Chapter 2

Olivia’s eyes fluttered open, and she was met with the stark reality of her surroundings. She found herself in a dingy, abandoned room, the walls cracked and worn, the air thick with dust.

Groggily, she sat up, her head spinning as she tried to piece together what had happened. Her clothes were slightly ripped, but aside from a few bruises, she seemed unharmed.

"Hello? Anyone there?" she called out, her voice shaking slightly. She waited for a response, but the only sound was the echo of her voice off the walls. She called out again and again, but there was only silence.

As the reality of her situation sank in, Olivia's fear gave way to determination. She stood up, smoothing out her ripped clothes, and made her way to the door.

She tried the handle, and to her relief, it opened easily. She stepped out into the bright sunlight, blinking away the dimness of the abandoned room. Unexpectedly, she saw her car outside at a distance.

As she made her way back to her car, Olivia's mind began to clear. She remembered her decision to go to the police station. But what had happened between then and now? She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

With a sense of urgency, Olivia drove home, as she entered the mansion, she was met with a shock. Lucas stood in the foyer, his eyes blazing with anger. Without warning, he reached out and slapped her across the face, the sound echoing through the hallway.

The force of the slap sent Olivia stumbling backward. Her heel caught on the edge of the rug, and she barely managed to keep herself from falling. Her hand flew to her cheek, the sting burning hot against her skin. She stared at Lucas in disbelief.

“What was that for?” she demanded, her voice shaking—not with fear, but with outrage.

Lucas’s face was twisted with fury. He shoved his phone toward her, his hand trembling as he pointed at the screen. “Are you asking me?” he shouted. “Explain this to me. Explain it now!”

Her heart thudded painfully as she took the phone from his grip. The moment the video began to play, the blood drained from her face.

She watched herself on the screen. The footage had been cut and framed in a way that twisted reality, turning violation into something ugly and false.

Her breath hitched.

“No…” she whispered, her fingers tightening around the phone. “This... this isn’t how it happened.”

She looked up at Lucas, confusion written plainly across her face. “How did you get this?” she asked, her voice low and unsteady. “Who did this?”

Lucas’s expression was cold, merciless. “What do you mean, how did I get it?” he snapped. “Ask your miserable self, you slut.”

The word struck harder than the slap.

Olivia’s knees weakened, and she sank to the floor. Her chest ached as tears spilled over, not from guilt, but from the sheer horror of being accused of something she did not do.

“I didn’t cheat on you,” she said firmly, her voice breaking slightly. "I did no such thing, you manipulative son of a bitch.”

Lucas laughed in a harsh, mocking sound that made her stomach churn. “You expect me to believe you when the proof is right there?” he sneered. “You think I’m blind?”

She shook her head slowly, tears streaming down her face. “You think I would do this?” she asked, her voice cracking under the weight of disbelief. “After everything? You think I would willingly betray you?” Her eyes searched his face desperately. “I thought you knew me.”

His expression darkened further, his lips curling with disgust. “I know exactly what you are,” he spat. “A cheating wife. A liar. You went out to meet men for pleasure. You’re filthy.”

Olivia’s tears fell faster now, her heart breaking with every word, but her voice remained steady. “I was kidnapped,” she said clearly. “I didn’t choose any of that.”

Lucas scoffed. “Kidnapped?” he repeated cruelly. “Did you even watch the video? You looked perfectly willing.”

Her hands clenched into fists as she shook her head. “I don’t remember anything,” she said, her voice trembling with frustration. “They drugged me. They covered my face. I woke up afterward with no memory of what happened.” She met his gaze, her eyes burning. “I know what was done to me—and I know what I did not do.”

Lucas said nothing. He simply took the phone back from her, turned on his heel, and walked out of the room.

The door slammed shut behind him.

Olivia remained on the floor, shaking as the images replayed cruelly in her mind. The video hadn’t shown consent, but her being violated. She knew that. But Lucas didn’t want to see it.

And that was what shattered her most.

Her hands trembled as she reached for her phone and dialed Maddie’s number. When Maddie arrived minutes later, Olivia told her everything—the kidnapping, the video, Lucas’s accusations. Her voice wavered, but her words were clear and unwavering.

Maddie’s face hardened as she listened. When Olivia finished, she crossed her arms tightly.

“I told you not to go to the police station, Olivia,” Maddie said sharply. “Why didn’t you listen to me?”

Before Olivia could say another word, Lucas appeared in the doorway. His presence sucked the air out of the room. His eyes narrowed as he caught the last part of their conversation.

“Police station?” he repeated slowly, his voice sharp with menace. “So you were planning on reporting me?”

Olivia turned toward him, startled. Her lips parted, but no words came immediately—not because she was guilty, but because of what he might do.

Lucas didn’t wait.

“Maddie,” he snapped, his tone cold and commanding. “Leave us. Now.”

Maddie hesitated, her eyes flicking between them, but the tension in the room was suffocating. She stepped back slowly and exited without another word.

The moment the door closed, Lucas’s gaze locked onto Olivia, burning and unforgiving.

“Answer me,” he demanded. “Were you planning on going to the police?”

Olivia’s legs gave out beneath her, and she sank to her knees, the weight of everything pressing down on her became unbearable. Tears streamed down her face, her chest tightening as she struggled to breathe.

“You were hurting me,” she said, her voice trembling but clear. “You’ve been hurting me for a long time.” She lifted her head to look at him, her eyes shining with pain and resolve. “I couldn’t take it anymore. I still can’t.”

She swallowed hard, her hands curling into fists. “You treat me like I don’t matter. Like I’m nothing. Whether you love me or not doesn’t change the fact that I am your wife. And you don’t get to destroy me.”

Lucas’s expression didn’t soften. If anything, his lips curled into a slow, cruel smile.

“I’d like to see you try reporting me,” he said coldly. “Let’s see how brave you are when I release that video for everyone to see.”

The words hit her like ice water, which made her froze. Her heart thundered violently as realization crashed into her all at once—the kidnapping, the video, his certainty, his control.

It was him.

Rage surged through her, burning away the shock. She shot to her feet, her hand raised instinctively. “You asshole!”

Before her palm could connect, Lucas caught her wrist midair, his grip tight and unyielding. He leaned in close, his breath warm against her ear.

“You better behave yourself,” he whispered, his voice low and venomous. “Because if this goes public, being my wife won’t protect you, it’ll ruin you.” His lips curved into a smirk. “Your reputation. Your job. Your life. One wrong move, and everyone sees that video.”

He released her wrist roughly, straightening as if nothing had happened.

Olivia stood there, shaking, her fists clenched at her sides. Tears blurred her vision, the crushing reality that the man she married was capable of this.

Lucas turned and walked out of the room without another glance, leaving Olivia standing alone in the silence, her heart pounding with fury, grief, and the terrifying clarity that she was no longer just trapped...

She was being threatened.