Serena didn't sleep that night.
The sheets were Egyptian cotton—probably cost more than her entire semester's tuition—but they felt like sandpaper against her skin.
She lay on her back, staring at the ornate ceiling, watching shadows from the moonlight dance across the molding.
Beautiful.
Everything in this gilded prison was beautiful.
And none of it mattered.
Dante's final words circled her mind like vultures.
"Viktor is a dangerous man. By speaking tonight, you made yourself interesting to him. If something happens to you now... well. I warned you I wouldn't protect you."
Serena's fingers curled into the sheets.
She'd been stupid. So fucking stupid.
Why couldn't she have just kept her mouth shut?
One night.
She couldn't stay quiet for one goddamn night.
But I'm not broken.
She'd meant those words. Every syllable.
But now, alone in the dark with only her fear for company, she wondered if defiance was worth the price she'd have to pay.
When dawn finally bled through the barred windows, Serena dragged herself from bed.
Her reflection in the vanity mirror looked like a stranger—dark circles carved deep beneath her eyes, skin pale as moonlight, lips chapped and bitten raw.
I have to survive.
It was the only thought that mattered. The only goal that existed.
Serena dressed in the plainest clothes she could find—a simple black sweater and jeans someone had left in the wardrobe.
When she tried the door handle, it turned.
Unlocked.
She stood frozen for a moment, hand still gripping the cool metal.
Was this a test?
Was Dante somewhere watching cameras, waiting to see if she'd run?
But staying in this room would drive her insane.
The walls were already closing in.
The hallway stretched empty and silent.
Early morning light filtered through tall windows, turning dust motes into tiny galaxies.
Serena walked slowly, her footsteps muffled by thick carpet.
She had no destination.
She just needed to move.
To feel like she had some semblance of control over her own body.
The grand staircase appeared before her, sweeping down to the marble foyer.
Morning sun poured through massive windows, and for a moment—just a brief, cruel moment—the beauty of it stole her breath.
"Well, well. Look what we have here."
The voice shattered the moment.
Serena turned.
Three maids stood at the end of the corridor, watching her.
They were whispering to each other, but their voices carried clearly down the hall.
Intentionally loud.
"That's her? The one the Boss bought?"
"Two and a half million dollars, they said."
"She looks so... ordinary. I expected someone prettier."
Heat flooded Serena's cheeks.
She tried to walk past them, to ignore the venom in their words.
But one of the maids stepped directly into her path.
This woman was older—forties, maybe.
Lines bracketed her mouth, and her eyes held the kind of cold malice that came from years of swallowing bitterness.
"Good morning, Miss."
The title dripped with mockery.
Serena met her gaze.
"Excuse me."
"'Excuse me'? Where are your manners? Do you know who we are? We've worked in this estate for over a decade. You've been here two days."
The other maids snickered.
Serena's nails bit into her palms.
"I said excuse me."
"Or what? Going to run crying to the Boss?"
The woman—her name tag read Laura—took another step forward.
Close enough that Serena could smell coffee and cigarettes on her breath.
"Let me tell you something, sweetheart. We all know what you are. You're just his newest toy. Give it a month and you'll be gone. There were others before you. Want to know where they ended up?"
Serena's heart kicked against her ribs.
"...Where?"
Laura's smile was cruel.
"Gone. The Boss gets bored easily. And when he does... well, you'll find out."
The threat hung in the air like smoke.
Serena refused to let fear show on her face.
She'd already shown too much weakness.
Not again.
"You're jealous."
The words left her mouth before she could stop them.
Laura's expression twisted.
"What did you say?"
"I said you're jealous. Because he chose me. Not you."
The slap came fast.
Serena's head snapped to the side, ears ringing.
Pain bloomed hot across her cheek.
She stumbled, catching herself against the wall.
When she touched her face, her fingers came away red.
Laura's nails had broken skin.
"How dare you talk back to me? You're nothing here. Just an expensive whore!"
Serena stared at the blood on her fingertips.
Something inside her cracked—not broke, but splintered.
Rage mixed with humiliation mixed with a hatred so pure it tasted like copper on her tongue.
"You—"
"What the hell is going on?"
A new voice cut through the tension.
Everyone turned.
Enzo stood at the top of the stairs.
His expression had gone stone-cold.
His eyes locked on Serena's bleeding cheek, then Laura's raised hand.
"Laura. What did you just do?"
His voice dropped to a lethal quiet.
Laura's face drained of color.
"I... she was..."
"You touched the Boss's property."
Enzo descended the stairs slowly.
Each footfall echoed like a judge's gavel.
"You know the rules. No one touches what belongs to him. Not for any reason."
"But this bitch started—"
"Shut your mouth."
Enzo stopped directly in front of Laura.
He towered over her, and despite his calm demeanor, violence radiated from him like heat from asphalt in summer.
"I'm reporting this to the Boss. You know what happens now."
"Please..."
Laura's voice cracked.
"Please, I have children. A family. I just—it was a mistake. I'll never—"
"Too late."
Enzo pulled out his phone.
Dialed.
The silence while it rang felt eternal.
"Boss. Sorry to disturb you, but we have a situation. Laura just... yes. She struck her."
More silence.
Serena watched Enzo's jaw tighten.
"Understood. I'll bring her now."
He ended the call.
Looked at Laura.
"The Boss is coming. I'd start praying if I were you."
Laura collapsed to her knees.
"No. No, please. My kids need me. I can't—"
But Enzo's expression didn't change.
Footsteps echoed from above.
Heavy.
Measured.
Dante Moretti appeared at the top of the grand staircase.
He wore a silk shirt, half-unbuttoned.
His hair was slightly mussed, as if he'd just rolled out of bed.
But his eyes were fully awake.
And they burned with fury.
Dante descended slowly.
His gaze never left Serena—specifically, the blood on her cheek.
He walked past Laura without a glance and stopped directly in front of Serena.
"Who did it?"
His voice was so cold, so devoid of warmth, that Serena's breath caught.
"...Laura."
The name barely made it past her lips.
Dante turned his head.
Looked at the woman still kneeling on the floor, sobbing.
"Boss, I'm sorry. I made a mistake. I'll never—"
"Your hand."
Laura blinked through her tears.
"W-what?"
"The hand you used. Hold it out."
Laura's entire body shook as she extended her right hand.
Palm up.
Trembling so badly it looked like she might collapse.
Dante gripped her index finger.
And snapped it.
Crack.
Laura's scream tore through the foyer.
She crumpled to the marble floor, cradling her hand against her chest, wailing like an animal.
Serena couldn't breathe.
Couldn't move.
She'd just watched Dante break a woman's finger with the same casual ease most people used to snap a pencil.
Dante looked down at Laura with absolutely zero emotion on his face.
"That's your warning. Next time, I'll break your wrist. Then your arm. Then..."
He paused.
"Use your imagination."
He turned to Enzo.
"Get her out. No severance. No recommendation letter. Make sure no one in the city hires her."
"Yes, Boss."
Enzo hauled Laura to her feet and half-dragged her away.
Her sobs echoed down the corridor until a door slammed, cutting off the sound.
The other two maids had already vanished.
The foyer fell silent.
Dante approached Serena slowly.
She tried to step back, but her spine hit the wall.
No escape.
He reached out.
His fingers caught her chin, tilting her face toward the light.
His thumb brushed over her wound.
Serena flinched.
"Does it hurt?"
He whispered it.
Almost gentle.
Almost.
Serena couldn't answer.
Shock still had her in its grip.
Dante studied her face with clinical precision.
His eyes remained cold, but something else lurked beneath—possession.
Rage at someone touching what was his.
"What did I tell you, Little Bird?"
His voice turned velvet-soft.
Dangerous.
"I protect what's mine. As long as you belong to me, no one touches you. No one."
Serena stared up at him.
Her voice shook when she finally spoke.
"You didn't... you didn't protect me. You just..."
"Protected my investment. Yes. Exactly."
That cold smile returned.
"You need to understand something, Serena. In this house, only one person is allowed to hurt you."
He leaned closer.
Close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his body.
"Me."
That single word froze the blood in her veins.
Dante's hand slid from her chin to her hair.
He stroked it almost tenderly—but the possessiveness in the gesture made her skin crawl.
"Do you see now? You're under my protection. But you're also under my control. You can't run, because this is the only place you're safe. Ironic, isn't it?"
Serena bit her lip hard enough to taste blood.
She wanted to scream.
Wanted to claw at his face.
But she swallowed it all down.
Dante released her.
Stepped back.
"Enzo will bring you something for that cut. Get it treated. I don't want it scarring."
He turned toward the stairs.
"Oh, and Serena?"
He didn't look back.
"Next time someone bothers you, tell me immediately. I'll... handle it."
Then he was gone.
Serena stood frozen against the wall for a long time after he left.
Her mind struggled to process what had just happened.
Dante had saved her.
But only because she was his property.
Like a man protecting his car from vandals.
Like a collector preserving a valuable painting.
He'd told her plainly: the only safe place for her was beside him.
The only protection she'd receive came from the man who owned her.
It was a lie.
But terrifyingly—sickeningly—it was also the truth.
[To be continued in Episode 4...]
[AUTHOR'S NOTE]
Hey readers! Thank you so much for making it to Episode 3.
I know this one was intense—watching Dante snap Laura's finger in front of Serena like it meant nothing.
But that's the reality of the world they're living in.
Dante Moretti doesn't do mercy.
He does ownership.
A lot of you have been asking: "Does Dante actually care about Serena, or is she really just property to him?"
The answer is... complicated.
Right now, he sees her as a possession—something valuable that he won't allow anyone else to damage.
But there's something else starting to simmer beneath that cold exterior.
Did you notice how his thumb lingered on her wound?
How his voice dropped when he called her "Little Bird"?
That's not just ownership.
That's the beginning of something much more dangerous.
What's coming in Episode 4:
Serena makes a BOLD move (and I mean bold)
Viktor shows up when Dante's not home (oh no...)
Serena offers Dante a deal he can't refuse
We learn about Serena's hidden skillset (trust me, you're going to LOVE this)
Some of you predicted that Serena would fight back eventually.
Well, that moment is coming faster than you think.
She's not going to stay a caged bird forever.
And when she spreads her wings?
Dante's going to realize he's caught something far more dangerous than he bargained for.
Question for you: Do you think Dante will actually protect Serena when Viktor comes for her? Or will he let her sink or swim on her own?
Drop your predictions in the comments—I love reading your theories!
Also, please don't forget to subscribe if you're enjoying this story.
Your support means everything, and honestly, knowing you're all out there rooting for Serena (or maybe rooting for Dante—I see you, dark romance lovers ) keeps me writing.
Next episode drops soon.
I promise you—things are about to get even darker, more dangerous, and WAY more intense.
Until then, stay safe out there.
Unlike Serena, you're not trapped in a mafia mansion with a possessive crime lord.
...Or are you?
See you in Episode 4!
xoxo,
Your Author ❤️
P.S. - That scene where Dante said "only one person is allowed to hurt you—me"? Yeah, that line is going to come back later. Remember it.