LOGINHAZEL Axel didn’t question it. He simply motioned toward a door on the side of the room, one I hadn’t even noticed before.“Thanks. I’ll be back,” I added, forcing a reassuring smile on my face.I started to stand, pushing myself up carefully, already turning toward the door... When there was a knock.A sharp, quick, Quick And… wrong knock.It wasn’t just a knock. It was patterned. One knock, Silence. Then two knocks, Silence. Three knocks and Silence again. Something about it made my skin prickle. It seemed Coordinated and Intentional.And just like that, the air in the room shifted. I felt it before the door even opened.... Then it did And the man stepped in.My stomach dropped instantly. I immediately recognised him. Of course I did; it was the Man from the island. The one from the house where they were making drugs.The one who had come to see me before he left… and told me, 'I have a feeling we’ll see each other again.'He told me his name was Sal. He gives me really creepy vibe
HAZEL Cassio's hands found her quickly, pulling her in, holding her close. And what followed....It wasn’t subtle. It wasn’t careful. It was raw and Messy.Their bodies pressed together, moving in sync but without restraint...hands wandering, gripping, touching places that made my breath hitch. They kissed like they had forgotten where they were, like nothing else existed, grinding against each other in a way that felt too intimate, too much...like they were practically fucking with their clothes like no one's business. No one else in the room seemed to care about the display. Like this was normal. Like this was expected.My gaze flickered away, only to land on Axel again. He had already turned his attention towards Lisa. Lisa was smiling, her hips swaying, her body rolling with the rhythm as her hands brushed up his arm, testing and teasing.Axel caught her wrist lightly. Controlled. Then he pulled her in, not roughly or carelessly. But with intention. He lifted her slightly, just f
HAZEL I instinctively glanced at Axel, then shook my head.Cassio chuckled. “It’s impolite to refuse a dancing invitation.”“I’m sorry,” I said again, feeling awkward now. “It’s just… I hurt my leg, and today is the first day I’ve even worn something that wasn’t soft and… I’m not really a good dancer.”“Oh my God, enough....come on,” Cara insisted, already pulling me up.I hadn’t had enough wine to be that brave. Definitely not enough to dance in front of Axel, his brother, his sister-in-law, Lisa, and the guards who looked like they noticed everything and said nothing.So I stood there. Awkwardly shifting my weight from one leg to the other, making small movements that barely counted as dancing. Meanwhile.... Cara moved like she was made for it.Her body flowed with the music effortlessly, her hands, her hips, every movement smooth, confident, magnetic. I couldn’t even pretend to keep up. I just watched her, a little mesmerised. Because she didn’t just look beautiful.... She owned i
HAZEL We drove out of that part of town and into something cleaner, brighter, safer, until eventually, the city opened up into a commercial area filled with lights and life. Normal. Or at least… something that looked normal.Axel pulled over and parked beside the sleek car Cassio had been driving. But inside, it was empty.“They’re already here,” Lisa huffed, clearly irritated. “I had a bet with Cara… now I owe her money. Thanks a lot.”She turned her head toward me, giving me an accusing look. And just like that, I knew, she blamed me.“What did I do?” I asked, genuinely confused.She didn’t answer. Just gave me a look that was sharp, annoyed, dismissive, before rolling her eyes and stepping out of the car.“I’m going for a smoke,” she muttered.I exhaled slowly, still trying to piece together who she was, what she was, and why she seemed to exist in Axel’s space as if she belonged there.“Don’t mind her,” Axel said as he stepped out, then came around to my side and helped me out of
HAZEL Lisa’s smile was bright, almost blinding in its confidence, but Axel didn’t smile back. And yet—I felt it. That glance he gave me. Quieter. Different. Like something had shifted, just slightly beneath the surface.Before I could even begin to understand it, there was a sudden knock on top of the car. A sharp, loud thud and A scream tore out of me before I could stop it. Nobody else inside the car seemed to be bothered by the knock or the scream. Lisa merely rolled her eyes at me dismissively.Cassio stood there, half his shirt open, laughing wickedly like a man completely unhinged, high on adrenaline, maybe something more.“I want my pay,” he said, still grinning.I frowned, my heart still racing. What the hell was he talking about?Axel didn’t argue or question what he meant. He simply reached for his wallet, pulled something out, and started writing. A check.I leaned forward slightly, trying to see, my breath catching as my eyes landed on the numbers.... Zeros. So many zeros
HAZEL Axel didn’t stop or slow down. Didn’t even look at me.His focus was locked on the road, sharp and unwavering, one hand steady on the wheel, the other shifting gears with precision. There was no fear in him. No hesitation.Only control And something else that looked dangerously close to enjoyment.“Trust me,” he said simply.Trust him?At this speed?With my life literally in his hands?Another sharp turn came, faster this time, the car leaning just enough to make my breath catch as I instinctively grabbed onto the seat.Lisa barely moved. She just leaned back, completely at ease, like she belonged in this chaos. Like she thrived in it.Ahead of us, Cara’s laughter rang out, carried faintly through the open air as Cassio’s car swerved slightly, then straightened again. They weren’t slowing down. Not even close.My heart pounded harder, faster. Too fast. I could feel it in my throat, in my chest, in my ears. Everything was too loud. Too much.“Axel, please....” I tried again.Th
HAZELI woke up the next morning with a massive headache. The moment I opened my eyes, Angela was opening those windows, letting the light in, and I couldn't help but groan, "What are you doing?" I snapped at her."Axel told me to bring the pills. They're right there beside the table. Just get the
HAZEL“What?” I whisper, but I barely recognise the sound of my own voice.“Really?” he asks, his question is filled with disbelief and suspicion. He looks straight towards me, searching my face for something.I don’t even know what he’s asking, but I nod anyway.Suddenly, he stands up too fast...
HAZELThe minute I left Axel and walked into my bedroom, I closed the door behind me and slumped against it, sliding down until I hit the floor. My back pressed to the wood, I took a deep, shaky breath and stared at my trembling hands. They were shaking....literally. I felt like my whole body was.
HAZELWhen I woke up the next morning, I had already made a decision.Sleep never really came no Matter how much I tried. I spent the whole night tossing, thinking about Harris, thinking about getting out of here, thinking about what would be different now. I had tried everything the first time Axe







