Why Her:The shadow of the past

Alessandro's visit

Lucas's eyes gleamed with a mix of emotions as he gazed at the woman chained to the wall. "This is my mother," he said, his voice low and intense. "She abandoned me and my sister Julia when we were children. She left with another man, and our lives were never the same."

Mel's eyes widened in shock. "Why do you keep her here?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lucas's expression twisted in anger. "She left us to suffer in the hands of our elder brother Luther," he spat. "He was cruel and abusive, and I had to endure years of pain and suffering because of her selfishness."

Mel felt a pang of sympathy for Lucas, despite the fact that he was holding her captive. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to grow up in such circumstances.

"What happened to your brother?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Lucas's eyes flashed with anger. "I killed him," he said, his voice cold and detached. "He tried to assassinate me during the launching of an event related to your family five years ago. But I was prepared, and I turned the tables on him."

Mel's eyes widened in shock. She vaguely remembered hearing about an incident involving the her family, but she couldn't recall the details.

"Now, let's take a walk," Lucas said, his voice dripping with menace. "I want to show you something."

He led Mel to another part of the dungeon, where she saw Derick chained to the wall. Lucas's eyes gleamed with amusement as he saw the look of surprise on Mel's face.

"Derick's been waiting for you," he said, his voice low and seductive. "You can punish him however you please, until you're satisfied."

Lucas led Mel to a room filled with various punishment tools. "Choose your weapon," he said, his voice dripping with sadistic pleasure.

Mel's eyes widened as she scanned the room. She saw whips, chains, and other instruments of torture. "I don't know if I can do this," she said, hesitating.

Lucas's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Oh, come now, Mel. You're so angry with Derick. I'm sure you want to make him pay."

Mel looked at Derick, who was chained to the wall. Lucas had disfigured him beyond recognition, and Mel felt a wave of revulsion. "I don't think I can," she said, shaking her head.

Lucas's expression turned cold. "Very well," he said. "Perhaps you'll find another way to make him pay."

Mel shook her head, feeling a mix of emotions. She was angry with Derick, but seeing him in such a state made her feel sick. "I don't know what to do."Mel said.

Just as Lucas was about to respond, a voice echoed through the room. "Don Lucas, you have a visitor," Damien said, his tone formal.

Lucas's expression changed, and he turned to Damien. "Who is it?" he asked, his voice tight with annoyance.

"Your nephew from Italy, Alessandro," Damien replied. "He claims he wants to spend his holiday at your mansion."

Lucas's eyes narrowed. "I wasn't expecting him. What does he want?"

Damien shrugged. "He seems friendly enough. He said something about wanting to get to know his uncle better."

Lucas's expression softened slightly. "Very well. I'll see him. Mel, it seems our little session will have to wait."

Mel felt a mix of relief and curiosity. Who was this nephew, and what did he want from Lucas? She watched as Lucas followed Damien out of the room, leaving her alone with Derick.

Mel couldn't bear the dungeon's atmosphere any longer and asked Tracy, her bodyguard, to escort her back to the house. As they walked, they stumbled upon Lucas and Alessandro in the garden, engaged in conversation.

Alessandro's eyes lit up as he noticed Mel. "Ah, Uncle Lucas, who's the beautiful woman with the guard?" he asked, his Italian accent thick and charming.

Lucas's expression turned cold. "That's Mel. She's... a guest."

Alessandro's gaze lingered on Mel before he asked, "Is she your new slave?"

Lucas's eyes flashed with annoyance. "Alessandro, she's not a slave. Let's focus on your visit."

Alessandro chuckled. "Sorry, Uncle. I didn't mean to pry."

Mel felt uneasy under their scrutiny and excused herself, leaving the men to their conversation. Lucas's annoyance was palpable, and Mel wondered what lay between them.

Lucas excused himself, claiming he needed to check on Mel, who was in her room, buried in her assignment and project sent by Blake. As he left, Alessandro watched him with interest.

"Who is Mel, really?" Alessandro asked Damien, who was standing nearby.

Damien's expression remained neutral. "She's a guest, sir. Lucas will explain everything when he's ready."

Alessandro's eyes narrowed slightly, intrigued by the mystery surrounding Mel. He nodded and headed towards the living area, his mind whirling with questions.

Lucas entered Mel's room, finding her engrossed in her assignment and project on her laptop. "Mel, I think it's time for a change of scenery," he said, his voice gentle.

Mel looked up, slightly disoriented. "What do you mean?"

"The study in your room might not be the best place for you, considering you're still recovering," Lucas explained. "Why don't you come to the living room? It's more comfortable, and you can work there."

Mel nodded, picking up her glasses and slipping them onto her face. She saved her work and closed her phone and laptop, then followed Lucas downstairs to the living room. The warm lighting and cozy atmosphere enveloped her as she settled into a plush couch, phone in hand, laptop on the table,ready to dive back into her work.

Alessandro walked into the living room, his eyes scanning the space until they landed on Mel, focused on her laptop. He smiled and approached her.

"So, a high school senior, right?" Alessandro asked, trying to strike up a conversation.

Mel barely looked up, her eyes flicking to Alessandro before returning to her screen. She nodded slightly, her fingers flying across her keyboard as she continued working on her assignment.

Alessandro chuckled, undeterred by Mel's lack of enthusiasm. "What's your favorite subject?" he asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

Mel's responses were curt, her attention firmly on her work. Alessandro's curiosity was piqued, and he wondered what had captured her attention so thoroughly. He glanced towards Lucas's study, noticing the door was closed, and decided to continue chatting with Mel.

Alessandro's eyes sparkled with amusement as he leaned against the couch. "You're too pretty to be my uncle's only," he said, his voice low.

Mel's gaze flicked up, her expression neutral. "I'm not interested in Lucas, if that's what you're implying," she said, her tone firm.

Unbeknownst to Mel and Alessandro, Lucas was watching the scene unfold on his phone, monitoring the CCTV footage from the living room. His meeting in the study was important, but his attention kept drifting to Mel.

As he watched Mel's calm demeanor and Alessandro's charming smile, Lucas's expression turned thoughtful. He decided to end the meeting and headed to the living room, his footsteps quiet on the floor.

As he entered the room, Alessandro looked up, a mischievous glint in his eye. Lucas's gaze met Mel's, and for a moment, they just looked at each other.

Lucas walked into the living room and strode over to Mel. Without a word, he reached down and scooped her up, settling her onto his lap. "Stop working for a while," he whispered, his breath tickling her ear.

Mel's eyes widened slightly, but she didn't protest as Lucas enveloped her in a warm hug. She felt his chest against her back and his arms wrap around her, holding her close. As she inhaled, she caught the scent of his cologne, feeling a sense of comfort.

Alessandro watched the scene with interest, a small smile playing on his lips. Mel's initial surprise gave way to relaxation, and she leaned into Lucas's embrace, letting him hold her. The atmosphere in the room was intimate, and Alessandro's eyes sparkled with amusement at the obvious affection between Lucas and Mel.