Chapter 4 - The Betrayal in the DarkBack at the estate, the adrenaline of the gala faded into a tense, heavy silence.
Mabel sat by the large bay window in Alessandro’s private study, watching the rain streak against the glass. Alessandro stood across the room pouring a glass of scotch, his broad shoulders tense beneath his unbuttoned shirt.
“You didn't have to humiliate them like that,” Mabel said quietly, breaking the silence.
Alessandro set his glass down and walked over to her, kneeling beside her chair so their eyes were level. “They insulted you, Mabel. In my world, an insult to what is mine is a declaration of war.”
“I’m not a possession, Alessandro,” she sighed, turning to look at him. “I’m just a girl from a working-class neighborhood. Tonight proved that your world and my world... they don't mix. Those people will never accept me. And honestly... I’m terrified.”
Alessandro reached up, taking her hands in his. His grip was warm and fiercely protective. “Let them hate. Let them fear. As long as you are with me, no one will ever lay a hand on you.”
He leaned in, capturing her lips in a deep, tender kiss that melted away her fears, replacing them with a dizzying, overwhelming wave of love.
That night, in the quiet sanctuary of the master suite, Mabel surrendered completely.
She believed they were untouchable.
She was wrong.
Two weeks later, Alessandro was summoned away to an emergency syndicate summit on the Indiana docks. A major international shipment had been intercepted, and his immediate presence was required to root out a suspected traitor within his inner circle.
Before he left, he kissed her forehead. “Lock the doors, Mabel. I’ll be back by midnight.”
Midnight came and went.
At 2:00 AM, the heavy oak doors of the estate’s private foyer rattled.
Mabel woke up from a restless sleep, wrapping a silk robe around her shoulders. She stepped out into the hallway, expecting to see Alessandro.
Instead, three men in dark tactical gear stepped out of the shadows.
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Before she could scream, a heavy cloth soaked in chloroform was clamped over her mouth and nose. The sweet, chemical smell flooded her lungs, and her legs buckled. As the darkness dragged her down into unconsciousness, the last thing she heard was a cold, unfamiliar voice.
“Get her into the van. Vance wants her gone before Moretti gets back.”
