After what felt like an eternity, Raya's sobs finally subsided. Her chest still ached, but the relentless torrent of emotions had slowed, leaving her feeling drained yet strangely lighter. She was aware of Mr. Luke's steady presence, still holding her in the bathroom. When she finally pulled away, her face flushed with embarrassment, but his expression remained gentle, understanding. He handed her a tissue without saying a word.
"Thank you sir," Raya whispered, her voice hoarse.
Mr. Luke didn't respond immediately, just nodded in acknowledgment, giving her the space she needed to regain some composure. She wiped her face, looking down, unsure of how to face him after her breakdown. How had it come to this? Crying in her boss's bathroom, shattered by her father's manipulation.
"I'm sorry," she added softly, her fingers twisting the tissue. "You shouldn't have had to—"
"Raya," he interrupted her gently, "you don't have to apologize. You're going through something heavy, and I understand that. I'm here, okay? Don't ever feel like you have to go through it alone."
His words hit her again, the sincerity in his voice making her throat tighten once more. But instead of crying, she just nodded, letting the moment sink in.
After a few moments of silence, Mr. Luke stood up and offered her his hand. "Come on," he said softly, "let's get you home. You need rest."
Raya hesitated. Going home meant returning to the reality of her father's control. But she couldn't stay here, either, and Mr. Luke didn't press her when she took a few extra seconds to decide.
He led her out of the bathroom, and they moved back to the living room. The atmosphere had shifted; there was no longer the professional barrier between them. Mr. Luke had seen her at her most vulnerable, and despite everything, he hadn't turned away or judged her.
Before leaving, he asked his driver to drop her off at her aunt's house. "Are you sure you'll be okay?" he asked as they stood at the door.
Raya nodded, even though she wasn't sure of anything at that moment. "I will be. Thank you again... for everything."
Mr. Luke gave her a small smile and said, "If you need anything, I'm just a call away."
---
The ride home was quiet, and when Raya finally entered her aunt's house, she felt like a ghost of herself. Her aunt was waiting in the living room, her face creased with concern. She had been trying for days to get Raya to open up, but every attempt had been met with resistance. Raya had become adept at masking her feelings, keeping the weight of her father's threats hidden from those who cared about her.
"Raya, you're late," her aunt said, standing up. "Where have you been?"
"I was working," Raya replied, her voice robotic. "Mr. Luke needed help."
Her aunt's eyes searched her face, and just like Mr. Luke, she could see the exhaustion, the weight that was crushing Raya from within. "You look terrible, Raya," she said softly, stepping closer. "What's going on? Please, talk to me."
Raya didn't respond immediately. The fear of her father's retaliation clamped her throat shut. If she opened up to her aunt, it would put her in more danger. She could still feel the echo of her father's threats, his voice hissing in her ear.
" Do you think I'd let them go, just because you left? They're already involved, Raya."
"Everything's fine," Raya muttered, avoiding her aunt's eyes. "I'm just tired."
Her aunt wasn't convinced. "This isn't just about being tired, and you know it. You're not yourself, Raya. What has he done to you?"
Raya stiffened. She had done her best to hide everything, to bury it deep, but her aunt saw right through her. The tears began to prickle at the edges of her vision again, and she turned away, not wanting her aunt to see how broken she felt inside.
"Please," her aunt pressed, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to carry this alone. Let me help."
But Raya shook her head. "I can't," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I just... I can't."
Before her aunt could respond, Raya rushed upstairs to her room, shutting the door behind her. She leaned against it, heart pounding in her chest. How could she possibly explain what was going on? How could she expose her aunt and Cassie to more danger, knowing that her father had them in his sights?
She climbed into bed, curling into a tight ball under the covers, as the familiar despair wrapped itself around her. Every night, the weight of her father's threats pressed down on her, and every night, she cried herself to sleep, torn between her fear and the growing sense of hopelessness.
---
Days passed in a blur. She continued to work, always keeping her distance from Mr. Luke, even though he was careful not to push her too hard after what had happened. At home, her aunt kept trying to reach her, but Raya only pulled further away. The walls she had built around herself were higher than ever.
One night, after yet another sleepless stretch, Raya came to a decision. She couldn't stay here anymore. She couldn't keep putting her aunt and Cassie at risk. Her father's shadow loomed too large, and she couldn't bear the thought of something happening to them because of her.
So, in the dead of night, she packed her things again , leaving behind a note that didn't explain much—just that she needed space, that she couldn't stay there any longer.
The next morning, her aunt found the note, her heart breaking as she realized Raya was gone. Desperate, she called Raya's workplace, only to find out that she was not at work this time around. Worried her Aunt went in search of her calling Cassie also scared her Dad might have taken her already.
She got a Call from there neighbour that he saw her niece in the area where he went for home services because he was a Chef.
When she found her, Raya was distant, her eyes hollow.
"Why did you leave again ?" her aunt demanded, her voice laced with both anger and concern. "You didn't even come for work."
Raya avoided her gaze. "I just got tired of everything, cI needed little rest and start my own life away from everything ."
"But this isn't right!" her aunt insisted. "Where are you living? Is it safe?"
Raya shook her head. "It's fine. I'm fine. Please, just... let me handle this."
Her aunt's frustration finally boiled over. "You can't keep shutting me out, Raya! Something is wrong, and you're not dealing with it. Whatever it is, it's tearing you apart."
For a moment, Raya almost told her. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but then she remembered her father's threats—the fear that if she opened up, things would only get worse. So, instead, she shook her head again, her silence speaking louder than words.
The conversation ended with neither of them satisfied, and as her aunt left, Raya felt a crushing loneliness settle over her.
---
Back at her new place, a dingy, cramped apartment that was far from ideal, Raya lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Her father's hold on her life felt tighter than ever, but now there was also the sting of isolation. Every decision she made seemed to backfire, and the weight of it all was suffocating.
As tears began to form in her eyes, she reached for her phone, staring at it for a long time. She could call Mr. Luke. She could call her aunt. But the fear kept her frozen, trapped in a cycle of silence and despair.
She put the phone down, curling into a ball once more, and cried herself to sleep again, the darkness surrounding her like a cloak she couldn't escape.
Raya's decision to withdraw from those closest to her was breaking more hearts than she realized. After Aunt Maggie had left her to process everything, Cassie, her childhood friend, received Raya's address and went to see her. But when Cassie arrived at Raya's small apartment, she was met with an unsettling silence. Raya wasn't forthcoming, barely speaking, and it felt like there was a solid wall between them.
Cassie's heart broke. They had been through so much together—since high school, they had shared their pain, their secrets, and their dreams. And now, at the time Raya needed her most, Cassie felt completely shut out. She could see the pain in Raya's eyes, the silent cry for help, but Raya wouldn't let her in. Cassie knew that Raya was slipping further away from them with every passing day, and that terrified her.
Anger bubbled up in her chest—not at Raya, but at the situation. At how far her friend had fallen into darkness, and how she seemed determined to face it alone. After leaving Raya's apartment, Cassey immediately went to meet with Aunt Maggie. They sat at Aunt Maggie's small kitchen table, discussing ways they could help her. They were lost in their thoughts, trying to find a solution when a sharp knock interrupted their conversation.
The door opened to reveal Mr. Luke, standing tall and composed, yet something in his eyes gave away the worry he was trying to hide. His usual stoic expression was present, but the small furrow in his brow betrayed his concern. He greeted Cassey and Aunt Maggie politely, his deep voice firm but gentle.
Aunt Maggie, ever the polite one, raised an eyebrow and asked why he had come all the way to their house, insisting it wasn't necessary. Mr. Luke gave a professional answer, something about work and needing to discuss some matters regarding Raya's position, but deep down, both women knew that wasn't the full truth. He was there because he was worried, because he cared more than he would ever admit.
After some back and forth, Aunt Maggie gave Mr. Luke Raya's address, and though he tried to remain composed, the slight urgency in his voice when he thanked them was telling.
As Mr. Luke and his driver, Mr. Smith, arrived at Raya's building, Luke couldn't help but glance around and wonder how people survived in such a run-down area. It was nothing like the polished world he was accustomed to. Still, he climbed the narrow staircase to her apartment with purpose, his mind racing with possibilities of what might be happening inside.
When they reached her door, they knocked several times, but there was no answer. A growing dread filled Mr. Luke's chest. He exchanged a glance with Mr. Smith, whose imposing figure mirrored his own but wore a look of concern. With no time to waste, Mr. Luke pushed open the door.
What they saw inside made their hearts stop.
Raya, hanging from the ceiling, her body limp and lifeless. The world seemed to slow down as the horrific scene unfolded before their eyes. Without thinking, Mr. Luke rushed to her, lifting her body while carrying it down, Mr. Smith frantically called 911. In the panic of the moment, Mr. Luke's hands felt for a pulse, his mind racing, desperate to find any sign of life. And then—there it was, faint but present.
With urgency, he began CPR, pressing down on her chest with steady, rhythmic motions, refusing to let her slip away. Time dragged on, but finally, the paramedics arrived, taking over with swift precision. The room was filled with the sounds of beeping machines and hurried footsteps, but Mr. Luke barely registered any of it.
Raya was resuscitated, her weak pulse growing stronger with every passing moment. But the fear, the panic, still hung in the air like a thick fog.
Mr. Luke wasted no time calling Aunt Maggie which he got when he went to see her Incase anything occurred , his voice tight as he informed them of what had happened. When she arrived with Cassey at the hospital, their hearts were pounding, fear gripping them as they rushed inside to see her. The sight of Raya, fragile but alive, brought them a bittersweet sense of relief.
When Raya woke, her eyes were glassy, filled with confusion and terror. She was disoriented, suffering from delirium and hallucinations. At first, she didn't realize where she was, but when reality sank in, she became aggressive, struggling against the hands that tried to hold her down.
The nurses, Mr. Luke, his driver, and the medical staff worked together to restrain her without hurting her, but her reaction was heartbreaking. She wasn't angry—she was devastated. She hadn't wanted to be saved.
As they held her down, the doctor administered a sedative, and within moments, Raya's body relaxed as she slipped into a peaceful sleep. But the peace was only physical; the turmoil inside her was far from over.
The doctor pulled Aunt Maggie and Cassie aside, explaining in somber tones that Raya had clearly been through significant abuse, mentally and emotionally. He strongly advised them to get her into therapy, as she was not only physically exhausted but also mentally unstable.
Aunt Maggie broke down, sobbing quietly, and Cassie hugged her, trying to console her while holding back her own tears. Mr. Luke, who usually wore his emotions like armor, found himself struggling to maintain his composure. He had seen many difficult things in his life, but watching Raya so broken shook him to his core.
He glanced at her sleeping form, his mind filled with questions and concern. How had it come to this? What had driven her to such despair? As much as he tried to stay detached, he couldn't ignore the growing attachment he felt toward her—an attachment that now filled him with a deep, unsettling worry for her future.