seventeen. I didn't want to be forced into marriage with a man who was a little more than a stranger to me. The limited knowledge I had of his character made me certain I didn't want him to be my husband, regardless of the attraction I felt toward him. The only thing that plagued my mind were constant thoughts of escape. Every single time Alessandro came to my room, I studied him with undivided attention because I knew he was bound to make a mistake. And one day—when he brought me a plate of hot food and forgot to lock the door—I had finally caught a break.
Failure could result in grave consequences, but all I thought about was that this was my chance and it might not present itself again anytime soon. It was now or never.
Pretending that nothing out of the ordinary had happened, I ate as he observed me in silence like usual. With every bite of the food, I turned more nervous, and he'd notice I was up to something if I didn't act soon. There was no time to collect the courage; there was no time to think. I made a loud, choking sound to distract him and the moment he glanced my way, I threw the plate of hot food at him. Instantly jumping from the bed and rushing out the door, I dashed down the hallway. His cussing reverberated the walls of the mansion, and in a frightening voice he yelled my name; demanding I come back if I knew what was good for me. He was giving me a chance—he shouted—but I didn't pay heed to his warning. I just kept on running down the long set of stairs and then toward the vestibule until I stumbled upon Henry, and stopped dead in my tracks.
“Going somewhere, Miss Olivia?” he asked in a pleasant tone.
The knowledge that I was so close made me break down. If I could just run into the night, then I would be able to hide and plan my next move. I couldn't let this man stop me now.
Forgetting about pride and focusing on thoughts of escape, I pleaded with the mean butler as I shook with a rush of adrenaline. “Please...please, let me go! He is really angry! He will hurt me if he finds me!”
He smiled wickedly, and I expected him to hand me over to Alessandro who was already descending the stairs, but he just moved to the side and let me pass. “By all means. Who am I to deter you if you wish to leave.”
“Thank you,” I breathed in shock, and hurried out the door without looking back or taking the time to think about the butler's unexpected reaction.
I wasn't running down the driveway because I knew I'd never make it to the gate. Instead, I chose to head for the forest, planning to climb a tree and hide there until I found a way to escape the estate unnoticed. Aware this might be my one and only chance, I sprinted barefoot and faster than ever.
Those trees presented a source of protection, and I was almost there when the menacing sounds of growling echoed behind me. An eerie feeling of approaching danger made goosebumps erupt on my skin. Slowly, I pivoted and met the glowing eyes of the two largest dogs I had ever seen. They looked like huge beasts that could tear me into pieces without breaking a sweat. One of them snarled, then barked loudly.
I retreated from them with shaky legs, and whimpered in fear as a figure of a man charged in my direction from the distance. I knew it was Alessandro. I had no choice. I had to keep running because the barking would lead him straight to me.
Ignoring the laws of common sense, I hurried toward the forest, but the dogs were behind me and—no matter how fast I ran—I was no match for their speed. The two monsters caught up with me in a matter of seconds and pushed me to the ground, all the while barking and stamping all over me. I screamed and shielded my face. These hounds would kill me or at the very least seriously wound me. I was convinced they tore off chunks of my flesh, but I just couldn't feel it because of the adrenaline that gushed in my veins. A string of Italian curses resounded in the short distance. My eyes sprang open. Alessandro stood a mere few feet away, swearing like