Semua Bab THE DON'S CAPTIVE MISTRESS : Bab 281 - Bab 290

HAZEL Axel didn't look back to see if I was following. He simply started walking, never looking back.For a second, I stayed where I was, staring at his back as he moved toward the abandoned warehouse. There wasn't anyone else around anymore. The SUVs had disappeared down the dark road, taking the rescued women and all the masked men with them. The sounds of the engines faded until all that remained was silence.My eyes drifted toward the dark road and then back to Axel's retreating figure. I could run. The thought came so suddenly it almost startled me. But it was true.I could just turn away from Axel and run. There would be no locked doors, no chains, no Harris, no auctions, no guards standing over me. I could finally be free from all of this....from Axel, from Harris, from everything. But then what?I didn't know where I was. I didn't have any money. I didn't have a phone. I didn't know which direction led back to civilization And somehow, despite everything that had happened bet

HAZEL She smiled before she responded."Everything looks okay," she reassured me. "There are just a few results we won't have immediately. We need a few hours for those. As soon as they're in, I'll make sure you get them."I nodded slowly."So I'm clean? I'm okay?""You're fine. You're okay. And the bruises aren't that bad. You're doing great. You just need to take care of yourself and eat well, and when the other results come in, I'll make sure you get them."I don't know why, but I trusted her. I trusted what she said. So I nodded."Thank you."She stepped closer, and for a second I wondered what she was doing. Then she pulled me into a hug. A real hug, and she whispered in my ear, "You're going to be just fine."When she let me go, I realised tears were already falling down my face. Mina's eyes were wet too, and for a moment we were both wiping away tears when another knock sounded on the door.Just one knock. Mina quickly tried to compose herself, brushing at her eyes before ope

HAZEL Maria came back into the room quietly, carrying a tray. The smell of soup reached me before she did, warm and familiar. And for the first time since everything had happened, I realised how hungry I really was.Maria set the tray down on the small table beside the bed."Vegetable soup, bread, and some fruit," she said softly. "Nothing heavy."I nodded."Thank you."She glanced toward the open window, then back at me."You should eat while it's hot."I nodded and pulled the tray closer, my hands still a little unsteady. The first spoonful almost made my throat ache. I hadn't realised how long it had been since I had eaten without fear, without someone watching me, without wondering what would happen afterwards.Maria didn't leave immediately. She stood beside me, studying me for a moment with quiet concern."Did Axel tell you anything?" I asked."Well..." she said carefully, not looking directly at me. "When you left... let's just say everyone knew you had left, and everyone knew

HAZEL Another knock."Come in," I called, my voice quieter than I intended.The handle turned, and the door opened slowly. I thought it was Angela, and a small part of me hoped it was Axel. But the person who walked in was one of the maids. I remembered seeing her around the house before.“Miss Hazel, dinner is ready,” she said softly.I thought about it. “I’m really not hungry,” I told her honestly.She smiled politely.“I’m sorry, but Miss Angela said you have to eat dinner. No exceptions.”“What?”She looked slightly embarrassed.“Miss Angela said everybody should eat and that you can’t skip dinner.”I smiled despite myself.“That sounds like Angela.”The maid smiled back. Then, after a second, she asked, “Would you want to have dinner in your room, or are you coming downstairs?”Choice. They were giving me a choice, for the first time in what felt like forever. When I first came to this house, dinner had never been a choice. I was told I always had to go downstairs and have dinne

HAZEL I didn’t know what to do with that. Because the truth was, Axel had always made things harder for me. From the moment he took me from that party, my life had become a storm.But another truth had started whispering quietly beneath it. Harris had been worse, much worse. And admitting that felt like betraying the version of myself who had fought so desperately to leave this house.Angela seemed to sense my confusion.“You don’t have to decide anything tonight,” she said softly. Then she opened the door.“Try to get some sleep again if you can.”I nodded.“Goodnight, Angela.”“Goodnight, Hazel.”She left, and the room became quiet once more. I sat there for a long time, staring at the dark window. My reflection looked back at me faintly—tired eyes, Loose hair and A face that looked older than it had a month ago.I touched the fading bruise near my neck and quickly dropped my hand. No, not tonight. I stood and walked to the window. Soft golden lights lit the gardens below, and Gua