Evelyn’s POVWhat do I do now?No, no, no. I’m caught.Right in the act. And there’s no way to explain myself. Not this time.“Evelyn,”His voice hit me like a slap, stern, commanding, unmistakable.“Why the hell are you wearing this?”The thunder in his tone rattled through my bones. His eyes scanned me, narrowed, sharp as a blade. My whole body started trembling. My brain was scrambling, clawing through thoughts, searching for an excuse, a way out, anything. But nothing came. Just static.“EVELYN!”His voice roared louder this time. My chest tightened. My knees buckled slightly as I turned toward him, trying to sign something, anything.“What are you doing?”His voice cracked again, now laced with something dangerous, betrayal? Disappointment? “You know I don’t understand sign language! Why are you doing this? Where’s your iPad?”I couldn’t answer. I just kept signing, desperate, but helpless.“I understand sign language,” Dave chimed in gently from the side, like some kind of quiet
Evelyn's POVThe room spun.Erica’s screams sliced through the air like broken glass, each word cutting deeper than the last. The police officer's hand hovered near his holster, and everyone in the room seemed to be holding their breath, except him.The demon.Standing there so casually, like chaos wasn’t blooming around him. Like he hadn’t whispered venom into my ear seconds ago. Like he wasn’t holding a syringe meant for murder.But no one noticed. Not even Louis.My heart thundered. My lips moved soundlessly. My hands twitched at my side, wanting to scream in signs, but frozen by fear.“What are you guys doing?” Louis’s voice was sharp now, commanding, as he stepped forward, shielding me. “Do not come closer to my wife.”The cops flinched. One even took a cautious step back.“The wind is bad,” the younger one muttered to his partner, as if reading the tension in the room like a weather forecast.“Why won’t we come closer to your wife?” the older officer asked, tone clipped and chal
Evelyn's POV"I want a divorce!"I typed the words quickly on my iPad, holding it up for him to see. As someone who could hear but couldn't speak, my iPad had become my voice—my lifeline.Louis barely glanced at the screen before scoffing, his eyes filled with indifference."You're not serious," he said, his tone dripping with arrogance."I'm damn serious!" I typed again, my hands trembling as I clenched the device. My heart pounded in my chest, anger bubbling inside me.My grip tightened around the crumpled pieces of paper in my other hand—the divorce papers. Five years. Five years of a marriage that never should have happened. I was never supposed to be his wife. I was just a substitute, a stand-in for my sister, who had been betrothed to him since birth.I still remembered my mother’s harsh voice ringing in my ears."You have to marry him, Evelyn. Now that your sister is gone, you must take her place!"My father, who had never seen me as anything more than an illegitimate burden, d
Evelyn's POV “Stop this van! Now!” I typed frantically on my iPad, holding it up for the driver to see. But he ignored me, his eyes locked on the road like I wasn’t even there.Fear gripped my chest. My fingers trembled as I quickly typed again."Please, let me go!"The man beside me glanced at the screen, then smirked. “Shut up,” he muttered, snatching the iPad from my hands and tossing it onto the van floor.Panic shot through me. My only way of communicating—gone.I grabbed his arm, shaking my head desperately, but he shoved me back against the seat.“You really think you can get out of this?” he sneered.Tears welled in my eyes. My heart pounded so hard it hurt.I reached for the van door, my fingers fumbling with the handle. Locked. Of course, it was locked.The driver let out a low, cruel laugh. “She actually thought she could escape,” he said to the man beside me.I turned, my breath coming in fast, shallow gasps.Why is this happening? Who sent them? Was it Louis?Before I co
Evelyn’s POVI should have felt relieved. The moment the kidnapper let me go, I should have been desperate to get home, to escape the nightmare I had just endured. But there was no relief. Just a numb weight settling in my chest, like a heavy stone pressing down on me.My wrists still ached from the ropes that had bound them hours ago. I rubbed at the raw skin absently, staring down at my hands. They trembled slightly, though I wasn’t sure if it was from fear, exhaustion, or something else entirely.I glanced at the man in the driver’s seat. His face remained unreadable as he steered the van through the empty streets."You okay?" his voice cut through the silence.I hesitated.Was I?I lifted my iPad, my fingers moving over the screen. I don't know.He let out a quiet breath, his hands tightening around the wheel. "Yeah. Figured."Silence stretched between us again, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Just heavy.I let my head rest against the window, watching as the buildings passed by. My
Evelyn’s POVLouis’s lips crushed against mine, rough and demanding. His grip on my wrist tightened as he tried to pull me closer, as if he had the right to claim me after everything. My body stiffened, panic surging through me like a wave. My free hand shot up, shoving against his chest, but he barely budged.I had to think fast.My heart pounded as I lifted my knee and slammed it between his legs—hard.Louis let out a strangled groan, his body jerking back as pain overtook him. He stumbled, releasing me, his hands flying to his groin. "You little—"I didn’t wait. I turned and ran.My bare feet slapped against the cold marble floor as I bolted down the hall. My pulse roared in my ears, drowning out everything else. I didn’t look back. I didn’t care if he was coming after me.I reached my bedroom, yanked the door open, and slammed it shut behind me, locking it. My breath came in sharp, uneven gasps as I pressed my back against the door, my fingers trembling against the wood.Bang!Lou
Evelyn’s POVI clutched the phone tightly, my hands trembling as the kidnapper’s voice echoed in my mind."Can you talk?"My stomach twisted into knots. Of course, I can’t talk. Everyone knew that.Yet, he had laughed. "Relax, princess. I was just joking."But was he?There was something unsettling in his eyes, something that felt like a challenge. Like he was waiting for me to prove him wrong. My throat tightened, my breath coming in short, shaky gasps.I forced myself back to reality. The phone—the key to my freedom—was in my hands now. But at what cost?I had agreed to his terms without hesitation, not because I wanted to, but because I had no other choice. I needed a way out of this marriage. I needed leverage over Louis.And now, I had another problem.I had lied.I told Louis I had a boyfriend. And now, he wanted proof.Panic bubbled inside me as I raked my fingers through my hair. What was I thinking? How was I supposed to find a boyfriend now?And why was he still holding onto
Evelyn's POV’sI could see the shock in Louis' face, and I admit—I loved it.His brows furrowed, lips parting like he couldn’t quite believe what he just heard. “Nice meeting you. I'm Louis, and who are you, if I may ask?” His voice held that same confusion, like he hadn’t just heard Samuel call me "babe."Samuel didn’t hesitate. He stepped forward, his hand lightly brushing mine. "I'm Samuel, and I'm her boyfriend."Louis blinked rapidly. His jaw clenched, and I saw his gaze flick from Samuel to me and back again. There was hesitation in his eyes, the kind that comes with disbelief and irritation hidden behind a polite smile."Really? So, you mean you know everything about her? And you guys have… hmm..." His words trailed off as a colleague came rushing toward him, whispered something into his ear, and like that, he was gone.Louis turned to us briefly, masking his emotions. "I need to leave. See ya later."I turned to Samuel, smiling slightly, clutching my iPad with both hands. Than
Evelyn's POVThe room spun.Erica’s screams sliced through the air like broken glass, each word cutting deeper than the last. The police officer's hand hovered near his holster, and everyone in the room seemed to be holding their breath, except him.The demon.Standing there so casually, like chaos wasn’t blooming around him. Like he hadn’t whispered venom into my ear seconds ago. Like he wasn’t holding a syringe meant for murder.But no one noticed. Not even Louis.My heart thundered. My lips moved soundlessly. My hands twitched at my side, wanting to scream in signs, but frozen by fear.“What are you guys doing?” Louis’s voice was sharp now, commanding, as he stepped forward, shielding me. “Do not come closer to my wife.”The cops flinched. One even took a cautious step back.“The wind is bad,” the younger one muttered to his partner, as if reading the tension in the room like a weather forecast.“Why won’t we come closer to your wife?” the older officer asked, tone clipped and chal
Evelyn’s POVWhat do I do now?No, no, no. I’m caught.Right in the act. And there’s no way to explain myself. Not this time.“Evelyn,”His voice hit me like a slap, stern, commanding, unmistakable.“Why the hell are you wearing this?”The thunder in his tone rattled through my bones. His eyes scanned me, narrowed, sharp as a blade. My whole body started trembling. My brain was scrambling, clawing through thoughts, searching for an excuse, a way out, anything. But nothing came. Just static.“EVELYN!”His voice roared louder this time. My chest tightened. My knees buckled slightly as I turned toward him, trying to sign something, anything.“What are you doing?”His voice cracked again, now laced with something dangerous, betrayal? Disappointment? “You know I don’t understand sign language! Why are you doing this? Where’s your iPad?”I couldn’t answer. I just kept signing, desperate, but helpless.“I understand sign language,” Dave chimed in gently from the side, like some kind of quiet
Evelyn's POVHow the hell did I end up in this mess?It’s his calmness for me. The way he just stands there, relaxed like he didn't just knock the air out of someone’s lungs. Like he didn’t just flip my world upside down and chain me to the weight of this terrifying silence. I swear, it’s the calm ones you should fear the most. And something tells me… this was always part of his plan.After that horrifying incident in the restroom, he took me. Just like that. Gone. And I’m sure Louis is tearing the city apart looking for me. But he’ll never find me, not while this man, this... devil in a perfectly tailored suit, keeps me hidden.I regret everything. The day I shook his hand. The day I agreed to work for him. I thought I hated Louis. But this man? I don’t even know his name, and I hate him more. To me, he’s always just been the kidnapper. But no more.From now on, I’m calling him the demon.He was on a call with Louis. I could hear the rage building in his voice as the conversation end
Louis’ POV“Evelyn!” I kept calling her name, over and over again, my voice cracking with desperation. But she didn’t answer. She was gone. Just… gone.She had fled right after I saved her on the rooftop after I pulled her back from the ledge she was seconds away from falling off. I thought she'd fall into my arms, maybe cry, maybe even say thank you. But no. Nothing. She just ran. Like I was the enemy.Now she was nowhere to be found.I tried calling her phone, and when it didn’t go through, I tried again. And again. My fingers trembled as I redialed, my heart pounding with a horrible rhythm that made me feel like I was suffocating. What the hell was going on?Why wasn’t she picking up?A part of me wanted to believe she just needed space but space didn’t explain the pit in my stomach that grew larger with every unanswered call.And then I saw him.A man. Dressed head to toe in black. Face covered. Entering into the building. Like a shadow with intent.My heart skipped a beat.No no,
Eveyeln’s POV“Eveyeln, I’ve been looking for you.”His voice sliced through the silence like a blade, low and tense as he stepped toward me. I instinctively backed away, heart punching against my ribs. I could feel the fear crawling up my spine, leaving a trail of icy goosebumps.But then… his eyes shifted.To my hands.To the phone.Shit.I tucked it behind me, quick, but not quick enough.“You got another phone?” he asked, eyes narrowing.I didn’t answer couldn’t. I just held onto the silence like it was a shield, even as dread churned in my gut. Instead, I snatched my iPad from my bag and typed a single word:No.I slipped the phone into my bag, my hands trembling just slightly. I needed to leave. I needed to get away from his gaze, his questions, the heat of suspicion radiating from him.But before I could even take a full step, his hand shot out and gripped my wrist. Tight.My breath caught in my throat.“I heard a voice when I got here,” he said slowly, like he was tasting each
Evelyn’s POVErica walked toward me slowly, a sly smirk curling at her lips. She leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper cold, cutting. “You’re very smart,” she said, her breath brushing my ear. “If you hadn’t played your little game, your mother would’ve been in real danger.” My eyes widened, my pulse quickening.How on earth did she know about my mother?She annoyed me even when we were kids. Every time she got hurt and her mean mom asked what happened, she’d point at me. I’d get beaten and grounded for no reason. This went on for years. Then she had an accident, and things got worse. They blamed me for her death for years, even though she was alive and fine. Her mom knew the truth but still treated me like trash. Even my real dad didn’t care. No one believed me. I was always the bad one. Now, all I want is for her to come back and take my useless husband. He was meant for her anyway.My hands clenched. For a second, I forgot where I was. The urge to swing at her was so strong I
Eveyeln’s POV“Ladies, stop!” Louis’s voice boomed through the hallway.But it was too late. My hair was already a tangled mess, and I was seconds away from lunging at her again.“I’ll deal with you!” she screamed, her voice slicing through the tension like a blade. “How dare you touch me? Huh? Who do you think you are?”Rage surged through me again, blinding, hot, unfiltered. I was ready to strike, to feel the satisfying sting of my palm on her arrogant face once more. But Louis pulled me back hard. He practically dragged me into the room, my room, and slammed the door shut behind us.Then, out of nowhere, he burst out laughing.What the hell was funny?Seriously?He flopped onto the bed like this was some kind of reality show. “So... you love me?”I blinked.No. No. No. He didn’t just say that.His voice was teasing, cocky, laced with smug disbelief. “I didn’t know. The mighty, untouchable Eveyeln actually fell in love with me? Wow. Just wow.”Why was he behaving like he's won a tr
Evelyn’s POVI woke up with a start.My eyes fluttered open, blinking against the morning light as the soft cotton sheets tangled around me. Something solid pressed beneath my hand. Warm. Steady. Strong.What is that?My fingers curled slightly, pressing into the firm surface. It wasn’t a pillow or blanket no, it was... someone. My heart skipped. I turned my head, slowly, like I was scared of what I might find.And there he was.Lying right there beside me, breathing softly, eyes closed, completely at peace as if this was normal. As if waking up next to him was something that had happened a thousand times before.Panic surged through me. My mind was racing wild and chaotic. What the hell happened last night?Did we...? No. No, no, no.My hand flew to my mouth as images from the night before burst into my memory like fireworks. I remembered pulling him close. I remembered kissing him. My heart began to hammer in my chest.Oh god. Did I really do that?What was I thinking? What was wron
Evelyn’s POVI couldn’t believe what he had said. He actually asked me for sex like it was some kind of favor he could just call in whenever he wanted.What the actual hell is wrong with him?My mind spiraled with confusion, frustration, and a weird, quiet kind of ache I didn’t want to name. He had barely acknowledged me for months barely noticed if I ate or slept, barely even looked my way. And now this? Suddenly acting like he cared?I was still trapped in my whirlwind of thoughts when a glass of juice landed in front of me.I looked up, startled. It was him. Louis.My husband.He placed the juice gently on the table, the way someone does when they’re trying not to startle a wild animal. He looked at me for a second like he wanted to say more but didn’t trust the words forming in his throat."Here," he muttered. “Sorry for destroying the last one.”He slid the new iPad across the table.I blinked. My fingers hovered over it. The same model. Same color. Just like the one he smashed i