Petal’s heart raced as she woke, realizing she was tied to a chair in front of the kitchen. The stranger, wearing a mask, moved around casually, finishing the cooking she had started before he intruded.

“You woke up,” he said, his tone calm yet chilling.

Panic surged through her veins. She struggled against the ropes binding her wrists, but her limbs felt weak, her head spinning.

“Don’t bother,” he said, noticing her futile attempts. “You won’t escape my web. And besides—” He turned to her, tilting his head. “The drug’s still in your system. It’s doing its job, isn’t it?”

Her breathing quickened, and she tried to speak, but her mouth was taped.

“food is  ready,” he said with a smirk as he served two plates of food and brought them to the dining table. “Let’s eat, darling.”

She thrashed against the chair as he approached, but he didn’t seem bothered. Instead, he moved her chair to the table and crouched to her eye level.

“I can’t untie you. You’ll just try to run, won’t you? So…” He ripped the tape off her mouth, making her flinch. “I’ll feed you myself.”

The moment her mouth was free, she blurted, “Who are you?”

He chuckled. “Not someone who wants to harm you.” He lifted a spoonful of food. “Now eat.”

She turned her head away, her voice trembling. “If you’re here to steal, please… don’t. This isn’t my house.”

He paused, then laughed—a deep, unsettling laugh. “Steal? Oh, Petal, you’re funny. But I can’t help it. I do need to take the most valuable thing in this house.”

“Please don’t,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

“Do you know what that is?” he asked, his tone turning sharp.

She hesitated, shaking her head. “No, I don’t.”

“You, my girl,” he said, his voice low and possessive.

Her eyes widened in shock.

“The way you’re looking at me right now…” He leaned closer, his voice dripping with admiration. “It’s intoxicating.”

Petal swallowed hard, keeping her fear hidden. “You don’t have to do this,” she said softly, trying to stall.

“Oh, but I do,” he replied, grinning under the mask.

“Why me?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“Because no one else makes me feel like you did, Petal,” he said, his tone almost tender but unsettlingly wrong.

As he spoke, Petal subtly twisted her wrists, trying to loosen the ropes. She kept him distracted, her questions buying her time." How you know my name" she asked

“I have my ways girl,  Eat,” he urged, bringing the spoon closer.

Summoning her courage, Petal pushed the spoon away with her hand and darted out of the chair.

“Petal!” he shouted, his voice ringing with both anger and amusement.

She bolted upstairs, her adrenaline overriding her dizziness.

“Stop running!” he called after her, his tone playful yet commanding. “You’ll only hurt yourself.”

He followed her at a leisurely pace, his steps echoing on the staircase. “Let’s have some fun,” he muttered, smiling under the mask.

Petal darted into a room and pressed herself against the wall, trying to muffle her breathing.

“Where did you go?” he called out, his voice taunting. “Hiding won’t save you, darling.”

He began checking the rooms, one by one. When he stepped into a room decorated with pictures of Chase, he paused. His eyes scanned the space, a hint of annoyance creeping into his voice.

“Chase’s room…” he murmured. “How fitting.”

He turned to leave when a faint clatter echoed from  an Almeria.

His lips curled into a smirk. “Found you.”

---

I think I found you, Petal,” his voice echoed through the room, laced with sinister amusement. His smirk was audible, sending a chill down her spine.

Petal froze, her breath hitching.

“I think you’re in here, aren’t you?” he said, his footsteps growing louder as he approached the almirah.

She could hear his low, maniacal laughter, the sound sharp and unsettling.

“I found you,” he announced gleefully, gripping the almirah handles.

Petal clenched her eyes shut, her heart pounding so loudly she was sure he could hear it. She braced herself, certain that she was caught.

But just as he was about to swing the doors open, a firm hand grabbed her arm and yanked her through a hidden door inside the almirah.

“Found y—” he started, his voice cutting off abruptly as he opened the almirah and found… nothing.

His laughter stopped, replaced by heavy, agitated breaths. “What the hell?” he muttered, confusion quickly turning into rage.

Meanwhile, Petal stumbled backward into a narrow, dark space. Her scream almost escaped, but Chase clamped his hand over her mouth, his eyes wide and urgent. He shook his head, silently pleading with her to stay quiet.

The masked man’s voice rang out again, this time laced with fury. “Where the hell are you?” A loud crash followed, and then another, as he began throwing objects around the room in frustration.

Petal flinched with every sound, her body trembling. Chase leaned closer, whispering, “You’re safe. Don’t be scared ”

Her breathing was erratic, but she nodded faintly, trusting him.

The two waited, holding their breath as the man’s tantrum continued. Glass shattered, furniture toppled, and angry mutters filled the air.

After what felt like an eternity, the chaos quieted. Chase cautiously peeked through the hidden door, checking if the he had left.

Once he was certain, he turned back to Petal and gestured. “You can come out now.”

Petal hesitated, her eyes fixed on the hidden compartment behind the almirah. Something about the space felt… familiar.

“Petal?” Chase’s voice broke through her trance. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, and she jumped, startled.

“ He’s gone. Come out ” he said .

She nodded, but her gaze lingered on the hidden space. As Chase guided her out, she couldn’t resist one last look.

Her steps faltered as a sudden vision struck her.

In her mind’s eye, she saw a younger version of herself running toward the almirah, but it was quickly drowned out by a deeper, angrier voice shouting her name.

Petal gasped, clutching her chest as the vision faded. Her knees threatened to give way, but Chase steadied her.

“Are you okay?” he asked, concern etched on his face.

Yes " she lied cause she was not sure yet what she just saw .

She nodded reluctantly, letting him lead her in  room. He locked the door behind them, making sure she couldn’t follow her curiosity.

“You sit here,” he instructed gently. “I’ll handle him. And don’t come out until I say it’s safe. Okay?”

Petal didn’t respond immediately, her mind still replaying the vision.

“Petal,” Chase said again, louder this time.

“Huh? Oh… okay,” she stammered, barely registering his words.

He sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Stay here. I’ll be back soon.”

As he left, her gaze drifted back toward the direction of the almirah. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the hidden space held answers to questions she didn’t yet know how to ask.

......

Chase stepped out of the room cautiously, his eyes scanning the area until he spotted his brother standing near the dining table.

“Where the hell did she hide?” his brother muttered, ripping off his mask and tossing it onto the floor.

Chase’s expression hardened as he strode toward him. “What are you doing here?” His voice was sharp, filled with restrained fury.

His brother turned casually, a smirk playing on his lips. “Relax,  brother. Just making myself at home.”

Chase’s patience wore thin. “I told you to leave the country. Why are you still here?”

His brother chuckled, leaning back against the table. “Leave? Why would I leave when I’ve finally found something worth staying for?”

Chase’s chest tightened. “What are you talking about?”

His brother’s smirk widened as he took a step closer. “Petal.” The way he said her name sent a chill through Chase. “She’s special, Chase. I’m not going anywhere without her.”

Chase’s fists clenched at his sides. “You stay away from her. Don’t even think about it.”

“Oh, but I’ve thought about it a lot,” his brother replied, his tone taunting.

Chase stepped closer, his voice low and full of warning. “You’re not laying a finger on her. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave now.”

His brother laughed, the sound cold and unhinged.

Chase grabbed him by the collar

yanking him close. His voice was low and

filled with venom. "Stay away from Petal. If

you go near her again, I'll kill you."

Chase’s jaw tightened as he forced himself to stay calm. “Get out of here. Now”

His brother held up his hands in mock surrender, a smirk still plastered on his face. “Fine, fine. I’ll leave. For now.”

Chase’s brother chuckled, an unsettling sound that grated on Chase’s nerves. “How can you tell me to leave her when you can’t do it yourself?”

Chase’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”

His brother smirked."You’re just as trapped as I am.”

“She’s worth it, isn’t she?” his brother continued, his tone dripping with mockery. “At first, I thought about ending it quickly. Captivate her, break her, and disappear before anyone realized it was me. But then…” He paused, leaning closer, his voice soft but venomous. “Then I realized why you haven’t let her go. She’s worth every risk.”

“Don’t you dare,” Chase growled, stepping forward, his eyes blazing with fury. “She is mine.”

His brother laughed darkly. “Yours? You’re her mother’s husband, Chase. She’s not yours anymore. She’s your stepdaughter now. So why don’t you just let me take her?”

“Don’t speak rubbish,” Chase snapped, but a flicker of doubt crossed his face.

“Rubbish?” His brother leaned against the wall casually, his smirk growing. “Then tell me, Chase. What’s your plan? Cheat on your wife with her daughter?You think Petal do it ? She doesn’t look like the type to”

Chase froze, his mind reeling. His brother’s words struck a nerve, and for the first time, Chase’s conviction wavered. He hadn’t thought this far ahead. Petal consumed his thoughts so completely that he had never considered the consequences.

Noticing his hesitation, his brother seized the opportunity, his voice turning almost gentle. “I’m saying, let her go. Let me have her. After all, we’re brothers. I’ll treat her well.”

Chase snapped out of his thoughts, his face hardening. “Never.”

His brother’s smirk didn’t falter. “Touchy, aren’t we?”

Chase’s fist collided with his brother’s jaw, but instead of retaliating, his brother laughed. “Is that all you’ve got?”

The laughter fueled Chase’s anger, and he struck again, his control slipping.

Suddenly, his brother’s hand darted into his pocket, pulling out a gun. “Enough!” he shouted shoting it once in air then point it directly at Chase.

Chase froze, his breathing heavy, his fists still clenched.

Petal, hearing the gunshot, jolted upright in her room. “Chase?” she whispered, her heart pounding in terror.

She quickly ran out, following the sound. “Chase?” she called softly, fear lacing her voice as she stepped into the hall.

Her breath caught in her throat when she saw two identical figures standing there. One had a gun pressed against the other’s forehead.