Chase sat in the dimly lit room, his back pressed against the cold wall, exhaustion pulling at his eyelids. He wasn’t sure when he had drifted into sleep, but the dream felt so real, so vivid that it sent chills down his spine.

Petal stood in front of him.

She was just a few steps away from his cage, her figure illuminated by the faint glow of a single light overhead. Her expression was unreadable, her gaze locked onto his, but something was different—something was missing.

Deman stood beside her, his usual smirk in place as he dangled a small silver key between his fingers.

"You can release him if you want," Deman said, his voice smooth and taunting.

Chase’s heart pounded as Petal hesitated before reaching out and grabbing the key. His breath hitched as she stepped closer, her fingers grazing the lock. For a second, hope flared in his chest.

"Petal…" he whispered, eyes pleading.

But then—she stopped.

Her eyes, once soft and full of warmth, turned cold. Her lips curled in disgust.

She stepped back.

"Let him rot here. He deserves it."

Her voice was sharp, final.

Chase felt like the air had been knocked out of his lungs.

"Petal, no… You don’t mean that."

But she wasn’t listening.

Her fingers clenched around the key before she threw it onto the ground, letting it clatter against the floor.

"I hate you, Chase."

The words slashed through him like a blade, cutting deeper than anything he had ever felt.

His eyes snapped open.

A gasp tore from his throat as he bolted upright, his chest heaving. Sweat clung to his skin, his hands trembling as he ran them through his hair.

"Damn it!" he cursed under his breath.

His mind was a mess, his thoughts spiraling out of control.

"Why do I keep having dreams like this?" he muttered. But deep down, he already knew the answer.

Because they could become reality.

If Deman told her the truth… If she remembered her past… she would really look at him like that. She would really hate him.

He clenched his fists.

I wouldn’t even get to explain myself. Instead of trying to manipulate her, I should have told her the truth. I should have told her everything before Deman got the chance.

His jaw tightened.

She knows it too—I never did anything to hurt her. I just… I just loved her the wrong way.

But love, when tainted with obsession, had a way of twisting into something unforgivable.

And now, Deman had the power to destroy whatever little chance he had left.

***

Maya and Deman were about to leave when Deman suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“Oh shit, I forgot my files,” he muttered under his breath.

“I’ll be right back,” he added, turning around with a smirk and heading back toward the house.

Petal was just about to close the door when a hand shot out, stopping it.

"Wait, wait, wait," Deman’s voice was smooth, almost playful, but the weight behind it sent a chill down her spine.

She instinctively stepped back as he pushed the door open and entered, locking it behind him with a soft yet deliberate click.

Her breath hitched. She already knew what was running through his mind.

She turned, intending to retreat to her room, but before she could take a step, his hand shot out, gripping her arm and pulling her back against him.

"Where to, Petal?" he murmured, his smirk deepening as his fingers tightened just enough to make her pulse spike.

"You left. What are you doing back home?" she asked, her voice sharper than she intended.

"As if you don’t know," he said, stepping in closer.

She turned her face away, her jaw clenching. The heat of his gaze—it was suffocating.

He chuckled, low and taunting. "Not exactly for what you're thinking," he said. "I’m just here to give you a final warning—don’t try anything funny behind my back."

His grip lingered, his thumb brushing against her skin before he leaned in slightly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I’ll be back soon. Then, if we get some alone time… we can finally begin our moment."

A shiver crawled down her spine.

And then, just as quickly as he had grabbed her, he released her.

"Oh, and I still have your phone," he added as he strolled toward the door. His fingers lingered on the handle before he glanced over his shoulder, eyes glinting with amusement. "Also, I’m locking the door from the outside. Don’t want you running off to tell your dad."

The door shut with a definitive click, leaving Petal frozen in place, trapped.

She had no time to dwell on panic. As soon as Deman left, she bolted toward Chase’s room.

Her hands trembled as she yanked open the almirah, eyes darting to the fingerprint locker hidden inside. There was no code she could second-guess, no obvious way in.

Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. She needed to open it. Now.

Frantically, she scanned the room for something—anything—to break it open. Her eyes landed on a heavy metal rod leaning against the wall.

Without hesitation, she sprinted toward the storage area, hoping to find something even stronger.

***

The car moved steadily down the road, but Maya could tell Deman’s mind was elsewhere. She sat beside him, flipping through the meeting notes on her tablet, explaining the key points.

“So, when we present the proposal, we need to emphasize the financial growth from last quarter. The investors will be looking at—”

She paused, glancing at him. His grip on the steering wheel was loose, his gaze unfocused, and there was the faintest smirk on his lips. He wasn’t even listening.

Maya frowned, reaching out to shake his arm. “Where are you lost?” she asked, annoyance creeping into her voice.

Deman blinked and looked at her, but his smirk didn’t fade. “Nowhere.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Did you even hear what I was saying?”

“Yeah, I did,” he replied lazily, shifting gears without much care. “But why are you explaining all this to me? It’s not like I’m the one presenting it. You are.”

Maya’s brows furrowed at his dismissive tone. “Still, you should know what’s going on. We’ve always prepared for meetings together.”

Deman let out a short chuckle. “Yeah, well, things change.” He stretched his arm, looking completely unbothered. “I don’t see the point in stressing over it.”

Maya’s frown deepened. “Why are you talking like this? You never act this careless.”

Deman exhaled, leaning back in his seat as if he wasn’t driving. “Relax, Maya. It’s just a meeting, not life or death.”

Maya shook her head. This wasn’t like him. He had always been sharp, always involved. Now he was acting as if nothing mattered.

“You used to care,” she muttered under her breath.

He smirked. “Maybe I just learned to enjoy the ride.”

The car pulled into the company garage. “We reached,” he said, tone indifferent.

She looked at him, frustration evident in her eyes, but she didn’t say more. What was the point? He clearly wasn’t taking anything seriously.

And that worried her more than she wanted to admit.

***

Petal’s heart pounded as she searched through the cluttered storage room, eyes darting around for something—anything—that could break the lock. Time was slipping away, and every second mattered.

Her fingers skimmed over old tools, broken furniture, and rusted metal scraps until she spotted it—a hammer. Small, but enough. Enough to smash the lock open.

Gripping the hammer tightly, she didn’t waste another second. She ran out, her bare feet barely making a sound against the floor, breath shallow with urgency. Chase needed her.

She would get him out.

***

Maya and Deman stepped out of the car, the air thick with humidity. Maya walked ahead, barely sparing him a glance, but Deman lingered, a smirk playing on his lips.

Something gnawed at him, a lingering thought that he should check on Petal.

He checked the house cctv , his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings. His smirk faltered when he saw her.

Petal.

Running.

With a hammer in her hand.

His head tilted slightly, his amusement evaporating in an instant. His grip on the car keys tightened as he stilled, watching her disappear into Chase’s room.

Maya turned back, frowning. “chase, come on. What are you thinking?”

He snapped out of it, masking his reaction with an easy shrug. “You go ahead. I need to make a quick call.”

Maya sighed. “We’re already late. Don’t take forever.”

She walked off, leaving him standing there.

Deman pulled out his other phone—the one connected to the house’s voice system. His eyes darkened as he activated it, his gaze never leaving Petal’s direction.

She never learned, did she?

***

Petal burst into the room, hammer clenched in her hands.

“I’ll get you out, Chase,” she whispered, rushing toward the fingerprint lock.

This was it. One hit and—

"Do it, Petal."

She froze.

The hammer hovered in the air as her breath hitched. That voice.

His voice.

Her eyes darted toward the door, expecting to see him standing there. But no one was there.

A shiver crawled up her spine.

"Go on, end it," the voice taunted, calm and amused.

Her grip on the hammer tightened. Her gaze flickered to the ceiling, then to the corners of the room.

Where is the sound coming from?

Her pulse thundered as she turned, scanning the room.

"Are you really that naïve, Petal?" The voice was sharper now, almost mocking. "Smashing the fingerprint lock won’t set Chase free. It’ll do the opposite. You’ll lock it permanently."

Her stomach clenched.

She hadn’t thought about that.

A cold realization washed over her.

"Go ahead. Do it." His voice carried an eerie patience. "You’ll only make things worse. And then what? Cry for me to fix it?"

She exhaled sharply, her body trembling.

"There’s no other way, Petal. You can’t save him. Only I can do that."

A lump formed in her throat.

"So come back to your senses. Be a good girl and listen. Acting smart doesn’t suit you."

She swallowed hard.

“Go back to your room,” he ordered.

She didn’t move.

A tense silence stretched between them.

Then a chuckle.

"Stubborn, aren’t we?"

A slow, deliberate sigh echoed through the hidden speakers. "Okay, Petal. Let’s do this differently. You must be bored. Should I give you something… entertaining?"

Her stomach dropped.

What does he mean?

“There’s a key under my pillow,” he said smoothly. "Get it."

Her brows furrowed.

"Get it, Petal."

Her body felt heavy, reluctant. But her feet moved on their own.

She hesitated at the bed, fingers curling into fists before finally reaching beneath the pillow.

A key. Small. Cold.

"Good " he murmured. "Now, you see the lamp table? Use the key. Open the last drawer."

She just stood there.

"Come on, Petal," his voice coaxed. "There’s a surprise waiting for you."

Her hands trembled as she bent down, sliding the key into the lock.

The drawer creaked open.

Inside, five old journals sat neatly stacked, their leather covers worn with age.

Her breath hitched.

"Pick them up."

She hesitated.

"Do it."

Slowly, she pulled them out and placed them on the bed.

A pulse of dread coursed through her.

"You want to know what happened to you, don’t you?" his voice purred. "Why you have those nightmares? These journals hold the answers. One of them is completely about you, one of them hold your past"

Her heartbeat quickened.

"You have time, don’t you? Read them."

She swallowed. “And what if I don’t?”

A low chuckle hummed through the speakers. "Trust me, Petal. Once you do, you’ll be the one asking me to keep Chase locked inside."

A shudder ran down her spine.

"Give it a try. You won’t regret it."

Her fingers hovered over the journals, uncertainty gnawing at her.

"I have to go for now." His voice was softer, almost casual. "Enjoy the surprise."

Silence.

Petal’s breath felt too loud in the quiet room

She stared at the journals, her mind a whirlwind of fear and curiosity.

One of them holds your past.

His words ran in her head, looping endlessly.

She reached out, fingers grazing the worn leather.

Then, hesitantly, she opened the first page.

To be continued...

Author’s Note:I think we can explore Chase's POV here itself through the journals, can't we? 😅 Lol.

If I ask for votes everywhere, why wouldn’t I ask here as well? 😅 Lol.

In my previous author’s notes, I kept saying, "Vote only if you like the chapter," but honestly, that didn’t get me much. I also encouraged comments, yet barely anyone responds—except when I add a call-to-action question. Readers come, they enjoy the story,  when I ask for a review on their message board, some reply saying they love it… so why not do it here too?

Anyway, that’s not the point. As always, I’m here to ask for votes! 😅

This story has gained more views than any of my others, and I truly appreciate that. But with over 100K views, the vote count is still quite low—around 2K or even less (I’ll check later 😅). In the last chapter, we got 32 votes while the views were near 450, which isn’t great.

So, I’m setting a small goal—just 50-60 votes and at least 15 comments (one comment per reader). I plan to update in 4-5 days, but if we don’t reach these targets, I’ll wait until we do.

It’s not a huge ask—just 50 votes in a story with hundreds of readers! If you enjoy the story, please take a moment to vote and comment. Let me know who’s reading and loving it! If you do comment, make it meaningful—share your thoughts on the chapter, characters, or the story itself. Even constructive criticism is welcome (just be kind about it, and I promise I’ll take it into account!).

Thank you! ❤