Chapter 4

“I need it, babe”, she sounded into the phone. Her friend, Francesca had just invited her to a spa session. "What’s on your mind, Eloise?" Francesca asked, noticing her friend's distant gaze upon arrival

She was too frustrated to talk, but the burden was too much to keep to herself. "Vincent is the problem. I don’t want him in my life at all. And besides, he’s kinda old," she admitted.

"Old? How old is he?" Francesca inquired, raising an eyebrow. "Thirty-two," Eloise replied flatly. "Older men are usually better in bed, you know," Francesca whispered with a mischievous grin.

"Like I care?" Eloise shot back, rolling her eyes in annoyance. "Vincent is hot as hell. If I were in your shoes, oh damn," Bella chimed in, her tone dripping with envy.

"Then go ahead and be me. Get some surgery if you need to," Eloise retorted, her voice laced with sarcasm.

But can’t you see how he acts? He’s a complete psycho. He laughs at serious things like it’s a joke. He’s bipolar." Her remarks shattered the naive admiration the group had previously shown for Vincent, causing them to fall silent. She looked at them, her frustration boiling over.

"Here I was, thinking I could talk to you girls like normal friends for once, but all you do is think with your asses," she snapped, grabbing her bag and standing up abruptly. "Don’t come to my house again," she added, storming out of the room, leaving her friends stunned.

~~

“Ms. Eloise, are you alright?” he asked, concern lacing his voice as he watched her fume. “Get out,” she ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument. “But ma’am, it’s not safe for you to drive—”

“I said, get out!” she snapped, her voice rising. Recognizing the futility of the argument, the driver reluctantly stepped away from the vehicle.

Eloise slid into the driver’s seat, slamming the door shut. With a quick turn of the key, the engine roared to life and tires screeched as she left the spa.

She drove with no clear destination, her mind racing faster than the car as she tried to escape the suffocating grip of the situation with Vincent. Sighting a bridge that overlooked the ahead, she slowed down.

She could temporarily escape her racing thoughts thanks to the soothing sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below.

Eloise parked the car, stepping out to feel the cool breeze against her skin. For a moment, the world seemed to quiet down, the tension in her chest easing as she lost herself in the sound of the waves.

Just then, her phone buzzed in her pocket, pulling her back to reality. Eloise rolled her eyes, her irritation flaring up again as she saw Francesca’s name on the screen. The phone kept ringing, grating on her nerves until she couldn’t take it anymore.

“Stop calling me, I don’t want to talk to you, Francesca,” she snapped into the phone, her voice sharp with annoyance. But the voice on the other end wasn’t Francesca’s.

“Hello, Princessa,” Vincent’s smooth, mocking tone echoed through the speaker. Eloise gasped, her blood running cold as she realized who it was. "How did you get my number?" She demanded, her voice tight with annoyance.

Vincent’s laughter drifted through the phone, casual and unbothered. "The same way I know you’re standing on a bridge right now," he replied, the amusement in his voice sending a chill down her spine.

Fear gripped her, her heart pounding in her chest. "Are you following me, Mr. Vincent?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Nah… I’m far too busy for that," he chuckled, the sound dark and unsettling. “Then what exactly do you want?” she pressed, irritation creeping back into her tone. "I was thinking…" he trailed off, leaving a heavy silence on the line.

"What… if… you…" he paused again, clearly enjoying the tension he was creating. "Just say the damn word, Vincent," she snapped, her patience wearing thin.

"Calm down," he said. Eloise rolled her eyes, the frustration bubbling up again. "Just say it," she urged, desperate to get the conversation over with.

Vincent chuckled softly before finally speaking. "I want you to accompany me to a ball." Her reaction was immediate. "No freaking way!" she exclaimed, not caring how loud her voice echoed in the night air.

"Hey, I do not bite. I won’t harm you," he replied calmly.

Despite his calm reply, she still boiled over in anger boiling over hurling her phone into the ocean. She watched as it sank beneath the waves, feeling a fleeting satisfaction as it disappeared.

She leaned against the railing, closing her eyes as she tried to calm herself. Everyone was suffocating and controlling her.

She was sure of one thing. She wasn’t going home tonight. Her father would be pissed, but at this point, she didn’t care. She needed space to think, even if it was for a little while.

~~

"Gambino," Vincent greeted him with a smirk, his tone casual yet condescending.

“What brings you here today?” Vincent quizzed in between puffs of smoke.

Gambino took a deep breath, his voice dropping to a tone that was almost pleading. "I know you’ve been spending time with my daughter, and I’m aware of the things you’ve been asking of her..." He hesitated, searching for the right words.

Vincent leaned back, raising his hands in a gesture that urged Gambino to continue. "Go on."

"Don’t tell her about our Mafia life. She’s in the dark, and I want to keep it that way." Gambino pleaded, his voice uncharacteristically soft.

He looked at him and let out a hollow hysterical laughter that reverberated through the room as he dismissed Gambino.

~ ~ ~

Vincent managed to smile for the first time since the tragic incident. He looked at the mansion in front of him, the sheer size of it overwhelming. This was the first time he had ever seen such a grand place, let alone be invited to stay in one.

"Come, meet your uncle," Kyle said, leading Vincent into the mansion. Vincent nodded, his small feet moving hesitantly across the marble floor. Everything inside looked pristine, almost like a dream. He had only met his uncle once before, two months ago, right after he turned seven.

"Vincent," Adone greeted with a warm smile, standing in the large, sunlit foyer.

"Hi, Uncle Adone," Vincent replied, his voice barely above a whisper as he tried to match his uncle's smile.

Adone gestured for him to follow him upstairs. The halls seemed endless, each room they passed more magnificent than the last. Finally, they stopped at a door at the end of the hall.

"This will be your room, Vincent," Adone said, opening the door to reveal a large, well-furnished bedroom with a view that overlooked a beautiful garden.

Vincent's eyes widened as he stepped inside. "Thank you, Uncle Adone."

"Get some rest. We’ll talk more later," Adone said before leaving.

The next morning, a knock jolted him awake. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, confused. Before he could gather his thoughts, one of the house staff handed him a mop and a bucket.

"You need to clean the floor," the staff member said, their tone firm. Vincent stared at the mop, bewildered. "Clean the floor? But... why?"

"Just do as you’re told," the staff member replied, leaving no room for argument. He noticed his things being moved out of his room, and transported to a smaller, less impressive room in the servant's quarters, as he worked. His heart sank. What was happening?

Later that day, when he saw his uncle, he couldn't hold back his questions. "Uncle Adone, why am I cleaning the floor? Why are my things being moved?"

Adone’s expression hardened. Without warning, he slapped him across the face. "Don’t question me. Just do your work."

Vincent's cheek stung, as he fought back tears as he nodded, too shocked to say anything else. He returned to his task, feeling more alone than ever.

While he mopped, a girl approached him. She had a gentle smile and held out a small biscuit. "Hi," she said softly. "I’m Lola."

Vincent looked up, surprised by the kindness in her voice. He took the biscuit, grateful. "Thank you," he whispered. Lola smiled again. "It’s tough at first, but it gets better. Trust me."

He nodded, taking a small bite of the biscuit. He wasn’t sure what to make of it all, but Lola’s presence made the day just a bit brighter.

~ ~ ~

Eloise's heart skipped a beat, her mind racing at Vincent's words. "What do you mean I'm staying at yours? I didn't agree to this!" she protested, her voice a mix of shock and defiance.

His smirk only widened as he leaned closer, his grip on her waist firm and unyielding. "Your father agreed to it, why wouldn’t you?"

She stared at him, disbelief and anger swirling in her chest. "My father has no right to make these kinds of decisions for me," she hissed, pulling away from his grasp.

He seemed to enjoy her defiance like it was a challenge he was eager to overcome. “You will enjoy being my Princess soon”, he said with optimism in his voice.

She looked at him unbelievably and wondered what fueled his sudden optimism. He sounded differently this time.

"I still won’t be yours and there’s nothing you can do," she said, her voice trembling slightly.