Chapter 6.

Luca stood next to his desk, staring at some pictures. As the boss of the Moreno Mafia, he had money, power, and influence, but why was it so hard to find his little sister? Was it because she was brutally taken away from him in Las Vegas? He had influence there, but not as much as in New York. He was certain she might not even be in Las Vegas anyway.

"Boss," Diego walked in, kneeled, and bowed in greeting.

"What do you have for me, Diego?"

"Marco is secretly searching for Sophia DeLuca. And her cousin Ariana held her first meeting as the new boss."

Luca's jaw clenched tightly. He was beginning to see a pattern here; something was up between Marco and Ariana. He was grateful to them, though. All these years, he'd been trying to infiltrate the DeLuca Mafia and abduct Dante's daughter, but they made it easy for him.

"It seems they're in sync," Diego suggested thoughtfully, catching Luka's attention. "Maybe like an affair?"

"Is there proof that they are having an affair?"

"No sir, but—"

"No buts. I deal with facts and figures, Diego. Get me some proof, some fucking dirt about those two."

"Yes sir. And boss, there's a meeting with the Mafia bosses at Downtown Marina later tonight."

"Tell them I'll be there," Luca replied, still looking at the pictures. "You may leave."

Diego bowed and took his leave. After a minute or so, the phone rang, and Luka quickly picked up.

"Hello Boss,"Carla greeted. "She's awake."

"I'll be there shortly," he announced firmly and then cut the call.

It was time to continue his game. He quickly dropped the pictures on the desk and walked out.

Thelma, his secretary, stood up immediately as she saw him coming out of the office. "Boss, the real estate investors are coming."

"I'll be seeing them tomorrow, and send my regards to them." He didn't wait for her reply as he walked past her.

Thelma sighed. She knew she couldn't argue with him. She was well aware that even though her boss was a billionaire businessman, he was a ruthless Mafia boss who shouldn't be messed with.

***

Luca Moreno's Estate

Sophia looked around anxiously, realizing she was on a large bed and fully clothed. She wore a simple white gown, which she considered tacky, but it was still better than being naked. The room was spacious, neat, and beautiful.

"I'm glad you're fully awake now," Carla's voice interrupted her as she walked in carrying a food tray.

"How long have I been asleep?" Sophia asked, feeling a pang hit her head instantly.

"Since last night," Carla replied, placing the tray on the bed. "It's been, what, ten? Eleven hours?"

"I slept for that long?"

"Yes, you were totally out. The doctor said it was because of fatigue, cold...and hunger."

Sophia's eyes immediately darted to the tray on the bed. The food this time was a healthy-looking pasta, salad, and orange juice, but she raised her head defiantly. "I'm not hungry."

Her stomach had other plans as it rumbled loudly.

"Your stomach says otherwise," Carla teased, and Sophia's cheeks darkened a shade of pink. "Just eat before the boss returns, or do you want to go back to the pole?"

Of course, Sophia didn't!

But she was battling with her pride. However, right now was not the time to be prideful. She could barely talk without taking rapid breaths. She was clearly starving and exhausted.

Without another word, she picked up the fork and started eating the food. After taking a handful, she stopped and looked at Carla suspiciously. "I hope this isn't poisoned."

Carla scoffed. "You really think the boss wants you to die easily?"

"What's your name, please?"

Carla looked at her skeptically but replied, "Carla."

"Carla, please, could you tell me why your boss hates me so much?"

"No, I can't."

"Then who is he? Who is Luca Moreno?"

"A billionaire businessman," Carla stubbornly replied, but Sophia's eyes rolled.

"He's clearly Mafia. What are you called, the Moreno Mafia?" Now that she thought about it, that name did seem to ring a bell in her mind.

"Just eat up already," Carla urged. Seeing as she couldn't get any information from the woman, Sophia started eating her food like a hungry lion.

After a few minutes, Sophia finished eating and drank some water before looking up at Carla. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Carla managed a forced smile, picking up the tray. "I'm going to drop this downstairs." As she opened the door, she saw Luca approaching with lazy strides.

His eyes darted to the empty tray, but he didn't say anything as he motioned for Carla to leave. Shutting the door behind her, his eyes focused on Sophia, who was on the bed, glaring at him angrily.

"I see you've finally eaten. You know if you had actually listened and done so earlier, you wouldn't have had to suffer like that."

"Cut the crap and tell me why the fuck I'm here," Sophia snapped.

Luca's eyes widened in amusement. Even in spite of everything, she still had a smart mouth. She was fearless; he'd give her that. But it only made breaking her more fun.

"You better be careful how you speak to me," he pointed at her slowly. "You don't want me to cut your fucking tongue out."

Sophia held back, knowing she couldn't afford to offend him right now. He might actually do something crazy. He literally tied her to a pole naked! What else was this man capable of doing to her? She needed to control her anger or she might be dead before she had a chance at revenge.

"Please," she decided to approach him gently. "Please, why do you hate me so much? Just tell me, I beg you."

"I don't want to," he replied with a bland expression, though his eyes were cold as ice. "I love how frustrated it makes you."

Just then, Carla knocked at the door, and Luca invited her in. Sophia noticed that Carla was holding some clothes in her hands.

"Is it ready?" Luca asked firmly.

"Yes, sir, the room is ready."

Luca nodded and faced her."Get up."

Sophia hesitated, unsure of the reason they were taking her from this comfortable room.

"I said, fucking get up!"

The force of the command made her jump out of the bed. She stood in front of him, her confused eyes darting from him to Carla.

"Take her to her room and tell her what she'll be doing from now on," Luca ordered coldly and walked out of the room.

"What does he mean by—" Sophia began, but Carla cut her off sharply.

"Follow me." Carla motioned for her to follow. "And do not try anything stupid like trying to escape. Believe me, you'll regret it," she warned before opening the door.

Carla led Sophia through a long hallway with beautiful interiors—elegant chandeliers, polished wooden floors, and luxurious paintings adorning the walls. They took a set of stairs, climbing higher and deeper into the mansion, where the ambiance became darker.

They continued down another hallway, this one dark and depressing, Sophia's anxiety grew. The luxurious decor from earlier seemed a distant memory as the walls here were bare, the floors scuffed, and the lighting sparse.

Finally, Carla paused in front of a door. She opened it, revealing a small, sparsely furnished room. A tiny bed, a wooden chair, and a small wardrobe were the only pieces of furniture inside.

"This is where you'll be staying from now on," Carla's voice was flat and unemotional as she handed Sophia an outfit. "Change into these clothes," she continued, "but first, go have a bath. The boss doesn't like dirty people."

Sophia looked at the outfit, which resembled a maid's uniform. She had never worn anything like it in her life, and the very sight of it filled her with disgust.

Carla noticed her hesitation. "After that, it will be straight to work."

"Work?"

"Yes, a whole lot of work," Carla nodded emphatically. "Now, go take your bath. You have just thirty minutes. You don't want the boss to punish you. I'll be back shortly." With that, Carla left and locked the door behind her.

Sophia quickly crossed the room and tried the door, confirming it was indeed locked. In the blink of an eye, she had been stripped of her life and turned into a prisoner! Somehow, she had to find a way to escape this hell.