Chapter 4 Kidnapped By The Devil

~Alina~

The moment the plane touched down in Milan, a wave of nostalgia crashed over me.

For a second, I wasn’t a heartbroken, penniless woman. I was a little girl again, running barefoot through sun-drenched streets, my father’s laughter echoing beside me.

Back then, Milan had been magic.

Now, it was just another reminder of everything I’d lost.

I tightened my grip on my suitcase handle, wheels clicking softly against the airport’s shining floors.

I moved through the crowd, body heavy with exhaustion, heart heavier with what awaited me.

By the time I slid into a taxi’s back seat, midafternoon sun washed the streets in golden glow.

The ride passed in silence.

I kept my eyes on the window, watching Milan blur past.

The city was alive, yet I felt detached.

I used to belong here.

Now, I wasn’t sure where I belonged at all.

The car slowed as we reached the outskirts, streets quieter, buildings giving way to olive trees and sprawling vineyards.

My fingers curled in my lap as the taxi turned onto a familiar road.

And then I saw it.

Nana’s house.

A soft gasp caught in my throat.

I pushed the car door open before the driver even parked, heart sinking as I dragged my suitcase from the trunk.

The villa stood just as I remembered, tucked behind an old rusty iron gate, stone walls warmed by decades of summer suns.

It wasn’t grand like my father’s mansions, but it had always felt bigger.

But something felt off.

Windows once scrubbed clean were clouded with dust. Shutters Nana insisted be repainted every spring were chipped, their bright white faded.

My fingers trembled as I pushed open the gate and stepped onto the cobbled path.

The first thing I noticed was the flowers.

Nana’s roses and hydrangeas, usually vibrant, were withering.

A pang of worry shot through me. Nana loved her flowers more than anything.

She used to make me water them every morning as a child, saying, “A home without flowers is a home without a soul.”

Their neglect meant her condition was worse than I’d feared.

I swallowed hard and walked forward, heart thudding.

A small gray cat darted past, it's fur unkempt. Nana’s pets had always been well-fed and loved.

Another bad sign.

The air felt colder as I approached, suitcase wheels bouncing on uneven stones.

I reached the door, hesitated a second, then lifted my hand to knock.

I never got the chance.

The door flew open.

“Nana! Il mio dolce melanzana è tornata!” [Nana! Your sweet garden egg is back!]

A blur crashed into me, knocking the breath from my lungs.

Warm arms wrapped tight, lavender and citrus filling my senses.

“Giulia!”

My arms closed around my cousin as she squeezed me almost suffocatingly.

“I missed you!” she breathed, pulling back to reveal her bright smile.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, heart twisting.

“I missed you too.”

She looked the same yet different, her dark brown curls wild as ever, tumbling in messy waves.

Her green eyes, summer-leaf color, sparkled with emotion, but a new maturity lingered there, absent five years ago.

“You’ve grown bigger!” she teased, hands gripping my shoulders.

“It’s been forever!”

I laughed breathlessly. “You say that like I turned into a giant.”

She smirked. “Maybe a little.”

For a moment, the heaviness in my chest lifted.

Giulia had been my best friend growing up, my summer partner in crime. We’d run through vineyards, stolen Nana’s fresh cookies.

But joy faded fast.

“Where’s Nana?” I asked quietly. “What’s wrong with her?”

Giulia’s smile faltered.

She didn’t need to speak.

I already knew.

Inside, the house smelled the same, yet the air felt different.

Then I saw her.

Nana sat in her favorite chair by the fireplace, wrapped in a thick wool blanket.

She looked smaller.

Once-rosy cheeks pale, silver hair thinner. Warmth still glowed in her honey-brown eyes, but exhaustion weighed heavy.

“Alina, mia cara,” she whispered, reaching for my hands. [my dear]

I dropped to my knees, taking her frail fingers in mine.

“Nana…”

She smiled softly. “You’re still as beautiful as ever. Your father would be so proud.”

At Dad’s mention, my chest tightened.

“I miss him,” I admitted.

“I do too, tesoro,” she sighed. [darling]

We sat in silence a moment. Then she squeezed my hand softly.

“Mio dolce melanzana, Nana is getting too old. I don’t have much time left,” she chuckled dryly.

“But there’s something I need to tell you. Your father left you some hidden inheritance."

I blinked in shock. “What?”

“He anticipated trouble ahead. To protect you, he arranged to secure your future. His wish is for you to settle down before claiming it, build a stable life with husband and children. Only then can he ensure you’re safe from those who’d take advantage.”

My breath hitched.

“Dad wants me married first?”

“Yes,” she nodded weakly.

“That’s why I wanted to see your fiancé. Last time we spoke, you said you were engaged. Where is he?”

My stomach dropped.

“Hmm… he’s coming soon. Got caught up.”

Her gaze searched mine, sensing hesitation.

Finally, she nodded. “Alright. I’ll wait.”

I forced a smile, but panic twisted inside.

i have nothing left, thanks to Ethan and Jade.

No home, no money.

Savings gone on penthouse and wedding.

I needed this inheritance.

If it meant finding a fiancé overnight, so be it.

The idea was reckless, but I had no choice.

I’d told Giulia everything: today’s ruined wedding and how I got betrayed by my so called fiancé and best friend.

And thanks to her, I now stood outside Inferno, one of Milan’s most exclusive and dangerous clubs. According to her, it was also the easiest place to find a man without complications.

“Just promise a hot night, they’ll beg to play fiancé,” she’d teased.

I’d rolled my eyes then.

But now, I wasn’t so sure she was wrong.

The night pulsed, music and voices spilling onto the street. Inferno loomed, tall and ominous before me, its black glass reflecting golden city lights.

Before I could step forward, a sleek black SUV pulled up. I barely registered it before something struck the back of my head.

A sudden sharp, searing pain exploded through my skull, like lightning splitting my senses.

Then darkness swallowed me whole.