Into the unknown

Chapter 9.

After my short introduction with Emiliano, I was ordered, by Valentino, to freshen up for dinner. I protested countless times, because I wanted to be there as he and his father continued their conversation, which was most probably about me, and I also wanted my questions answered. However, I agreed to retreat and get ready for dinner on the promise that he would tell me everything later on. I was also pretty eager to fill my stomach with some delicious food.

I had questions, there were so many things that I needed to answers to, but I didn't even know where to start. Actually, that's a lie, Darren was my starting point, but I had no idea where I was going from there. My questions weren't just about why I was here though, I was curious about Valentino, who he was and what he did. Someone who could be aggressive and demanding in some situations, but calming and compassionate in others was very interesting to me. It made me want to know more, yet it made me keep my guard up at how flippant he could be. I shouldn't have been so intrigued by him, but I couldn't help it. My mind was draw to him.

"Whose clothes are these?" I wondered aloud, watching Cristian, in what seemed to be his natural habitat, looking through a rack of clothes. His perfectly pointed index finger sliding the hanger across which held the clothes that he disapproved of. 

"Yours ... I like this one ... this one not so much." He mumbled, not even turning his body around to look at me. His focus was on the clothes in front of him, everything else was just a blur in the background.

I was currently sat on the bed, in my underwear and a blanket wrapped around my bare body. After I had had a soak in the most amazing bathtub I had ever laid eyes on, which made up of an uneven proportion of bubbles to water, of course, more bubbles than water, Cristian had done my hair and make-up. The make-up he painted on me was pretty similar to this morning, only this time he had replaced my new favourite shade of lipstick for a natural looking pink gloss. He used a pair of straighteners to create some loose beach waves, which fell around my face beautifully, if I do say so myself.

"No, I mean who do they belong to?" I clarified. "Where did they come from?"

This time he turned around, giving me a questioning look as if to say what the hell is wrong with you? The answer to that question would be everything, but I kept my mouth shut. I was not in the right state to offload all of my life's troubles tonight, I doubt I ever would be. Maybe that was the reason why everything hurt that little bit more, because I kept in all locked away inside of me, as if I was Pandora's box. My heart, mind and soul were the gatekeepers of many secrets and much hurt.

"They have come from all over the place, my darling Sofia. Valentino had me order a whole load of clothes for you." He explained, with a grin on his face. The second he finished his sentence, he turned back around, focusing on his beloved – the clothes.

My eyes widened at his words, confusion swirling through my mind. Why would Valentino buy clothes for me? If I was simply here to make Darren pay back his debts, then why was I being treated so nicely? The only thing that made this feel like a kidnap was the fact that I had been confined to this house.

From the few things I had read and seen in the news, this is not the way a normal kidnapping is supposed to go. Nine out of ten of those who are kidnapped are made to live in horrible conditions with hardly anything to eat or drink. However, my living conditions were the best I had ever seen and I had unlimited access to succulent food and drink. It was as if I was being but up in a 5-star hotel with my own personal assistant.

Maybe I was dead, and this was heaven? A beautiful house, all the food I could ever want, and a good-looking man. It all sounded pretty heavenly.

Yep, I was definitely dead.