The Slave of Pleasure
Chapter 76

Rachel

As I looked at Nancy, all I felt was an immense emptiness. The revelations of that night still echoed in my head, each word Vincenzo and Nancy said felt like a weight I didn't know how to carry. "I... I think I'm going to go back to my room and reflect for a while," my voice came out lower than I expected, almost a whisper.

Nancy was silent for a few seconds, her distant gaze reflecting both her exhaustion and her understanding of what we were going through at that moment. "I think it's best if I go home," she finally said, her voice calm but with a touch of sadness. "You need time, Rachel. And I don't want to get in the way."

She got up from the table and walked behind me. I felt the soft touch of her hand on my shoulder, a simple gesture, but full of meaning. When she looked at me, without saying a single word, I realized that her silence spoke louder than any sentence. It was as if she was telling me that she understood my pain, my confusion, and that she also needed her own space to process everything.

I nodded, my eyes still filled with tears, trying to hold back the emotions that were about to overwhelm me. Nancy walked towards the mansion's door, her footsteps echoing softly on the floor, until the sound faded as she crossed the threshold and was gone. And then, absolute silence took over the place.

I stood there for a few minutes, motionless, resting my head in my hands on the table. My chest was tight, the mixture of sadness, empathy and anger suffocating me. How could I process all of this? I had always known that there was something dark in Vincenzo's past, but hearing the details, especially so unexpectedly, was something that shook me deeply. And Nancy... knowing that she had also gone through something so horrible only increased my pain.

Finally, I got up from the table, my legs feeling heavy. I needed to get out of there, I needed a moment alone to try to organize my thoughts and feelings. The walk to my room seemed longer than usual, each step felt like a drag. When I finally reached the bedroom door, I opened it slowly, as if I was afraid of what I would replace inside, as if the weight of the revelations had also invaded that space that should have been my refuge.

I went in and closed the door behind me. The room was dark and cold, as if it reflected what I felt inside. Without turning on the lights, I threw myself on the bed, face down, closing my eyes tightly. I just wanted to escape for a moment, to forget everything, but my mind wouldn't give me a break. The images, the words, the emotions, everything was spinning in my head like an uncontrollable storm.

I turned on my side, hugging the pillow and sinking into it, trying to replace some comfort in the emptiness. But there was no comfort. Only a deep and painful emptiness. How could I help Vincenzo and Nancy get through this? How could I even begin to understand what they had been through? I felt helpless, lost in the midst of this mess of feelings.

My mind kept running in circles, trying to replace answers, but there was nothing. Only silence. A heavy silence, broken only by the slow, shaky breathing that I tried to keep under control.

I didn't know how long I would stay there, but at that moment, all I needed was some peace. Even if it was just for a few minutes, I needed to shut my mind off. I needed to get away from everything, from all the secrets, from the shared pain. I closed my eyes once more, waiting for sleep to come.

I lay in bed for a long time, trying to process everything I had just discovered. Vincenzo's revelation about his past had been like a shock, something I would never have imagined, even though I suspected that he was hiding something dark. Now, knowing the biggest of his secrets, I felt closer to him, but at the same time, more distant. I understood why he acted so controlling and cold, and why he kept people at a distance, including me.

I turned on my side, staring at the emptiness of the room, trying to replace a way to help him. Vincenzo was a broken man, carrying an immense burden since childhood, and it had shaped every aspect of who he was. His need for control, the way he expressed himself, even the violent way he experienced his most intimate moments...it all made sense now. But what was I supposed to do with this information?

I wondered if, now that I knew his secret, our relationship would change. Would Vincenzo pull away even more? Or would he send me away, breaking the contract that bound us together? I could feel the weight of all these doubts weighing down on me, like each one was a stone pressed against my chest.

Did he regret telling me? Vincenzo was proud, and the fact that he had exposed himself like this made me feel guilty. I could imagine that, on some level, he trusted me. But I wasn't sure how he would handle it once the confession had cooled. I didn't know if he would want to continue our relationship or if I was now a constant reminder of his vulnerability.

As these thoughts plagued me, the sound of a soft knock on the door shook me out of my trance. I sat up quickly in bed, my heart racing.

"Miss Rachel, Mr. Vincenzo requires your presence in his room," the butler's voice came through the door, firm and emotionless.

I froze for a moment, unable to process what he had said. Was Vincenzo calling for me? And the word the butler had used, "demands," echoed in my mind. Vincenzo rarely made requests-he ordered, commanded. Was he angry that he had opened up to me? Did he regret revealing so much?

My heart began to pound. The fear that he was about to send me away consumed me. I wasn't ready to leave, not after everything I'd learned, not after feeling so connected to him. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. I knew I had to face this, one way or another. Vincenzo was a complicated man, and this conversation would probably be difficult, but running away wasn't an option. "I'm going," I said, my voice a little shakier than I would have liked. I got up from the bed, straightening the dress Nancy had laid out for me earlier. My body was tense, as if I were about to go into battle. Each step toward the door felt like a challenge, but I kept going, trying to calm my mind. When I opened the door, the butler was standing there, his expression neutral as always. He bowed slightly and stepped aside to let me pass. I walked down the hallway in silence, feeling the weight of the moment. Vincenzo was waiting for me, and I had no idea what he was going to say or do. But I was sure of one thing: I couldn't give up trying to understand the man behind that mask of power and control.