Kidnapped By The Mafia

Anxiety

After that night, I hadn't seen much of Xander. Though he was always around, we did run into each other in the hallway or corridors occasionally but, he no longer came to check up on me or see what I was up to anymore. He was finally leaving me alone and I can't believe I'm saying this but, somehow it hurt.

There was no more pretending. Just this false sense of security. He still had eyes on me everywhere, whether it was in the cameras or through the people in the house. Alex had shown me exactly what he was capable of. And I couldn't unsee it. I found myself flinching at every small sound, every creak of the floorboards or distant slam of a door. The staff avoided me now, their eyes averted as if they knew something I didn't. Or maybe they were just as scared as I was.

Noah was gone. Xander hadn't mentioned him since that night, but I knew better than to ask. I don't remember much after passing out, just that I found myself tucked under Alex's bed the morning after.

The mirror on the dresser caught my reflection when I got up to get dressed. Pale, drawn eyes filled with sleepless nights. I barely recognized the woman staring back at me. She looked haunted, fragile, like one wrong move would shatter her completely. My hands trembled as I reached for the brush, my fingers cold and unsteady. Everything felt wrong.

A knock on the door jolted me out of my thoughts, and my heart leapt into my throat. My eyes snapped to the door, dread curling in my stomach. It was a soft knock, too gentle to be Xander. But that didn't mean I wasn't afraid. Everyone in this house was under his control and that meant no one was truly safe.

"Melena?" It was Elena, one of the few servants who still was kind enough to speak to me. Her voice was soft, hesitant. "May I come in?"

I hesitated and my mind racing with possibilities. What if she was here on Xander's orders? What if this was another one of his tricks? But then again, what choice did I have? I couldn't hide in this room forever. Slowly, I got up and unlocked the door.

Elena slipped inside, her eyes darting around the room as if she expected Xander to jump out of the shadows at any moment. She was young, probably no more than a few years older than me, but the fear in her eyes made her seem so much older. I wondered how long she had been here, how long she has been away from her home and family.

"There's something you should know." She whispered, her voice trembling as she shut the door behind her. "I haven't got much time."

"What is it?" She looked tensed.

"It's about Mr. Verlice."

My heart stopped, the blood freezing in my veins. Noah. His name was like a knife in my chest. I had tried not to think about him, tried to convince myself that he was better off far away from this madness. But hearing his name brought all the fear, all the confusion, rushing back.

"What about him?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. My mind was racing, imagining a thousand horrible scenarios. Had Xander found him? Was he hurt? Worse?

Elena hesitated, as if unsure how much to say. She glanced over her shoulder, her fear evident. "He's... he's been trying to contact you. He left a message."

"What?" My breath caught in my throat. "A message? When?"

"A few days ago." She admitted, her voice low. "I wasn't sure if I should tell you, but I thought... you should know."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" My voice came out harsher than I intended, but I couldn't help it. Noah had tried to reach me, and I had been left in the dark, trapped in this suffocating house while he was out there, maybe in danger, maybe... I couldn't finish the thought.

"I'm sorry." Elena whispered, looking down at the floor. "I didn't know what to do. I was afraid. But you have to be careful, Melena. Marcellus... he knows things. He knows everything."

I swallowed hard, the fear tightening its grip around my throat. Of course, Xander knew. He always knew. This was his game, his twisted, sick game, and I was just a pawn. But Noah... he was more than that. He was the only real thing in this nightmare, the only person who might understand what I was going through.

"What did the message say, El?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

She hesitated again, then reached into her pocket, pulling out a small, crumpled piece of paper. She handed it to me with trembling hands. "It's not much. Just a time and a place. But I think, I think he wants to meet you."

I unfolded the paper, my hands shaking so badly I could barely read the scrawled writing. It was brief, just a few words, but they hit me like a punch to the gut.

Midnight. Warehouse 13. Come alone.

It was so typical of Noah. Direct, no frills, no explanations. But the simplicity of it scared me. What was he planning? Why did he want to meet me in some abandoned warehouse in the middle of the night? My mind raced with possibilities, each one darker and more dangerous than the last.

"You can't go." Elena whispered as if she read my thoughts, her eyes wide with fear. "It's too dangerous. If sir finds out..."

"I have to." I interrupted, my voice firmer than I felt. "I have to know what he wants."

"Miss Hart, please..." Elena's voice was pleading, her eyes filled with desperation. "You don't understand what you're getting yourself into. Marcellus is a dangerous man. And if he finds out that you went out and met with Noah..."

But I wasn't listening anymore. My mind was made up. I was done being afraid, done being a plaything. I needed answers. I needed to see Noah, to understand what was happening, why he had left, why he had come back.

I glanced at Elena, trying to muster a reassuring smile. "I'll be careful. I promise."

She shook her head, her eyes filled with tears. "Please... just think about it. Don't let him drag you into this. It's not worth it."

But it was too late. I was already planning, already deciding how to get out of the house without Xander knowing. I had been trapped here for too long. If he catches me then I'll just deal with it then. This was my chance to break free and to take control of my life again for once, even if just for a moment.

"Thank you for telling me." I smiled at her. "I'll make sure your name doesn't come in all of this."

She nodded. "Take care."

I knew this was a turning point. Whatever happens at that warehouse, there would be no going back after that. I am doing the one thing I promised Alex I'd never do. This was the moment everything would change, for better or worse.

And I had to be ready.