ROSE
For the umpteenth time since I met Luca, my eyes fluttered open after yet another fainting spree. It seemed that around anything that had to do with him, all I did was faint.
This time, it was the loud beeps of monitors that woke me up. My memory was hazy for a moment before I suddenly remembered.
The meal. The note. The screams. Hugo's voice. I had been poisoned.
But who was behind such a cruel act. Could it be the maid? Heck, I barely knew her. Maybe she was hired by someone. Rosa!
I wouldn't put it past her to do something like this. My heart raced as I realised I was probably surrounded by so many people who hated my guts, but I didn't know them.
"It's nice to see you're awake now, ma'am," an unfamiliar male voice warmly greeted. It was a doctor.
He ran some checks on me for a moment before asking, "How are you feeling now?"
I sighed. "Like someone who is poisoned." I hadn't meant for my tone to come out so snarky, but it did eventually.
I guessed I was just frustrated with being in Luca's mansion and just wanted to get back to my normal life. One where no one knew or envied me. One where no one tried to poison me.
His smile didn't fade, though. "I understand. That can be a depressing feeling. But it could have been worse."
I raised a brow at him, wondering what he meant.
"Yes. Thank goodness you weren't pregnant yet and that Hugo was quick to get help. If you were pregnant, the baby would have been massacred in the worst way possible, and if Hugo had delayed, you won't have a womb right now."
I gasped loudly in shock. "What?"
"You were overdosed with abortion-inducing pills, dear."
My world appeared to spin around me. "Oh my God!" I muttered, burying my face in my palms. Who could be that messed up to want to terminate the life of an innocent child?
"Your womb took quite a hit. It seems whoever did that didn't just want to terminate the child. They wanted to ensure you never give birth again."
I felt the hairs on my skin rise as my detective instincts awakened. Someone wasn't just after me. They were after Luca as well. They probably didn't want him to have an heir.
But who could it be? There were so many suspects. Rosa? But she wanted to be with him, so she probably plans to give him an heir? Maybe she just didn't want me to be the one to give him the heir.
Or it could be Alonso. He probably wanted it for the same reason as Rosa.
Or the mole? He was probably working with Ivanov to ensure that the Spanish Mafia remained crippled without a clan head as Luca didn't have an heir yet.
Or the maid? Perhaps, she hated me for some reason.
A groan escaped my lips, and I held my head in my hands. It hurt so bad. "Do I have a womb?" My voice came out as a whisper.
"Don't try to think too much," the doctor stated with a smile. "Your womb is fine. You were brought in on time. You'll be fine."
"Easy for you to say," I snapped angrily. "You're not the one hated enough to be poisoned by someone."
He raised his hand in surrender before walking out.
The door soon opened after, but I was too distraught to see who had just stepped in.
The sounds of wheels being pushed in made me freeze. It was food being brought in.
"Get it out!" I snapped without looking up, trying to hold my tears in. "Take it away!"
"But ma'am, you have to..."
"I SAID GET IT OUT!" I screamed at the top of my voice. My blood boiled with anger. For all I knew, it could be another plan to finish me off once and for all.
"No, she won't." The cold, familiar voice of Luca interjected. "Place the food on her bedstand and leave us!"
I looked up sharply to see Luca standing by the door with Sofia, trembling and avoiding my eyes. I hadn't realised it was her.
"I'm sorry, ma'am," she mumbled, avoiding my eyes. She arranged the food on the table beside my bed. It smelled so tantalising that I would almost have eaten it if I hadn't been poisoned earlier.
The mere sight of Luca made me tick. He irritated me. I wouldn't be in this mess if I hadn't come in contact with him or had to be with him. I just wanted to slam the plate of food into his handsome face!
"Eat up," he ordered. "Can't have you getting worse. It's only going to cost me more unnecessary money."
His indifference and lack of warmth made tears sting the back of my eyes.
"And if I'm poisoned again, won't it come you more money?" I snapped, unable to hold my tongue. My anger was uncontrollable now.
His eyes darkened. "You're being dramatic. Eat it now!" He deadpanned coldly.
"No!" I defiantly responded, turning my face in the opposite direction. My heart was pounding against my chest, but I didn't back down.
I would rather keep my womb. I didn't even give a damn about Luca's heir. All I wanted was to be safe, and he obviously didn't care if I died. He had Rosa, after all.
I heard nothing for a long moment except my own breathing.
He had probably gone. Thank God! I didn't want him around, either. He was just a reminder of the predicament I was in.
I adjusted myself on the bed, pulling the duvet over myself, and I prepared to sleep. A yawn escaped my lips.
Just as I placed my head on the pillow, I let out a gasp. I was suddenly pulled into a sitting position.
Luca. He eyes were cold as ice as he held my hands together and pulled me to himself, settling on the bed beside me.
"Since you want to be a stubborn child, you'll be treated as such."
I gasped as he pulled the food tray closer and rolled up his sleeves.