Shattered For His Dead Love

Before I could respond, a sharp pain exploded at the back of my skull, and my world went black.

When I awoke, I was bound to an ornate armchair. The room was dim and oppressive, the air thick with the nauseatingly sweet smell of disinfectant.

Just then, a graceful woman entered.

My breath hitched when I saw her face. It was Bianca Gallo, Lorenzo's adopted sister. I was struck by her uncanny resemblance to Elena.

"Scarlett, do you realize what you did wrong?" she asked, her tone laced with mockery.

I blinked, my mind a fog. I shook my head. "No! I did nothing wrong. I accidentally broke the statue. That's all. I don't know..."

Desperate, I tried to plead. "Bianca, please. Can you get me out of here? I don't want to be here. I—"

Bianca cut me off with a sharp laugh, her eyes dripping with contempt. "Oh, Scarlett, you're adorably naive. It took me a great deal of effort to get Lorenzo to send you here. Did you really think I'd let you go so easily?"

Her words left me reeling.

Bianca had always been kind to me. I couldn't process what she was saying.

"Scarlett," she continued, her voice turning venomous, "a woman with your background doesn't deserve Lorenzo. Your biggest mistake wasn't breaking that statue. It was daring to fall in love with him."

"I've been by his side for years. He was supposed to be mine. If it weren't for you, we would've been together long ago. But it's not too late. Lorenzo finally sees who's truly worthy of him. Me!"

I’d always found Bianca’s devotion to Lorenzo a little too intense, but I’d dismissed it as sisterly affection. I never imagined it was… romantic.

"Oh, and by the way, Lorenzo asked me to 'take care' of you. He wants you to properly atone to Elena."

With that, Bianca pressed a button on a remote in her hand, a smug smile spreading across her face. "Let's see how long you can last."

The next moment, a powerful electric current shot through the chair, sending my body into convulsions. My limbs went numb as a sharp, searing pain shot through every nerve.

Bianca, seemingly unsatisfied, cranked up the intensity.

My body thrashed uncontrollably against the restraints. The excruciating pain pushed me to the very edge of consciousness.

The shocks grew stronger, wave after agonizing wave, until my spine felt like it was on fire.

My consciousness began to fray, and I felt myself slipping into darkness.

Just then, Bianca stopped.

But as my senses slowly swam back, she pressed the button again.

A new round of agony ripped a blood-curdling scream from my throat.

She toyed with me, dangling me between the oblivion of unconsciousness and the agony of being awake.

After an eternity of torment, she repeated her earlier question. "Scarlett, do you realize what you did wrong?"

I knew she wasn't just asking about the statue. She wanted me to admit that falling in love with Lorenzo was my sin.

But in my mind, neither was a crime.

I slowly squeezed out the words: "I... did... nothing... wrong."