Rain poured heavily, as if the sky itself had lost control.

Cold drops hit my skin, soaking my clothes, blurring my vision. My breath came out in short, uneven gasps as I ran through the empty street, my heartbeat echoing loudly in my ears.

I didn’t even know why I was running.

Just a few minutes ago, everything was normal. I was finishing my shift, thinking about going home, maybe getting some sleep…

And then—

Gunshots.

The sound still rang in my ears.

“Stop.”

That voice.

Low. Calm. Terrifying.

It didn’t shout. It didn’t need to.

My legs froze for a split second… but fear pushed me forward again.

I ran faster.

Big mistake.

Before I could even turn the corner, my body slammed into something—no, someone.

Strong arms caught me instantly, stopping me from falling.

“Careful.”

His voice was steady, almost bored… but there was something in it that made my chest tighten.

Slowly, hesitantly, I looked up.

And my world stopped.

He was… different.

Black suit, perfectly fitted, now slightly damp from the rain. His hair was wet, a few strands falling over his forehead. His face was sharp, almost unreal.

But it was his eyes that trapped me.

Dark.

Cold.

Empty.

Like he didn’t feel anything at all.

A chill ran down my spine.

“I-I’m sorry,” I stuttered, trying to step back, but his grip on my arm tightened.

I couldn’t move.

Before I could say anything else, several men appeared around us, surrounding us like a wall.

My heart dropped.

“Boss,” one of them said respectfully, “she was there.”

There?

My mind went blank.

What were they talking about?

“I didn’t see anything!” I blurted out quickly, panic rising in my chest. “I swear, I didn’t see anything, please—”

“Then why did you run?”

His voice cut through mine like a knife.

I went silent.

Because I didn’t know what to say.

Because I knew… no matter what I said, he wouldn’t believe me.

He stepped closer.

Too close.

I could feel his presence, heavy and suffocating, like the air itself had changed.

His fingers reached up and lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze again.

I tried to look away.

I couldn’t.

“People who lie…” he said softly, his voice dropping as he leaned near my ear, “…don’t live long.”

My breath hitched.

Tears burned in my eyes.

“Please…” I whispered, my voice shaking, “I don’t want any trouble. I’ll forget everything. I promise.”

For a moment, everything went silent.

The rain.

The street.

Even my own thoughts.

All I could feel… was him.

He stared at me like he was trying to read something hidden deep inside me.

Like my life was just a decision waiting to be made.

Kill… or let go.

Seconds felt like hours.

Then suddenly—

He smiled.

But it wasn’t a kind smile.

It wasn’t warm.

It was dangerous.

The kind of smile that warned you something was about to go very, very wrong.

“Too late.”

My heart stopped.

Before I could react, he turned slightly toward his men.

“Take her.”

“What? No—wait! Please!” Panic exploded inside me as I tried to pull away, but their grip was too strong.

“No! I didn’t do anything! Let me go!”

I struggled, my voice breaking, but it was useless.

They didn’t even hesitate.

Like this was normal.

Like I meant nothing.

Suddenly, his hand grabbed my wrist again, pulling me back toward him.

My body stiffened.

“You made one mistake,” he said calmly, his voice steady despite the chaos around us.

I shook my head desperately, tears streaming down my face.

“I didn’t—”

“And now…” he continued, cutting me off.

He leaned closer.

So close I could feel his breath against my skin.

“You belong to me.”

Belong to him?

No… this had to be a nightmare.

Because if it wasn’t… then my life was already over.

The car door slammed shut.

The sound echoed in my chest like a final warning.

I struggled instantly. “Let me go! Please—I didn’t do anything!”

No one responded.

Two men sat on either side of me, their expressions blank, like I wasn’t even human… just a task.

The car started moving.

Fast.

The city lights blurred outside the window as rain continued to pour, each drop hitting the glass like a ticking clock counting down my freedom.

My hands trembled in my lap.

This couldn’t be real.

Just a few minutes ago, I had a normal life.

Now—

I was being taken somewhere by strangers… by him.

My chest tightened.

That man.

Those eyes.

Cold. Empty. Dangerous.

“W-where are you taking me?” I asked, my voice barely steady.

Silence.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stay calm.

Think. Think.

There had to be a way out.

Slowly, I reached for the door handle.

Before I could even touch it—

A hand grabbed my wrist.

Tight.

“Don’t.”

The man beside me didn’t even look at me while saying it.

My breath hitched.

I pulled my hand back immediately.

Okay.

No escape.

Not now.

I turned my head slightly, watching the road ahead.

The city slowly disappeared.

Tall buildings replaced by dark, empty roads.

My heartbeat sped up again.

Where were they taking me?

After what felt like forever, the car finally slowed down.

Large iron gates appeared in front of us.

They opened automatically.

My eyes widened.

Beyond them stood a massive mansion.

No…

Not a mansion.

A fortress.

High walls. Security everywhere. Guards standing like statues.

Fear crept deeper into my bones.

The car stopped.

The door opened.

“Out.”

My body hesitated.

“I said, out.”

I stepped out slowly, my legs slightly shaking.

Rain had slowed, but the air still felt heavy.

Cold.

Unwelcoming.

Before I could take in more, a familiar presence approached.

My heart dropped.

Him.

He walked toward me like he owned the world itself.

Same black suit. Same unreadable face.

Same terrifying aura.

I couldn’t breathe properly.

He stopped right in front of me.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

His eyes scanned my face… like he was memorizing every detail.

Or judging it.

I couldn’t tell.

“Scared?” he asked calmly.

I didn’t answer.

Because the truth was obvious.

His lips curved slightly.

Not a smile.

Something darker.

“Good.”

A chill ran through me.

He turned without another word and started walking toward the mansion.

“Bring her.”

Just like that.

Like I was nothing.

Like I had no choice.

I followed.

Because I knew…

I didn’t.

Inside, everything was… unreal.

Huge chandeliers. Marble floors. Silence so deep it felt unnatural.

Every step I took echoed.

This place wasn’t just rich.

It was controlled.

Perfect.

Cold.

“Stay here.”

I was pushed lightly into a large room.

The door shut behind me.

I turned quickly.

Locked.

My heart pounded.

I ran to the door, trying the handle again.

Nothing.

“Open this!” I shouted, hitting the door. “Please! Let me go! I don’t belong here!”

No response.

Tears filled my eyes again.

I turned around slowly, my back hitting the door as I slid down to the floor.

This was real.

This was actually happening.

Minutes passed.

Or maybe hours.

I didn’t know anymore.

Then—

The door opened.

I froze.

He walked in.

Alone.

The air instantly felt heavier.

He closed the door behind him quietly.

My body tensed as he stepped closer.

Each step slow.

Controlled.

Like a predator approaching its prey.

I quickly stood up, moving back instinctively.

“Stay away,” I said, my voice shaking despite my attempt to sound strong.

He didn’t stop.

“Please…” I whispered.

He finally stopped.

Just a few steps away.

Close enough to make my heart race uncontrollably.

“Do you know where you are?” he asked.

I shook my head.

“Good.”

Confusion flashed across my face.

His gaze darkened slightly.

“This is my world.”

My breath caught.

“And once you enter…” he continued slowly, “…there’s no way out.”

Fear gripped my chest.

“No,” I said immediately, shaking my head. “You can’t just keep me here! I have a life! People will look for me!”

He tilted his head slightly.

“Will they?”

His words hit harder than they should have.

I stayed silent.

Because deep down…

I wasn’t sure.

He stepped closer again.

This time, I couldn’t move.

My back hit the wall.

Trapped.

His hand reached up again.

My breath stopped.

His fingers gently brushed a strand of wet hair away from my face.

The touch was… soft.

Too soft for someone like him.

And somehow—

That scared me more.

“You’re shaking,” he murmured.

“Because I’m scared of you,” I whispered.

For a moment—

Something flickered in his eyes.

Something unreadable.

Then it was gone.

“Get used to it.”

My heart sank.

He stepped back, turning toward the door.

“From now on,” he said without looking at me…

“You stay here.”

The door opened.

“Wait!” I called out, desperation rising again. “Why are you doing this? Why me?!”

He paused.

For just a second.

Then—

“Because you saw something you shouldn’t have.”

And with that—

He left.

The door locked again.

Trapped.

Alone.

In a world that wasn’t mine…

And worst of all—

I couldn’t stop thinking about him. 😈

Silence.

That was the first thing I noticed.

Not the kind of silence that feels peaceful…

But the kind that presses against your chest, making it hard to breathe.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my fingers tightly gripping the sheets as I stared at the closed door.

Locked.

Of course it was.

I let out a shaky breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts.

Think.

There had to be a way out of this.

This couldn’t be my life now.

Kidnapped… trapped… controlled by a man whose name I didn’t even know.

My chest tightened.

Why me?

What did I even see?

I replayed everything in my mind.

The alley.

The gunshot.

The shadow of someone falling.

My eyes widened slightly.

No…

I hadn’t seen clearly.

Just a glimpse.

Just enough to understand that something terrible had happened.

And that he—

My thoughts stopped.

Footsteps.

My body tensed instantly.

They were getting closer.

Slow. Steady. Controlled.

My heartbeat picked up.

Then—

The door opened.

I stood up immediately, my body going rigid.

But it wasn’t him.

A woman walked in, dressed neatly, her expression calm.

Behind her, two guards stood silently.

She gave me a small, polite smile.

“You should freshen up,” she said softly. “I’ve brought clothes for you.”

I blinked, confused.

Clothes?

Why would they—

“I don’t need anything,” I said quickly. “I just want to go home.”

Her smile didn’t fade.

But something in her eyes did.

“I’m afraid… that’s not possible.”

My hands clenched.

“Please,” I tried again, stepping forward. “You don’t understand—”

“I understand more than you think,” she interrupted gently.

That made me pause.

She walked closer and placed the clothes on the bed.

“You should change. He doesn’t like to wait.”

My breath hitched.

He.

“Who is he?” I asked quietly.

For the first time, she hesitated.

Then she looked at me with something almost like pity.

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

And just like that—

She left.

The door locked again.

Minutes later, I stood in front of the mirror.

The girl staring back at me didn’t look like me anymore.

My hair was still slightly damp, my eyes red from fear and lack of sleep.

The dress they gave me was simple… but elegant.

Too elegant for someone like me.

I wrapped my arms around myself.

This didn’t feel right.

Nothing about this felt right.

The door opened again.

This time—

It was him.

My body froze.

He stepped inside slowly, his gaze immediately locking onto me.

I couldn’t move.

Couldn’t speak.

Couldn’t breathe.

For a moment, he said nothing.

Just looked at me.

His eyes moved slightly, taking in every detail.

Not in a way that felt normal.

But like he was studying me.

Analyzing.

Judging.

“You clean up well,” he finally said.

My fingers tightened slightly.

“I didn’t ask for this,” I replied, my voice low but steady.

Something flickered in his eyes.

Interest?

Amusement?

I couldn’t tell.

“No,” he agreed calmly. “You didn’t.”

He stepped closer.

Instinctively, I stepped back.

Bad move.

My back hit the wall almost immediately.

Trapped again.

“Then let me go,” I said quickly, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “If I didn’t choose this, then you have no right to keep me here.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Dangerous.

For a moment, I thought I had gone too far.

But then—

He smiled slightly.

“You talk too much.”

My heart skipped a beat.

“And you don’t listen enough,” I shot back before I could stop myself.

The moment the words left my mouth—

I regretted it.

The air changed instantly.

Colder.

Sharper.

His eyes darkened.

He stepped even closer, closing the small distance between us completely.

My breath hitched.

“Careful,” he said softly.

That word again.

Careful.

“But I’m not scared of you,” I whispered, even though my trembling hands betrayed me.

His gaze dropped briefly to my hands.

Then back to my eyes.

“Liar.”

My throat went dry.

Before I could react, his hand reached out again.

My body stiffened.

But instead of grabbing me harshly—

His fingers gently tilted my chin up.

Forcing me to look at him.

“You’re terrified,” he murmured.

His voice wasn’t mocking.

It was… certain.

And that somehow made it worse.

“Then let me go,” I said again, my voice breaking slightly.

For a second—

Just a second—

Something changed in his expression.

Something softer.

But it disappeared just as quickly.

“No.”

One word.

Final.

My heart sank.

“Why?” I whispered.

This time…

He didn’t answer immediately.

His gaze held mine, unreadable.

Then slowly—

“Because I don’t trust you.”

That hurt more than it should have.

“I told you, I didn’t see anything,” I insisted.

“That’s not the problem.”

Confusion flashed across my face.

“Then what is?”

He stepped back slightly, creating just enough distance to make me feel the loss of his presence.

“You were there,” he said simply.

“That’s enough.”

I stared at him, unable to understand.

“How long are you going to keep me here?” I asked quietly.

His lips curved slightly again.

“Until I decide otherwise.”

My chest tightened.

That wasn’t an answer.

That was a warning.

He turned toward the door.

“Wait,” I called out before he could leave.

He paused.

“Do you at least have a name?” I asked.

Silence.

For a moment, I thought he would ignore me.

Then—

Without turning around—

“Adrian.”

The name sent a strange chill through me.

“And you?” he asked.

I hesitated.

Should I tell him?

Did it even matter?

“…Ava,” I said softly.

He nodded once.

As if committing it to memory.

Then he left.

The door locked again.

Adrian.

The name echoed in my mind…

The man who kidnapped me…

The man I should hate…

So why did my heart race every time he got close? 😳🔥