“Caught you, Petal,” he growled, yanking her out of her hiding spot and slamming her against the cold wall.

She gasped, hands flying up to push him away, but he was stronger—so much stronger. His body pressed against hers, caging her in.

He leaned in, his breath hot against her cheek.

She turned her face away, eyes squeezed shut, shaking.

“Enough,” he snapped, gripping her chin harshly, forcing her to look at him. His fingers dug into her skin, his gaze dark and unrelenting.

“Stop this drama and give in,” he commanded.

She whimpered, struggling, but he didn’t budge.

“Not going to?” His lips curled into a smirk. “No problem. I’ll get what I want today, whether you agree or not.”

Her heart pounded. The weight of his words sent terror crashing through her.

“Please… no,” she choked out.

But he didn’t care.

He grabbed her wrist and dragged her toward the bed, shoving her down onto the mattress once again.

She scrambled to get away, nails clawing at the sheets, but he was faster. He flipped her over, pinning her beneath him once more.

Tears pricked at her eyes. “Please…”

He didn’t listen. He didn’t care.

Lowering his head, he pressed his lips to her neck. She turned away, disgust twisting her features, but that only fueled him more.

“No!” She thrashed beneath him, but his grip tightened. The more she fought, the rougher he became—his kisses turning into sharp bites, his breath ragged with frustration.

Tears burned her cheeks. “Please… stop.”

He ignored her, his lips trailing up to her ear. “You’re addictive,” he murmured, voice thick with possession.

She turned her head away in despair. Please, God, help me.

Her arms were wrenched above her head. She kicked, desperate to get him off, but he was too strong. He pinned her wrists with one hand, his other free to roam.

Her breath hitched. Panic clawed at her throat.

Suddenly, a sharp pain surged through her head, making her vision blur. She squeezed her eyes shut, and in that instant, flashes of something—of herself—flooded her mind.

A struggle. Hands gripping her. A shadow looming over her. Her own voice, trembling, pleading.

She saw herself being dragged, a weight pressing her down, the suffocating closeness of someone she feared.

Her breath hitched. Had this happened before?

“No!” she screamed, thrashing violently. “Please—”

Nothing. No mercy.

This was it.

No one was coming.

The world outside didn’t know. Couldn’t hear.

But then—

The doorbell rang.

Her body froze.

Her eyes snapped open, hope crashing into her like a lifeline.

His body stiffened.

The bell rang again.

Her breathing hitched. Someone’s here.

His jaw clenched. “Who the hell—”

She struggled harder, desperation surging through her limbs. If she could just break free—

“Stay still!” he barked, his grip crushing her wrist.

Then, a new sound.

A phone ringing.

Her heart stopped.

It wasn’t his—it was Chase’s.

His fingers twitched as he reached for it.

He flipped it over.

Maya’s name flashed on the screen.

His brows furrowed. “Why is she calling now?”

The bell rang once more.

The phone vibrated again.

Her pulse pounded. Please, mom .

“What is her problem?” he hissed before getting off her.

She saw her chance.

She bolted.

But before she could even reach the edge of the bed, his hand shot out, grabbing her. One rough palm slapped over her mouth, muffling her cries.

With his free hand, he accepted the call.

“Chase, open the door,” Maya’s voice came through the speaker.

His whole body stilled.

His grip on her tightened.

“You’re back?” he asked, voice low with shock.

“Yeah. Open the door,” Maya said impatiently. “It’s cold outside.”

His jaw tensed. “You had a flight.”

“I’ll explain later. Just open the damn door.”

His frustration flared. He exhaled sharply. “Fine.”

The call ended.

Petal fought with everything in her.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he snarled.

Tears streamed down her face. “I—I’ll tell Mom everything,” she sobbed.

His lips curled cruelly. “So bold of you to say that.”

Before she could react, he threw her over his shoulder.

“No! Let me go!” she kicked and thrashed, but he held her tight.

With one hand keeping her in place, he grabbed the rope he had used on her before.

Her stomach sank. No. No, no, no.

He stormed to her room, kicking the door open, and shoved her onto a chair.

Panic rose like bile in her throat.

He worked fast, binding her wrists, securing her in place.

“Let me go!” she shrieked.

Slap.

Her head snapped to the side. Pain exploded across her cheek.

“Shut up,” he growled.

Tears welled up. “Mom!” she screamed. “Help me—”

His eyes darted around before landing on a cloth.

Her stomach dropped.

“What are you doing?” she asked, voice shaking.

He picked up the fabric, smirking darkly. “Shutting this pretty mouth of yours.”

“No—”

The gag was forced between her lips, silencing her.

Her muffled screams were useless.

He stepped back, admiring his work.

“Now stay here,” he muttered. “Until I come back.”

With that, he left.

The door locked behind him.

She thrashed against the restraints, sobs wracking her body.

The hope that had sparked just minutes ago flickered.

Maya was here.

Help was so close.

***

"What the hell is this bitch doing back?" he muttered under his breath as he made his way toward the front door.

Just as he was going , Chase’s room came into view. His steps slowed. The disheveled bed caught his eye—the sheets twisted, the pillows thrown askew from Petal’s struggles.

A scowl twisted his face. He couldn't afford to let Maya see anything out of place.

Before unlocking the door, he stepped inside and quickly fixed the bed, smoothing out the creases in the sheets and adjusting everything back to perfection. Satisfied, he turned on his heel and finally made his way to the entrance.

With a deep breath, he unlocked and pulled the door open.

Maya stood there, arms crossed, an impatient glare on her face.

“What took you so long?” she snapped, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

His jaw clenched. You have no idea.

“Why are you back? Don’t you have a meeting?” he asked, shutting the door behind her.

She sighed dramatically as she strolled toward the sitting area. “First, let me relax. Why are you so frustrated?”

He forced a tight smile, shoving his hands into his pockets to keep from snapping at her. “Can I get you something?”

“Yeah, bring me a glass of water,” she said, plopping down on the couch.

His fingers twitched.

Rage simmered beneath his skin, but he kept his expression neutral. Without a word, he stalked to the kitchen.

As he filled the glass, his mind drifted back to Petal—tied up, helpless, a nuisance.

This bitch ruined everything. His grip tightened around the glass. If I had poison right now, I'd feed it to her without hesitation.

Grinding his teeth, he walked back into the living room and handed Maya the water.

“Here,” he muttered.

“Thanks,” she said, taking a sip.

He sat beside her, masking his frustration. “So? What happened?”

She exhaled. “My flight got canceled.”

His brows furrowed. “Why?”

“Technical fault. The airline called it off.”

He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “Maya, this deal was important. You should’ve taken another flight.”

“There’s no need for that anymore,” she said, setting the glass down.

His jaw tightened. “What do you mean?”

“It actually worked out for the best. When I was about  to reschedule, client called,  they told me not to bother. The clients decided to come here instead,” she said with a shrug.

His fingers curled into fists. Of course, just my luck.

Maya leaned back with a satisfied smirk. “Guess it proves that old saying, huh? Everything happens for a reason.”

His teeth clenched so hard his jaw ached. Try coming between me and Petal, and I’ll make sure you see just how wrong that saying is.

“Chase? Chase?” Maya’s voice pulled him back.

He blinked. “Hmm?”

“Where were you lost?” she asked, raising a brow.

“Nowhere,” he said quickly. “Are you hungry?”

“No, I already ate,” she said, stretching her arms. “Let’s sleep. It’s late.”

“Sure.”

They got up and headed toward their room. Just as they were about to enter , Maya suddenly glanced at Petal’s door.

“I should check on her,” she mused. “She was angry when I left.”

His breath caught.

A wave of panic surged through him.

“No,” he said immediately.

Maya turned to him, confused. “Why not?”

He forced a chuckle, shaking his head. “It’s late, Maya. She’s probably asleep.”

She considered it for a moment, then nodded. “You’re right. I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”

Relief flooded him.

With that, they disappeared into their room.

***

Deman sat on the bed, his laptop open, fingers idly tapping against the keys. The glow from the screen cast sharp shadows on his face, but his mind was far from work. He wasn’t reading the emails, nor was he replying.

His thoughts were elsewhere—on the girl locked away in the next room, bound and helpless.

The sound of running water stopped, and moments later, Maya stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, rubbing another through her damp hair. She exhaled, stretching her arms.

“Oh, finally, I can relax,” she sighed, tossing the towel onto a chair.

He barely spared her a glance, keeping up the act. His fingers hovered over the keyboard, his eyes flicking toward her reflection in the mirror as she reached for something on the nightstand.

A pill bottle.

She unscrewed the cap, shook out a tablet, and popped it into her mouth, washing it down with water.

His interest piqued.

“What are you taking?” he asked, voice deceptively casual.

“Sleeping pills,” she mumbled, not even looking at him. “Had a headache. I need a deep sleep.”

A slow smirk curled on his lips.

Perfect.

Sleep, Maya. Sleep tight. I have unfinished business with Petal.

If she had turned at that moment, she would have seen the darkness lurking in his smirk, reflected in the mirror before her.

Oblivious, she climbed into bed.

“What are you doing?” she asked, stifling a yawn.

“Just replying to emails,” he lied smoothly, his fingers still ghosting over the keyboard.

“It’s late. Go to sleep,” she mumbled, already pulling the blanket over herself.

“I will. You go ahead,” he said, watching as her eyelids drooped.

She barely managed a soft “Good night” before exhaustion claimed her.

He waited.

Minutes stretched in silence, the only sounds in the room were the low hum of his laptop and the steady rhythm of her breathing. Slowly, he turned his head toward her.

Her body was still, her face relaxed in deep slumber.

His smirk widened.

It’s time.

He closed the laptop with careful precision, pushing it aside. Rising from the bed, he moved silently to the door, casting one last glance at Maya before locking it from the inside.

If she woke up, she wouldn’t be able to follow.

His footsteps were soundless as he made his way  toward the room where his real interest was waiting.

The air felt heavier as he reached the door.

He unlocked it and stepped inside, shutting it behind him with a soft click.

His eyes landed on her immediately.

Petal.

She was now on  struggling against the restraints, her wrists rubbed raw from hour of desperate attempts to break free. The moment she saw him, her body went rigid, breath hitching in her throat.

Her heart pounded against her ribs so violently she thought it might burst.

The room was dim, but she could see the hunger in his eyes, the amusement as he watched her.

He took slow, deliberate steps toward her, his presence suffocating.

Lowering himself onto the bed, he reached out, dragging her chair closer. The legs scraped against the floor, the sound making her flinch.

Her breathing grew uneven.

Then, without warning, he leaned in, his face inches from hers.

His lips brushed her ear as he inhaled deeply, dragging the moment out, savoring it.

"That bitch ruined everything. We should be having fun right now."

His breath was hot against her skin as he whispered the words, sending a cold shiver down her spine.

Then, his lips found her neck.

She gasped, eyes squeezing shut as she twisted her body, trying to move away, but the restraints held her in place.

His grip tightened.

Her breaths turned into desperate pants.

"What happened? Hope is shattering?" he mocked, a cruel smirk tugging at his lips.

He leaned in, his breath warm against her ear. "Maya is sleeping," he whispered, dragging out the words as if savoring them. "She took three sleeping pills... which means we can continue, Petal."

Her blood ran cold.

She whimpered behind the gag, her body stiffening as terror clawed at her insides. He was too close, too confident, feeding off the panic in her eyes.

He tilted his head, watching her intently, enjoying the way she trembled. "No one's going to hear you, no one's coming to save you. It's just you and me now."

Her breathing turned erratic. She thrashed in her restraints, the chair creaking beneath her desperate movements, but it was useless.

His smirk deepened. "That’s right, struggle all you want. It only makes this more fun."

He reached out, his fingers tracing a slow, deliberate path down her arm, his touch burning through the thin fabric of her sleeve.

"We would have been done by now if that bitch hadn't interrupted. But don't worry, Petal…" he brought his lips dangerously close to her ear once more. "I have all the time in the world tonight."

A tear slipped down her cheek as she squeezed her eyes shut, silently begging for a miracle.

But miracles didn’t exist in this nightmare.

No escape.

No one was coming to save her.

Author's Note: The cycle repeated—they ended up exactly where they were in the previous chapter. 🤣🥲😅 Lol!