading my mouth. I flinched inside, startled by the intrusion. I wanted to pull away, but my body remained trapped. The taste was harsh, violent, hypnotic. Every move of Dante was a demonstration of power.
He steals me… he invades me… and yet, he teaches me. Even this kiss is a lesson.
He stormed out of the room. My heart had never beaten so fast. I collapsed onto the bed.
"I'm doomed… this man will never leave me alone until he gets what he wants. I'm at his mercy, it seems."