Chapter 8: Chains That Bind

The evening was colder than I expected, a sharp contrast to the lingering warmth of the late afternoon.

After the disastrous lunch with Bruno's family, I had barely been able to stomach the tension in the house. The way they watched me, the way Sofia's eyes had pierced through me, as if she could see every insecurity, every crack in my armor.

I had felt so small, so insignificant at that table, as if they were judging me not just as a person but as something Bruno had brought in to play with and discard.

And Bruno. God, Bruno.

Even now, I could feel the weight of his gaze on me, though he wasn't even in the room. The way he sat beside me at lunch, not saying much, but his presence alone was enough to keep me on edge.

He was like a lion in a cage, seemingly calm but capable of striking at any moment. I never knew when he would pounce, and it terrified me.

There was a knock at the door. Soft at first, then more insistent.

My heart leapt into my throat, and I froze, my pulse quickening.

Bruno.

I hadn't seen him since lunch, but I knew this moment would come. I knew he wouldn't just leave me alone. He never did.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, before crossing the room and opening the door. And there he was, standing tall in the dim hallway, his silhouette framed by the faint glow of the lights outside. His dark eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe.

"May I come in?" His voice was low, almost too soft, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

I hesitated for a moment, but what choice did I have? I stepped aside, allowing him to enter.

He moved with that same smooth, predatory grace that unnerved me so much. He made his way to the center of the room, taking in the space as if he owned every inch of it. In many ways, he did.

"You've been quiet," he said, turning to face me. His expression was unreadable, his eyes dark and intense.

"I'm trying to adjust," I replied, echoing the same empty words I had used with his family earlier. It felt like a lie on my tongue.

Bruno's lips twitched into a faint smile, but there was no warmth in it.

"Adjusting. Yes. It's quite an adjustment, isn't it? Being in this world."

I swallowed hard, unsure of what to say. My mind was racing, but no words came. I could feel the walls closing in on me, feel the tension rising in the air between us.

"I've noticed how uncomfortable you've been," he continued, stepping closer. His voice was smooth, calculated. "With my family. With this house. With me."

His proximity made it hard to breathe. I took a step back, trying to put some distance between us, but he only followed, closing the gap again.

"I never wanted this," I whispered, the words slipping out before I could stop them. "I never wanted any of this."

Bruno's smile disappeared, replaced by a hard, cold expression.

"You didn't have a choice," he said, his voice tight. "You're here now. This is your life."

"But I'm not…" I hesitated, my throat tightening. "I'm not like you. I don't belong here."

He stepped even closer, his breath warm against my skin. His presence was suffocating, his power palpable.

"Maybe you don't," he said, his voice low, dangerous. "But you will. You will learn to belong. I'll make sure of it."

The threat in his words was clear, and it sent a wave of panic through me. I wanted to push him away, to scream, to run, but my body wouldn't move. I was frozen in place, trapped by the sheer force of his presence.

Bruno's hand reached up, his fingers brushing against my cheek, and I flinched at the contact. His touch was surprisingly gentle, but it carried the weight of his control, his dominance.

"You're not the first person to be scared of me," he murmured, his eyes never leaving mine. "But you will be the first who can't escape."

My heart raced, and I felt a lump in my throat. The desperation to run, to flee this place and everything it represented, surged through me. But where could I go? Bruno's world had already swallowed me whole, and I knew deep down that there was no escaping him.

"You think you can just… force me to stay?" I asked, my voice shaking.

Bruno's eyes flickered with amusement.

"Force? No, Maria. You'll stay because you have no other choice."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. No choice. That was what it always came back to, wasn't it? I was trapped here, bound to him by invisible chains I couldn't break.

Bruno's fingers trailed down my neck, sending shivers through me. My body reacted, betraying the fear and disgust that twisted inside. But I couldn't move. I couldn't fight back.

"I'm going to teach you," he said softly, his lips close to my ear. "How to survive in my world."

I trembled, my throat tightening with the weight of his promise. Survive. That's all I was doing, surviving, enduring, holding on by a thread.

He stepped back, his eyes still locked onto mine, as if he was waiting for me to say something. To push back. To fight. But what was the point? No matter what I said, no matter what I did, Bruno always had the upper hand. He was always in control.

"I hate this," I finally whispered, my voice cracking under the weight of my emotions. "I hate you."

"You can hate me all you want," he said quietly. "But it won't change anything."

He turned and walked to the door, his back to me, as if he had already dismissed me. But before he left, he paused, his hand resting on the doorknob.

"You'll come to understand," he said over his shoulder. "In time."

The door closed behind him with a soft click, and I was alone again. Alone with the echo of his words, the weight of his presence still lingering in the air. I sank down onto the bed, my body trembling with a mix of fear and anger.

Understand? How could I ever understand this? How could I ever accept the life he wanted me to live? The life he was forcing me into?

The thought of spending another day, another night, trapped in this mansion, under Bruno's control, made my chest tighten with dread. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. The walls felt like they were closing in on me, suffocating me.

I needed to get out. I needed to find a way to escape, to break free from this nightmare before it swallowed me whole.

But how? Where would I go? Bruno had made it clear that I had no choice, no way out. He held all the cards, and I was nothing more than a pawn in his game.

Desperation clawed at me, making it hard to think clearly. My mind raced, searching for any solution, any way to break free. But the more I thought, the more I realized that there was no easy answer. No way out that didn't involve risking everything.

I stood up, pacing the room, my thoughts spiraling out of control. The walls of the mansion felt like they were closing in on me, the air too thick, too heavy.

I needed to get out of here, now. Even if it was just for a moment.

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