Bound In Obsession

"Are you ready for your big night, princess?" Rain fell on the windows of the Valentino mansion as Isabella's father stood in the doorway of her bedroom, his face which was usually stern was curved into a smile that was only ever meant for her.

Isabella turned away from her mirror, the emerald dress which she wore briefly caught the light as she moved towards him grinning widely in expectation. "Do I look okay, Papa?"

Antonio Valentino, Feared mafia lord, ruthless businessman and the most gentle father a girl could ask for, walked into the room and took her hands in his as he replied her with all seriousness. "You look perfect my little princess," he said, his eyes filled to the brim with pride. "You are finally eighteen years old today. I can hardly believe it."

Isabella smiled widely at that, but then she noticed something was disturbing her dad, as evident from his expression.

"Is everything alright papa? You look worried."

He shook his head quickly dissuading her concern. "Nothing for you to worry about on your birthday." He kissed her forehead as he forced a smile on his face. "Come, everyone is waiting downstairs."

---

The grand ballroom of the Valentino's mansion glittered with the crystal chandeliers and the celebrations ornaments hung everywhere. Isabella's head was reeling at the crowd as she had never seen this much people gathered at her house before.

For years, her father had kept her hidden from the outside world, she had private tutors, no social media and she was rarely allowed outside the estate grounds. Tonight was her first real introduction to society.

"There she is!" Her mother said the moment she spotted her. She was looking very good as always in a black gown that complemented her hair. She hugged Isabella tightly while whispering to her, "You look stunning, darling."

Isabella's brother Marco appeared beside her looking very much handsome in his tailored suit as always. At twenty two, Marco was already working with her father in the family business

"Happy birthday, pest," he said smirking, but she knew that despite his attitude towards her, he loved her.

She frowned in surprise as he handed her a wrapped box, smiling expectantly.

"What is this?" Isabella asked as she carefully unwrapped the box to reveal a delicate silver bracelet that had a small tree charm emblem.

"Family tradition," Marco said, his voice unusually serious. "Dad said it was time you had one." Before Isabella could ask what the hell he meant, guests suddenly began approaching her to wish her a happy birthday.

The rest of the night continued on with boring introduction and repeated compliments.

---

Two hours into the party, Isabella noticed her father was deep in conversation with some men she didn't recognize. Their expression looked tense and they spoke in low voices that was hard to hear over the music. She could see a vein ticking in her father's head, which was a sure way to know he was getting p*ss*d.

So she moved closer while pretending to admire a nearby flower arrangement, she caught snippets of their conversation.

"...agreement was clear, Antiono," said a silver-haired man with cold eyes.

"My daughter is not part of any agreement," her father replied, his voice dangerously quiet.

The youngest of the three men, who was dark-haired and handsome in a cruel way, smirked saying. "Everything changes after tonight. You know that right?"

Isabella's father finally noticed her then, his expression immediately switching to a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Isabella, come meet our guests."

But before he could introduce them, her mother appeared, smoothly inserting herself between Isabella and the men.

"I need to borrow my daughter," she said with a practiced social smile. "Girl talk."

As her mother led her away, Isabella looked back to see the three men watching her with an unsettling intensity.

---

"Who were those men talking to Papa?" Isabella asked once they were alone in a quiet corner.

Her mother's smile faltered. "Just business associates, darling. Nothing for you to worry about."

"But they seemed angry."

Her mother sighed wearily as she patted her head like a child. "Your father has always been protective of you. More than you know."

Before Isabella could press further, she spotted her father approaching. Her mother tensed beside her.

"Elena," he said to her mother, "I...uh.. need a moment."

Isabella watched as her parents stepped aside, whispering to themselves heatedly. She couldn't hear much but she heard some parts of the conversation.

"After tonight, everything changes. You know I can't protect her the same way anymore."

Her mother wiped a tear. "It's too dangerous. If they find out..."

"They already suspect," her father cut in. "Better she knows the truth than..."

They both turned as they realized Isabella was still within earshot. Her father came to meet her, taking her hands in his.

"Isabella," he said softly, "there are some things about our family and you that I've kept a secret from you, trust me when I say it's for you safety."

Isabella's heart started racing at her father's rare seriousness towards her. "What things papa?"

"Not tonight." He said as he squeezed her hands gently. "Tomorrow, I promise you I'll explain everything. It's about time you knew the truth."

Before she could respond, Marco appeared with a champagne glass. "Dad, the Moretti guy is asking about those shipping routes."

Her father's scowled looking irritated. "Stay with your sister," he instructed Marco before he disappeared into the crowd.

"What was that about?" Isabella asked her brother.

Marco shrugged, but his eyes were alert as he scanned the room. "Dad's been on edge all week, probably because...."

It happened so fast.

One moment, Isabella was talking with her brother near the dessert table. The next, the sound of glass shattering cut through the music as the massive windows of the ballroom exploded inward.

A group of men armed to the teeth with guns barged in through the windows, gun blazing. Immediately all hell broke loose.

"ISABELLA, RUN!" Marco shouted, dragging her behind him as guests screamed and scattered.

The Valentino security guards drew their weapons, but they were outnumbered and the enemy had the element of surprise. Bodies fell as they were shot down. Their blood splattering on the marble floor.

Isabella stood frozen in horror as one of the masked men pointed directly at her. "That must be her! Get the girl!"

Marco grabbed her arm, dragging her toward the grand staircase. "Move, Izzy! NOW!"

They hurriedly ran upstairs, staying low as bullets were flying all around them. The moment they reached the top of the stairs, Marco suddenly jerked backwards, his shirt blooming red with blood.

"Marco!" Isabella screamed in pure terror as her brother stumbled forward against her.

"I'm okay," he gasped, though blood soaked through his shirt. "Keep going! Your room.... the passage..."

More gunfire erupted below as their father's men fought back. Isabella helped Marco down the hallway, his weight growing heavier against her.

They had just reached her bedroom door when Isabella heard her mother loud scream from below. She turned, horrified, in time to see her mother crumple to the floor, her black dress now soaked with blood.

"No!" Isabella cried, starting to turn back.

"You can't help her," Marco rasped, dragging and pushing her into her room. "Find the passage Izzy. Go!"

A shout from the hallway, the attackers were coming up the stairs. Marco pushed Isabella further into her room before turning to face the door, drawing his own gun from inside his jacket.

"Marco, please..."

"I love you, little sister," he said, not looking back at her. "Run. Don't stop. Don't trust anyone."

The door burst open. Marco fired twice before a torrent of bullets hit him square in the chest. Isabella watched him fall backwards in slow motion, his body hitting the floor with a sickening thud.

She choked back a scream, scrambling backward toward her closet as her brother's blood pooled across her bedroom floor. Through the open door, she immediately sighted her father who was still alive but fighting off two of the attackers, his gun smoking.

"Isabella!" he shouted the moment he saw her, and for a moment his rage filled face looked relieved before his face switched into concern. "RUN!"

One of the men seeing this chance, raised his gun toward her father's back.

"PAPA, BEHIND YOU!" Isabella screamed.

But her warning came too late. The bullet struck her father in the back of the head. He fell forward, eyes still opened in shock but lacking any sign of life.

She clamped her hands over her mouth to stop her sobs as she backed into her closet, fumbling for the hidden panel her father had shown her years ago. "In case of emergency," he had said to her then. She never thought she'd need it.

Her fingers found the latch just as she heard heavy footsteps entering her room.

"Find the girl," a cold voice ordered. "She can't have gone far."

The panel opened silently. Isabella slipped inside the dark passage, pulling it closed behind her just as her bedroom light came on.

Heart pounding and tears streaming down her face, she felt her way along the narrow tunnel, the sounds of the violence growing more distant. The passage sloped downward, curving beneath the house until it finally ended at a small door.

Isabella pushed it open and stumbled out into the pouring rain behind the mansion. The cold drops of rain mixed with her tears as she gasped for breath, her emerald dress now torn and stained with her brother's blood.

Her entire world had just ended in blood and gunfire.

And she had no idea why.

With one last look at the mansion that had been her only home, Isabella ran barefoot into the stormy night, her father's final promise echoing in her mind: "Tomorrow, I'll explain everything."

A tomorrow that would never come.

‎Isabella ran.

‎Her bare feet slapped against the wet pavement as she ran breathing heavily and shakily. Every breath she took came in painfully and every step she took hurt. But she couldn't stop running.

‎She couldn't stop seeing her brother's blood pooling on her bedroom floor.‎

‎She couldn't stop hearing her mother's scream. ‎She couldn't stop seeing her father fall.

‎The empty streets blurred together as she stumbled forward. Where the hell was everyone?‎

‎Why was the city so quiet? It felt like she was the only one in the city, and that feeling s*ck*d.

‎Her father's voice echoed again in her mind: "Tomorrow, I'll explain everything." ‎

‎But now he was gone. Most likely because of her.

‎Isabella legs finally gave out making her collapse on the cold and wet sidewalk, beside a streetlight sobbing. The rain finally reduced to a drizzle but she was soaked by then to the bone, confused and disoriented, her teeth chattering from the col