(Back to present )
Lana, her heart pounding against her chest, tried to push him away, but he was too strong, his hold on her unrelenting.
"Let me go, you monster!" she cried, her voice rising in panic. "I'll never be yours. I'd rather die than be with you."Nico laughed, the sound cold and hollow.
"Die then," he said. "But know that even in death, you'll belong to me."
Lana's blood ran cold. She could see it in his eyes a dark determination that brooked no resistance.
"Remember, your brother Liam," he whispered, his voice a low, sinister hiss.
"He's under my care. One word from me, and he could disappear."Lana's heart skipped a beat.
She thought of Liam, the younger brother who had always looked up to her.
She couldn't bear to imagine the harm that might befall him.
Liam is Lana's younger brother, she has used all her life savings to send him to college, which was one of the reasons , she couldn't pay a dime from her father's debt.
Her jaw clenched with defiance, Lana spat out, "You dare not touch Liam, else—"Nicholas's cruel smile only widened.
"Else what, hmm?" he interrupted, his voice a harsh whisper in the air.
"You think you have any power here, little girl?"Lana's eyes narrowed, her determination to protect her brother burning within her like a flame.
"You wouldn't dare cross me," she declared, her voice cold as steel.
"You may think you have all the power in the world, but I'm not afraid of you."
Nicholas let out a low chuckle, his voice dripping with arrogance.
"You may not be afraid of me now, but soon, you'll be begging for my mercy"
Before Lana could respond, he leaned in, his lips crashing onto hers in another forceful kiss.
This time, her resistance was weaker, her will to fight subsiding in the face of his overwhelming presence.
She felt his hands roaming over her body, the touch of his fingers like hot brands on her skin.
As the kiss deepened, a haze of emotions clouded Lana's mind.
Fear, revulsion, and, to her horror, something else—a dark, primal desire that threatened to consume her.
She tried to push it away, to ignore the fluttering in her stomach, but it was no use.
"Stop," she gasped, her voice a desperate plea.
Nico pulled back, his eyes glinting in the dim light of the restroom.
"That's better," he said with a smirk. "Now, I'm going to take you home, then you can be sure of your brother's safety."
As they left the restroom, Nicholas kept a tight grip on Lana's arm, his fingers digging into her flesh like a brand.
Outside, his car was waiting, its sleek black exterior like a predator in the night.
Lana was shoved into the backseat, her legs barely having time to adjust before Nico slid in beside her, caging her in his embrace.
The car lurched forward, the city passing by in a blur as Lana's thoughts raced.
She had to get away, to escape this madman's grasp, without her brother getting hurt, but how?
The set was a buzz of whispers and murmurs as the cast watched Lana being whisked away by Nicholas in his car.
"What just happened?" one of the actors asked, his voice a mix of shock and disbelief.
"She's in a very big trouble now ," another answered, their words laced with worry.
"She's never coming back," a third person said, a hint of sorrow in their tone.
They could only watch as the car disappeared into the night, Lana's fate a mystery they could only imagine.
Back at the mansion, Lana was ushered into Nicholas's private quarters, a lavish and opulent space that seemed to reflect his dark, twisted personality.
"Welcome home, my dear," he said, his voice as smooth as silk as he gestured for her to sit.
Lana hesitated, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew that whatever was coming, it would not be good.
"What do you want with me?" she asked, her voice a mix of defiance and fear.
Nicholas smiled, a predatory grin that sent shivers down her spine.
"What do I want with you?" Nicholas repeated, the corners of his mouth curving into a cruel smirk.
"Why, I want you, of course. I've already paid a hefty sum for the privilege."
He rose from his seat and began to circle Lana, like a shark circling its prey.
"You see, I'm a man who enjoys collecting beautiful things, and you, my dear, are a rare and unique treasure, one that I intend to keep for myself."
As Nicholas' words hung in the air like poison, Lana's heart sank into the pit of her stomach.
"I'm not a thing to be collected," she said, her voice trembling with anger and fear.
"I'm a person, with my own thoughts and feelings. You can't just do this."Nicholas chuckled, his laughter cold and mocking.
"Oh, my sweet, naive girl. You forget, I can do whatever I please. And right now, I please to have you as my own."
As Lana tried to process his words, Nicholas moved in closer, his breath hot against her skin.
"And don't think for a moment that you have any leverage here," he whispered, his voice as dark and dangerous as a midnight storm.
"One word from me, and your brother could suffer greatly. You wouldn't want that, would you?"Lana's heart dropped, her mind racing.
She couldn't let anything happen to Liam.
But the thought of submitting to Nicholas was unbearable.
Instead of begging, Lana straightened her spine and lifted her chin, her eyes meeting Nicholas's with a determined glint.
"I won't beg," she said, her voice steady despite the fear that gnawed at her insides.
"But I will do what I must to protect my brother. Just know, I will never be yours, not in body or soul."
Nicholas's expression hardened, his face a mask of displeasure. "Oh, we'll see about that," he hissed, his fingers curling into a fist.
With a sharp movement, Nicholas grabbed Lana's wrist and yanked her towards him, his grip like iron.
"You're mine now," he growled, his eyes burning with possessive desire.
"And I will have you, whether you like it or not."Lana winced at the pain shooting up her arm, but she refused to give in to the fear that threatened to consume her.
"Let me go," she demanded, her voice a fierce whisper. "You may own my body, but you will never own my heart."
In response, Nicholas's hold tightened, his fingers digging into her flesh like talons.
"You will submit to me," he said, his voice low and dangerous.
"And if it takes breaking every bone in your body to make you see that, then so be it."With a quick movement, he released her wrist and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him.
Lana gasped, her breath catching in her throat as she felt his body pressed against hers.
She knew that she was powerless to stop him, but she refused to surrender her dignity.