Lana stepped out of the bathroom, a cheerful tune on her lips as she dried her hair.
But, her song came to an abrupt stop when a knock on the door pulled her attention away.
Answering the door revealed Mike, a smile on his face, but a feeling of unease in the air.
"Good morning, Mike," Lana greeted, her smile wavering as she awaited his response.
"Morning, Miss Douglas," Mike replied. "Boss wants you in the dining room in ten minutes."
Lana's heart skipped a beat.
With a sense of impending doom, Lana made her way to the dining room, each step feeling heavier than the last.
When she entered, Nicholas sat at the head of the table, a cold, distant expression on his face.
Beside him stood a well-dressed man with short hair, his eyes reflecting years of experience and professionalism.
"Lana, meet Andrew, vice president of Golden Fame Entertainment Company," Nicholas introduced, his voice void of emotion.
Lana shook Andrew's hand, trying to remain composed despite the churning in her stomach.
"Nice to finally meet you miss Douglas" Andrew greeted smiling.
"Nice to meet you to mr Andrew " Lana replied smiling.
She shot a careful glance as Nicholas as mine pulled out a chair for her to sit.
He sat down calmly sipping his cup of tea, like he wasn't even there.
Andrew gave Lana the necessary documents to sign for her to be a full actress of golden fame entertainment company and she signed each one of it without any complaints.
Lana sat down at the table, the tension in the room palpable.
Out of the corner of her eye, she could feel Nicholas's gaze upon her, like a predator stalking its prey.
The table were full of delicious meals and desert, and Lana couldn't help but stared at Nicholas who was still sipping his tea.
"Don't look at me like that," he said, his tone casual, but his words sharp as a blade.
"You're too skinny. Not good enough for me. So, I told the kitchen to make you this food."
Lana could feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment.
Without hesitation, she filled her plate with food, desperate to distract herself from the humiliation of his words.
Lana devoured the food, her hunger now sated, as she settled into the chair, replete and exhausted.
Nicholas glanced at her, a smirk playing at his lips.
"Your appetite is like a beast's," he remarked, his attention still fixed on his phone.
A wave of embarrassment washed over Lana, and she averted her gaze, trying to hide the flush of red that had crept across her cheeks.
"You said I was too skinny, so I ate more," she countered, her voice trembling slightly.
"Oh?" Nicholas' brow arched, as he finally looked up from his phone, his gaze locking with hers.
"I've heard that a certain little beast has been stealing food and cooking in the kitchen at night."
Lana felt her heart sink, her nerves fraying as she twisted her neck to avoid his piercing stare.
She managed a nervous laugh, her smile uneasy and forced.
"Ha ha, beasts aren't real, right?"Nicholas' smirk deepened, his eyes glinting with amusement.
The smirk on Nicholas' face turned into a full-blown grin as he stepped closer to Lana, his eyes dark with malice.
"Oh, they're very real. And this one in particular...it's small and sneaky, with ten fingers to steal with and little legs to run away with the loot." He circled her like a shark, his words cutting deep like a knife
.Lana's breath grew shallow, her fear mounting with each step he took.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about," she stammered.
Nicholas' smirk turned into a full-blown grin as he shook his head, the confidence and satisfaction of his threat radiating off him like an aura.
"Your work starts Monday, Rosie will bring your scripts tomorrow, Mike will take you shopping. And I'll be out of the house until the day after," he said, his hands now casually tucked into the pockets of his pants.
Lana's eyes widened in fear as he paused, his gaze still fixed on her."But don't test me, Lana.
"Don't test me," Nicholas repeated, his words cutting through the air like a blade.
"If you run, if you try to escape, I will find you. And when I do, Liam will vanish from this world. Forever."
Lana's heart sank, her stomach churning as she struggled to keep herself composed.
She forced herself to nod, the weight of Nicholas's threat pressing down on her like a physical force.
"I understand," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Nicholas's smirk deepened as he turned on his heel, his footsteps echoing down the hall as he made his way out of the room.
Lana sat frozen in her chair, her body tense with fear.
The threat to Liam's life hung heavy in the air, the reality of her situation crashing down upon her like a wave.
She buried her face in her hands, her mind racing with fears.
****
"Mike," Nicholas said, his voice as cold and hard as stone.
"I'll be out of the country for two days. And there's a good chance they'll come here before I return."
Mike nodded, his expression serious. "What should I do about him?" he asked, knowing that this was a sensitive issue.
"Keep him away from Lana. No matter what happens, he's not to get near her." Nicholas frowned, his face dark with concern.
"Make sure everything runs smoothly while I'm gone. You understand?"
Mike nodded once more. "Yes, sir."
************************
Lana lay on the bed, her thoughts swirling like a dark storm as Nicholas's words echoed in her mind.
As long as she behave, Liam will be safe.
The thought of her brother, the person she had always sworn to protect, now held hostage by her captor sent a chill down her spine.
She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing with all her heart that her mother were still alive.
If only she could see Lana now, how far she had fallen.
She could have been a successful actress, living out her dreams and their parents would have provide a good life for Liam and her.