로그인The dining hall was cloaked in silence, broken only by the soft clink of cutlery against porcelain. At the head of the long mahogany table sat Xavier, radiating an authority that demanded obedience without uttering a single word. His sharp, unwavering eyes remained fixed on Adrian throughout the meal, studying him with the precision of a hawk stalking its prey.Adrian noticed. Of course he did. But he didn't allow the scrutiny to unsettle him. He continued slicing his steak with practised composure, though a faint suspicion lingered at the back of his mind.Why hasn't he questioned where I was last night?His father wasn't a man who overlooked anything. Not a missed meeting. Not a delayed arrival. Certainly not his son's unexplained absence.The silence stretched, heavy enough to suffocate."Why haven't you attended university for the past week?"The knife stopped mid-cut. For the briefest fraction of a second. It was so subtle that anyone else would have missed it.Anyone...Except h
With that, he lowered his head and kissed her waist. Claire tried moving away, but he stopped her by grabbing her thighs, opening them apart and lifting her skirt. Adrian stared at her red lacy panties like a hungry animal.His craving turned unbearable. His fingers itched to touch them. And he did. Her heart thumped wildly against her chest when she felt him skimming his fingers on her inner thighs before stopping at her pussy."No, stop!!!" Claire squeezed her eyes shut when he caressed her covered dignity. Slowly. Tenderly."I need it, Claire, or else I will die," Adrian confessed, his eyes darkening as he lowered his head and planted a wet kiss there.Claire sprang into action without a second thought. As she struggled, the knot around her wrists loosened just enough for her to wrench her hands free from the restraints. She shoved both palms against Adrian's chest, desperate to push him away.But Adrian was faster.A tearing sound echoed in the room, freezing her body as he tore h
"I built these walls to keep you safe.To feed you.To keep you warm.To make sure no harm ever reached you.But if you ever mistake my home for a prison...I'll lock every door.Not to punish you, Cherry.To protect you.After all, the safest bird is the one that never learns how to fly away."-Adrian.Her chin trembled as Adrian cupped the back of her neck, forcing their foreheads together. His grip was firm, leaving her no room to pull away. His feral eyes bored into hers, burning with an obsessive need that bordered on madness."You talked about leaving me." His voice was low, almost eerily calm. "I dare you to take a single step out of this mansion."His thumb slowly caressed the side of her neck, the gentle touch a stark contrast to the threat in his words."I've already told you, Cherry." His lips curled into a chilling smile. "You have no existence without me. And I always mean what I say."A violent shudder coursed through Claire. It felt as though every exit had slammed shut
"You keep searching for the exit, Cherry. But I was never building a cage. I was building a world where only the two of us exist."- Adrian"Where is this boy all the time?"Lara muttered in irritation as yet another call to Adrian went unanswered. The familiar automated voice informed her that the phone was unavailable before the line disconnected.With a frustrated sigh, she lowered her phone and looked at Bora, the housemaid, who stood nearby."I am fed up with him," Lara complained. "His father will be home any moment now, and the first thing he asks whenever he returns is where Adrian is. What am I supposed to tell him? That his son hasn't come home for an entire week and I have absolutely no idea what he's doing?"Bora could only offer a sympathetic smile. Everyone in the household knew that Xavier Kingsley was not a man to be trifled with. Being the most powerful businessman of America, he viewed the world through the lens of profit and loss.To him, every relationship was an inv
“You keep asking why I won’t leave you alone. The answer is simple, Cherry. I spent years making you the reason for my existence. It would be cruel of you to expect me to survive your absence.“-AdrianFor a second, Claire forgot how to breathe.The words were spoken so casually.So naturally.As though there was nothing wrong with them.“This is an invasion.” She yelled in frustration.“No.”Adrian took a step forward.“It’s preservation.”The correction rolled off his tongue smoothly.Almost gently.As though he were explaining something obvious to a child.Claire immediately pushed herself away from the wall when she saw him approaching her. But Adrian kept walking.Slowly.Patiently.Like a predator with nowhere else to be.“You’re an artwork I refuse to lose.”His voice dropped lower.Darker.“Something rare.”Another step.“Something irreplaceable.”His eyes never left hers.“I’ve spent years protecting you.”“Protecting me?” she laughed bitterly. “You call this protection?”“I d
“I don’t need chains to keep you with me. Fear works just as well.” -AdrianHer breathing grew ragged as panic tightened around her chest.The giant LED screen flickered before splitting into dozens of smaller panels. Her brows furrowed in confusion.One screen showed the front porch of a familiar house.Another displayed a narrow hallway.The next revealed a small kitchen with cream-colored cabinets.Her heartbeat faltered.No...Her eyes darted frantically from one panel to another.The living room.The staircase.The balcony.Her bedroom.The backyard.Every single corner...It was her house.Colours slowly drained off her face.“N-No...” she whispered, her voice barely audible.Claire stumbled forward, unable to tear her eyes away from the horrifying display.One camera captured her sleeping on her bed.Another showed her reading a book by the living-room window.Another displayed her watering the flowers on the balcony.Every ordinary moment of her life had been taken from her.C







