The dim glow of the moonlight filtered through the curtains as Evelyn sat on the edge of her bed, her heart still racing from the chilling phone call with Nickolas. The threat in his voice was still vivid in her mind, a constant reminder that Nickolas would always be one step behind, no matter how far she ran.
But the fear wasn't the worst part. What terrified Evelyn the most was the part of her that understood Nickolas—understood why he was so obsessed with her. He had a dark intensity, a need to control, to own. It wasn't love; it was something far more dangerous.
Her fingers trembled as she reached for the glass of water on the nightstand. She had thought she had escaped this kind of life after her divorce from Juan Yihe. But now, it seemed like she had stepped out of one cage only to fall into another.
A soft knock on her door broke the silence of the night. Evelyn's body tensed. She stood up, every nerve in her body on edge.
"Evelyn, it's Dmitry," her brother's voice called from the other side. She exhaled, the tension in her muscles loosening slightly.
Opening the door, she found Dmitry standing there, his expression grim. "You need to leave tonight. Nickolas is here in Beijing."
Her blood ran cold. "Already?" she whispered.
Dmitry nodded, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. "He's moving fast. He has resources everywhere and people who are loyal to him. If we stay any longer, he'll find you. We must get you somewhere even if we can't be traced."
Evelyn's mind raced. How could she keep running? How long could she hide before Nickolas finally caught up with her?
"I don't know how much longer I can do this," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Dmitry reached out, resting a hand on her shoulder. "You have us, Evelyn. Ning Wei and I will never let him take you."
But Evelyn knew her brothers couldn't shield her forever. Nickolas was ruthless and calculating, and if there was one thing she knew about him, it was that he always got what he wanted.
Meanwhile, across the city, Nickolas stood in the penthouse of a luxurious hotel, his eyes focused on the glittering skyline of Beijing. The soft glow of the city lights framed his dark silhouette.
He had waited long enough.
Evelyn had always been his. Ever since he saw that picture of her in the Maxwell mansion when they were children, he knew she was different. Beautiful, yes—but it was more than that. Evelyn was a mystery, an enigma. There was something so untouchable about her, something that made him crave her even more.
And now, she was within his reach. After years of watching her from the sidelines and letting her waste away in a loveless marriage, Nickolas was done being patient.
He would take her—whether she was ready or not.
His phone buzzed on the table beside him. Picking it up, he answered without looking at the caller ID.
"She's still in the city," a voice on the other end informed him. "We've tracked her movements. She's in a safe house with her brother."
Nickolas smirked, his fingers brushing over the glass rim in his hand. "Good. Keep watching her. I want to know her every move."
"Understood."
Nickolas's smirk grew into a full smile as the line went dead. Evelyn might have thought she could run, but she didn't realize that she was walking right into his trap every step she took.
And soon, there would be nowhere left to run.
Later that night, Evelyn sat in the back of a black SUV as it sped through the darkened streets of Beijing. Dmitry had arranged everything swiftly, calling in favors to ensure she could leave the city undetected.
But despite her brothers' precautions, a gnawing sense of dread settled in her stomach. She knew Nickolas very well. He was relentless and calculating. He wouldn't stop until he had her.
"Where are we going?" Evelyn asked, her voice tight with nerves.
"We're taking you to a private airport," Dmitry explained from the front seat. "You'll fly out tonight."
"To where?"
Dmitry hesitated, glancing at her through the rearview mirror. "To Italy."
Evelyn's heart sank. Italy? The one place she had hoped to avoid. The one place where Nickolas's reach was stronger than anywhere else. But Dmitry assured her that they had allies there, people who could protect her in ways they couldn't in China.
Before she could respond, the car suddenly skidded to a halt. Evelyn's body jerked forward, her heart pounding as the SUV stopped in the middle of an empty street.
"What's happening?" she demanded, her voice panicked.
Dmitry's eyes narrowed, his hand instinctively reaching for the gun he kept hidden beneath his jacket. "Stay here," he ordered before stepping out of the car.
Evelyn's pulse quickened as she watched her brother walk around the vehicle. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, a cold chill running down her spine.
And then she saw him.
Nickolas was standing a few feet away, his dark figure illuminated by the dim streetlights.
Her breath hitched.
Nickolas's eyes locked onto Evelyn through the tinted windows of the car. She was so close now. After all these years, after everything he had done, she was finally within his grasp.
But her brother stood between them.
"Dmitry," Nickolas greeted smoothly, his voice calm, but the tension between them was palpable.
"This ends here, Nickolas," Dmitry said, his voice cold. "You need to leave."
Nickolas tilted his head slightly, a small smirk playing on his lips. "You know I can't do that."
Dmitry's hand hovered near his gun, but he knew better than to make the first move. Nickolas wasn't just any man—he was the heir to the largest mafia empire in Italy. One wrong move could start a war, and as much as Dmitry hated Nickolas, he couldn't afford to put his family at risk.
"I'm not here to hurt her," Nickolas said softly, his eyes never leaving Evelyn's. "I just want her to come with me."
"She's not going anywhere with you," Dmitry growled.
Nickolas took a step closer, his gaze hardening. "You can't keep her from me forever."
Evelyn's heart raced inside the car as she watched the tense standoff between her brother and Nickolas. She knew this moment would come eventually, but seeing Nickolas again and the raw intensity in his eyes sent a wave of fear and something far more confusing.
She knew what he was capable of. She knew that if he wanted to, Nickolas would tear through her family to get to her.
But what scared her most wasn't his violence. It was the part of her that wondered if maybe, just maybe, she had underestimated his obsession.
Her mind recalled her years of cold, loveless marriage with Juan Yihe. She had begged for his affection, yearned for his love, only to be met with indifference. But Nickolas... Nickolas was different. He wasn't indifferent. He was obsessed with love.
As the situation in the air thickened, Evelyn made a choice.
She couldn't keep running. Not forever. And if she didn't stop this now, her brothers—her family—would pay the price for her escape.
Slowly, she opened the car door and stepped out.
"Evelyn!" Dmitry shouted, his voice filled with alarm.
But Evelyn raised her hand, stopping him. Her heart pounded in her chest as she met Nickolas's gaze, feeling the full weight of his obsession.
"If I go with you," she said quietly, her voice trembling but resolute, "you have to promise me that no one else gets hurt. Not my brothers, not my family. No one."
Nickolas's eyes softened, and for a brief moment, she saw the boy he had once been, the one who had admired her from afar all those years ago.
"I swear," he said, his voice low and filled with something close to tenderness. "No one else will get hurt. You have my word."
Evelyn swallowed hard, knowing she was about to make a decision that would change her life forever. But it was the only way to protect the people she loved.
"I'll go with you," she whispered, her heartbreaking with every word. "Just promise me... you won't hurt anyone."
Nickolas stepped forward, his hand reaching for hers. "I'll make you happy, Evelyn. I swear it."
As his fingers wrapped around hers, Evelyn felt the cold reality of her situation settle over her. She wasn't running anymore. She was surrendering.
But in that surrender, she hoped to find some measure of control, some way to protect the people she loved—even if it meant sacrificing her freedom.
The soft hum of the private jet's engine filled the cabin as Evelyn stared out of the small window, watching the night sky blur past her. It felt surreal—hours ago, she had been in Beijing, surrounded by her brothers, her life barely held together by a thread of hope that maybe she could escape the inevitable. Now, she was thousands of feet above the ground, trapped in a plane with Nickolas Alexander Jr., heading to an unknown destination or place.
She should've felt fear. The logical part of her screamed to panic, fight, and run. But there was a strange calm that had settled over her heart. Maybe it was the exhaustion of running for so long or the realization that no matter where she went, Nickolas would always find her.
There was no escaping him.
Nickolas sat across from her, his piercing green eyes watching her every movement. His face, handsome and sharp, softened only when he looked at her as if she was the only person in the world who could evoke any form of gentleness in him. It unnerved her. He hadn't spoken much since they boarded the plane, but his presence was suffocating, even in silence.
"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" Evelyn finally asked, her voice quiet but steady.
Nickolas leaned back in his seat, his gaze unwavering. "We're going somewhere no one will find us," he said, his tone calm but laced with possessiveness. "An island. My island."
Evelyn's heart skipped a beat. An island? Far away from everything and everyone she knew?
"You can't keep me there," she said, her voice shaking slightly despite her effort to stay composed.
Nickolas tilted his head, a small, dangerous smile playing on his lips. "Can't I?"
His words hung in the air, and Evelyn felt the full weight of her situation for the first time. He wasn't just taking her to some hideaway—he was planning to isolate her completely to make sure no one, not even her family, could reach her.
Her chest tightened with panic, but she forced herself to breathe. This wasn't the time to fall apart. She had to stay strong, had to find a way out—eventually.
"Why are you doing this, Nickolas?" she asked, her voice softer now, almost pleading. "I don't understand. You could have anyone. Why me?"
Nickolas's expression darkened, and a flicker of vulnerability passed through his eyes for a moment before it disappeared. He leaned forward, his gaze intense. "Because you're the only one who's ever mattered. I knew you were mine from the moment I saw you in that picture."
His voice was low, rough with emotion. There was no doubt about his words, no hesitation. He spoke as if it was a fact—as if his obsession with her was an inevitable truth, like the pull of gravity.
"You can't own me," Evelyn whispered, her eyes searching his. "I'm not some possession you can keep."
Nickolas's jaw clenched, his fingers curling into fists on his lap. "You don't understand, Evelyn. This isn't about ownership. This is about us. You and me. You've been running for so long, but I'm done waiting. I'll give you everything—everything you've ever wanted. Just stop fighting me."
Her heart twisted painfully at his words. A part of her longed for what he promised, for the love and devotion he spoke of. After five years of being in a cold, loveless marriage, the idea of someone loving her so fiercely and completely was intoxicating.
But this wasn't love. It couldn't be.
Evelyn turned away, tears stinging the back of her eyes as she whispered, "You don't love me, Nickolas. You love the idea of me."
Nickolas stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the plane's floor. He moved toward her in quick strides, his hand grabbing her chin gently but firmly, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"I do love you, Evelyn," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "And I'm going to prove it to you. You'll see. I'll make you love me too. I'll make you mine in every way."
Her breath hitched, fear and something far more complicated twisting in her chest. His touch was both gentle and possessive, and as much as she wanted to pull away, a part of her couldn't. A part of her was drawn to him, despite the danger, despite the madness.
"I won't let you hurt anyone else," she said, her voice trembling. "If you want me, then fine. But you have to promise me—no one else gets hurt. Not my brothers, not my family."
Nickolas's gaze softened, his thumb brushing over her cheek. "No one will get hurt," he promised. "As long as you're with me, I'll protect you. I'll protect everything you care about."
Evelyn swallowed hard. She didn't trust him—she couldn't. But what choice did she have? She was already trapped, bound by the invisible chains of his obsession. If she tried to escape, he would come for her again. And if anyone got in his way... she didn't want to think about the consequences.
Slowly, she nodded. "Okay," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I'll stay."
A flicker of triumph passed through Nickolas's eyes, and he released her, stepping back. "Good," he said, his voice returning to its usual calm. "We'll be landing soon."
Evelyn's heart raced as she watched him return to his seat. She had agreed to stay, but that didn't mean she was giving up. She would find a way out of this. She had to.
But for now, she would play his game. She would be the obedient captive, the woman he thought he had won. And when the time was right, she would escape.
She just had to wait for the right moment.
Hours later, the jet landed on a private airstrip surrounded by dense forests. Evelyn's stomach churned as they drove through the thick, winding roads, the landscape becoming more remote with every passing mile.
Finally, they reached the estate.
It was a sprawling mansion on the edge of a cliff, surrounded by the ocean on one side and dense, impenetrable forest on the other. The waves crashed against the rocks below, the sound filling the air as they pulled up to the entrance.
Evelyn stepped out of the car, her heart pounding as she took in her surroundings. There was no escape here. No one would ever find her.
Nickolas stepped out beside her, his hand resting on the small of her back as he guided her toward the grand entrance. "Welcome to your new home," he said softly, his voice filled with a dark sense of satisfaction.
Evelyn swallowed hard, her mind racing with thoughts of escape. She would have to be careful and bide her time. Nickolas was smart—smarter than anyone she had ever dealt with. He would be watching her closely, waiting for any sign of rebellion.
But she wasn't giving up. Not yet.
As they entered the mansion, Evelyn was struck by its beauty. It was luxurious, almost too perfect. Every inch of the estate had been carefully designed, from the grand staircase to the marble floors. But no amount of beauty could mask the prison it truly was.
Nickolas's grip on her tightened slightly as he leaned down, whispering in her ear, "You'll be happy here, Evelyn. I'll make sure of it."
She shivered at his words, the possessiveness in his voice sending a chill down her spine. But she didn't respond. Instead, she forced herself to smile, playing the role she knew he wanted.
"Let's hope so," she whispered back, her voice steady despite the fear bubbling inside her.
Nickolas smiled, pleased by her response, and led her deeper into the mansion.
But as they disappeared into the shadows of the grand estate, Evelyn made a silent vow.
She would survive this. She would find a way out.
And when she did, Nickolas Alexander Jr. would realize that he had never truly won.