Maya was serving food.

“Petal, do you want more?” Maya asked, her voice soft.

Petal didn’t reply.

“Petal?” Maya called again.

Still no response.

“Petal,” William shook her gently.

She flinched violently and instinctively moved away, her breath quickening.

“What happened?” he asked, concern etched on his face.

Petal blinked, disoriented. Her eyes darted around, and she realized she was sitting at the dining table, surrounded by family.

“Nothing… sorry, I just—” she mumbled, lowering her gaze.

“Something happened?” William pressed, his tone firm yet gentle.

Petal hesitated. She wanted to tell him—so badly.

“She must have had a nightmare again,” Deman spoke up.

Her heart stilled. She turned to look at him.

“Isn’t it, Petal?” His voice was casual, but his tone held a warning—a sharp, silent threat only she could understand.

William’s worried eyes settled on her. “Is that so, Petal?”

She swallowed hard. “Yeah, Dad.”

“Do you want to see  psychiatrist?” William asked, studying her closely.

“I’m fine, Dad. It was nothing,” she forced a smile.

Liar. It wasn’t nightmare—it was something else. Something worse.

“Anything serious?”

“No, Dad.”

His expression softened. “If anything is bothering you, just tell me, darling. I know I’m busy, but never too busy for you.”

“I will, Dad.” She smiled weakly.

William gave her a knowing nod before checking his watch. “I should get going.”

He pushed his chair back, about to stand up.

Petal’s hand shot out, gripping his wrist.

He looked at her, surprised. “Petal?”

“Please come back soon,” she whispered, her voice barely above a plea.

A flicker of guilt crossed his face. “I wish I could take you with me, but you’re safer here.”

No, Dad. I’m not. Not just me—Chase and Mom, too. We’re not safe.

A heavy silence settled between them.

“I’ll visit often,” he promised, offering her a warm smile.

Petal forced herself to return it.

And with that, William left. She watched him until he disappeared from view, an ache forming in her chest.

Maya stood up. “I should get ready, too.” She turned to Deman . “ Chase Eat fast, or we’ll be late.”

“Sure,” Deman said smoothly.

With that Maya  left to get ready.

Petal rose from her seat.

Before she could take a step, a strong hand clamped around her wrist, yanking her back.

Her heart stopped.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Deman’s voice was low, amused, dangerous.

Petal gasped and tried to pull free, but his grip tightened.

She opened her mouth to call for Maya, but before she could make a sound, his hand was over her lips, silencing her.

He pulled her away, dragging her into a room.

When he finally let go, she stumbled back, her breath coming in shaky gasps.

“You still haven’t learned, have you?” he taunted, his dark eyes gleaming. “Still think you have a choice?”

Her stomach twisted in fear. “You can’t do this—he’s your own brother,” she whispered, desperation creeping into her voice.

“Oh, but try me, Petal.” He leaned in, his voice laced with cruel amusement. “I wouldn’t even hesitate.”

Her chest tightened.

“Behave,” he warned. “Remember what I told you—one mistake, and your loved one will  die .”

The room tilted. Petal’s knees wobbled.

She clenched her fists, her breathing erratic.

“I have to go as well,” Deman continued, stepping back. “So we’ll continue this later. Don’t even think about telling anyone.”

And with that, he left.

Petal stood frozen, staring at the door as his presence lingered like a nightmare.

Her body felt numb.

Slowly, she sank into the bed , burying her head in her arms.

Her shoulders shook as silent sobs escaped her.

Memories clawed at her mind.

Last night.

Her cries.

His laughter.

The suffocating darkness.

A single thought echoed in her mind.

There’s no escape.

___

Flashback

"We would have been done by now if that bitch hadn't interrupted. But don't worry, Petal…" His breath was hot against her skin as he leaned in, his lips hovering dangerously close to her ear. "I have all the time in the world tonight."

A tear slipped down her cheek. 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.

He pulled her chair closer, and she instinctively tensed, her whole body frozen in fear. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the worst.

His smirk deepened at her terrified state. His fingers traced her jawline before tilting her chin up. He was going to kiss her—

But then

The doorbell rang.

His lips hovered just inches away. He ignored the interruption, determined to continue.

It rang again.

"Who the hell is this now?" he muttered in frustration, his grip tightening around her. Instead of getting up to check, he pulled out his phone and opened the live CCTV feed from the camera placed at the front door.

Her heart nearly stopped.

Dad.

Her throat tightened as she saw William standing outside, his gaze scanning the house.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Deman muttered, his jaw clenching.

Before she could react, her phone rang. Dad.

Deman snatched it before she could reach. He turned to her, his eyes sharp with warning. "Talk. But don’t you dare say a word."

Her stomach churned.

He picked up the call and turned the speaker on.

"Petal? Sorry for disturbing you. Were you asleep?" William's voice was gentle, laced with concern.

She swallowed hard. "No, Dad… Not yet." She forced her voice to sound normal.

"Actually, I just got free from work. Are you alright?"

Her fingers clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms. "Yeah, Dad. Why?"

"I don’t know… I was just getting bad vibes. I thought I should check on you."

She stiffened.

"You’re really alright, darling?" he asked again, his worry evident.

Deman’s gaze burned into her, daring her to mess up.

"Yes, Dad," she whispered, forcing herself to sound convincing.

There was a pause.

"Open the door," William said. "I came to see you."

Her breath hitched.

Deman leaned in, his voice dangerously low. "Tell him to go away."

She hesitated for a second too long.

"Someone is around you," her father caught on immediately.

Her stomach dropped.

"No, Dad, it's just the TV," she lied.

A tense silence.

"Alright… then open the door. I missed you. I want to see you so bad."

Deman’s fingers clenched around the phone. His entire body went rigid.

The doorbell rang again.

"Okay, Dad," she said quickly, but before she could even blink, Deman cut the call.

She turned to him, barely containing her shaking voice. "Why did you do that?"

His nostrils flared. "You think you have a choice?"

"What else was I supposed to do?" she snapped, her voice trembling. "I can't just tell my dad to leave!"

Deman let out a frustrated exhale, running a hand through his hair.

Ding dong.

"Oh, God," he muttered. He turned to her, his expression dark. "Stay here."

Her breath hitched as he suddenly started untying her restraints.

Is he really letting me go?

Her heart pounded as she slowly stood up, only for his grip to yank her back.

"Where do you think you're going, darling?" His voice dripped with amusement.

She stilled.

"You’re not opening the door. I am." His fingers curled around her wrist before shoving her back slightly. "Go fix yourself. Your father isn’t supposed to see you like this."

She didn't speak.

Deman reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun.

Her breath caught in her throat.

His eyes gleamed with warning. "Go change. Make yourself presentable. And when you come in front of your father, act like nothing happened."

She could barely breathe.

"If you try anything—" he tilted his head, his finger brushing the gun’s trigger lightly— "I will kill your father right then and there."

Her pulse skyrocketed.

"If you don’t believe me… try me." His voice was calm. Too calm. A certainty in every word.

Her legs nearly gave out beneath her.

He finally let go of her wrist.

"Oh, and I’m taking this." He snatched her phone, slipping it into his pocket. "Wouldn’t want you getting any ideas."

Her stomach twisted painfully.

"Come down when I call you," he ordered. "And think a hundred times before opening your mouth."

Without another word, he walked away, leaving her standing there, shaking.

***

She fixed herself, adjusting her clothes and smoothing her hair, but no matter how much she tried, she couldn't erase the hollow look in her eyes. Standing in front of the mirror, she let out a shaky breath. A tear slipped down her cheek, unbidden.

Then, she forced a smile—a fragile, broken thing.

Dad always says he will protect me…  he did,  he really did , thank you dad  The words echoed in her mind

---

It had been a while, but he still hadn’t called her downstairs.

Her heart pounded with every passing second. The silence felt suffocating, heavy with unspoken threats. Then, suddenly—

The door burst open.

Deman stood there, his dark eyes gleaming with cruel amusement.

"Come out," he ordered, his voice dangerously low. "And remember, I have a gun."

His fingers traced the weapon at his hip, a silent warning.

Without another word, he turned and walked away.

Petal swallowed hard, forcing her trembling legs to move as she followed him.

---

"Dad," Petal whispered the moment she saw William.

He barely had time to react before she threw herself into his arms, clinging to him as if he were her only lifeline.

His strong arms wrapped around her, holding her tight.

Thank you dad, thank you, she chanted in her mind, though she knew he had no idea what he had just saved her from.

"I missed you," she murmured against his chest, breathing in his familiar scent, a small piece of home in this nightmare.

"Me too, sweetheart," William said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

For a moment, she let herself believe she was safe.

But then she felt Deman’s stare burning into her.

She pulled away, forcing herself to smile.

"How have you been?" William asked, studying her face.

"Pretty fine," she lied smoothly.

"Enjoying your time with your mom?" he asked.

Her throat tightened.

She simply nodded, afraid that if she spoke, her voice would betray her.

"Let’s sit and talk," Deman interjected smoothly, his voice laced with false politeness.

"Sure," William agreed.

Deman led them to the hall, guiding Petal to sit beside him. She obeyed, but her attention wasn’t on the conversation.

Her father spoke, asking about her days, how she was feeling, if she was eating well. She answered as best as she could, trying to sound normal, but her mind was elsewhere.

Her eyes kept flickering to Deman.

Every few minutes, he would casually shift in his seat, just enough for her to catch a glimpse of the gun tucked at his side.

A silent threat.

A reminder of what was at stake.

Every warning glance he threw her way tightened the invisible noose around her neck.

Then William shifted .

"I need to use the washroom," he said.

"Of course," Deman said smoothly, smiling like a perfect host.

William turned to Petal. "I’ll be right back, sweetheart."

She nodded, forcing herself to look calm.

The moment her father disappeared down the hall, Deman leaned in, his smirk widening.

"You know, your father ruined our night," he murmured, his voice taunting. "I should just kill him for that."

Petal’s breath caught.

"No… please," she whispered, shaking her head desperately.

Deman tilted his head, as if considering it.

"So worried about others, aren't you, Petal?" He chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "But think about it. If I don’t get rid of him now, he’s going to stay the night. Then what?"

His fingers trailed down her arm, sending shivers of fear through her.

"Your mother will wake up soon too . If that happens, when will I get my next moment with you?"

She stared at him in horror, her pulse racing.

"Please… don’t do this," she begged, her voice barely a whisper.

Deman smirked, enjoying the fear in her eyes.

"But I want to," he murmured, and for the first time, she truly believed he would.

"We can't continue now—it's already late," he muttered, irritation lacing his tone. "And I don't have any more sleeping pills. Without killing your father, there's no other way to finish what we started."

Petal's pulse spiked. A cold shiver ran down her spine.

"Please… don’t hurt Dad," she begged, her voice barely above a whisper.

He let out a slow, mocking chuckle. "Fine. I won’t. Because eventually, he’ll be gone by tomorrow. It’s okay—I lost my chance tonight, but it’s not the only chance I’ll get." His eyes darkened, his smirk widening. "I can create more. Of course… that depends on you, Petal. As long as you keep your mouth shut and don’t tell anyone what’s going on between us."

He leaned closer, his breath fanning against her cheek. "And I think you will, won’t you, Petal?"

She stared at him, her lips parted, but no words came out.

"Lets make a deal , You won’t tell your father. Not your mother. No one," he warned, his voice chillingly calm. "Try it, and you’ll regret it."

Petal swallowed hard, her body rigid with fear.

"It’s not like you have any evidence to prove what I’m trying to do ," he continued, smirking. "But let’s say, somehow, your dad believes you. Let’s say he catches me, arrests me, or even kills me for hurting you…" He tilted his head, watching her reaction. "You’ll lose Chase."

Her eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

He chuckled darkly. "Remember? I set up the fingerprint lock on the hidden door. Only I can open it. That’s where Chase is." He leaned in, his breath hot against her ear. "There’s no food. No water. Only I can bring it to him. If your dad arrests me—or worse, kills me—then Chase won’t just be trapped." He paused for effect, letting the horror sink in. "He’ll starve to death."

Petal’s stomach twisted in sheer terror.

"And if you think telling your mom is a better idea…" He clicked his tongue. "She won’t believe you. But even if she does, there’s always another option." His smirk widened. "I could just kill her."

Her heart pounded violently in her chest.

"What do you want?" she forced out, her voice barely steady.

His eyes darkened with something sinister. "You. And revenge on Chase."

A cruel silence filled the space between them.

Footsteps echoed from the hallway.

"Your dad is coming," he whispered, his grip tightening. "So tell me, Petal… who do you want to see die first?"

Her breath hitched.

"Your father?" He tilted his head. "Your mother?" He let the words drag. "Or Chase?"

"Or keep silent, don’t tell anyone, and no one dies," he said.

End of Flashback
___

I don’t know if I was lucky to be saved or too unlucky because, because of me, everyone’s life is in danger now.

He’s insane. Completely unhinged. And I’m terrified he’ll do exactly what he said.

I have no choice. I have to play along. Even if his threats are just words, I can’t take the risk of testing his patience. Not when everyone's life is on the line.

He locked his own brother away without a second thought. What kind of person does that?

What if he wasn’t lying? What if he really would kill him?

He has a gun. He has power. And he has no conscience.

I can’t let my emotions get the best of me. I have to be careful. Either out of fear or to protect the people I love, I have to go along . I have to obey. Until I find a way to free Chase.

I just have to survive until then. Petal thought  in her mind

Author's Note:So, guys, I’ve written the chapter, but like always, I’m not sure if it makes sense or not—lol. In my mind, the scene plays out one way, but when I write, it ends up completely different, which makes me wonder if it still holds the same meaning or not. 🥲😅 Oh well.

I just hope this chapter was okay—not boring or dragged, at least.

Now, I have a question for you! We're getting closer to uncovering Petal’s past, and within the next 10 chapters, it will start revealing itself. So, do you want a detailed version, or should I just explain a few parts of her past and move on when her memories return? 😅😅

I’ve always wanted to write a whole book about their past. I know I’m already caught up in so many stories, but I could still make time for it. However, I wouldn't update that book until we reach the chapter where her memories come back.

So, what do you prefer? Should I reveal her past within this book itself, or should I write a separate book that covers everything in detail—her abduction, how he fell in love with her, how she resisted, how she eventually accepted his madness, their marriage, and the event that led to her memory loss? It would give a deeper understanding of why she acted the way she did in flashbacks and why, despite his obsession, he considered changing for her.

Let me know what you think!