In His Grasp: A Mafia Romance

Chapter 43: Chloe Comes Over

At this very moment, a surprising notion crossed Emanuele's mind. Maybe he needed a woman, someone who would be a perfect match for him.

He had had numerous girlfriends in the past, but for him, they had all been just sexual partners. None had the appeal that made him want to conquer a woman both physically and emotionally. Isabella, however, seemed different. Regardless of her figure or personality, he found her quite enticing. It was just her status as his step-sister that was off-putting. But if he set that aside, there was no denying he was drawn to her.

As he held the woman in his arms, feeling her fear and distress, Emanuele continued to kiss her, trying to soothe her emotions.

"Isabella, you'll get used to it," he said.

Tears continued to stream down Isabella's face, and the realization of having taken a life left her trembling in fear. Her hands were stained with blood, and she thought she might die. "Devil, you are truly a devil," Isabella muttered, then her vision went black, and she fainted.

Seeing Isabella pass out, Emanuele hesitated for a moment before scooping her up. He looked at her, her face as pale as paper, and couldn't help but curse softly, "Damn it, you fragile woman. I hope you're okay."

Isabella felt like she had been in a deep, dream-filled sleep. She dreamt about her childhood at her uncle's house, the scenes of being mistreated, bullied by Chloe, and locked in a pitch-black room. Then, she dreamt of Emanuele, who appeared as a demon in her dream, torturing her relentlessly, causing unbearable pain.

Isabella suddenly opened her eyes, finding herself on the large bed in the apartment. Her mind felt foggy, as if it were filled with cotton, and she couldn't remember what had happened. She realized she was extremely thirsty and physically weak. Being a doctor, she estimated she had been unconscious for over a day.

"When will she wake up? If she doesn't wake up today, I'll blow your damn brains out!" came Emanuele's irate voice from outside the room.

Simultaneously, the room door was pushed open.

Isabella spotted Emanuele's towering figure.

Emanuele gazed at Isabella, who was sitting there in a daze, and he couldn't help but smile. It seemed her recovery was going well; she already had the strength to resist him.

"You had a high fever, slept for three days. I thought you were a goner. Thankfully, Isabella, you didn't disappoint me. You're remarkably strong," Emanuele praised, cupping Isabella's face. He disregarded her struggles and planted a kiss on her forehead.

Good Lord, she had been asleep for three days! Isabella was shocked. She quickly reached for her phone; she had missed three days of work, and Evelyn was probably extremely worried. However, when she attempted to make a call, she realized that someone had answered Evelyn's calls for her.

Emanuele leaned over and noticed Isabella's phone screen was stuck on the most recent missed call. He told Isabella, "While you were unconscious, your best friend kept calling, so I picked up for you." "You answered it for me? What did you say?" Isabella was shocked, fearing that Emanuele might have said something inappropriate.

Emanuele shrugged, "Does it matter? I told her you were sick and wouldn't be able to go back to work for a few days."

Isabella quickly dialed Evelyn's number.

"Evelyn, I've been sick for the past couple of days and couldn't make it to work," Isabella explained.

"I know. Your step-brother answered the call and informed me about your condition," Evelyn's laughter came through the phone. "So, your mother married the former head of the mafia. Is your step-brother the current mafia boss?"

"Yes," Isabella admitted.

"Oh my goodness, he seems so gentle. Isabella, is he Emanuele?" Evelyn had heard about Emanuele; he was quite famous in Chicago, known for his ruthless methods, but his handsome and charming appearance made him a favorite among many young girls.

"Yes," Isabella confirmed, feeling Evelyn's excitement.

"Evelyn, I envy you for having such a powerful brother. If your cousin knew, she'd be so jealous of you."

Thinking about Chloe's upcoming visit to Chicago, Isabella realized she had only four days left, and she had been asleep for three of them. She had to face the truth; she wasn't entirely ready. Isabella felt the weight of Chloe's strong psychological control, always living in her shadow, never escaping her influence.

"Evelyn, I'm feeling a bit tired. I need to rest," Isabella changed the subject and said her goodbyes.

Hanging up the phone, she noticed Emanuele staring at her, and that eerie feeling crept up on her again.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

She was genuinely exhausted, and the thought of dealing with both Emanuele and Chloe weighed heavily on her. If they decided to torment her together, Isabella was unsure if she could handle it and not lose her mind.

"Three days without food while you were unconscious. Get up and eat something," Emanuele finally decided not to agitate Isabella further and suggested she get up and eat.

Isabella did feel hungry, so she got up. However, she was so weak that her steps were unsteady. Seeing this, Emanuele simply lifted her off her feet.

Isabella couldn't help but exclaim and reached out to cling to Emanuele's neck.

Emanuele held Isabella as they walked to the dining room and placed her gently on a chair. He was gentle in his actions but couldn't resist a hint of mockery in his tone. "You're as fragile as a flower on the windowsill."

"That's all thanks to you," Isabella retorted, refusing to back down.

"You talk back well. Let's see if you're just as defiant in bed," Emanuele sneered.

With that one comment, Isabella fell silent. She knew that Emanuele could truly dominate her. He had shown her just how powerful he could be that night. As she thought back to that experience, she realized that while it had brought her physical pleasure, it had been a psychological humiliation. This man was truly despicable!

Isabella drank two glasses of water and had some spaghetti and mushroom soup, feeling her energy slowly returning.

After her meal, Isabella received a call from Sophia.

"Isabella, I heard you were sick. Are you okay now?"

"I'm fine, Mom," Isabella replied.

"Oh, Chloe is coming over. Do you want to join us for dinner?"

Sophia's words drained the color from Isabella's face, leaving her looking pale as a ghost.