LOGIN~Aliyah’s POV~
The sound of quiet footsteps in the hallway outside my door made my chest seize. My heart raced, instinct telling me to hide, to shrink further into myself, but something about the rhythm was familiar.
“Aliyah?” a soft voice whispered through the door.
Clara.
I froze, my hand gripping the thin blanket wrapped around me. “C-Clara?” I croaked.
A soft knock came from the door. My heart jumped violently.
Clara’s eyes narrowed, and she whispered, “Relax. It’s me.”
I flinched anyway, but she smiled reassuringly. “See? Nothing to worry about.”
A quiet chuckle answered. “Yeah. It’s me. Don’t worry.... I’m not here to yell at you.”
My throat tightened. I wanted to laugh at how ridiculous it
~Aliyah’s POV~The house was quiet, but it wasn’t peace. It was the calm of predators circling. Every corner, every hallway, every shadow seemed like it belonged to Ronald.I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the contract lying on the desk. Signed. Sealed. My obedience is officially bound on paper. The ink had barely dried, but it felt like chains had replaced my bones.My heart skipped when my phone rang, but relief came washing over my face when I saw the caller ID. It was Clara.Her voice came soft, through the phone and I wished she was right here with me. “Aliyah, how are you doing?”I steadied my breath to check if I could hear any sound of footsteps. Ronald must not hear me taking to Clara.“I, I don't know how I feel but.... I don’t want trouble,” I murmured, my voice shaking.“Y
~Aliyah’s POV~The moment Ronald stepped into the room, my stomach twisted. He didn’t speak at first, just stood there, eyes cold, assessing me like I was some fragile object that could shatter with the wrong touch.“Who came in here today?” His voice was low, calm, but every syllable carried an edge that made my chest tighten.“I.....no one came here, Ronald” I murmured, trying to sound steady.His lips curved into a faint, cruel smile. “Don’t lie to me, Aliyah. I know when you lie. And I know when you think you can escape my sight.”I swallowed hard. The pit in my stomach deepened. I.... I wasn’t trying to.....“Trying?” he interrupted sharply. “Every attempt you make to resist only proves that the leash was too loose. You need to be reminded of who you belong to.”&n
~Aliyah’s POV~The soft click of the door made me sit upright instantly. My heart raced, half fear, half relief.“Shh.... it’s me,” Clara whispered, slipping inside like a shadow.I flinched anyway, clutching the thin blanket around me. “Clara, you shouldn’t be here,” I murmured.She ignored the warning, kneeling beside me with a small bag in her hands. “I’ve got food. Something warm. You need it more than I do, right now.”I stared at her, blinking, unsure if I could trust this moment. He... he’ll.....“No one will see me,” she said firmly, tugging out a small container of soup and a piece of bread. “Just eat. You’re too weak, Aliyah. Look at you......shivering.”The tears I’d been holding all day returned, but I allowed them to fall fre
~Aliyah’s POV~The sound of quiet footsteps in the hallway outside my door made my chest seize. My heart raced, instinct telling me to hide, to shrink further into myself, but something about the rhythm was familiar.“Aliyah?” a soft voice whispered through the door.Clara.I froze, my hand gripping the thin blanket wrapped around me. “C-Clara?” I croaked.A soft knock came from the door. My heart jumped violently.Clara’s eyes narrowed, and she whispered, “Relax. It’s me.”I flinched anyway, but she smiled reassuringly. “See? Nothing to worry about.”A quiet chuckle answered. “Yeah. It’s me. Don’t worry.... I’m not here to yell at you.”My throat tightened. I wanted to laugh at how ridiculous it
~Dominic’s POV~The moment I ended the call with Aliyah last night, something inside me sank, heavy, cold, painfully certain.The way her voice shook....the way she whispered instead of spoke, the way she rushed to end the call like someone was watching her.I knew.I knew Ronald had done something.But knowing wasn’t the same as being able to stop it.This morning, I sat in my car outside the office, the engine off, my fingers gripping the steering wheel hard enough to hurt. My phone lay on the passenger seat, the last message from her still open.> “I can’t leave. He locked me in.....The words gnawed at me, sharp and merciless. Every few seconds, my jaw clenched harder. Every breath felt heavier.I had told her we would find another chance.I had
~Ronald’s POV~The morning sun barely touched the curtains when my phone buzzed. A message came in, encrypted, from the same bodyguard I’d paid to watch her. My gut twisted before I even opened it.“Sir, she spoke on the phone last night. Couldn’t hear much, but she sounded emotional. Mentioned a name, Dominic.”Dominic.That bastard.I gritted my teeth, scrolling back to the picture he’d sent days ago, the one of Aliyah sitting too close to him at the café. Her eyes were soft and his gaze steady. The sight of both of them together irritated me.I slammed the phone on the desk.“Dominic,” I muttered, a very vein in me popping up.How dare she? After everything we agreed to do, after everything I’d risked to keep her in my world, she still had the nerve to reac







