Chapter 3: The Rules of His World

The room in Luca Moretti’s estate didn’t feel like a bedroom anymore. It felt like a holding space.

Emily stood near the window, arms folded tightly across her chest, watching the rain slide down the glass like the city itself was trying to escape.

Behind her, the door clicked open.

But she didn’t turn immediately like she already knew who it was.

Footsteps entered the room slowly

Like the person didn’t need permission to exist anywhere.

“Still awake,” he said calmly,

Emily finally turned.

“So are you.” She replied, hurried and angrily,

There was a pause in the room .

Then Luca walked further in, stopping near the center of the room.

“I don’t sleep much,” he replied, with the same tone as before

“That sounds like your problem,” Emily said quickly.

A faint silence followed.

Luca was studying her reaction instead of responding emotionally.

That made her even more annoyed.

Emily crossed her arms tighter and broke the weird silence

“I want my phone back.”, she demanded

“No,” he refused.

Luca is someone of few words.

Emily blinked, “…No?” Why?

Luca tilted his head slightly.

“You don’t need it. That’s not your decision to make.”, he said.

A small pause

Then Luca stepped closer, but not too close. Just enough to shift the air between them.

“In my world,” he said calmly, “it is.”

Emily scoffed. “Your world? I didn’t agree to live in your world.”

Luca’s gaze didn’t change. “You walked into it,” he said

“That was an accident,” she spoke, trying to explain herself,

“No,” he corrected quietly. “That was curiosity.”

That word hit differently.

Emily hated that he was partly right. But she refused to show it.

“So what now?” she asked sharply. “I stay here forever? Locked in some billionaire mafia mansion?”

Luca didn’t react to her tone.

Instead, he said something completely unexpected.

“You’re not locked in,” he said.

Emily frowned. And she was surprised. Really? She asked herself

“…Excuse me?” she asked, to gain his attention to whether it’s the truth.

He gestured slightly toward the door. “You can leave,” he said, quietly

She narrowed her eyes. Surprised. Not wanting to believe. “That’s a lie,” she said.

Luca shook his head once, “It’s not.

“But you won’t escape.” He said to her, confidently

That sentence stayed in the air longer than it should have. Emily’s expression tightened, “Why are you so sure?”

Now Luca looked at her properly. Like he was reading something beneath her anger. And he said, “Because if you walk out,” he said slowly, “you won’t survive what follows you.”

Silence followed his words.

That changed the temperature of the room instantly.

Emily’s voice dropped slightly,“…Is that a threat?” she asked him, feeling threatened.

Luca’s answer came immediately, “No.”

Another pause.

Then, he added, “ It’s a fact.”

Emily exhaled sharply.

“This is insane.”

Luca turned slightly toward the window beside her. Outside, London lights blurred through rain and darkness.

“My world is not safe,” he said.

Emily laughed dryly, “Yeah, I noticed the murder part.”

Luca’s jaw tightened slightly at that, but he didn’t deny it.

Instead, he said, “You saw something you shouldn’t have.”

“I didn’t choose that,” she said.

“No,” he agreed. “But you were there.”

Emily stepped forward now, “That doesn’t mean you get to take control of my life.” Luca looked back at her.

And for the first time, his voice changed slightly, “In my world, Emily,” he said, “control is the only thing that keeps people alive.”

That made her pause. It’s not because she agreed. But because she believed it completely.

Emily studied him, then asked him, “So what? You’re protecting me?”

Luca didn’t answer immediately. That hesitation… mattered. Finally, he said, “I’m preventing consequences.”

Emily scoffed again, and she said, “That sounds like a nicer word for imprisonment.”

A faint shift crossed Luca’s expression. Something closer to irritation… or interest.

“You talk too much,” he said.

Emily blinked at his word, “…What?”

Luca stepped slightly closer again, “You question everything,” he continued. “You argue when you should stay quiet. Emily lifted her chin.

“That’s called having a personality,” she said

Then Luca said something that made her stomach tighten slightly.

“In my world,” he said, “people like you don’t last long.” Emily held his gaze.

And she said, not undefeated, “Then maybe your world is the problem.”

This time, Luca didn’t respond immediately. He just looked at her.

Longer than necessary. Like he was trying to understand something unfamiliar.

A quiet knock interrupted them.

The door opened. A woman stepped inside. Elegant and Calm.

Emily turned slightly, and asked, “Who is she?”

Luca didn’t look away from Emily, and replied, “My assistant.”

The woman spoke gently, “Dinner is ready, sir.”

Luca nodded once. Then glanced at Emily, “You should eat.” Emily stared at him.

“I don’t take instructions from you,”

After a faint pause

Then Luca said, “You will tonight.”

Emily opened her mouth to argue. But something in his tone stopped her. The control wrapped around his words. But it has effect on her. She hated that it worked.

Luca turned toward the door, then stopped.

Without looking back, he said, “One more thing.”

Emily frowned, but asked, “What?

His voice lowered slightly.

“You keep your sketchbook with you.”

That caught her off guard. “…Why?”

Then Luca said quietly, “Because it’s the only thing here that belongs to you.” And then he left.

Later, In the evening, the dining room was too large. That was Emily’s first thought when she entered inside. Too polished and too quiet.

She sat at one end of the long table while Luca sat further down—not distant enough to feel ignored, but far enough to remind her she wasn’t equal in this space.

The assistant placed food in front of her. Emily didn’t touch it immediately.

Luca noticed.

“You’re not eating.”

“I’m not hungry,” she replied.

Luca calmly said, “You’re stressed.”

Emily looked up.

“That’s one way to put it.”

Then Luca added, “You’ll get used to it.”

Emily almost laughed and replied, “That’s the problem. I don’t want to get used to this.”

Luca studied her again.

Then he said, “You will anyway.”

Emily put her fork down. Angrily, she replied him, “Why are you so sure about everything?”