The Slave of Pleasure
Chapter 83

Rachel

I went to my room, trying to obey Vincenzo's request, but it was hard to calm the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that dominated me. Closing the door behind me, all I felt was restless. Veronica's image was still fresh in my mind. That woman had a confident stance, as if she already knew every corner of that mansion, as if she was part of her in some way.

I walked to the window, trying to lighten my mind. Who could be her? A business partner? Maybe an old childhood friend? Or, worse yet, an old girlfriend? The last hypothesis made me feel a twinge of jealousy and insecurity. Just now that things between me and Vincenzo were evolving in a way that I didn't even dare to imagine before, this mysterious woman arises and seems to take space as if it were natural to her.

I gave a long breath, trying to convince myself that I had no reason to worry so much. After all, Vincenzo had spent all day with me, laughing and opening in a way that I had never seen. He seemed genuinely happy, and at least for that day I felt special to him. But Veronica... it brought a weight, an intensity that could not be ignored. I wondered what part of Vincenzo's life she represented, and why he seemed so messed to see her.

I walked around by the room, unable to stand still. My heart was tight, and my mind seemed to want to predict every possible scenarios. If she really were someone from the past, how would it impact what we were building? Vincenzo and I had just started to understand each other, and any interruption seemed a setback. I felt like everything was about to change, and the stranger scared me.

Each time I tried to convince me that I had no reason to feel threatened, another part of me remembered how close they seemed, even soon. Vincenzo led her to the office, and she walked ahead, as if she already knew exactly where she was going. The silent intimacy of that gesture bothered me, arousing feelings that I didn't want to admit.

The reality was that, as much as Vincenzo and I had approached, our relationship was still undefined. I had never thought of it clearly, but seeing Veronica there, I realized how much I really cared about Vincenzo. And that meant that I feared losing what we had, even if it wasn't yet concrete.

I sat on the edge of the bed, resting my face in my hands. My mind continued to go back to the same question: Who is she? And what does it mean to him?

The idea of simply going there and asking crossed my mind, but I knew it wasn't the best attitude. Vincenzo was not the type who accepted invasive questions. Our trust was still strengthening, and if I pressed him now, maybe he would retreat. But the silence and the lack of answers were corroding me inside.

As these thoughts wrapped around my mind, I realized how vulnerable I was getting. Veronica represented an unknown and, in part, a threat to what I was beginning to consider my place alongside Vincenzo. I knew I needed to be patient, but the truth is, I didn't know if I could wait.

Finally, I decided that the best thing to do was to give him a vote of confidence. Vincenzo had been willing to make room for me in his life, and I could not let my insecurities dominate me. However, as I tried to convince me of this, the doubt continued to thread, as a constant reminder that there was something among us that I still didn't completely understand.

I lay on the bed, trying to distract my mind, but the restlessness was far from disappearing. Perhaps, at some point Vincenzo told me who was Veronica and what was his role in his life. Until then, all I could do was trust and wait. But at that moment, waiting seemed the hardest thing in the world.

The restlessness he consumed was like a flame, an ardent sensation that seemed to burn every cell of my body. I tried to breathe, focus on anything, but my mind kept going back to the same question: Who was Veronica and what did she represent to Vincenzo? The idea that this mysterious woman could threaten what we were building was deeply rooted in me, as a seed of doubt that grew, torturing me.

It was then that, through the silence of the mansion, I heard a loud laugh, loaded with a malice that caused me a shiver. It was a laugh that seemed full of hidden secrets and intentions, as if, somehow, she knew exactly the effect she had on those who heard her. It was her - Veronica. That diabolical laugh crossed the walls and hit me like lightning, echoing inside me. I knew at that moment that I couldn't stay in my room doing nothing.

I got up on impulse, in my body requiring action. I walked to the door, which was ajar, as if even she knew I would leave at any time. I pushed her slowly, trying to be discreet, but without much success. I was about to take the first step down the hall when I suddenly came across the butler.

He was still, almost as if waiting for me, his calm and impenetrable eyes, as always. My eyes stared at him as he kept his serene and professional countenance, but I could see a spark of understanding in his gaze. He knew what I was feeling - maybe I even knew what I was about to do. Apparently I was not the only one who did not trust that mysterious woman.

For a moment we are in an embarrassing silence. I looked at him, trying to replace some clue, some confirmation on his face that he also felt something strange about this unexpected visit. However, the butler remained firm, revealing anything but the same controlled expression she always displayed. As much as I stared at him, it was like trying to decipher a wall.

He didn't say a word, but his presence there, so close to my room, said a lot. Maybe he wanted to stop me from going to the office. Or maybe he was simply there to observe and ensure nothing came out of control. I felt that the butler knew more than it looked, but at the same time he was loyal to Vincenzo in a way that made me uncertain about who I could trust.

Finally, my eyes diverted to the end of the hallway toward the office where Vincenzo and Veronica were. The sound of her laugh still echoed in my mind, feeding a sense of growing discomfort. Every fiber of my being cried for answers, for the truth about who this woman was, and what was the real reason for her visit.

The butler remained silent, just watching as I fought internally between my curiosity and the fear of the answers I could replace. He seemed to understand that for me this was a crucial moment. I didn't know if he would try to stop me if I decided to move forward or if he would allow me to replace out everything alone.

Still undecided, I let my eyes oscillate between the butler and the corridor ahead. The tension was consuming me inside, and the silence of the butler just made everything more unbearable. He knew I was on the brink of crumbling, but at the same time he did nothing to calm me or reassure me. It was as if he were waiting for me to make a decision - a choice that would define what I was willing to face to protect my place alongside Vincenzo.

In the end, doubt and curiosity seemed to be much stronger than my common sense. I knew that sooner or later I would have to face whatever that woman was. The butler could say nothing, but his silence spoke volumes. And I, even with my heart rapidly and doubts suffocating my mind, prepared me to take the next step.