Lia stood at the edge of the balcony, the cool night air swirling around her, teasing the strands of hair that escaped her sleek ponytail. Below her, the city sprawled in a sea of lights, glittering like the fortune she now possessed. Fifty million dollars. She should have been elated, should have felt a sense of accomplishment, but all she felt was emptiness. The same emptiness that had gnawed at her ever since she left him—Adrian Blackwell.
She had fulfilled her end of the bargain. She had obeyed every command, endured every insult, and never once faltered. And now, three years of her life had been bought. She was free. Or so she thought.
The sound of footsteps behind her made her heart skip a beat. She hadn't heard him approach, but she didn't need to. She knew that voice—too familiar, too haunting.
"Lia."
Her name rolled off his tongue like a command. It was the same voice she had heard in her head all those years. The one that had guided her through every trial, every challenge. The one that had promised her freedom.
She turned slowly, her heart hammering in her chest. Adrian Blackwell stood in the doorway, his tall frame casting a shadow that seemed to swallow the light. His piercing eyes locked with hers, dark with a mixture of longing and regret.
"What are you doing here?" Her voice was steady, but it trembled in places she couldn't control.
"I came for you."
His words hung in the air, thick with unspoken emotions. Lia swallowed hard. She had been preparing for this moment—bracing herself for the inevitable confrontation—but nothing could have prepared her for the intensity of his gaze.
"You came for me?" She scoffed, folding her arms over her chest. "You should have thought of that three years ago when you treated me like a ghost, a servant. Now you want me back?"
Adrian took a step forward, his eyes never leaving hers. "I was wrong. I see that now. I was an idiot, a fool who didn't realize what I had until it was too late."
Lia's breath caught in her throat. His words, those sincere, regretful words, sliced through her defenses. But no matter how much her heart ached, she couldn't forget the years of humiliation, the years she spent as nothing more than a tool to him.
"You don't get to apologize now, Adrian. You don't get to make up for three years of torment in a few seconds."
His jaw tightened, and for a moment, it seemed like he might argue. But then his expression softened, a ghost of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I know. I don't expect forgiveness. But I want to make it right, Lia. I want to show you that I'm not the man I was."
She felt the pull, the magnetism that had always been there between them, the one that had kept her by his side for so long. But now, it was different. She was no longer that girl, that servant. She was free, and that freedom came at a cost.
"I don't need your redemption, Adrian." She turned away from him, her voice firm. "I have my freedom, and that's all I need."
But before she could take another step, a voice—a familiar, soothing voice—echoed in her mind.
Don't let him go, Lia. You've earned this. Don't let him steal your peace.
Her heart skipped a beat. The voice. The one that had been her guide, her constant companion. It was the same voice that had whispered in her ear all those years, leading her to this moment. But now, it was more than just a voice in her head. It felt… real.
She spun back around, her pulse quickening. Adrian's face was still unreadable, but there was something in his eyes now—a flicker of understanding, as if he, too, had heard the voice.
"Lia," he said, his voice low. "You're not alone in this. I can help you."
She shook her head, taking a step back. "No. You can't. I've been alone long enough. It's time I stand on my own."
But as she turned to walk away, something stopped her. A strange pressure, a weight in the air. Her chest tightened, and the voice in her mind grew louder, more urgent.
Lia, you don't understand. The price of your freedom… is more than you think.
The words sent a chill down her spine. She stumbled, catching herself against the railing. "What do you mean?" she whispered.
Adrian's expression darkened, his eyes narrowing as if he knew something she didn't. "What's going on, Lia? What did you hear?"
She shook her head, the truth dawning on her like a slow, terrible realization. The voice in her mind… it wasn't just a guide. It wasn't just a part of her that had helped her endure. It was him.
Before she could speak, the door to the balcony burst open, and a figure stepped out of the shadows. The man was tall, with a face that seemed all too familiar.
"Lia," he said, his voice smooth and commanding.
Lia froze, her heart stopping in her chest. This man—he looked just like…
"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice trembling.
The man smiled, a knowing look in his eyes. "I think you already know."
And then it hit her. The voice, the man standing before her, the one who had guided her, protected her—he was the same person.
"Adrian?" she whispered, the name slipping from her lips in disbelief.
The man nodded, his expression calm, almost amused. "Yes, Lia. I am Adrian Blackwell. And I've been with you all along."
Lia's mind spun. The truth shattered her like glass. "No… this can't be… How is that possible?"
Adrian—the man who had been her employer, the man who had mistreated her for so long—was the same voice that had whispered to her, the one who had promised her freedom. He was the one who had been guiding her, even when she didn't know it.
Her world tilted on its axis. The voice, the fortune, the promises—all of it had been a carefully orchestrated plan. The freedom she thought she'd earned, the money she thought was hers—none of it was real.
The price of her freedom was more than she could ever have imagined. It wasn't just about the money or the man standing before her. It was about who she had truly been serving all along.
Adrian's eyes softened, a look of sorrow crossing his face. "Lia, I'm sorry. I never wanted you to find out this way. But you needed to know the truth. The price of your freedom…" He trailed off, his voice heavy with regret. "It's me."
Lia felt the ground beneath her feet begin to crumble. The man she had tried to escape, the man who had been her tormentor, was the very person who had been guiding her to this moment.
Her heart pounded in her chest as the world around her spun into chaos. And as the truth crashed down on her, she realized one thing above all else—there was no escaping the price of freedom.
It had always been him.
And now, there was no way out.