Page 22 of Dark Mafia Heir

She glances left before giving me a faint, almost condescending smile. “Right,” she says, her voice smooth and unbothered.

I don’t know whether to trust her, but I can’t afford to hesitate. Each second is a gamble, and Antonio or one of his men could show up at any moment.

My fingers tremble slightly against the knife’s hilt, but I force myself to keep moving, pressing it a little more firmly against her throat to maintain control. That is when I realize I knew nothing about this woman.

I don’t know her name or why she’s here. She could be a victim of Antonio’s madness, just like me.

My pulse races as I start to climb down the stairs, my gaze bouncing to the foyer and back up to the hallway just in case someone comes in.

“Who are you?” I ask the woman, partly because I’m curious and also to keep the churning in my stomach under control. “Why are you working for someone like Antonio, and why does he want to marry me?”

The woman chuckles softly. “I don’t think you should be asking a question like that with a knife pressed against my throat, child. As for why he wants to marry you, I think you’ll figure it out soon enough.”

“Figure what out?” I snap, feeling a surge of frustration at the fact that I will always be a pawn in this game. Whether it’s my papa or a man who kidnapped me. “Just tell me, why does he want to marry me? I’m sure he can still achieve whatever it is he wants regardless of whether he marries me or not.”

Her eyes twinkle with a mix of pity and amusement as she replies, “I don’t think Antonio himself realizes why he wants you. You’ll both figure it out when it’s time.”

I grit my teeth, fighting the urge to scream at her.

My head is too much of a mess, and I don’t need cryptic nonsense right now. I need answers and a way to get out of here.

We reach the bottom of the stairs, and the foyer stretches ahead of me, lined with more doors. It feels endless, and the weight of walking through that door and making it out of here alive weighs down on me like a physical force.

Still, I sigh in relief when I see there’s no sign of Antonio or his men anywhere. It would be a hassle getting through the door if they were here.

“Which one leads out?” I ask, scanning the doors for any sign of escape.

“The main door is at the end of the hallway,” she replies calmly. “But you won’t make it.”

Her confidence sends a chill down my spine, but I can’t let her words get to me. I have to keep going. Each step is a fight against the voice in my head telling me this might be hopeless. There’s no way escaping from this place would be this easy.

Suddenly, I hear slow and steady footsteps behind me. My heart leaps into my throat, and my hands start to tremble with fear. It’s all over if Antonio or anyone else comes in here.

There’s no time to think. I shove the woman to the side and bolt down the hallway, sprinting toward the door at the far end.

Still clenched in your hand, the knife feels slippery with sweat, but I don’t let it go. I’m feral, and I’ll attack anyone who tries to stop me, no matter who it is.

“Stop!” a deep voice booms from behind, and I know without looking that it’s one of Antonio’s men. It doesn’t sound like the one who dragged me upstairs, so it must be the other one, Lorenzo.

I don’t stop. I can’t. The door is so close now. Just a few more steps?—

A strong arm wraps around my waist from behind, yanking me backward with such force that the air is knocked out of my lungs. When I look back to see who it is, I see that it’s not one of the men from earlier. I haven’t met this one before. He’s as tall as a mountain with one very white eye and the other blue. He’s not ugly, but the icy expression on his face makes him look like a monster from my nightmare when I was a child.

The knife flies from my hand, clattering uselessly on the marble floor. I struggle, kicking and writhing in the man’s grip, but he’s too strong. I am too weak.

Panic surges through me as he drags me back, my feet barely touching the ground.

“Enough!” Antonio’s voice cuts through the chaos like a whip, commanding and unyielding.

The man holding me stops, loosening his grip just enough for me to breathe, but I’m still trapped.

My eyes dart around, searching for any possible way out, but there’s nothing.

Antonio steps into view, his dark eyes lock onto mine, and the cold, calculated expression on his face sends a wave of dread crashing over me.

“I told you,gattina,” he says, his voice deceptively calm. “There’s no escaping me. We’re getting married, whether you like it or not.”

My heart hammers in my chest, and for a moment, I can’t find my voice. I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. “You’re insane if you think I’ll ever marry you.”

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