Chapter 2

I managed to crawl back to my room somehow. I didn’t even remember walking down the hallway. My legs felt weak, like they no longer belonged to me and the mansion felt too big, too quiet, as if it knew what had just happened and was watching me fall apart.

The moment I shut my bedroom door, my strength gave out, I slid down slowly until my back hit the door and I was sitting on the floor. My arms wrapped around my knees, pulling them close to my chest like I could protect myself if I stayed small enough.

That was when the tears came, they poured out of my eyes without warning, hot and heavy. I didn’t sob at first, instead I just sat there, shaking, breathing too fast, staring at nothing. My chest hurt and my throat burned.

“I was used,” I whispered, my voice breaking.

The words sounded strange out loud, like they didn’t belong to me. Like they belonged to someone else.

My hands trembled as I pressed them against my face.

“It was my first time,” I whispered again. “I was a virgin…”

The truth cut deep. I had always believed my first time would mean something. That it would be gentle, that it would come with love, or at least care.

Not cold silence and being thrown away after.

Tears slid down my cheeks faster, and I wiped them angrily with the back of my hand.

What hurt even more was the thought I didn’t want to admit. For a moment… a very small moment… my body had reacted and I had felt a bit of pleasure. Now the shame of it made my stomach twist.

“I regret it,” I said quickly, like saying it louder would make it true. “I regret it all.”

But even as I said it, guilt settled deep in my chest.

How could I regret something and still feel confused about it? I pressed my forehead to my knees and cried harder.

Minutes passed or maybe hours, I didn’t know. Eventually, the tears slowed, my eyes burned, my head hurt and I felt empty.

I lifted my face slowly and wiped my cheeks again. My reflection stared back at me from the mirror across the room. My eyes were red and my face looked pale but there was something else there too.

I stared at myself for a long moment.

“He dared,” I whispered. “He dared throw me out like trash.”

My hands clenched into fists as I took a shaky breath.

“I am not stupid,” I said quietly. “I know what happens if I stay silent.”

The truth was clear now, If I didn’t stand up for myself, it would happen again and worse… he would believe I deserved it. That thought made something snap inside me.

I pushed myself off the floor and stood up slowly, my legs still shook, but I forced myself to stay upright. I walked to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face. I stared at myself again, really looking this time.

“I won’t be quiet,” I told my reflection. “Not this time.”

The rest of the day passed slowly. Too slowly.

I avoided everyone and skipped meals. Every sound made me tense and every time I heard heavy footsteps in the hallway, my heart jumped.

But Vincent never came and that somehow hurt more.

By evening, my fear had turned into something else.

Anger.

The sun was starting to set when I found myself standing outside his study again. My hand hovered over the door handle as my heart pounded so loud I was sure he could hear it from inside.

“You can do this,” I whispered to myself. “You have to.”

I knocked.

“Come in,” his voice said calmly.

That calmness almost broke me. I opened the door and stepped inside.

He was standing by the window, his back to me, one hand in his pocket. The room looked exactly the same as it always did, it was clean, perfect and like nothing bad had ever happened there.

He turned slowly when he heard the door close, his eyes landed on me.

Something dark flashed through them but it was gone just as quickly.

“What do you want?” he asked.

My hands shook at my sides, but I lifted my chin.

“We need to talk,” I said.

“No,” he replied calmly. “We don’t.”

“Yes, we do,” I said, louder now. “You don’t get to do what you did and pretend nothing happened.”

His jaw tightened slightly.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said. “Leave.”

“I won’t,” I said.

That made him look at me more closely.

“Careful,” he warned. “You’re testing my patience.”

I swallowed, but I didn’t back down.

“What you did was wrong,” I said. “You know it was.”

He let out a slow breath and walked back to his desk, sitting down like this was just another meeting.

“Lower your voice,” he said. “You don’t want to say things you’ll regret.”

“I already regret enough,” I snapped. “You took something from me, something I can never get back.”

His eyes flicked up sharply.

“That was not my intention,” he said coldly.

“But it happened,” I said. “And then you threw me out like I was nothing.”

Silence filled the room.

“You owe me an apology,” I said, my voice shaking but firm. “And you need to admit that what you did was wrong.”

His lips curved into a humorless smile.

“You want an apology?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said. “And if you don’t…”

I hesitated, then forced the words out.

“I’ll tell everyone,” I said. “Our mother, the staff, everyone. I won’t stay quiet.”

“She's not my mother”. Vincent replied almost immediately.

The air in the room changed. Slowly, Vincent stood up.

He walked toward me, his steps calm and controlled. He stopped just a few feet away, Vincent was taller than me, broader, overwhelming without even trying.

“You think you can threaten me?” he asked softly.

My heart raced, but I nodded.

“I’m not scared anymore,” I said, even though part of me still was. “You don’t get to do this and walk away.”

For a moment, he said nothing.

Then he smiled, not kindly nor warmly.

“You really don’t understand who you’re talking to,” he said.

I clenched my fists. “I understand enough.”

He leaned closer, his voice low.

“You walked into my space,” he said. “You stayed when you should have left. You felt something and now you want to pretend you didn’t.”

“That’s not…”

“Don’t lie to me,” he interrupted. “At least be honest with yourself.” My face burned.

“That doesn’t make it right,” I said. “It doesn’t give you the right to treat me like I don’t matter.”

His eyes hardened.

“You mattered enough to come back,” he said. “That should tell you something.”

Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

“I came back because I respect myself,” I said. “And because I won’t let you do this again.”

He straightened, his expression unreadable.

“You will not tell anyone,” he said calmly.

“And if I do?” I challenged.

He looked at me for a long moment, then he spoke. It was his words, not his strength that did the most damage.

“Who do you think they will believe?” he asked quietly.

My breath caught.

“I am the Alpha,” he continued. “A CEO and a leader. You are a quiet girl with no power and no proof.”

My chest tightened painfully because all he said was all true. I have no power to begin with, no proof and no one to believe me over him.

“You speak,” he said, “and you destroy yourself, not me.”

I shook my head slowly, disbelief washing over me.

“You really feel nothing,” I whispered but his gaze softened just enough to hurt.

“Feelings are weaknesses,” he said. “And you should learn that.”

I stood there, frozen, as his words sank deep.That was where I understood the truth, it was not that he didn’t care but that he never would.