The morning air was crisp, tinged with the scent of freshly polished marble and my father's quiet authority. I had hoped the day would unfold like any other, predictable and contained, but Aris had other plans.

‎

‎"She should go to school," Aris said casually as she perched on the arm of one of the chaise lounges, her eyes sharp and calculating. "It's... better for the family. For space. For everyone to breathe."

‎

‎I froze mid-step. Her tone was light, almost teasing, but beneath it lay steel. I felt it immediately .A push to remove me from my life, my home, my place in Alaiz's orbit.

‎

‎My father, however, shook his head with measured calm, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "No, Aris. Instead, we'll go to England. Honeymoon."

‎

‎My pulse jumped. "Honeymoon?" I repeated, disbelief catching in my throat.

‎

‎"Yes," he said, folding a napkin as if discussing tea instead of marital plans. "Time away. Space to celebrate what matters."

‎

‎Aris's eyes flicked to mine, a flash of something unreadable passing behind them. I sensed it immediately ,‎Resentment, judgment, and a thinly veiled challenge.

‎

‎The day dragged on in a haze of expectation. Alaiz had, of course, left instructions for his Cybertruck, but before leaving for the day, he slipped a small velvet box onto the counter where I would find it.

‎

‎I picked it up, heart racing. Inside lay a necklace: delicate, silver, with a single teardrop diamond that caught the light in impossible ways.

‎

‎"Take it," Alaiz said softly, leaning just enough to meet my eyes. "A gift."

‎

‎I stared, I had never wanted anything from a cheat, from someone who could claim hearts as easily as he claimed spaces. And yet... the beauty of it made my chest ache.

‎I took it ..not because I wanted it but because there where servants at home who wanted and deserve such gifts .

‎

‎Seeing Emmilia and Alaiz the previous night had ruined everything thing I felt for him.I couldn't even take a second glance at the necklace because it reminded me of hate .

‎

‎

‎

‎The day passed. The house prepared for departure; my father's plans for England became more real with each ticking moment. Alaiz, meanwhile, had made arrangements, leaving me with nothing but anticipation and something heavier, unspoken, wrapped around my heart.

‎

‎By evening, I found myself wandering the quiet corridors, free for the first time since the day had begun. Father was gone, honeymoon underway. Aris had withdrawn into her private quarters, undoubtedly plotting or scheming, her absence both relieving and unsettling.

‎

‎The freedom felt electric. Dangerous. And I knew it immediately.

‎

‎I decided to take a stroll, to feel the air outside the walls that had always constrained me. Each step was careful, measured but liberating. The estate at night held its own magic: streetlights casting long shadows, the hum of distant generators, and the faint perfume of night-blooming flowers.

‎

‎And then... I bumped into him.

‎

‎Alaiz.

‎

‎He stood there casually, as if he had expected me, as if the night had conspired to place us in the same shadow. My chest tightened. I had promised myself I wouldn't speak, wouldn't give him the satisfaction of a conversation. Yet our eyes met, and I felt the pull all over again.

‎

‎"You..." I started, catching myself, hesitant. "I... I didn't mean to....."

‎

‎"Walk into me?" he interrupted gently, the barest hint of a smirk on his lips. "I don't mind."

‎

‎I rolled my eyes, trying to reclaim some dignity. "You should leave. Go. I....Im really not in the mood to talk "

‎

‎Alaiz's expression shifted, the smirk fading. His eyes darkened, serious and weighty. "I can explain."

‎

‎"Explain wat ? Wt do you even know you want to explain "

‎

‎"I promise if it's wat I'm thinking I promise I can explain "

‎

‎

‎I wanted to laugh, wanted to cry,wanted to run but against all reason, against my own stubbornness, I stayed. "Fine. Explain," I muttered, voice low and sharp.

‎

‎We walked a few paces, finding a bench under the faint glow of a street lamp. He spoke for what felt like hours, words careful, heavy with meaning. He told me about Emmilia ,about boundaries, family, and loyalty. About feelings that had been misinterpreted, moments that had been misunderstood.

‎

‎I listened, at first I was skeptical, then reluctantly amused. Somehow, despite the weight of the night, despite the sting of jealousy and fear, I found myself agreeing to hear him out.

‎

‎He paused, eyes searching mine. "Tomorrow by Eight o'clock.....uhmmm....would it be okay if we have dinner out ?. I'll pick you up."

‎

‎I nodded, lips tight. Curiosity and frustration warring inside me. "Eight," I whispered.

‎

‎Then, abruptly, a phone rang. His hand flew to his pocket, and he answered with clipped efficiency.

‎

‎"What!" he barked.

‎

‎My chest froze. His voice was strong ,a single word, sharp and cutting,it hung in the air. I felt it reverberate inside my bones. The color drained from my face.

‎

‎The phone slipped from his hand, falling toward the cobblestone path below. Time seemed to freeze.

‎

‎"Wait-" I started, but he had already hung up.

‎

‎The device hit the ground with a soft thud, sliding slightly into the darkened street. Alaiz stared after it, jaw clenched, eyes wide not at the fall, but at the message, at the weight carried in that single call.

‎

‎I didn't breathe. I couldn't.

‎

‎We both knew the world had shifted, that this moment would echo through every corner of our lives. I felt my heartbeat thundering against my ribs. The night air pressed against my skin, electrified with danger, desire, and the unknown.

‎

‎Finally, he looked at me. His gaze held a promise I didn't understand and a warning I couldn't ignore. "I'll explain tomorrow," he said simply, voice low, deliberate.

‎

‎And then he vanished into the shadows, leaving me alone on the path, staring at the street where his phone lay like a fallen talisman, heavy with secrets and impending chaos.

‎

‎I stood there, trembling, aware that the quiet of the night could no longer protect me. The house, Aris, Emmilia, Alaiz,they were all pieces of a puzzle I didn't yet have the courage to solve.

‎

‎And for the first time, the freedom my father had unintentionally granted me the ability to walk the estate without fear had felt like a curse wrapped in desire.

‎

‎I walked home slowly, every shadow flickering with the memory of him, the anticipation of tomorrow, and the invisible thread that had already woven our lives together.

‎

‎I didn't sleep that night,not even a little. The fallen phone, the interrupted call, the promise of explanation,it all churned inside me, sharp and relentless.

‎

‎Tomorrow would come, inevitably. And with it... the storm.

‎

‎

‎

‎

I had dressed carefully. Every detail mattered ,my hair, my dress, the faint shimmer of perfume that wasn't too strong, but enough to leave a trace. Alaiz had given me the address, the time, the instructions. Eight o'clock. Sharp. Clear. I had rehearsed in my head how I would act, how I would move, how I would breathe until the moment I would see him again.

‎

‎And yet, as I stepped out into the night, the city lights flickering along the streets, my pulse betrayed me. I told myself it was nothing. Just anticipation. Just nerves. But the way my stomach twisted, the way my hands shook slightly, told a different story.

‎

‎I arrived early, parking a little distance from his house, as I had been instructed. The night was quiet, still, the kind of silence that draped itself over the world like a velvet sheet. I checked my watch. Eight o'clock. Sharp.

‎

‎I waited.

‎

‎Minutes ticked by....... Ten, Twenty, My confidence began to fray at the edges. Maybe it was a surprise? Maybe something had delayed him? Maybe this was part of the plan, some mysterious thrill only he understood.

‎

‎By eleven, the thrill had curdled into anxiety.

‎

‎My mind spiraled, replaying his call from the night before. The way he had said my name, low and deliberate, promising. The way his voice had wavered just slightly, like he had wanted to confess something, to pull me closer even through the phone line. "I can't wait to see you," he had said, and it had reverberated through me, igniting something I couldn't extinguish.

‎

‎And yet... he wasn't here. No car pulling up. No footstep on the gravel. Nothing.

‎

‎I tried to calm myself, pacing slightly on the sidewalk, watching the shadows stretch across the walls. I reminded myself,he was complicated. He had responsibilities, a life, a family... probably something urgent had come up. But the gnawing feeling in my chest refused to be ignored.

‎

‎I sat down on the curb, hugging my knees to my chest. I thought about the phone call. About his words. About the intensity in his voice. And I cursed myself for believing it.

‎

‎Time stretched, merciless and cruel.

‎

‎Somewhere in the distance, headlights flickered maybe a taxi? Maybe someone coming to check if I'd gotten lost? My heart leapt with false hope, only to fall again when it wasn't him.

‎

‎I didn't know how long I had waited. An hour? Two? Every passing minute carved deeper into my chest, hollowing it out, reminding me that desire could be punishment as much as pleasure.

‎

‎Finally, I stood, brushing the dress back into place, smoothing my hair as if I could straighten out the tension in my chest too. Maybe I had been played. Maybe I had misread him.

‎

‎The thought was unbearable. And yet... I couldn't stop thinking about him. The way he looked at me, the weight of his presence, the dangerous comfort that always seemed to follow him. I had waited, and waited, and waited... and yet, I hadn't moved.

‎

‎And then... nothing.

‎

‎No car. No signal. No explanation. My heart stuttered again, more violently than before. I felt stranded, suspended between hope and fear.

‎

‎At home, the house would soon feel unbearable. Aris and my father were returning, their presence looming. Abi was unreachable ,her line silent, dead. I was alone.

‎

‎The wind picked up slightly, stirring my hair, whispering along the streets. I hugged my arms around myself, wishing the night could just swallow me whole.

‎

‎And then, far off in the distance, I noticed movement,a figure on the balcony, tall, lean, familiar. My breath caught. My stomach twisted. My heart lurched. Alaiz wasn't here in the driveway, not yet, but the shadow of him, the echo of his presence, was enough to ignite the pulse in my veins.

‎

‎I had no choice. I couldn't stay on the curb, frozen in frustration. I had to see him.

‎

‎I crossed the street slowly, cautiously, trying not to appear frantic, trying to appear... composed. The closer I got, the more I realized that the shadows themselves seemed to cling to him, shaping the night around him like he owned the dark as much as he owned the day.

‎

‎And then,nothing.

‎

‎The balcony emptied. The windows reflected nothing but light, shadows dancing across glass and concrete. I sank to the ground, a whisper escaping my lips. "Where are you?"

‎

‎I checked my phone again. No missed calls. No messages. Nothing. The emptiness pressed in from all sides. My chest ached, lungs tightening with panic and frustration.

‎

‎Back at home, the sound of a car rolling through the gates made me flinch. It was Aris and my father. Their car doors slammed. I could hear their voices through the air, sharp with curiosity, tinged with annoyance.

‎

‎"Where's Meelan?" Aris called.

‎

‎"She should be here," my father's voice followed. Calm, but underneath it, the unmistakable pulse of concern.

‎

‎Abi's absence added another layer of panic. Her phone was unreachable. The idea that I was completely alone, untethered, for hours on end made my chest tighten further.

‎

‎I couldn't think. Couldn't breathe properly. I sank against the wall, the city around me cold and indifferent. And then... I realized he had given me the address. He had explicitly said where to go.

‎

‎I hadn't wandered. I hadn't miscalculated. I had obeyed, had waited, had followed the rules he set. And yet... nothing.

‎

‎The streetlights reflected on the pavement, glittering like fragments of the promises I thought I'd received. My thoughts spun........was this punishment? Was this testing me? Or... had something gone wrong?

‎

‎I hugged my knees tighter. The memory of his voice, low, urgent, full of desire and intention, pressed against my mind. The thought of it combined with his absence now made my chest ache in a way that was more than physical,it was a slow, gnawing, burning ache that refused to leave.

‎

‎Somewhere in the distance, a car honked. My pulse jumped. My head whipped around, expecting him but no. Just another reminder of the world continuing without regard to the tension in my chest, the hope clawing at my ribs.

‎

‎I thought about the last conversation. About the call. About the way he had said he couldn't wait to see me. I had believed him, had surrendered to the anticipation, had held my breath, had dressed, had waited. And now... nothing.

‎

‎The night grew heavier. Every passing minute was a drumbeat against my temples, against my heart, against the fragile hope I clung to.

‎

‎And then... a distant sound of a car door closing again. Not him. Not yet. But the knowledge that my absence had been noticed finally hit me. Aris and Dad would arrive soon, questions, anger, confusion. Abi unreachable. Alone.

‎

‎I sank against the pavement, heart hammering, mind racing, body trembling.

‎

‎The night stretched endlessly. Every shadow, every flicker of light, every sound of the distant city felt magnified, sharpened. The ache in my chest had no name, no relief. The night itself seemed to mock me.

‎

‎And yet... a part of me couldn't stop thinking about him. About Alaiz. About the words, the voice, the look in his eyes when he had promised he couldn't wait to see me.

‎

‎By midnight, the emptiness became unbearable. My thoughts spiraled into what-ifs, whys, and fears. I replayed every interaction, every glance, every word. Nothing made sense. Nothing was right. And yet... nothing had stopped the ache either.

‎

‎I had obeyed. I had waited. I had followed his rules. And still... nothing.

‎

‎Somewhere far off, lights approached. My father's car, Aris beside him, voices sharp with concern. Questions they would ask, panic they would express. I had no answer.

‎

‎Abi's absence made me feel untethered. My pulse raced uncontrollably. The city around me was a blur. Every sound was amplified. Every shadow was a threat.

‎

‎And then,the phone in my pursue vibrated. But it wasn't a call. It wasn't him. Nothing. I pulled it out. No notifications, no messages. Just the silent reminder of abandonment, broken promises, and desire left dangling.

‎

‎I hugged myself tighter, pressing my forehead against my knees. The world was dark, indifferent, and cruel.

‎

‎Alaiz hadn't come. He hadn't called. He hadn't even tried to explain.

‎

‎And now... my father and Aris would be home soon, wondering why I was gone, and I had nothing to tell them.

‎

‎The night stretched on. My pulse racing, my chest aching, my heart breaking in silent, sharp shards.

‎

‎And somewhere in the shadows, the memory of his voice, the promise of his presence, whispered through the night.

‎

‎I didn't move. I couldn't. I just waited any longer .

‎

‎Nothing had happened. Yet everything had broken.

‎

‎

‎

‎

‎I didn't switch my phone off.

‎

‎That was the first thing I knew for sure.

‎

‎The screen had been glowing in my hand as I walked, my fingers cold around it, my thoughts louder than the city at night. I remember checking the time. I remember the ache in my chest. I remember thinking I should hurry.

‎

‎Then the screen went black.

‎

‎No vibration,no warning just went blank.

‎I stopped walking.

‎

‎The street was quieter than it should have been. Not empty, but wrong , like the night was holding its breath. A car passed slowly, headlights dragging across the pavement, then disappeared.

‎

‎I pressed the power button of my phone ,it still didn't come up.

‎A strange fear crept into my stomach. Not panic yet. Just discomfort. The kind that whispers something is off.

‎

‎"Okay," I murmured to myself. "It's fine."

‎

‎I started walking again, faster this time.

‎

‎That's when a car stopped beside me.

‎

‎It was dark , expensive, clean, too quiet. The window rolled down smoothly, revealing a man I didn't recognize. He looked normal enough. Calm and Polite.The kind of face you wouldn't remember twice.

‎

‎"You're out late," he said gently. "Do you need a ride?"

‎

‎I hesitated.

‎

‎Every warning my father ever drilled into me stirred at once, but so did exhaustion. The road ahead felt long and Empty. My phone was dead. The night pressed closer.

‎

‎"I'm almost home," I lied.

‎

‎He smiled. "It's not safe walking alone this late."

‎

‎I should have said no.

‎

‎I should have kept walking.

‎

‎But fear doesn't always look like screaming. Sometimes it looks like relief.

‎

‎"Just drop me at the junction," I said.

‎

‎He nodded easily. "Of course."

‎

‎The door unlocked with a soft click.

‎

‎The moment I sat inside, the air changed.

‎

‎The scent was wrong ,sharp, unfamiliar. The doors locked automatically. The engine started before I could rethink it.

‎

‎We drove.

‎

‎Not toward the junction.

‎

‎"Excuse me," I said, my voice tight. "You missed the turn."

‎

‎"I know," he replied calmly.

‎

‎My heart skipped.

‎

‎"I said the junction."

‎

‎"We're almost there,I'm using another route ."

‎

‎The road grew darker. Houses thinned out and Streetlights vanished one by one.

‎

‎Panic bloomed fully now.

‎

‎"Stop the car," I said. Louder. "Please."

‎

‎He didn't answer.

‎

‎I reached for the door handle.

‎

‎It wouldn't open.

‎

‎That was when I knew wat was happening.

‎

‎My breath came fast and shallow. My hands trembled as I pressed useless buttons, my mind racing too quickly to form a plan.

‎

‎"Please," I whispered. "You don't have to do this."

‎

‎He laughed softly.

‎

‎That sound will haunt me forever.

‎

‎The car stopped abruptly in front of a house I didn't recognize ,tall, isolated, lights off. He got out first, walked around, and opened my door.

‎

‎"Get out."

‎

‎I shook my head, my body refusing to move. "Please... please."

‎

‎His grip tightened around my wrist. Strong and Unyielding.

‎

‎I screamed.

‎

‎The sound barely traveled.

‎

‎Inside the house, everything smelled like dust and silence. He dragged me through a narrow hallway, my shoes scraping the floor, my heart pounding so hard it hurt.

‎

‎"Let me go!" I cried, fighting, kicking and clawing.

‎

‎He shoved me into a room.

‎

‎The door slammed shut.

‎

‎I backed away until my spine hit the wall. My chest felt like it was collapsing in on itself. Tears blurred my vision, but I refused to close my eyes.

‎

‎He stepped closer.

‎

‎"You should've stayed home," he said.

‎

‎My hands shook violently as I raised them. "Please. I won't tell anyone. I swear."

‎

‎He reached for me.

‎

‎Everything inside me broke loose.

‎

‎I fought like an animal.

‎

‎I screamed until my throat burned. I kicked until my legs ached. I bit, scratched, begged all at once. Terror stripped me down to instinct.

‎

‎He hit me.

‎

‎Not hard enough to knock me out.

‎

‎Just enough to weaken me.

‎

‎I fell.

‎

‎The world tilted.

‎He draged me off to the bed and stripped me off

‎I begged the whole time but he refused to listen ....

‎He unhooked his belt and lay upon me steadily,harsh and painfully.

‎He squeezed the life out of my breast ,it was so painful that I screamed to the extent I felt that my throat had bruised.

‎

‎

‎And then,A crash.

‎

‎The door burst open so violently it cracked against the wall.

‎

‎For a split second, everything froze.

‎

‎The man turned.

‎

‎And someone else stepped into the room,I got scared.

‎

‎He was tall,broad shoulders. Dressed in black from head to toe. A mask covered the lower half of his face, a cap pulled low, shadowing his eyes.

‎

‎But even through fear and tears, I felt it.

‎

‎His presence wasn't chaotic.

‎

‎It was controlled.

‎

‎The man lunged.

‎

‎The masked figure moved faster.

‎

‎The fight was brutal and silent ,fists, grunts, bodies colliding. I curled into myself, shaking, unable to look away but unable to breathe.

‎

‎The stranger didn't hesitate.

‎

‎Didn't struggle.

‎

‎Didn't miss.

‎

‎Within seconds, the man lay unconscious on the floor.

‎

‎The silence afterward was terrifying.

‎

‎The masked man turned to me.

‎

‎For the first time, fear shifted.

‎

‎Not gone,just... redirected.

‎

‎He crouched slowly, careful, like I was something fragile.

‎

‎"It's okay," he said,he gave me his inner wear to put on.

‎His voice was low,steady and familiar in a way I couldn't place

‎

‎My body reacted before my mind did. A sob ripped out of me .it was loud, ugly, uncontrollable. I shrank back instinctively.

‎

‎"Don't touch me," I whispered.

‎

‎He froze.

‎

‎"I won't," he said immediately. "I promise."

‎

‎He took off his jacket and gently placed it over my shoulders without letting his hands linger.

‎

‎"Can you stand?"

‎

‎I nodded weakly.

‎

‎My legs barely held me.

‎

‎He guided me out of the house, keeping distance, never turning his back on me. Outside, the air felt unreal , like I'd stepped into a different world.

‎

‎He stopped near the road.

‎

‎"Do you know where you are?" he asked.

‎

‎I shook my head.

‎

‎"Do you have somewhere safe to go?"

‎

‎I tried to speak.

‎

‎No words came.

‎

‎He inhaled slowly, like he was fighting something.

‎

‎"I'll call for help," he said.

‎

‎I grabbed his sleeve without thinking.

‎

‎"Please... don't leave."

‎

‎He stiffened......then gently, he removed my hand.

‎

‎"I'll come back," he said.

‎

‎I wanted to believe him.

‎

‎But fear doesn't trust promises.

‎

‎He walked away.

‎

‎I watched until he disappeared into the darkness.

‎

‎Only then did I realize something horrifying.

‎

‎I still didn't have my phone.

‎

‎

‎

‎Across town, my father stood in the living room, rage and fear tearing him apart.

‎"Find her," Harlan said sharply. "Now."

‎Servants searched every room.

‎Every corridor,Every street.

‎My bed was untouched.

‎My phone was unreachable.

‎

‎But the night had already swallowed me.

‎

‎And somewhere in the city, I was missing.

‎

‎

‎

‎