Chapter 5: Suffocated.

The room was silent. Iris could only hear the antique clock, on top the bookshelf in the room, ticking.

Her eyes swept across the room, taking in every single detail of the vague looking room.

Her eyes finally settled on Cassian. He was pouring himself a glass of whiskey from the luxurious wet bar at the corner of the room, she hadn't noticed earlier.

It's wasn't that far off from where she was seated, just five steps away.

He shook the glass in his hand and swirled the liquid then gulped the whole content down.

He poured himself another glass, took a slow sip before speaking:

"You asked how you'll repay your father's debt."

Iris straightened. "Yes."

He leaned back on the chair and didn't say anything else his eyes were fixed on the glass in his hand, he watched the liquid glimmer under the fluorescent lights.

Iris's eyes twitched, she resisted the urge to yell at him and asked calmly: " what am I paying with?" He didn't reply. Her eyes twitched and she let out a slow breath.

"Hey. I asked a question." She asked letting her voice be careful, she was yet to understand this man, but she was sure he was one who wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet in the head of anyone who tested his patience.

"I heard you."

"Then answer the question."

Cassian raised his head from the glass and glanced at her.

"What do you think I want?"

A frown formed on her face.

"Money?"

"No"

"My father's company?"

"No"

The frown deepened. She tugged in the sleeves of the hospital gown to cover her pale white knuckles.

"My life?" Her voice came out almost a whisper.

His eyes lingered on hers for a moment. "If I wanted your life" he said quietly "you wouldn't even be here."

A chill ran down her spine, she refused the urge to squirm. "Then what?"

He stood up and stepped closer until there was only a step between them.

"You."

She blinked "...what?"

Something flickered across his features, but it was gone within a second. "You'll understand soon enough."

Without sparing her a second glance he walked to the door.

"Wait." He stopped abruptly. His fingers inches away from the door knob.

"If you think I'll obey you, be your errand dog" she stared at his back intently, "you're delusional."

For the first time he smiled, his eyes looked at her over his shoulder.

The smile was mocking, cold and threatening.

"I've met many people who said the same thing."

His gaze locked with hers, cold and unwavering.

"They all changed their minds." The door clicked shut behind him.

Iris stood frozen in the middle of the room.

For the first time since she woke up... She wondered if escaping this mansion would be harder than avenging her family.

***

"Pick it up." Cassian pointed his chin at the gun on the table. It was a pistol with a silencer on it. He stood at the corner of the office leaning on the wall. His eyes lazy, but still having the same expressionless look to them.

Iris stared at him, her eyes looking between his cold stare and the pistol on the table.

She slowly reached out for the gun , her eyes still on him. Her small white hands wrapped around the gun's cold handle her pale white skin contrasting against the black metal.

She stared at what she held in her hand. She could feel herself going down with the weight of it.

She hadn't expected it to be this heavy.

"Shoot." Cassain stated.

"What?" Iris blinked in disbelief.

"Shoot."

Iris looked from the pistol to his face.

"...You're serious." He didn't answer. The silence was answer enough.

"You expect me to shoot you?"

"Yes." He didn't bat an eye.

"What if I kill you?"

Cassian's expression didn't change."Then I'll die."

Iris blinked. Just like that. When the maid had told her that Cassain sent for her this morning she would have known it was going to be something complicated.

She had been in that room since the first day she came. It has been two weeks now.

She had memorised every pattern on the ceiling. Memorized most of the staffs foot steps.

Everyday food and clothes were provided. The maids were tight lipped and didn't answer the questions she asked about their location and everything about the mansion.

Most of the time she felt bored, and read the books that were on the shelf. They were all historical novels.

She had developed insomnia. Whenever she closed her eyes her parents death haunted her dreams.

She began to feel suffocated. She tried stepping out of that room one day but the guards didn't even let her feet settle on the floor right outside this room.

She had screamed and shouted but they didn't budge. The cycle continued till this morning the maid came to deliver the message.

She was so excited to leave this room that she didn't have thoughts on what he wanted her to do.

"Shoot." He said calmly still leaning on the wall like he wouldn't just be shot by her in a matter of seconds.

She lifted the gun and studied it skeptically. With knowledge from the movies she watched, she cocked the gun and lifted it to eye level her two hands getting a firm grip on it.

What if this was a test and her taking a shot at him meant she failed the test?

She shook her head, she remembered the incident in the hospital. He knew what he was doing. All she did was pray she didn't get on his bad side.

He was her only hope for revenge.

She counted to three, exhaled and pressed the trigger, the after force throwing her off balance.