Alessandra sat up abruptly, she was still trying to get familiar with her environment… She had the same dream that terrorised her for 8years!!! She saw the same figure and heard the same voice that has been haunting her for 8 whole years!!! She thought it was gone as she didn't have the dream for a while now. Taking a deep breath, she tried to organise herself and her thoughts but recalling the events of 1week ago, she buried her head in her pillow and cried some more… After what seemed like eternity, she decided to go to the main house for breakfast.

Alessandra was greeted on her way by the gardener close to the main house entrance, she could only manage a nod accompanied with a weak smile then she ran into the housekeeper. "Dio mio!!! What are you doing to yourself, child? You need to take care of yourself more…" "Buon giorno

Rosa" Alessandra greeted nonchalantly. Rosa knew it's a trying time for Alessandra and all she wanted for her was to be happy and lively again.

Alessandra's parents died in a car crash 9years ago, her twin brother Alessandro got lost in the crash and she was still frantically searching for him. She just got seated at the table when her uncle interrupted her thoughts.

"She finally joined us!!!" He declared

"Good morning Zio Tito" she tried to give a warm smile and also extended greetings to other family members present.

Aunt Bianca eyed her angrily and said "hope you've finally made up your mind to be married to Lorenzo Giovanni? I need your reply right now as We're tired of asking Giovannis for more time."

Alessandra couldn't help but let the tears that was welling up in her eyes fall out freely, she knew she wouldn't be able to hold out for longer, just then, her uncle chipped in

"We've taken care of you since my brother and his wife died, the least you can do is help us in return, bambina." Alessandra stared at her uncle with disdain. She had to have a say in this too… " but zio, Gaia is supposed to marry Lorenzo, not me… Nonna said so!!!"

Gaia was furious "how dare you try to rope me into this? You ungrateful bitch!!! You have to marry LorenzoGiovanni, you don't have a choice in this… I won't marry a man that blew up his family fortune and is presently penniless as you can see I have needs!!!"

She turned to her dad and continued "besides there are rumours round town that He's a drunk, maltreats women and does all sort of crazy things to them, you won't want that for your precious child dad, right?"

Alessandra knew how selfish they all were but she couldn't care less… then she decided

"Fine then, I'll marry Lorenzo but under one condition; you have to release my trust Fund!!!"

Tito looked at Bianca and they both laughed. There was no trust fund anymore as they spent all Leonardo's family fortune… they wanted Alessandra out of the picture so Gaia can marry Luca; Alessandra's betrothed…

"That won't be a problem, I can draft a contract and sign it right away."

Alessandra stood up and excused herself, she completely lost her appetite. She knew they were selfish and they think she doesn't know what they're trying to do or how luca was cheating with Gaia…

She said out loud "I will give you what you want, I'm better off alone than to be part of you all."

1 week later, Alessandra left Leonardo's castle with her personal belongings and a signed contract… She remembered the little ceremony that was performed and her stomach churned, her husband did attend instead, his cousin stood in for him. She silently hoped he wasn't as bad as she had heard but was determined to stay no matter what.

She wasn't too surprised as she wasn't given a grand welcome getting to Giovanni's mansion, the estate which the mansion sat on was bigger and with a beautiful landscape although the mansion was washed-out, it looked like it had seen better days. She met an empty house with only the butler in sight, she quietly followed as he showed her where she'd be staying.

Alessandra laid down on her bed and envisioned her day, ceremony wasn't how she pictured it to be, her favourite people weren't present either but she felt at peace.

"Gaia will be super happy she won" she stated " it's probably for the best!!!" She concluded then stopped the tear that was trying to fall from her eyes.

It was late and Alessandra still didn't hear any voices or noise, she knew her husband would be back soon, she didn't know what to expect…

"He'll probably come back drunk" she muttered to herself

Just then, she heard a loud crash and then someone muttering something followed by a scream. Her heart sank, it was like her nightmare was repeating itself but this time in reality she didn't wait to hear the next part which was a banging on her door. She gathered all the strength she could and ran out of her room, running out, she perceived the smell of strong alcohol filling the hallway, she ran as fast as she could through the hallway and out of the mansion she ran so fast she didn't notice the trail of blood she left in her path.