The phone rang… once… twice… but there was no response.
Aria frowned, her fingers tightening slightly around the device as she pulled it away from her ear, staring at the screen as if it had personally offended her. A second later, she tried again.
Ring… once… twice…
Still nothing.
Her heartbeat began to pick up, each second stretching longer than it should. A faint crease formed between her brows as unease crept in. She tapped the contact again, initiating a third call, her foot beginning to tap impatiently against the floor.
Ring…
Nothing.
Her jaw tightened.
Where the hell did he put his phone? Aria thought inwardly, irritation bubbling beneath the surface as she pushed herself up to her feet. Or did he change his number?
Her grip on the phone tightened.
"Oh, damn it… not this time," she muttered under her breath, her voice laced with frustration. "Not when I actually need him."
She dragged a hand through her hair, pacing once before stopping abruptly.
What am I going to do?
Her thoughts spiraled as she moved toward the large window of the mansion. Pulling the curtain slightly aside, her gaze fell on the outside.....servants moving about, attending to their duties as well with he burly men who were the securities carrying guns.
Her eyes drifted further… until they landed on the graveyard.
Instantly, a sharp, almost unbearable ache shot through her heart, forcing her to clutch at it instinctively.
"…No," she whispered, shaking her head slightly as if trying to physically push the feeling away.
Quickly, she averted her gaze, letting the curtain fall back into place as she stepped away from the window.
"I need to get out," she murmured to herself, her voice firmer now, more resolved. "Somewhere… anywhere. I just need to clear my head."
Without wasting another second, she turned and walked toward Damien's wardrobe. Since her own things hadn't been brought in yet as Damien had claimed....this was her only option.
She slid the wardrobe open and paused.
There, neatly hung, was a blue sundress.
Aria blinked once, then scoffed lightly under her breath.
She was actually thinking of grabbing one of Damien shirt and trouser before but there's no need anymore.
"Well… how convenient," she muttered, reaching for it without hesitation.
Taking the dress, she turned toward the bathroom. "I'll have to shower first," she added quietly, more to herself than anyone else.
After locking the door behind her, she disappeared inside.
—
Not long after, Aria stepped out, freshly bathed.
The blue sundress hugged her figure lightly, simple yet elegant. She slipped on one of the shoes also present in the room and pulled her red hair back into a sleek ponytail that fell neatly down her back.
Taking a steady breath, she walked toward the door and unlocked it only to froze.
Standing right in front of her was a man...tall, well-built, and undeniably striking. His black hair fell loosely to his shoulders, framing a face that carried both charm and danger. He wore black pants and a blue shirt, the top buttons left undone just enough to reveal a broad, tattooed chest.
Beside him stood Jessica.
The same Jessica from downstairs.
The dangerous one.
Aria's eyes narrowed slightly as she took them both in.
Don't tell me… these are the bodyguards Damien assigned to me? she thought, a hint of disbelief crossing her face.
A scoff slipped past her lips.
Her gaze shifted to Jessica, slowly dragging from head to toe, noting the way the woman casually chewed her gum as if she didn't have a care in the world.
"And where are you going, Miss Aria?" the man spoke, his tone calm but firm.
Aria's attention snapped back to him.
"Don Damien has assigned us as your bodyguards," he continued smoothly, crossing his arms over his chest. "So, if you're heading out…" A faint, almost teasing smile touched his lips. "…we'll be accompanying you."
Before Aria could respond, Jessica let out a low scoff, popping her gum loudly.
"Oh, please," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "Why are you even bothering to explain things to her, Dante?"
She tilted her head slightly, a wicked smirk forming on her lips as her gaze flicked toward Aria.
"Trust me," Jessica added lazily, "being nice to her isn't going to magically earn you a chance to sleep with her."
A brief silence followed.
Aria blinked once.
Then her expression hardened.
"What?" she said sharply, stepping forward slightly, her hands moving to her waist as her brows arched in disbelief. "Excuse me?"
Her gaze locked onto Jessica, annoyance flashing clearly in her eyes.
"Are you actually referring to me right now?" she demanded, her voice edged with irritation.
Instead of responding, Jessica completely ignored Aria, as though she hadn't spoken at all. Her attention shifted lazily back to Dante, her gum clicking between her teeth as she smirked.
"Even the boss wouldn't touch her," Jessica said dismissively, her tone dripping with contempt. "So I believe that already tells you everything you need to know."
She tilted her head slightly, her gaze flicking briefly toward Aria before looking away again as if she were beneath her notice.
"She's nothing," Jessica continued coldly. "A nobody. A lowly thing. And in this place, that means she doesn't deserve to be touched by any member of the Mafia." Her lips curled faintly. "She's just a slave now."
A brief silence followed.
Then....
"Oh, really?" Aria's voice cut through the air, calm but laced with unmistakable anger.
Both of them turned toward her.
Aria took a slow step forward, her posture straight, her expression composed despite the fire burning in her eyes.
"Well, I'm not a whore like you, Jessica," she said evenly.
Jessica's smirk faltered.
Aria folded her arms lightly, tilting her head as if genuinely unimpressed.
"I've heard quite a bit about you," she went on, her tone almost conversational. "The Mafia's favorite plaything, isn't that what they call you?"
Jessica's jaw tightened.
"The Don… and every other man climbing up the ranks," Aria continued, her gaze unwavering. "They've all had their turn, haven't they? Not because they respect you… but because you've made yourself available."
A faint, sharp smile tugged at her lips.
"At least being an ordinary slave is better than being passed around like that."
"Shut the fuck up!" Jessica snapped.