Chapter 2

“Don’t move.”

His fingers tighten around my arm just enough to hurt.

I freeze instantly.

The music is loud, people are laughing, glasses clinking—but none of it reaches me anymore. All I hear is my heartbeat, loud and uneven, pounding in my ears.

“I said smile,” he murmurs beside me, his voice low but sharp enough to cut.

My lips tremble as I force them upward.

It feels wrong.

Everything feels wrong.

“There,” he says, studying my face. “Better.”

It’s not.

But I nod anyway.

Because I’ve learned what happens when I don’t.

“Stay here,” he adds, releasing me slowly. “And don’t embarrass me.”

Then he walks away.

Just like that.

Leaving me standing alone in a room that feels like a trap.

The moment he’s gone, the air shifts.

I exhale shakily, my shoulders dropping slightly as if I’ve been holding my breath this whole time.

Maybe I have.

I grip the edge of my dress, trying to steady my shaking hands.

I shouldn’t be here.

The thought screams louder now.

After that night… after everything…

I promised myself I would never feel this way again.

Never feel small.

Never feel powerless.

Yet here I am.

Again.

I glance around quickly, searching for an exit—something, anything—but all I see are strangers. Smiling. Watching. Judging.

Too many people.

Too many eyes.

Too close.

My chest tightens.

I can’t breathe.

Then—

I feel it.

A gaze.

Heavy.

Unrelenting.

Watching me.

My heart stutters as I slowly lift my head—

And meet his eyes.

Everything stops.

He’s across the room, surrounded by people, yet somehow completely separate from them.

Like they don’t matter.

Like nothing matters.

Except—

Me.

My breath catches.

Why is he looking at me like that?

I don’t know him.

I’ve never seen him before.

But the way his eyes lock onto mine…

It feels like he sees everything.

Too much.

I quickly look away, my pulse racing.

Don’t look again.

Don’t.

But I do.

And—

He’s closer.

Panic flickers in my chest.

When did he move?

I take a small step back—

Too late.

He’s already in front of me.

“Who are you?”

His voice is low. Controlled. Dangerous in a quiet way.

I flinch.

I hate that I flinch.

“I… I’m sorry,” I whisper automatically.

Why do I always say that?

Even when I don’t know what I’m apologizing for.

“To what?” he asks, frowning slightly.

I don’t answer.

I can’t.

Silence stretches between us, thick and suffocating.

“What’s your name?” he asks again, softer this time.

My throat tightens.

Names feel like secrets.

Like something that can be used against me.

But something about him makes it harder to lie.

“Maria,” I say quietly. “Maria Eduarda.”

He repeats it.

Slowly.

Like it matters.

Like I matter.

And that—

That breaks something inside me.

No one has ever said my name like that before.

His gaze sharpens slightly as he studies me.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he says.

My chest tightens.

I nod before I can stop myself.

“I know.”

I always know.

I just… don’t have a choice.

Before he can say anything else—

A hand grabs my arm again.

Harder this time.

I stiffen instantly.

“There you are,” he says, his voice falsely light.

Fear crashes back into me.

Cold. Familiar. Suffocating.

“I’ve been looking for you.”

His grip tightens.

It hurts.

But I don’t react.

I don’t move.

I don’t breathe.

“Let go of her.”

The command cuts through everything.

Sharp. Cold. Final.

The hand on my arm hesitates.

“Excuse me?” the man says.

“I said, let go.”

No hesitation this time.

No room for argument.

Slowly… the grip loosens.

My skin burns where he touched me.

For a second—

I feel free.

But it doesn’t last.

“Are you with him?” the stranger asks.

My heart starts racing.

I should say no.

I want to say no.

But fear wraps around my throat, choking the truth before it can escape.

“…Yes,” I whisper.

The lie tastes bitter.

His expression hardens.

He doesn’t believe me.

I can see it.

But I can’t take it back.

“I’m sorry,” I say quickly, stepping away. “I have to go.”

I turn before he can stop me.

I need to leave.

Now.

I push through the crowd, my vision blurring, my breath coming too fast.

Just a little further—

Almost—

“Running already?”

The voice hits me like a wall.

I stop.

Slowly turn around.

And he’s there.

Closer.

Again.

Like distance means nothing to him.

Like escape isn’t an option.

My chest tightens.

Why won’t he let me go?

“You can lie to everyone else,” he says quietly, stepping closer, “but not to me.”

My heart pounds harder.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I whisper.

Another step.

Now there’s nowhere to go.

“Yes, you do.”

His voice drops lower.

Darker.

“Something happened to you.”

I freeze.

Completely.

My breath stops.

How…?

How does he know?

Panic floods through me as I shake my head.

“No—”

“You don’t belong to him,” he continues, cutting me off. “And you don’t belong here.”

Another step.

I’m trapped.

Cornered.

“But you do belong somewhere,” he adds.

My chest rises and falls unevenly.

“Where?” I ask before I can stop myself.

Silence.

Then—

“With me.”

The words hit like a shock.

Too strong.

Too sudden.

Too much.

My heart stumbles in my chest.

This is wrong.

Everything about this is wrong.

And yet—

I don’t move.

I don’t run.

I should be afraid of him.

Of the way he looks at me.

Of the way he speaks like he already decided something.

But instead—

What scares me more…

Is the part of me that wants to believe him.

And just as that thought settles—

A loud crash echoes across the ballroom.

Glasses shatter.

People gasp.

Chaos erupts.

And in the confusion—

The man who brought me here grabs me again.

Harder.

Rougher.

“Enough,” he snaps. “You’re leaving.”

My heart drops.

No—

Not again—

I turn desperately toward him—

But he’s already moving.

And this time—

He doesn’t look like he’s going to let me go.