The hallway seemed longer than usual as Isa made her way back to her room, her body still tense from the confrontation with Luca.
She could feel the weight of his gaze lingering, as if he were watching her even now, from behind the closed doors of his office.
When she reached her room, she closed the door behind her and leaned against it, letting out a shaky breath.
The adrenaline that had fueled her defiance drained away, leaving her feeling vulnerable and exposed.
Her hands trembled as she pressed her palms against her face, trying to calm the storm inside her.
What had she done? She had challenged Luca, the man who controlled her life now.
She wasn’t naive—she knew the dangers of provoking someone like him.
But the words had come out before she could stop them. That spark of rebellion, of self-preservation, had flared to life, and she hadn’t been able to suppress it.
Isa walked over to the window, the vast estate spread out before her like a gilded prison.
The garden, meticulously maintained and beautiful in its design, felt as suffocating as the walls inside.
Every leaf, every flower seemed to mock her with their false serenity.
She was trapped.
It wasn’t just the physical confinement—though that was certainly part of it.
No, it was more than that. It was the realization that even here, in this opulent mansion, surrounded by luxury, she was still powerless.
Luca might promise her protection, but it came at the price of her freedom. She belonged to him now, bound by an invisible chain that felt tighter with each passing moment.
Her thoughts drifted to Enzo. The way he had looked at her as he opened the door to Luca’s office—there had been something in his eyes. Pity? Understanding? Whatever it was, it had made her wonder if she had an ally in this house.
Or was Enzo simply loyal to Luca, watching her on his behalf?
A knock on the door startled Isa, and she turned, her heart racing again.
“It’s me,” a voice called from the other side.
Isa hesitated for a moment, then opened the door to find Enzo standing there.
His expression was calm, though his eyes held a seriousness she hadn’t seen before.
“Can I come in?” he asked quietly.
Isa nodded, stepping aside to let him enter. Enzo moved with the same measured grace she had come to expect from him, his presence somehow less imposing than Luca’s but no less dangerous.
He glanced around the room, his gaze briefly settling on the untouched breakfast tray before turning back to her
. “You shouldn’t provoke him,” he said softly, his voice filled with a quiet warning.
Isa crossed her arms over her chest, the defiant spark from earlier still smoldering. “So you’re here to remind me of my place too?”
Enzo’s lips twitched in what might have been the ghost of a smile, but it faded quickly. “I’m here to make sure you understand what you’re dealing with.
Luca’s not a man you can push. He’s given you more leeway than most, but that won’t last forever.”
Isa looked away, her eyes focusing on the window again.
“I know what he is. I know what kind of power he holds over me. But I can’t just… sit here and accept this.”
Enzo moved closer, his voice lowering. “You think defying him is going to make things better? You think he won’t break you if you push too far?”
Isa flinched at the harshness in his tone, but she didn’t back down.
“I’m not trying to make things better, Enzo. I just… I can’t be someone’s possession again. I can’t let another man control my life.”
There was a pause, and when Isa finally looked up at Enzo, she saw a flicker of something in his eyes.
Sympathy, perhaps. Or maybe it was something else. Something more dangerous.
“I understand,” he said quietly, surprising her. “But this world doesn’t care about what you want, Isa.
It’s about survival. You have to pick your battles carefully.”
Isa’s throat tightened. She knew he was right.
The harsh reality of her situation was inescapable, and the more she pushed, the more dangerous her position became.
But how could she live like this? How could she submit to someone like Luca and still hold on to any part of herself?
Enzo stepped back, the moment of vulnerability between them passing as quickly as it had come. “Luca has plans for you.
He won’t tell me what they are, but you’re not just a pawn in his game. You’re something else.”
“What does that mean?” Isa asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“I don’t know,” Enzo admitted, his expression darkening.
“But you’re not here by accident. He could have taken anything as collateral for that debt, but he chose you.”
Isa’s pulse quickened at the implication.
What was she to Luca? Was she more than just a debt payment, more than a tool for control? Or was she something worse?
Enzo turned to leave, but before he stepped out, he glanced back at her.
“Be careful, Isa. You’re walking a dangerous line.”
When he was gone, Isa sank into the chair by the window, her mind racing with questions she couldn’t answer.
What did Luca want from her? Why had he chosen her out of all the things Antonio could have offered?
And more importantly, how much longer could she keep up this fight before it consumed her completely?
Outside, the sun continued to shine, casting its light over the estate.
But to Isa, it felt as though the shadows were growing longer, creeping closer, threatening to swallow her whole.
She was trapped in a game she didn’t understand, with rules she couldn’t see.
And the devil himself was holding the pieces.
But even caged, she wasn’t willing to surrender. Not yet.
YOU ARE READING
Shattered Vows
Romance**Story Premise Isabella "Isa" Moretti has spent her entire life under the cruel thumb of her abusive stepfather, Antonio Moretti. After years of torment, Isa believes her only path to survival is silence and submission. But when Antonio's mounting...
