"Open your eyes, Amelia," a deep baritone urged me to wake up.
I slowly fluttered my eyes open, smiling happily at seeing the familiar face of my dream boy gazing at me. Although he appeared much older than his previous version, he was still the same person I knew. It was within his gaze and how it radiated with so much warmth and love. Reality was too cruel, and I didn't want to wake up and face it.
I reached out to touch his face, feeling the light stubble already forming on his jaw, when those blue and green heterochromia eyes glared coldly at me.
Recognition slammed into me that instant. This wasn't my dream. This was reality. And this person was… "Lorenzo!"
I jerked my hand back, like I'd been burned. And it was then when I realized I was in his arms, and he was carrying me.
How long had I been in this position?
I freaked out and was about to get back on my feet when I noticed his heterochromia eyes lighting up with something akin to a sinister look. He chose that moment to make his announcement.
"Welcome to your new home, Amelia. Welcome to hell."
Before I could fully register his words, I felt my body being thrown into the air, and for one split second, I was flying, until gravity took force and I crashed into the pool of water below, the attack searing at my skin. I sunk to the bottom of the pool like deadweight.
I struggled in my new environment, fighting for a chance to breathe again. Water entered my nose and mouth. Survival instinct took over and I geared back into action. I pushed to my feet and reached for the surface, having just enough time to gain my bearings, when I was attacked again for a second time by a massive wave rippling through the pool.
I coughed and sputtered, wiping at my eyes to clear my vision, only to see Lorenzo making his way toward me, like a shark after his prey. I was his prey.
Fear gripped at my heart and I searched for an escape route. There it was. At the edge of the pool, a door leading me away from this room. If only I could reach it in time before Lorenzo caught up to me, I would run away from him.
I turned back and saw Lorenzo fast approaching. I checked my destination again. It was so close to me. Just a few feet away. I could make it.
I forced my feet to swim faster, but Lorenzo was way stronger and a better swimmer than me. In less than three seconds flat, he caught up, his fingers locking on to my ankle.
I panicked, kicking at him to release his hold, but his grip only tightened, and he pulled me into his powerful arms, trapping me against his chest. I pushed him again, not making his mission easy when he deployed another tactic, whipping me out of my senses. He moved so fast; his face became a blur. It was only until his lips were on me that I realized he was kissing me.
No. This wasn't a kiss. This was his way of controlling me.
I drummed at his chest, trying so hard to tear my mouth away, but he chased my lips and kissed me again, his palms locking my face into place.
I was starved of air. I whimpered, my way of begging him to stop. But he wouldn't relent. He kept going, kissing me as if he had a thousand vendettas to settle with me.
Just when I was on the verge of blacking out, he released me. I hurriedly gulped much-needed air, gaining enough oxygen to come back to my senses when he abruptly dragged me out of the pool and into the heat of the spraying shower. He turned the nozzle up and the pressure increased, the water biting and grazing at my skin.
"Stop. Stop it." I choked, thrashing the nozzle away.
He finally stopped and I fell into an exhaustive heap in the corner of the shower. Everything was too much for me, and I became overwhelmed; I cried, large teardrops falling down my face. "Why are you doing this to me?"
He crouched down to my level, gripping my head and tilting my chin up until his whole face was in my vantage point. He had to make sure I was paying attention to him. He had to make sure I only saw him. And I did, his cruel eyes staring at me mercilessly.
"Did you forget that you just sold yourself to me for the sake of saving your father?"
"Is that why you're treating me this way?"
"How did you think I would treat you? Did you think I was some nice guy who bought a woman with my four million dollars, just so I could put her on a pedestal? Is that what you think I would do, Amelia? Well, bad news. You've met the devil. You belong to me now and I can treat you how the fuck I want. Now get up!"
He jerked me by the arm and dragged me into one of the bedrooms and threw me onto the bed. He rummaged through the wardrobe, took out some towels and clothes, and threw them at me.
"Get dressed. I want to see you in the dining room in ten minutes."
And he exited the door just as fast as he had entered my life.
Once alone I fell into an uncontrollable sob. What had my life turned into? Within the span of two hours, I'd been ripped away from the family I loved and the life I had always known. And it was all because of that man named Lorenzo. He had taken everything away from me, but what he couldn't take was my dignity and my will to live.
Be strong, Amelia. You are going to be okay. If you want to survive this, you have to be strong. Your life will be fine… Life…..