The Slave of Pleasure
Chapter 25

Rachel

Lying in bed, feeling the weight of the last few days, my mind felt like a hurricane. The room was quiet, except for the soft sound of my breathing. The mansion was huge, cold, like the place where I was in my life. How did I get here? My thoughts wandered, came back, and invaded me again.

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to replace some clarity. I never imagined things would end up this way. The whole idea had seemed so simple at first: help my mother. And now, here I am, living in Vincenzo's mansion, wrapped up in a web of secrets and agreements that I could barely understand. Did I make the right choice?

That mansion, with its endless hallways and luxurious rooms, felt more like a prison than a home. Vincenzo... he was enigmatic, always full of hidden agendas. Sometimes his presence was suffocating, as if he had control of everything. I didn't know how much I could trust him.

As I was immersed in these thoughts, the ringing of my cell phone pulled me out of my reverie. It was my friend. I answered it quickly, my heart racing. "Hi, Rachel," she said with a slight hesitation in her voice. "I wanted to let you know that... your mother had the surgery, and everything went well."

I sighed in relief, feeling tears well up in my eyes. It was the news I had been waiting for the most, but still, the feeling of relief was overwhelming. "Really? Is she okay?" I asked, trying to hold back the emotion that threatened to overflow.

"Yes, everything is fine. The surgery was a success. Now we just have to wait for the recovery period. Don't worry, I'm taking care of everything here."

Hearing this made my chest tighten with gratitude and longing. I knew I was far away, but my friend was there to take care of my mother, exactly as I needed her to. Even so, a part of me felt guilty for not being there.

"Thank you. Really," I replied, my voice breaking. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"You would do the same for me, Rachel," she said softly. "And look, I know things aren't easy there, but you're strong. Just don't forget who you are, okay?"

These words echoed in my mind. Was I losing myself in this whole situation? Or was I somehow just trying to survive it all?

After hanging up, I lay down again, feeling the weight of the responsibility I had placed on myself. The surgery had been a success, but what about me? Would I be able to get through this in one piece?

I closed my eyes, trying to replace the strength for what was to come.

That night, I lay down trying to organize my thoughts. The pillow was too soft, the room too luxurious, and I felt completely out of place. How did I end up here? That was the question that kept going through my head. I closed my eyes, but I couldn't rest. The silence of the mansion, the feeling of being watched... everything contributed to my discomfort. Eventually, fatigue won out, and I fell into a restless sleep.

The next morning, I woke to sunlight filtering through the elegant curtains in the bedroom. I dragged myself out of bed and went to breakfast. The dining room was immaculate, as always. Fresh fruit, breads, cheeses everything was carefully laid out on the table. I grabbed a cup of coffee, trying to shake off the feeling of emptiness. I looked around and realized I was alone.

"Vincenzo isn't home," one of the servants informed me, appearing silently at my side.

I nodded, unsurprised. Vincenzo's presence always brought a tension, a kind of electricity to the air. But today, he was absent, and the mansion felt strangely calm.

I decided to take a walk around the garden, in an attempt to clear my thoughts. The day was beautiful, the sun soft and the sky clear. The plants were perfectly tended, colorful flowers contrasting with the intense green of the leaves. Every detail seemed orchestrated to create a vision of perfection, as if nothing could be out of place in this enchanting place.

As I walked, the sound of my own footsteps gave me a strange sense of isolation. It was all so quiet, so perfect, that it seemed unreal. I took a deep breath, trying to absorb the fresh air and the beauty of the place, but there was something keeping me alert, something that made me feel as if I shouldn't let myself get carried away by this environment.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps. I stopped immediately, my heart racing a little. I turned slowly, trying to identify the source of the sound. When I looked ahead, I saw someone approaching. My body stiffened.

I froze for a moment as the figure approached, my thoughts racing too fast. But then, as the person got closer, I realized it was the gardener. A tall man, with sun-tanned skin, wavy brown hair, and deep-set eyes that seemed to take in every detail around him. He had an almost rugged beauty, a natural and unassuming appearance that somehow drew me in. instantly. His muscular body was shaped by physical labor, and the way he walked showed a quiet confidence. The gardener approached slowly but confidently. His brown eyes sparkled in the sunlight, and the easy smile he gave me made me feel slightly uncomfortable. He was tall, with dark brown hair that was slightly messy, and there was something about him that exuded a natural charm. My heart skipped a beat, and I felt silly for it.

"Hi," he said in a soft voice, stopping next to me with a small gardening shovel in his hand. "I don't usually see new people around here. What's your name?"

I was a little surprised by his direct approach, but I managed to answer, albeit a little awkwardly. "My name is Rachel."

He nodded, a smile still present on his face. "Rachel. A beautiful name. I'm Luca, the gardener."

"Nice to meet you, Luca," I replied, trying to hide how disconcerted I was. "I was just taking a walk around the garden. Everything is so beautiful here." He looked at me for a few seconds, as if trying to understand me better. "And who are you, Rachel? What are you doing at the Moretti mansion?" The question took me by surprise. I hadn't expected someone to question me like that, and I didn't know exactly what to say. "Oh... I'm a guest," I said, trying to sound casual. "I'm here... for a while." Luca raised an eyebrow, clearly curious about my vague answer. But he just smiled, as if he didn't want to press the issue. "I see. Good to know. If you need anything, Rachel, I'll be here." I just smiled in response, thanking him with a nod. As he walked away to continue his work, I found myself taking a deep breath, as if his presence had made me forget, for a brief moment, all the trouble I was in. The garden, which had seemed so peaceful before, now seemed to be the scene of more mysteries.