Page 116 of Devil's Tulip

What the…?

My mind claws through the haze, scrambling for awareness. I wake up the rest of the way, wincing from the bright lights in the room. My vision swims at first, eyes watering from the strain. But as clarity slowly returns, a pounding ache makes itself known from the back of my skull, radiating outwards until my skull feels like it might shatter.

I groan and squeeze my eyes shut, welcoming the temporary relief that comes with the darkness.

Then—silence.

The sharp bang of a door slamming makes me flinch.

I force my eyes open to see three figures walking in.

Aunt Marie.

Uncle Aldo.

Carlo.

Fuck.

Fear rips through me at the malevolence twisting their faces and the smug victory plastered across Aunt Marie’s features. I glance around, my vision finally adjusting. The familiarity of the room makes bile rise in my throat.

This is Uncle Aldo’s office, and I’m tied to one of the chairs.

The violent urge to thrash, to fight, is instant, and it takes everything in me to shove it down. Struggling won’t do shit except amuse them. I need to be level-headed.

I inhale through my nose, letting my glare settle on Aunt Marie. “What did you do? My husband will find out you took me. And when he does, he’ll kill you.” My voice is eerily calm, but it’s threaded with lethal promise. She flinches slightly, some of her bravado faltering.

“What? Like he killed poor Dario?” Uncle Aldo’s gaze darkens. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to kill you. I just need you here for a few hours, and you’ll be free to go back home.”

“What?” I frown. Why orchestrate this elaborate kidnapping only to release me? What’s he playing at? Is he trying to taunt me?

“Oh no, not the home you shared with Michael,” Carlo says with a smarmy smile. “Your new home. With me.” He nods at Aunt Maria, who scurries to the door and ushers in an older man dressed in judge's robes, complete with a ridiculous white wig.

Oh my God. They can’t be serious.

“The honorable justice will expedite your divorce with Michael and wed us,” Carlo finishes, and the man shifts uncomfortably.

I shake my head, my pulse hammering. “That’s impossible. Michael would need to sign the divorce papers for it to be legal and binding.”

“That’s where this comes in.” Uncle Aldo gestures to Aunt Marie, who takes out a flash drive from her pocket and waves it in the air like a trophy. “You see, Marie was able to procureMichael’s digital signature, and that’s more than enough, isn’t it?” He directs the question to the judge, who mumbles something under his breath.

My mouth falls open as my gaze ricochets between them—Uncle Aldo’s smug confidence, Aunt Marie’s vindictive glee, Carlo’s lecherous anticipation, and the judge’s shameful avoidance.

This can’t be happening.

It’s just a fever dream, right?

“All this,” I force out,” “just to get me married to Carlo? Michael and the rest of the Nightshades won’t take this lightly. If you wanted a connection that badly, all you had to do was apologize to me and Michael.”

Uncle Aldo throws his head back and laughs. “Oh, getting you married to Carlo is just a bonus—to clip your wings, not because I’m hungry for more power. And to silence any voice of resistance to the power I currently wield.”

Confusion churns in my gut. What the hell is he talking about? What resistance?

“But,” he continues, “that’s just the icing on the cake. The main deal today is the other information on that flash.”

Somehow, instinctively, I know this is all Aunt Marie’s doing. I face the older woman who now radiates pure malice—utterly transformed from the sobbing, frightened creature in my living room earlier this afternoon. Hell, was that even today? “What the hell did you do?” I ask again, but my voice isn’t as strong this time. Because deep down, I’m starting to realize—this might be one battle I won’t win.

She smirks, twirling the flash drive between her fingers. “Interesting, isn’t it? That Michael would keep such sensitive information on his computer. I wasn’t expecting to hit such a goldmine, but then again, his arrogance will be his downfall.”

---