In His Grasp: A Mafia Romance

Chapter 64: He Found Her More Intriguing

Isabella's phone suddenly felt scalding hot in her hand, and before she could react, it slipped from her grasp and fell onto the carpet.

"What's happening?" Tony swiftly picked up the phone and, upon seeing the threatening message displayed on it, immediately called Emanuele.

"Boss, Miss Gould has received a death threat. It seems to be from those people," Tony reported.

"They've got quite some nerve, actually threatening me," Emanuele, who was already dealing with other matters, felt a burning anger upon hearing Tony's words. He had anticipated that they might target those close to him, but he hadn't expected it to happen so soon, with Isabella receiving a death threat.

Thinking of Isabella's gentle and timid nature, despite her inner strength, he realized that when facing formidable foes, Isabella was as fragile as a delicate flower and could be crushed in an instant. The thought of them now targeting Isabella filled Emanuele with a blazing fury.

He knew that he was running out of time and needed to locate Frederick urgently. The longer he waited, the more danger Isabella would be in.

"Assign more guards to secure the apartment. Tell Isabella not to leave for now. Whatever she needs, have someone purchase it for her," Emanuele instructed.

"Understood," Tony replied before hanging up.

Tony turned to look at Isabella, who was now clearly terrified. Her face had gone pale, and her body trembled.

"What's going on? How do they know my numbers?" Isabella, encountering a death threat in such a blatant manner for the first time, was scared. "Should we call the police? Will they be able to help?" Listening to Isabella, Tony and Harry couldn't help but feel a bit more sympathetic towards her. This naive young woman believed that the regular police could protect her.

"It won't help, Miss Gould. Only we can help you."

At that moment, Isabella felt like she was standing right next to the gates of hell, and the gates were wide open behind her. She could fall into it at any moment.

Oh Lord, could anyone save her?

Isabella had a restless day, but upon returning to the apartment, she noticed that there were more people inside, including security guards and a chef.

"Hello, Miss Gould, I'm Lilly Gray, and I'll be your chef from now on. Please feel free to tell me your favorite dishes," a woman in her forties with a round figure and freckles all over her face introduced herself with a warm smile.

"Hello," Isabella embraced Lilly, quite taken with her warm and welcoming demeanor. Isabella especially liked Lilly's bright red hair, which made her feel a sense of warmth. Having another woman in the house made Isabella feel less lonely.

Lilly was quite diligent; upon arrival, she prepared a dessert for Isabella. When Isabella took a bite of the delightful strawberry cake, her mood improved significantly. The sweet and tangy taste made her feel alive again.

"Miss Gould, please enjoy," Lilly smiled warmly.

But at night, when it was time for bed, Isabella couldn't shake her unease. Although there were now twice as many guards inside the apartment as before, in the silence of the night, lying alone in her room, she couldn't help but recall the events of the day.

Isabella felt very scared. The threat of assassination and the threatening message had her on edge. She had never experienced anything so terrifying. Facing an assassination attempt and receiving death threats had left her feeling extremely vulnerable.

However, she was not the kind to sit idly and wait for her fate. She understood that her attackers saw her as Emanuele's stepsister, fragile and easy to kill. Her stepfather, her mother, or Grazia, they were all safer than her, with more bodyguards around. So, they saw her as the weakest link, the one to target, sending her threatening messages to break her psychological defenses, to make her suffer and break down, didn't they?

Isabella pulled out her phone and glanced at the message once more. She clenched her teeth, this time making an effort to stay calm, feeling less scared.

She understood that fear was futile. She needed to be strong, just as she had been dealing with Emanuele. These hidden enemies were even more menacing than Emanuele. So, she had to become stronger to survive.

Isabella ran her hand over the gun hidden behind her pillow. She had used a gun, even killed someone with it before, so she knew she could do it. She had to stay composed and not be afraid.

Emanuele had been working continuously for twenty hours, his never-ending tasks keeping him occupied. Phillip was greatly concerned about Emanuele's well-being, worried about the toll it was taking on his health.

"Boss, you should take a break," Phillip advised.

Emanuele waved him off. "They killed Robert."

He recalled the scene when Robert's lifeless body was brought to the office. Covered in blood, eyes wide open, and his mouth agape, it was evident that he had suffered unspeakable torture before his death. Emanuele was filled with both pain and guilt. Why had he allowed Robert to be captured? With a new driver now in place, every time he sat in his SUV and saw someone other than Robert behind the wheel, he felt profoundly uncomfortable. Due to his carelessness, he had lost a friend.

War was imminent, and they had no room to back down. Emanuele thought that he would make sure the Sicilian mob would understand the consequences of provoking him. Phillip was also heartbroken over Robert's fate, but apart from providing for his family and seeking revenge, there was nothing more they could do to bring him back to life. "Is Isabella okay now?" Emanuele inquired.

"Tony told me that Miss Gould is doing better now. Her emotions have stabilized, and she seems to enjoy the food prepared by Lilly. She's been watching a reality show," Phillip reported.

A meaningful expression flashed in Emanuele's warm brown eyes. Oh? After experiencing such a traumatic event yesterday, her emotions have stabilized quite quickly. She was a woman who piqued his interest. She might appear fragile, but deep down, she was strong. This unexpected quality both surprised and excited him.

With this thought in mind, Emanuele felt the fatigue of the past few days dissipate in this moment. He watched Isabella on the surveillance feed, seated on the couch, watching a reality show with Lilly, laughing and chatting. Her innocent and carefree demeanor didn't at all reflect the near-death experience she had just been through.

Isabella, you are truly remarkable to remain so calm! Even Grazia, the real mafia princess, might not have regained her composure so quickly after such a terrifying ordeal. But Isabella achieved it.

Emanuele, who usually wore an icy expression, now displayed a hint of admiration in his eyes. Her adaptability was impressive. She was truly a deserving mafia princess, and he could even call her a queen.