Free Web NovelChapter 109: Another Attack
By the time Dora woke up, she was surprised to discover that she was alone. Dante was not with her even as she rolled on the bed, fluttering her eyes closed and then open again, as though he might suddenly appear if she delayed reality long enough. She lay still for a few seconds, breathing slowly, aware that the moment she fully opened her eyes she would have to get up and start her day, doing her best to put aside whatever had happened the night before.
Who knows if I’m going to have to beg for sex again, she wondered to herself, an annoyed expression briefly crossing her face even as she steadily opened her eyes. ƒreewebɳovel.com
Her gaze swept over the unfamiliar bed and then the room she had only once been in. The sheets were cool beneath her skin as she went ahead to slide off the bed, her bare feet touching the polished floor. The room was empty, and from the look of the bed on the other side it was clear that Dante had barely slept there, most likely having gotten up the second she fell asleep. The pillows were hardly disturbed, the blanket folded back with military precision.
With a still expression on her face, she did her best to put the thought out of her mind, not bothering to cover up her naked self as she confidently headed to the bathroom.
His bathroom.
It was mostly similar to hers, but the difference lay in the different products scattered all around. Clearly, they belonged to a man. The shelves were sparse, functional, lacking the soft colors and scents she was used to. She stepped closer, picking one up and sniffing the body wash, which smelled vaguely of him—clean, sharp, and unmistakably masculine.
A slow smile spread through her lips as she wondered how she would smell after using it. Acting on impulse, she poured some into the tub before getting in, watching the water foam slightly as it filled. The feeling of the warm water on her skin felt extremely nice, soothing her tense muscles, so much so that when she had to get out she felt a bit bad about it.
Still, she got out and picked up a towel, wrapping it around herself and enjoying the slight comfort of being the only woman who had ever shared Dante’s bathroom with him.
Not that it matters if later he sees someone else he likes, she told herself, even as she was vaguely aware that the thought was a lie she didn’t quite believe.
She couldn’t wear her previous clothes, so she just wrapped a huge towel around her body before heading out of the room and making her way back to hers. The hallway was quiet, eerily so, her footsteps echoing softly against the walls. She wasn’t surprised to see no servant in sight even as she entered her room and instantly headed straight to her wardrobe to pick something to wear.
She wore a simple dress, soft fabric brushing against her skin, before heading out to the dining room. She wasn’t surprised to see that Dante had already eaten and left; the table was partly cleared, the air still faintly carrying the smell of coffee.
Guila, though, was there, and she seemed to have been waiting for her. She straightened the moment Dora walked in and settled down to eat.
"Mr. Bellini has ordered that you be given more guards whenever you decide to head out," Guila said, her tone respectful but firm. Barely had the words left her mouth when Dora instantly shook her head.
"I have no intention of heading out anytime soon," she responded at once, smiling faintly at the spread in front of her which the chef had prepared based on her preferences. Warm bread, fruit, and carefully prepared dishes filled the table.
She saw no reason to put herself in unnecessary danger, especially if the reason wasn’t worth it.
My family can come here, she thought to herself, reaching for her cutlery.
"Elder Bellini would want you to visit him," Guila pointed out. Dora frowned slightly in response, aware that she indeed had no choice but to head to him now and then.
Still, she put it aside as she focused on her food, aware that she could push it back as much as she wanted to if it came to it. She was intent on doing nothing but relaxing for the rest of the day. Barely had she moved to take another bite when the door of the dining room was barged open.
A servant dashed in with an aghast expression. Guila, who was instantly about to rebuke her, held her tongue in shock. There were red stains on the uniform the servant wore, dark enough to unmistakably represent blood.
"Stop!" the servant screamed at the top of her lungs, horrified even as she spoke. "...The food is poisoned!" she gasped, tears streaming down her face.
Dora froze.
"The servant in charge of tasting the food fell asleep, so we thought it was normal until she began to purge blood!" the servant continued in a fast-paced manner that made it clear this wasn’t a prank or a mistake.
Dora had already stopped moving the moment the servant barged in, startled, but the instant she processed the words she physically distanced herself from the table, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. She held her belly instinctively even as Guila pulled out a whistle from her pocket and blew into it sharply.
Things happened in split seconds. Two nurses in charge of Dora rushed in and began to fuss over her, checking her pulse and her eyes, trying to ensure she hadn’t been poisoned. Dora couldn’t stop speaking, her voice trembling with fear.
"I’ve... I’ve taken a few spoons," she said, her gaze filled with nothing but undiluted terror that gripped her entire body.
It was one thing to head out and be in danger, but there was nothing as heart-gripping as being aware of the fact that even in the estate she wasn’t safe.
She swallowed pills on the nurses’ orders, her hands shaking, as they instantly arranged for her to be taken to the hospital. Ettore and a few guards stood around her, alert and tense.
Guila was on a call, her expression severe as she spoke aggressively, nodding at intervals. It was clear that there had been a serious security breach.
"We can’t leave yet," Ettore said, concern etched deeply into his face. "...The plan might be to attack again the moment we head out of the estate."
Dora suddenly felt as though it was harder to breathe. Her chest tightened as she stuttered, panic clawing its way up her throat.
"But... but I ate the poisoned food," she gasped, even as the nurses tried to reassure her that the pills they had given her would work. Dora was barely listening. Her hand moved to her stomach again, her touch protective and desperate.
"The baby... could this affect the baby?" she asked, fear written clearly on her face, even though she already knew the answer without being told.
