Capítulo 6: Chapter 6-I’m not yours

Sophia's good days came to an end with another visit from Cronus.

Lucy mentioned that there were free-range chickens for sale at the town's market, so she bought one, had it slaughtered, and brought it back to make soup for Sophia. She also added two premium American ginseng roots and some red dates, and the aroma filled the entire house.

Sophia felt uneasy. She's a hostage now—wasn't this treatment a bit too good?

Especially when she saw Capone coming down the stairs, her heart leapt into her throat, fearing that he might demand repayment for Lucy's kindness towards her. But he only glanced at the steaming pot in the open kitchen, gave her a cursory look, and then left.

"Lucy, I think I'd better not drink this soup. You should keep it for them."

"Silly girl, it's a big pot of soup. Those boys can't finish it all! You're hurt and sick, and your face is getting so thin—how can you not take some nourishment? Don't worry, the little white wolf won't mind. Go ahead and drink it!"

Sophia held the bowl of soup, and just after taking two sips, Cronus arrived. As soon as he smelled the fragrant soup, he immediately demanded a bowl.

Recalling their first meeting, Sophia intentionally muttered under her breath, "With a nose that sharp, you must be part dog."

"Huh? How did you know I was born in the Year of the Dog? Just a little more, and I would've been a pig!" Cronus sat opposite Sophia, holding his soup, smiling broadly.

Perfect—neither pig nor dog. Sophia grumbled in her mind, but didn't dare say it out loud. Last time he got her into a lot of trouble, and who knew what he would do this time.

Seeing her lower her head to avoid his gaze, Cronus knew she was still upset about the last incident. "Hey, don't be like that, okay? I was just trying to help..."

"I don't need your fake help!"

"So the favor you asked of me doesn't count anymore?"

Sophia froze. At the time, she didn't know he was Capone's brother when she asked him to help her escape. Now that she understood the truth, wasn't that like trying to outsmart a tiger?

She was furious and felt wronged. She pushed back her chair and tried to leave.

"Wait a minute!" Cronus called after her, handing her a package he had at hand. "Baking supplies—for you! Consider it an apology."

Sophia couldn't take another step. She suddenly longed for something familiar in this strange place, something that could give her a sense of security, and baking was what she did best. Those molds, flour sifters, egg beaters, and all sorts of low-gluten flours, creams, and powdered sugars were her best companions.

Cronus found it amusing to see her reluctant yet suspicious expression as she fiddled with the items. "If you like them, take them. No need to worry about me tampering with anything. If you're still unsure, I'll be the first to try whatever you bake!"

"Why are you giving me these? What's your motive?" Once bitten, twice shy—she still didn't trust him.

"I just hope you won't be too impulsive. A head-on confrontation with the boss isn't good for anyone! What I promised you still stands, and with these gifts, can we continue with the deal you agreed to earlier?"

Take care of his patient? Without thinking, Sophia loudly refused, "No way! I'm not going to take care of that mafia boss. It'd be better if he just died!"

Cronus could barely suppress his laughter. It was the first time he'd heard anyone refer to Capone in such a way.

"You may not want to take care of him, but you should think about yourself! Even if I hadn't asked, the boss wouldn't leave you alone for long. He was at the docks handling some business a couple of days ago, and once he's done, he'll naturally come looking for you. He'll want you to serve him. You might as well help me out—you'll still have a chance to escape!"

Cronus was right, because that very night, Capone's return confirmed his words.

"Come to my room!" Capone ordered as he walked in. Sophia was helping Lucy with the dishes. He didn't care if she heard him or not and went straight upstairs.

Sophia wanted to grab a knife from the rack and hide it on her body, thinking she might get a chance to kill or injure him. But with Lucy nearby, she couldn't do it.

His room was on the second floor, next to the study, probably right above the room she stayed in. It had the same decor, the same large floor-to-ceiling windows with a breathtaking sea view, but it still made her feel uneasy.

He was so close, oppressing her, making it hard for her to breathe.

"What are you standing there for? Come and help!" He stood in the middle of the room, unbuttoning his shirt, intending to change. The wound on his arm still made his movements somewhat stiff.

Sophia stiffly walked over and stood in front of him, leaving enough space between them for another person to fit. She stared at his exposed chest, desperately suppressing the urge to turn and run, and helped him remove the last of his shirt.

"Never done this before, not used to it?" Capone's tone was mocking. "Makes sense, you're a pampered young lady. Why would you ever need to serve anyone?"

He poured himself a glass of brandy and, seeing Sophia gritting her teeth as she handed him his loungewear, he didn't take it. Instead, he poured her a glass of alcohol as well. "Drink it!"

"I won't!"

Capone smirked, took a sip of his drink, then pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers, forcing the alcohol into her mouth. She was compelled to swallow, while his lips lingered on hers, refusing to let go.

"Let go of me, you madman!" Sophia struggled and pushed him away, her throat burning from the alcohol, her cheeks flushed and hot.

"When will you start remembering what I say?"

Remember what? Obey? Sophia clutched her neck, tears stinging her eyes. "Why should I listen to you? The doctor said you shouldn't drink with that injury! If you don't care about your body, why drag me into it?"

"So, you're concerned about me? Shouldn't we change the dressing before I put on new clothes? Have you become so relaxed these days that you've forgotten? The doctor told you to change my bandages—how could you forget that?"

Sophia felt helpless. It seemed that Capone was well aware of her agreement with Cronus. What she couldn't understand was, if there were no secrets between the brothers, how could Cronus possibly help her escape? Or was he just toying with her all along?

She unwrapped the bandages on Capone's shoulder and arm to change his dressing. His wound wasn't healing well; it seemed he hadn't properly cleaned and treated it for days. His tolerance for pain was evidently high, as he didn't seem to care about the worsening condition of his injury.

Cronus probably couldn't manage him, which is why he dumped this troublesome task on her.

"All done! You should have the doctor take care of it tomorrow. The wound isn't healing well, and if it gets worse, he'll blame me!"

"Is that so? And what about your injury? How's your recovery? Let me see!"

"No need, I'm fine! Ah..."

Sophia's words were cut off as he suddenly pushed her down onto the bed.

"Reciprocity—you took care of me, now it's my turn to apply medicine to you!"

"No, let go of me!"

Sophia's struggles couldn't overcome his strength. Her clothes were quickly stripped away, and her body was turned over. His fingers traced the whip marks on her back, and he murmured softly in her ear, "Indeed, you're healing well—already starting to scab over!"

Capone's warm lips touched the back of her neck, causing Sophia's entire body to freeze. She was terrified that once her wounds healed, this beast would violate her again!

"Please don't... I'm not fully healed yet!"

"Oh? What else hasn't healed, hmm? Your back is almost better, so maybe it's down below..."

"No, I had Lucy help me with the medicine. I'll be fully healed soon! Please, just let me go, okay?" she pleaded, knowing deep down it would likely be in vain.

As expected, he just gave a wicked smile. "Fine, I'll let you go. But as I said, fair is fair—let me apply the medicine, and I won't touch you today!"

She couldn't resist him as he positioned himself between her knees. That cool, herbal-scented ointment was soon spread deep into her body by his long fingers. The swelling had gone down, and the minor abrasions had healed. His movements were efficient, with just the right amount of pressure—no longer as painful as before. But she still felt ashamed and wronged, her body involuntarily tensing. Feeling the involuntary moisture, his patience reached its limit.

Withdrawing his fingers, now slick and warm, his body tensed as he pressed her beneath him, his voice hoarse as he gritted his teeth, "When will you be fully healed?"

He had never lacked women, but he was always self-disciplined. Yet this young lady from the Diaz family, still so inexperienced, had left him unable to forget after just one taste.

Perhaps it was the novelty or the fact that she wasn't fully conquered, but he wanted to savor more. Once their wounds were fully healed, maybe he'd lose interest after indulging a bit.

He shouldn't be investing too much in her—not even his physical desire.

Sophia understood his meaning, and through her body, she could feel his overwhelming desire. She gripped the bedsheet beneath her, trying to remain calm as she asked, "Can you at least tell me why I was kidnapped?"

"You want to know?"

"I can't stop you from doing whatever you want, but even if I die, I deserve to know why! You said fair is fair—if you're going to do this to me, then at least tell me why you kidnapped me!"

"You've learned quickly. Already using our methods to negotiate with me!" Capone propped himself up, his voice turning colder. "But you've forgotten—you're mine, so what right do you have to negotiate with me?"

"I'm not yours!"