AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I let out a weak laugh that turned into a coughing fit. No matter what Francisco did, I would never hand over the company to him. He was insane.
As the darkness closed in again, I knew my ordeal was far from over. Francisco's madness was a force that could not be reasoned with, and I braced myself for whatever horrors his deranged mind had concocted.
I had not tasted food or drink the second day in this wretched place. My body felt like it had been through a meat grinder, each bruise and ache a painful reminder of the relentless beating I endured the day before.
The hunger gnawed at my empty stomach. A dull ache mirrored the more acute pain in my battered flesh.
I tried to shift, to find some modicum of comfort on my unforgiving surface, but every movement sent waves of agony radiating through me.
My limbs felt heavy and unresponsive as if they belonged to someone else, a marionette controlled by the puppeteer of pain.
The thirst was equally tormenting, a dryness that parched my throat and left my tongue clinging to the roof of my mouth.
It was a cruel irony that I needed sustenance more than ever in this weakness, yet it remained agonizingly out of reach.
As the hours dragged on, I could only hope that someone, somewhere, would intervene and that this nightmarish ordeal would end.
But in the darkness of my confinement, the minutes stretched into hours, and the pain became an ever-present companion.
Francisco's return brought with it a glimmer of hope, albeit cruel. In his hand, he carried a bottle of water, a lifeline in this parched torment. But I knew better than to expect mercy from this man.
He approached, that sinister smile playing on his lips, and offered me the bottle. "Sign the documents, Matteo," he cooed, his voice laced with false sweetness. "End this suffering for both of us."
I couldn't contain the derisive laughter that bubbled from my parched throat. "You truly are delusional," I sneered, my voice dripping with disdain. "I'd sooner rot in this hellhole than give you what you want."
For a moment, I thought my words had struck a nerve, but Francisco's twisted determination prevailed.
With a sudden, violent motion, he grabbed a fistful of my hair, forcing my head back and making me meet his malevolent gaze.
Our eyes locked in a battle of wills, and I felt the sting of his slap as he responded to my defiance with a sickening act.
But I refused to break. Instead, I drew upon every ounce of contempt and defiance I could muster and spat squarely in his face.
Pain erupted like a blazing firework inside my skull as Francisco mercilessly slammed my head against the solid wall. For a fleeting moment, stars danced before my eyes, a cruel mockery of the night sky I so dearly missed.
As Francisco leaned in, his voice dripped with menace, and his whispered words sent a shiver down my battered spine.
"You'll regret that, Matteo," he hissed, his promise of more torment hanging in the air like a malevolent specter.
When Francisco finally left, the relief that washed over me was a brief respite amid this unending nightmare. But my momentary reprieve was shattered when the two familiar figures from the previous day entered the room.
Their grim faces told me everything I needed to know - I was in for another brutal beating.
Before their fists and feet could rain down upon my battered body, I found solace in thoughts of Sophia, the woman I loved and the unborn child we both cherished.
They were the anchors that kept me from sinking into despair. I hoped that Antonio and Leo were keeping her safe.
Time lost its grip on me in the dim and empty room. I couldn't tell if it had been hours, days, or an eternity since my captivity began.
What I was sure of, however, was the relentless pain that had become my unwelcome companion, a constant reminder of my suffering.
My body, a canvas of aches and bruises, revolted against every move I made. Sitting was a torment, breathing an ordeal in itself. It felt like I had been in this grim place for far too long.
Then, like a distant echo, I registered the sounds—yells and gunshots. They cut through the oppressive silence, stirring hope and apprehension within me.
Who could it be? Were Leo and Antonio mounting a rescue, or was it another player in this dangerous game?
The sounds drew closer, each echo resonating through the dimly lit room. My heart raced in anticipation as the footsteps hurriedly approached my location, their rhythm growing louder until they stopped abruptly outside the door.
