I kept staring at the window in front of me.

The same window I thought was the gateway to my freedom, but now, I see it as my gateway to hell.

All my efforts went down the drain. It took me three years to cut the bars and in only a few hours, there are three thick metal bars which can't be cut with a small kitchen knife. I'm going to need a saw for this and I can't get a saw.

My whole bed was ruined and not surprisingly, the forty nine knives were gone along with the bars which I had cut and kept under my bed.

Rylie was a bit shaken that the Agostini son was actually right in front of her eyes, she was fine and currently sleeping soundly. That little vixen knew that I was going to screw up so she had a nice speech ready in her notepad when Leonardo asked her questions.

She was just surprised that my landing was incredibly soft and good smelling.

Louisa, on the other hand, didn't say anything. And I literally mean that. She simply shook her head in amusement, probably thought that I must have got my inspiration from the woman she talked about, laughed it out and went to sleep. The rest of the staff were probably told to keep their mouth shut, but I did notice the looks they gave me.

And then it's just me, Amelia Jones, sleep deprived, shocked and still confused about everything that happened.

My years of planning is now a sunken ship, but my hopes haven't crashed.

So what if I landed on the Agostini son? So what if he threatened to shoot me in the head or harm me in possible ways even though he claims that he does not 'harm' women?

It's not my fault that he came in my way. It's not my fault that I want my freedom and want to run away from this hell house. It's not my fault that I want to go back to my family and lead a normal life instead a life of slavery.

I don't even know what my family is doing and how they are coping up with their missing daughter and sister. It's been too long since I saw them even before I was taken away from them. But what if they—Negative thoughts! No negative thoughts, Amy! I have to reach them out by any means possible.

I sighed and rubbed my arms. Suddenly, my stomach growled in hunger. I didn't even had my dinner.

I sighed again.

"What am I supposed to do now?" I murmured and I looked up at the dark sky.

My stomach growled again in response.

I got up from the floor, slightly wincing in pain. The bruises in my arms are still intact, but I managed to clean the scratch and the cuts which had formed on my legs after Leonardo flipped me on the ground as if I was a little coin.

That man has really got some serious issues.

Without any second thoughts, I left my bedroom and tiptoed my way to the kitchen. Just like last time, nobody caught me on my way and soon, I found myself rummaging the fridge as I mentally hoped to find a certain sweet dish to fulfill my hunger.

"Gotcha baby." I grinned as I took out a huge slice of blueberry cake and carefully placed it on my plate then froze on my spot when I heard a clearing of throat.

"Little girl."

I cursed under my breath and turned around, giving the man a very huge smile.

Leonardo Agostini was standing right behind the kitchen counter, wearing a loose shirt and pajamas and giving me a bored look.

"August-mini." I deadpanned.

He grunted in annoyance. "Do not insult me."

"Yeah, right. Sure. Whatever the capo says, right?" I said sarcastically and took a seat on the kitchen counter.

"What are you doing here? You should not be roaming around in night." His voice was strangely calm and collected.

"I should ask you the same thing." I crossed my arms and gave him a stern look. "What were you doing around the staff quarters when I jumped?"

His thin lips curved upwards from the corners. "You are questioning my presence in my own house."

"So what?"

"Nothing. Just nothing."

"And? What were you doing there?" I asked.

"It doesn't matter anymore, little girl."

I gritted my teeth, suppressing the anger boiling inside me and took a fork. "I. Am. Not. Little."

"Then what are you, Amelia?" He asked curiously, his eyes having a strange glint and took a fork too. "You don't follow my orders."

I scoffed and took a bite of the blueberry cake. "You are a crazy man. You said it yourself that I follow orders and now you are saying that I don't follow them."

He shook his head and pulled my plate in his direction then sat in front of me. My jaw clenched tightly when he took a huge bite of my favourite cake. That's almost three fourth of the slice I had cut!

His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed and I quickly averted my eyes. "I changed my mind. You are too fiero and persistent about things and I do not like that."

I snatched the plate and took another bite, not forgetting to give him an angry look. "Fire? I'm not fire."

He shook his head again and pulled the plate his direction again then took another bite. "Fiero. Proud. You are too proud of yourself."

A short laugh escaped from my lips. "Me? Proud? Oh my God, look who's speaking!"

"A man who knows how to take care of people like you." He said smoothly and frowned at the cake. "This is some weird torta."

I snatched the plate again and shot him a glare. "Back off. That's my cake."

"My house. My kitchen. My torta."

"But I took it out so it's my cake." Then I took another bite and moaned in delight.

Leonardo gruffed and snatched the plate from me. "I don't care. I hired the chef, so I'll eat the cake."

"The hell you will!" I snapped. "This is my favourite cake and I didn't get the time to have dinner due to some idiot who like to call me a little girl and thinks that I'm too proud of myself was busy choosing his favourite spot to shoot me."

"The idiota sounds like a very interesting man."

"Shut up Agostini!"

He banged the counter with his fists which made me jump in shock and he growled. "Do. Not. Shout. At. Me."

I laughed. I freaking laughed at his action. I swear, something is wrong with me when it comes to this man. It's like my courage level reaches to infinite heights.

"Sure. Whatever you want, mister Do-not-do-anything-at-me. You can go fetch yourself another slice but I'm eating this." I took another bite in my fork, but then the man snatched the fork from my hand and also took the plate.

I saw red in my eyes and I snatched the plate again.

"What are you? Five? You do not behave like this when you just manhandled me only a few hours ago! I still have the goddamn bruises in my arms and my knees hurt like shit. I just want to have my dinner at peace and you're not letting me!"

His hazel eyes lit up in excitement then he took a bite from the fork I was using and threw it in the sink. "I'm twenty five, fiero gattino. And I just want to have some cake covered in blue cream."

My eyes widened in horror as I gasped loudly and covered my mouth in shock. Leonardo's eyebrows furrowed in confusion when he saw my face.

"You...you better take back what you said." I whispered, glaring at the man in front of me. "You. Do. Not. Insult. The. Blueberry. Cake."

"No." His answer was short, heavily accented and straight to the point. "I won't take it back, so what are you going to do about it?"

I frowned when I realised that there is nothing I can do about it.

"And?" Leonardo asked amusedly. "What are you going to do about it?"

I exhaled sharply. "Nothing. Because you are just too uneducated to identify the flavour. I pity you."

"Said the girl who didn't complete her highschool." He retorted and I froze. I felt something painful tugging in my heart and tears were brimming up in my eyes.

Well, whose fault is that? I didn't get to graduate highschool with those annoying twins nor I ever had the chance to see the surprise my childhood friend, Maria was planning to give me even though I knew what it was.

It was the goddamn blueberry cake.

Oh God, it's been so long since I had thought about them.

"Amelia?" I snapped out of my reverie, got up from my seat and gave a tight lipped smile to the capo in front of me as I avoided his curious gaze on me.

"I-I am very sorry, capo, for intruding your privacy like that. I can assure you that it won't happen a-again." I bowed my head in respect to the man who was now staring at me in shock. "I shall clean those dishes at the earliest dawn a-and thank you, for repairing the window. I am very grateful to you, capo."

And very much hurt for closing and throwing away the chance of returning back to my family and friends, I wanted to add.

I looked at the bruises which were peeking out from my long sleeved nightgown and tried to cover them by pulling down my sleeves. My heart was paining, my knees were hurting as a reminder of my failure today and I just wanted to cry.

I looked at the half eaten cake on the counter and looked at the capo curiously, still avoiding his eyes. "Would you like to have some more of the torta?"

Silence.

"Then I shall take my leave. Good night, capo, and I hope you enjoy your meal."

The Agostini son didn't stop me when I left the kitchen.

When I closed the door of my room, I crawled my way to the ruined bed and broke down. Tears spilled from my eyes and I had no intention of wiping them.

Just like many of those nights, I couldn't sleep.

And something told me that I wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep that night.

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