CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SIX

Juliana.

I was trapped.

It didn’t matter that I had technically agreed to stay, Alexander Valente had given me a choice that wasn’t really a choice at all. My stepfather’s house was just another kind of cage, but at least there, I knew what to expect.

Here, I was at the mercy of a man I barely knew, a man who exuded power and control like it was stitched into his skin.

And I hated him for it.

The clothes Alexander had ordered fit almost too perfectly. A simple, fitted sweater and jeans, both expensive but not flashy. A pair of boots that molded to my feet like they had been custom-made.

It should’ve made me feel more like myself, but instead, it just reminded me that I had nothing that was truly mine anymore.

The moment I stepped out of the room, I found Alexander waiting for me in the hallway, leaning against the wall like he had all the time in the world.

His gaze flicked over me, unreadable.

“Good. You’re ready” he said. “"Come with me”

I crossed my arms. “Or what?”

His lips twitched. “Or you’ll go hungry”

I gritted my teeth but followed him.

The house was more than a house. It was a fortress.

Every hallway was lined with security cameras, discreet but there. Men in suits moved with quiet precision, some stationed near doors, others blending into the background, their gazes sharp. The deeper I walked into Alexander’s world, the more I realized I didn’t belong here.

“How do you know my stepfather?” I asked suddenly.

Alexander didn’t stop walking. “I told you. He’s one of my men”

I swallowed hard. “What does that mean?”

He finally looked at me, something flickering in his gaze. “It means he answers to me”

The words sent a chill down my spine. My stepfather had always seemed untouchable, a man who never took orders from anyone. But if he answered to Alexander, then what did that make Alexander?

“Why didn’t you just send me back to him?” I pressed. “Why keep me here?”

Alexander stopped in front of a door and turned to me. “Because sending you back wouldn’t solve anything. Whoever came after you wanted me to know. That means this isn’t just about you, it’s about me, too”

I clenched my fists. “So I’m just… collateral?”

His eyes darkened slightly. “You’re a leverage”

The cold, hard truth of his words settled in my chest like a weight. I had never been important enough to be used as leverage before.

Alexander opened the door, revealing a dining room that was as extravagant as the rest of the house.

A long table with elegant place settings, a chandelier casting soft light over everything. The scent of fresh food filled the air, but my appetite had long since disappeared.

“Sit” he said, pulling out a chair.

I hesitated, then did as he asked.

For a moment, the only sound was the clink of silverware. Alexander ate like he had no cares in the world, while I barely touched my food.

My mind was spinning, replaying every moment, every memory.

I needed answers.

“Did my stepfather know this would happen?” I asked quietly.

Alexander didn’t look up. “No”

I exhaled slowly. “Then why would someone go after me?”

He set down his fork, finally meeting my gaze. “That’s what I intend to find out”

Something about the way he said it sent a shiver through me. It wasn’t just a statement, it was a promise.

“You act like you own everything” I muttered.

He smirked. “That’s because I do”

I glared at him, but he had already stood up.

“Come with me” he ordered.

“I’m not a damn pet” I snapped, but still, I followed him.

The room he led me to was nothing like the sleek dining area. It was darker, colder. Screens covered one wall, displaying live footage from different security cameras, inside the house, outside, down the long driveway.

My stomach twisted.

“You have cameras everywhere” I murmured.

Alexander leaned against the desk, arms crossed. “I have enemies everywhere”

I swallowed, my gaze landing on one screen that showed the front gates. Men stood guard, their postures rigid, alert.

I turned to him. “Who are you, really?”

He tilted his head slightly. “You already know”

I did. And that was the problem.

My stepfather had never told me exactly what he did, but I had known enough to keep my mouth shut, to pretend I didn’t hear the whispered conversations or see the money that changed hands. But standing here, seeing all of this, I could no longer pretend.

Alexander wasn’t just powerful. He was dangerous.

And I was right in the middle of his world.

A cold weight settled in my stomach as I turned back to the screens. Some of them showed different angles of the house, hallways, staircases, the front entrance.

Others displayed what looked like a warehouse, dark and empty except for the occasional shadow moving in the corners.

It wasn’t just security. It was surveillance.

“This is insane” I muttered.

Alexander’s voice was calm, unreadable. “It’s necessary”

I turned to face him. “Necessary for what? Controlling everyone around you?”

His lips curved slightly, but the look in his eyes was anything but amused. “Necessary for survival”

I wanted to argue, to call him a paranoid control freak, but deep down, I knew he wasn’t wrong.

My stepfather had always been cautious, always looking over his shoulder. Maybe I had just refused to see how deep it really ran.

But this… this was something else.

“Your stepfather works for me” Alexander said, watching me closely.

“That means you’ve been around this world your entire life, whether you realized it or not”

I swallowed hard. “I never wanted to be part of it”

His gaze didn’t waver. “Doesn’t matter. You are now”

A lump formed in my throat, but I forced myself to keep my chin high.

“And what exactly does that mean? Are you going to keep me locked up here forever?”

He studied me for a long moment before pushing away from the desk. “You’ll be safe here”

“That’s not an answer”

“It’s the only one you’re getting”

Frustration burned in my chest. I had spent my entire life keeping my head down, avoiding getting tangled in my stepfather’s business. And now, because of one night, because of Alexander, I was trapped.

I glanced back at the screens, my fingers curling into fists. I needed to get out of here.

But first, I needed to understand what I was up against.

I turned to him, schooling my face into something unreadable.

“Fine. You want me to stay? Then at least tell me what I’m dealing with. What exactly does my stepfather do for you?”

Alexander’s expression didn’t change, but I saw the flicker of amusement in his eyes, like he knew exactly what I was doing.

“You’re smarter than I expected” he murmured.

I crossed my arms. “And you’re more of a control freak than I expected”

He actually chuckled at that, the sound low and unexpected. But then, just as quickly, the amusement vanished.

“Your stepfather handles certain… business operations for me” he said smoothly. “Nothing you need to concern yourself with”

I narrowed my eyes. “That’s not an answer”

He sighed, like he was growing bored of the conversation. “He manages shipments, oversees certain transactions, ensures everything runs smoothly”

The way he said it was so casual, so matter-of-fact, but I wasn’t stupid. “Shipments of what?”

Alexander’s smirk returned. “You ask a lot of questions”

“Because I don’t like being kept in the dark”

“Too bad” he said simply. “That’s where you are”

My nails dug into my palms. “And if I try to leave?”

His gaze sharpened, turning dangerously cold. “You won’t”

My breath caught.

There was no threat in his voice, no raised tone. Just pure certainty.

And somehow, that was even worse.

I forced myself to meet his gaze, refusing to let him see how much he unnerved me. “You can’t keep me here forever”

He stepped closer, the space between us shrinking, and for the first time, I truly felt the weight of his presence.

“I don’t need to keep you here forever” he murmured. “Just long enough for you to understand that leaving isn’t an option”

A shiver ran down my spine, but I lifted my chin, refusing to back down.

“You don’t own me” I said, my voice steady despite the way my heart pounded.

Alexander smiled, slow, knowing.

“We’ll see about that”

Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing in front of the glowing security screens, trapped in a world I had spent my whole life trying to avoid.

And for the first time, I realized I might never escape it.