#####Chapter 2

"That's the daughter of Mr Anderson Colman," one of the nurses said, her voice laced with pity and mockery.

The other nurse chuckled softly, and my stomach churned. I could feel their eyes on me, even though they didn’t directly look at me. I wanted to shrink into nothing, to become invisible. But, of course, I couldn’t control what they said or how they felt. I was just a subject of gossip, a name to be whispered, a face to be judged.

I forced myself to stand, my legs shaking under me as I tried to regain some semblance of control. The hospital lobby was a blur as I approached the door, desperate to escape. The rain hit me as I stepped outside, and the rain poured down in sheets, soaking through my clothes instantly.

But I didn’t care. I needed the cold. I needed the rain to wash away the heat of embarrassment, to drown out the sounds of their laughter that still echoed in my ears.

I stumbled, my breath ragged, my heart racing. The earth felt like it was closing in on me, and for a moment, I wanted nothing more than for it to swallow me whole. To disappear. My breath caught as Gianni emerged from the shadows, his familiar, arrogant stance stirring memories I’d rather forget. He sauntered over, the rain seeming to bend around him as though it didn’t dare disturb his composure. His eyes met mine, a glint of malice lingering in them as he tilted his head, smiling like he’d found something amusing.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t my dramatic Francesca,” he drawled, his voice laced with mockery. “My sweet little thing. Didn’t know you were such a whore, sugar.”

The insult slapped me across the face, stealing any warmth I had left. He was just as cruel as ever, maybe worse. I narrowed my eyes, squaring my shoulders even though I felt small under his gaze. “What the hell is wrong with you, Marco? it not enough to take my father's business away, destroy my Life?” I snapped. “You cheated on me, left me, and still, you can’t just let me go?” I snapped

He laughed, and the sound was like nails against glass. “Oh, sweetheart,” he sneered, leaning close enough that I could smell his cologne. “Let you go? After seeing you hanging around here, looking so…” he paused, his eyes trailing over me in a way that made my skin crawl, “…desperate? Why would I?”

“You’re disgusting,” I said, my voice trembling. I hated that he could see how much he affected me. I’d spent years trying to scrub away his presence from my life, yet here he was, reminding me of every wound he’d ever left.

“Oh, I’m disgusting?” He smirked, crossing his arms as he looked me up and down. “I’m not the one throwing myself at every man in sight to get a little sympathy, Francesca. You’ve always been such an attention-seeker.”

I clenched my fists, the urge to slap that smug grin off his face growing stronger by the second. But I knew it would only amuse him more. “I’m not here for your entertainment, Gianni. If you had any decency left, you’d stay out of my life.”

“Decency?” He let out a bitter laugh. “Decency’s a luxury, sweetheart. I’ve seen you, wandering around here, looking pathetic. I was almost moved, you know?” He leaned in closer, his lips curling in a cruel smile. “Almost.”

I felt the bile rise in my throat. “What do you want from me?”

“Simple.” He shrugged, his expression twisting into something darker. “I saw you leaving my brother’s room last time. It made me remember just how irresistible you used to be. Your soft little figure…” He leaned close enough that I could feel his breath on my cheek. “So, here’s the deal: be my mistress, and I’ll pay your father’s hospital bills.”

A rush of anger and disgust flooded through me, stronger than anything I’d ever felt. My father’s illness was something I’d been fighting alone, something that stripped me bare every day, and now Marco dared to turn it into a weapon against me.

I stepped back, shaking my head. “You’re unbelievable. My father’s life isn’t some game for you to play with. He’s all I have left.”

“Which is exactly why this offer is so… reasonable,” he said, his tone sickeningly sweet. “Three days, Francesca. That’s all you have to decide. Be my little pet, and I’ll make sure your dear daddy gets the best care money can buy.” He straightened up, giving me one last smug look. “Or don’t, and let him suffer. It’s your choice, my dear.”

The blood drained from my face as his words sank in. I wanted to scream, to tell him that he could not do this to me. But my voice refused to come. He knew exactly how trapped I was, and he was savoring every second of it.

I dropped to my knees, feeling the rain pooling around me as it washed down my face, mingling with the hot tears that had finally broken through. I could feel him watching me, his satisfaction thickening the air around us. But I refused to look at him. I will not give him that satisfaction.

He crouched down, his fingers tilting my chin up so I was forced to meet his gaze. “Three days,” he repeated, his voice low and deadly. “After that, I’ll make life very unbearable for your family.”

With that, he straightened and turned, striding away with a laugh that echoed through the rain, leaving me there, broken and humiliated. I sat there, the weight of his horrible request pressing down on me until I could barely breathe. The shame, the helplessness, it was all-consuming. I wanted the earth to swallow me whole.

But just then, someone knelt beside me. I started to push them away, thinking it was Gianni again, coming to gloat some more. “Leave me alone, Gianni! I’m done with your games,” I choked out.

But I froze to see who was kneeling next to me.