Chapter 2 Two

Of all people. Him! It had to be a nightmare. Serena's eyes were wide in horror as she stared into the face of the one person she'd hoped to never see again. His sapphire blue eyes glinted under the dim lights, a smirk spreading across his chiseled features. "Missed me?" he asked as he took a step away from her. Serena shook her head, silently praying she was hallucinating. How did he find her? The memories she'd buried for years came flooding back - the pain, the fear, the desperation. His touch sent shivers down her spine as he reached out to stroke her cheek. "Little darling looks so pleased to see me, doesn't she?" Serena pushed him away, her voice trembling. "In your dreams, Camillo!" She tried to sound calm, but her heart betrayed her, pounding against her ribcage. She was still shaken from the killing that happened few minutes ago and this just made it worse. Camillo's eyes never left hers, his gaze piercing. "Well, what are you doing in this dark place all by yourself?" His tone implied he knew more than he should. Serena glanced around, paling. Had he seen her kill that man? The thought terrified her. She struggled to maintain her composure,"Taking out trash," she replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "And why are you here? Billionaires don't usually visit these kinds of places." Camillo chuckled, the sound making her wish he'd just drop dead. "I'm here for you, my little darling. What else do you think?" Serena shook her head, her heart racing. "No... No Camillo." He laughed, his eyes gleaming with malice, like he's found his prey. "Yes, little darling. Yes." The way he said it made her skin crawl. *** Serena stepped into the dimly lit living room, the smell of cigarettes filling the air. She ignored it and made her way to her bedroom. The soft glow of the candle illuminated a child's frail form, her eyes shining with warmth as she looked up from her book. "Hi, Serena. You're late today." Seeing her tiny form, Serena 's heart calmed and she mustered a smile, "Hi, Aria." "You're back late." Aria pressed, closing up the book and setting it aside. Serena smiled, settling beside her on the creaky bed, brushing her fingers through her frail hair, "Yes, I had stuff to do at work. Why are you still awake?" The little girl nodded, snuggling under the blanket. "I was waiting up for you." Serena's heart swelled with affection. She kissed the little girl's forehead. "I'm here now, Aria. Have you had dinner?" Aria nodded and Serena tucked her in. After the little girl fell asleep, Serena took a shower. As the cold water soaked her hair, Serena let out a heavy breath, her mind replaying the events of the night. The adrenaline-fueled killing, Camillo's sudden reappearance, and his chilling declaration - he's back for her. No, that's impossible. Was he actually serious? Serena knew Camillo; he wouldn't joke about something like this, especially not with her. She shuddered at the thought. He's nothing but a monster. A monster who hits her at the slightest mistake yet she dared not whimper. Serena vowed never to return to those dark days, days of hell, days of torture. Five years ago, Camillo Andreas had asked her to be his girlfriend, and naive, infatuated Serena had enthusiastically said yes. At the time, she was the unpopular college girl who'd landed the most sought-after guy on campus. Everyone was jealous of her, both seniors and juniors. But soon, she realized Camillo was the opposite of everything she thought he was - cruel, abusive, and obsessively possessive. Serena's memories flashed back to the nights she was tied to his bedposts, subjected to "punishment" for merely glancing at another guy. The brutality still haunted her. All attempts to escape had been futile; Camillo always found her. When he vanished two years into their toxic relationship, Serena was ecstatic. Though she'd spent the last three years burying the ugly incidents, erasing the scars from her mind, she was grateful he was gone. But now, with Camillo's return, those carefully buried memories resurfaced, threatening to consume her. Serena's heart pounded against her ribcage as she recalled his words: "I'm back for my little darling." Serena shook her head again. That's not possible. That's so not happening! She wouldn't go back to that life, refused to be held captive by Camillo. Again. *** Serena entered the small room she shared with her little sister. They barely had enough to eat, let alone enjoy any luxuries or afford a better house. She leaned down to kiss her sister's forehead. Then, she walked out of the room. Opening the living room windows, Serena let the choking smell of cigarettes dissipate. Her brows tightened in anger as she made her way to the balcony, where she knew she'd find her him. As expected, he stood there, staring into the night, puffing on his cigar. Serena folded her arms, standing behind him, her eyes falling on the consumed packs of cigarettes. "You don't have money to feed us, yet you have money to smoke. Don't you, Father?" she asked, her voice laced with frustration and disappointment. Her father, Donato Martinus, remained silent, but Serena continued, "If you fall sick, Father, you'll have to say goodbye to the world because I don't have the money to pay for your hospital bills and..." she glanced around, "...hers at the same time." A crooked chuckle escaped his lips, and he turned to her, blowing smoke in her face. His smirk twisted into a sneer. "You can pay her bills and not mine? I've always known you were a little bitch." Serena almost rolled her eyes, used to it. "Stop smoking in the house, Father. It's not good for her. That's all I have to say." Her father's expression turned calculating, his priorities clear. "Did you bring money?" Turning away, Serena responded with a tight voice, "It's not my payday." and she walked away. That's all he cared about. Money. Money, so he can smoke and drink himself to a stupor. Money that had once been plentiful but was now scarce due to his reckless spending. The bank had stopped lending him money, and their home had been taken away. They were forced to live in this dingy apartment. Serena's wages were barely enough to cover her sister's medical bills and their living expenses. Most of her money went into savings and her sister's treatment, leaving little for anything else. At the age of six , Ariadne was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and has been battling with it for a year now. Serena worked tirelessly as a waitress, babysitter, and cleaner. Every penny earned went toward Ariadne's dialysis and their feeding. Despite her efforts, finding a stable, well-paying job remained an elusive dream. Serena's frustration grew with each rejected application and disappointed hope so she decided to focus on the ones and hand. In secret, she saved every spare coin, with her father's knowledge, hoping one day, she'll be able to afford a transplant for Aria. She couldn't even take a loan from the bank because her father's reckless borrowing had blacklisted their name at the bank. As Serena lay awake in bed, her gaze fell on the card on her bedside table. Camillo's card, with his contact information, stared back at her. After she'd told him to get the hell, Camillo had handed her the card, his parting words echoing in her mind: "You'll eventually come back to me. Trust me little darling, you'll come back begging." Serena's heart raced with fear. What should she be expecting from him?