Chapter 3 - Stepping Inside The Forbidden Gates
Renley was pushing her old bicycle down the gravel-lined driveway when heavy footsteps echoed rapidly behind her in the dark.
“Wait, young lady! The boss wants a word with you!” the guard shouted, jogging quickly to catch up to her handlebars.
Renley stopped, her heart hammering against her ribs as fear threatened to swallow her courage completely.
“I didn't do anything wrong! I just delivered the food that was ordered!” she protested, her voice trembling slightly in the chill.
“Nobody is saying you did anything wrong, kid; just turn your bike around and walk back to the front steps,” the guard urged gently.
Reluctantly, Renley wheeled her bicycle back toward the towering iron gates where Vincenzo Vance was still sitting in the shadows.
As she approached, the grand wooden double doors of the mansion remained wide open, casting a warm yellow glow across the gravel.
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Vincenzo stood up slowly, dusting off his dark trousers as he walked toward her with an expression of intense curiosity.
“What is your name, child?” he asked, his tone dropping from harsh authority into something surprisingly soft and gentle.
