chapter seven

Riven drove his slick, black Range Rover through the drenched city. The windows were dark, hiding his expression, his world.

He didn't care about the speed limit didn't care about the red lights, or the horns blaring after him.

He didn't care if he made an accident or not.

Riven lived by his own rules , in a world that belonged to him and him alone.

A world without the foolish laws of humanity.

A world where his name was enough to silence anyone who dared stand in his way.

The night was heavy with rain.

City lights glimmered across wet roads, painting everything in soft gold and shadow.

People hurried through the streets, umbrellas lifted high, trying to escape the storm. Some were driving home to their families, others closing their shops for the night.

A few prepared dinner for their children.

Others went to bed on an empty stomach.

Street kids played soccer barefoot in the rain, laughter echoing behind the walls of forgotten alleys.

And somewhere out there, a man ran from his debts, a woman prayed beside a dying loved one.

A million people.

A million souls.

Each living their own small story , some filled with joy, some with pain.

But tonight, the city seemed to breathe sorrow.

And in the middle of that sorrow sat Bella, alone, frightened, and bound.

The room she was kept in smelled of rust and old concrete. The air was hot, heavy, and it clung to her skin.

Her throat burned with thirst.

Her heart whispered a thousand prayers that no one would hear.

Oh Lord, what have I done to deserve this?

Please... please let me go home.

I'm scared.

Tears streamed down her face, soft and silent, while the rain outside struck against the roof — steady and unbothered.

Back on the road, Riven's car sped through the storm, splashing muddy water onto the people walking by. They cursed, waving their hands, but he didn't look back.

He didn't slow down.

He never did.

The drive was supposed to take thirty minutes.

He reached the building in ten.

Two guards were already waiting, umbrellas in hand, standing at attention.

The moment the car stopped, they rushed forward to open the door for him.

"Where is the girl?" Riven asked, voice deep and cold.

"She—she's upstairs, sir," one of them stammered.

Riven stepped out, rain running down his black coat. His presence alone felt sharp , dangerous.

The guard tried to keep up as Riven walked, but his steps were long, impatient. Everyone who worked for him knew that mistakes weren't just punished , they were remembered.

The elevator was broken, so he took the stairs. His footsteps echoed ,slow, heavy, and controlled.

"Boss is here," Ace said quickly, straightening his posture. The others followed his lead, adjusting their suits, wiping the nervous sweat from their hands.

The door opened.

Riven stepped inside. The air seemed to grow still. His face held no emotion , just that calm, unreadable stare that made people nervous even when he said nothing.

"Where is she?" he asked.

"There, sir," Ace answered quietly, pointing toward Bella.

Riven's gaze followed his hand. For a second, no one breathed.

Then his voice dropped , soft, dangerous.

"Good," he said. "You may leave."

The men nodded and left quickly, closing the door behind them.

Silence followed , deep and uneasy.

Bella tried to move her head, her eyes searching behind the blindfold they had tied too tight. The voice she heard... it sounded familiar. She couldn't tell from where, but it sent a cold shiver down her spine.

Who is he? she thought, her breath shaking.

Riven watched her for a long moment, his jaw tight, his thoughts hidden behind that calm expression.

The floor creaked.

Bella flinched.

Bella tried with all her might every nerve, every muscle straining — to move her lips, to make a sound.

A sound of a cry.

A word.

Anything that could ask who this man was, or beg him to let her go.

But no matter how hard she tried, her mouth refused to obey. It was as if her tongue had been twisted a thousand times, locked with chains, sealed tight by invisible force. Her body trembled, her heart begged for release, but the silence held her captive more than the ropes ever could.

Riven's footsteps echoed softly across the wooden floor ,each step slow, deliberate, cracking faintly beneath his weight.

To Bella, that sound alone painted a picture of him , a huge, terrible man, a monster dressed in expensive black.

Her heart beat wildly at first, faster and faster, until it began to slow, its rhythm changing, almost syncing with his steps.

And Riven felt it too.

A strange pulse deep within his chest. Something unrecognizable, something that shouldn't have been there.

He stopped walking. His brow furrowed.

What is happening to me?

His heartbeat thudded louder, unsteady, defiant. Why does it beat this way when I step closer to her?

He clenched his jaw and shook his head sharply, pushing the thought away. Whatever it was, it didn't matter. It couldn't.

Without a word, he reached for the blindfold and tore it off with one swift motion.

Bella's eyes fluttered open, blinking against the sudden light. Fear crossed her face first ,pure, raw fear — but it didn't stay for long. Within seconds, it was replaced by anger.

Her gaze locked onto him.

Him?

Her heart skipped.

What is he doing here? Is he the one behind all of this?

She glared, sharp and unblinking, meeting his cold stare with her own. For a moment, neither moved.

The air shifted.

A soft gust of wind blew in through the half-open window, dancing through the room, brushing against Bella's hair.

Though she looked miserable — her eyes swollen, wrists bruised from the ropes , there was something in her face that drew him in.

Something soft. Something too human.

Riven stepped closer again and removed the duct tape from her mouth.

Bella exhaled sharply, finally free to breathe. She looked at him in disgust, lips trembling, eyes fierce.

Is he insane? she thought. Did he really kidnap me because I didn't say sorry when I bumped into him? When it was clearly his fault?

Riven tilted his head slightly, his voice deep and unhurried.

"You're a lot prettier up close than I expected," he said.

Bella froze for a second, then frowned, her brows tightening.

What... what is he saying to me? What a despicable man.

Riven pulled a chair and sat right in front of Bella, the wooden legs scraping slowly against the floor. The sound made her flinch.

He leaned back with quiet ease, resting his gun across his lap as though it were nothing more than an accessory.

Bella's eyes widened.

A wave of cold fear crawled up her spine, her stomach twisting painfully. Her breathing grew shallow, her fingers twitching slightly against the rope that held her still.

Riven noticed it , the way her chest rose too quickly, the way her eyes darted from his face to the weapon and back again.

A small smirk curved on his lips.

"Calm down, mute chipmunk," he said, voice deep and unhurried. "I won't kill you."

He paused just long enough for the silence to thicken before adding, "Unless, of course, your father refuses to do what I told him to."

The words hit her like a sudden blow.

Her father?

Bella's brows knitted together, confusion flooding her thoughts.

My father? What does my father have to do with this?

Her mind raced. He must be worried sick by now...

If only I got inside the car with Lilly, she thought bitterly. Maybe I wouldn't be here.

She lowered her eyes, trying to hold herself together, but Riven's gaze didn't miss a single flicker of emotion.

"Regret, huh?" he murmured, almost to himself. "We all have them, Miss Bella."

He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping softer, his eyes shadowed with something unreadable.

"You see... I've always thought it's unfair that children end up paying for the sins of their parents."

He let out a quiet laugh, cold and tired. "But then again, who am I to talk? My parents weren't spared either."

For a brief second, his expression softened — but not enough to be called kindness. It was more like old pain wrapped in arrogance. A man who had long stopped believing in fairness, and found comfort in revenge instead.

Bella frowned slightly. What is he talking about? Why is he speaking in riddles?

Riven noticed the confusion in her eyes and chuckled softly, the sound low and bitter. "You're wondering why you're here," he said. "Why I dragged you into this little game."