When Riya regained consciousness, the world around her was suffocatingly dark, the faint light barely enough to see her own hands, which were tied painfully behind her back. Every inch of her body ached—her muscles sore, her skin bruised, and her bones rattling with every shallow breath she took. The room reeked of dampness and something far more sinister. She tried to move, but the ropes binding her cut into her wrists, sending sharp jolts of pain up her arms. Her head throbbed violently, every heartbeat pounding against her skull like a hammer.
As she struggled to gather her thoughts, a voice pierced the suffocating silence.
"Awake now, at last?"
The voice was low, dangerously smooth, dripping with a kind of seduction that only intensified the dread coursing through her veins. His tone wasn't loud or angry—it was calm, almost as if he were talking to an old lover. But underneath the calm was something else, something far darker.
Her body tensed involuntarily, a cold sweat breaking out along her spine as his breath ghosted over her skin, far too close for comfort. She felt the weight of his presence before she even saw him—a dark silhouette in the shadows, his eyes gleaming with twisted satisfaction. She focused hard to get a look at him.
Her pulse quickened. Where am I? What happened? Her memories were scattered, like broken shards of glass that refused to piece together. She remembered the G-Wagon, the man stepping out, and then— pain. An unbearable strike to the back of her head. His face was a blur, but the terror she felt was not. She tried to steady her breathing, her heart thudding violently in her chest.
"Who are you?" she forced out, her voice hoarse and weak.
He didn't answer right away. Instead, he took his time, his slow, deliberate steps echoing in the room as he moved closer. With each step, her body tensed, her senses screaming danger. His movements were predatory, as though he was savoring her fear, drinking it in. She could feel his gaze on her, roaming over her bound form, and the sensation made her stomach churn with disgust.
After what felt like an eternity, he leaned in, his breath brushing against her ear. "Why so frightened, darling?" he whispered, his voice dripping with mock concern. "You're safe… with me."
The words made her skin crawl. She wanted to scream, to lash out, but her body refused to cooperate. Every inch of her was frozen, paralyzed by fear and confusion. She turned her head away from him, her throat tightening, bile rising in her chest.
"Why am I here?" she demanded, her voice shaking but still carrying a note of defiance.
His laughter was soft, cruel. He straightened up, and in the dim light, she could make out the smirk playing on his lips. "That's not the question you should be asking, little one. You should be wondering how long I've been watching you. How long I've been waiting for this moment."
Her heart skipped a beat. The room suddenly felt smaller, the air thinner. Watching her? She tried to recall his face, but nothing came to mind. Her head throbbed as she tried to stay focused. He was suddenly near her, his hot breath sending shivers through her.
"You're sick," she spat, fighting to hold on to the last shreds of her composure.
He chuckled, the sound sending shivers down her spine. "Oh, Riya," he sighed, taking a step closer. "You really don't understand, do you?"
Before she could react, his hand reached out and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him. His grip was firm, fingers digging painfully into her skin. "You think I haven't been paying attention?" he whispered, his voice dripping with malice. "I've watched every step you've taken. I've seen you walk into rooms and command attention, seen how everyone's eyes follow you. But you—" His grip tightened, his lips curving into a twisted smile. "You never notice the ones lurking in the shadows."
Riya's heart raced, panic rising in her chest. The air between them grew thick with tension, and her mind screamed at her to fight, to escape, but her body remained locked in place, bound by ropes and fear.
He leaned in again, his breath hot against her neck. "Dev doesn't deserve you. No one does. But I... I can give you everything."
She clenched her teeth, her body shaking with equal parts fear and rage. "Dev?" she asked, confusion mixing with panic. Her voice faltered, but she kept her gaze locked on his, trying to understand. "What do you want with him?"
His eyes darkened, something dangerous flickering in them. He didn't answer, instead releasing her chin with a sharp push that made her head snap back. "You think you're so clever, don't you?" he sneered, pacing around her. "Your little engagement. Hiding it from the world, from everyone... except me."
Her blood ran cold. How does he know? Their engagement had been a well-kept secret, a quiet alliance known only to a handful of people. She struggled to keep her face composed, her mind racing. "You're lying," she whispered, though doubt flickered inside her.
"Am I?" he asked, his voice mocking. "I know everything, Riya. I know what you've hidden from the world, what you're too scared to admit to yourself." His voice dropped lower, becoming more sinister. "But don't worry, darling. I'm going to fix all of that for you."
He leaned in close again, his lips brushing against her ear, and she could feel her body start to tremble. His voice was soft, almost seductive, but it carried the weight of something far more terrifying. "You belong to me now," he murmured, sending waves of disgust rippling through her.
She flinched, turning her head away in a futile attempt to escape his presence. He smirked and suddenly gripped her hard, bringing his face near, his breath laced with alcohol and a mix of something fanning her face. She swallowed her fear as sweats were dripping down her face.
He drew in closer in an attempt to kiss her, but she averted her face with all her might her whole body shook as the rope scraped against her wrist. She couldn't contain it anymore.
"You're disgusting," she hissed and spit on his face, fighting the nausea that threatened to overwhelm her.
His expression darkened, the smile fading from his face. In a flash, his hand came down hard across her face, the force of the blow snapping her head to the side. Pain exploded through her skull, and her entire body swung with the force, the chair she was tied to tipping and crashing onto the cold floor. Her vision blurred, stars dancing in front of her eyes as her cheek throbbed, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.
Before she could catch her breath, he crouched down beside her, his hand gripping her hair and pulling her head up. "You're not so tough now, are you?" he sneered, his voice dripping with venom. "Let's see how long you can keep that pretty little mouth shut."
He released her, and she slumped back, her body screaming in pain. He stood up, towering over her, his dark silhouette menacing. "You should've listened," he whispered, his voice soft and menacing. "But now… I'm going to enjoy this."
And then, without warning, he delivered a swift, brutal kick to her side, the impact sending another wave of agony through her body. She gasped for air, the pain blinding her, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of screaming. Another blow came, this time to her head, and the world around her began to spin, the edges of her vision darkening.
Before everything went black, the last thing she heard was his voice—cold, merciless, and filled with a twisted sense of ownership. "You'll learn, Riya. You'll learn who you belong to."