He saw it before she moved. A faint smile touched his lips. "Oh, Aria, don't." He said quietly. "We all know you can't escape from here."
That stopped her briefly. "I have to go,"
"No," he replied calmly. Something in her chest tightened, irritation rising to replace the brief hesitation.
"What do you want with me?"
His eyes held hers as he took a step closer. "I'm not letting you go," he said, his voice lowering slightly. "Not after what you did."
The air between them shifted again, heavier, less like a conversation and more like a pull between them.
"You almost killed me," he continued. "You made a choice. Actions like that don't get ignored."
"I was told you murdered my father."
"But I didn't," he said and shrugged. "You fell into someone's trap, now you take responsibility."
He stopped in front of her, close enough that she had to tilt her head slightly to keep her eyes distant away from his. "You're mine now."
"No,"
"It's the payment," he went on, ignoring her refusal as though it held no weight. "For the damaged you caused and for coming here."
The room felt smaller, the walls closing in not physically, but through the way he occupied the space completely.
"You have two choices," he said.
"You either die," he continued, watching her closely, "or you stay."
The air felt still.
"And if you stay," he added, a faint edge edge of mockery slipping in. "You work with me and in return I help you find who's using you and revenge your daddy."
"I'll rather die," she said with no hesitation. She was ready. "Just release Linda. She did nothing."
He turned slightly, his attention shifting away from her as though the conversation had already reached its end.
"Take her back."
By the third day, the room no longer felt unfamiliar. She sat on the edge of the large bed, her back straight despite the dull ache that had settled into her bones. The tray of food placed beside the door hours ago remained untouched, just like the ones before it. The smell had long faded, leaving nothing but cold silence pressing in around her.
She didn't look at it.
Her gaze stayed fixed at the door, as if staring long enough might force it open. He hadn't come but she knew he was watching her room. A click of the lock came without warning. Her head snapped up, her body reacting before the sound fully registered. Every nerve sharpened at once, her fingers curling slightly as the door opened.
Her jaw tightened, but she didn't move from where she sat. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her weaken.
"You took your time," she said, her voice roughened slightly, but steady enough to carry the edge she intended. He closed the door behind him with a soft click, his gaze already on her, already taking in everything she had tried not to show.
"I didn't come because you asked," he replied. "I came because I wanted to see you more closer."
The words settled heavily, stripping the moment of illusion she had tried to build.
"I'm not one of your whores you get to bed. I'll kill you if you come close."
He stopped a few steps away from her, close enough now that the silence between them felt tighter. "I have enough of them. I'm not adding you to the list."
Her chest rose sharply. "And don't think starving me is going to change that."
He laughed. "You're not starving, Aria, you're choosing not to eat."
"I won't, unless you let me and Linda go."
"I heard something," he said and she stiffened.
"What?"
"Your uncle is coming to me."
Her fingers clenched. "Don't touch him,"
"What? Caring for someone who was feasting the moment you were captured? If I were you, I wouldn't be so kind."
"My uncle would never do that." she said, voice firm despite the flutter in her chest because of how close he was."
"Let's find out," he said and walked to the door. "I always keep my word. If you eat now, I'll set up a camera at the meeting with him. You'll see everything. I'll zoom his face for you to see every expression on his ugly face."
"And if I don't eat?"
"Then, you don't watch. And we'll spend years staring at each other every morning. And you, don't get your revenge."
Her gaze flicked to the tray and back to him. "You're playing games."
"Of course I am," he replied. "Playing games is our motto around here. The difference is that I'm letting you win this one. Eat, and you'll get to see him from the screen."
Her uncle arrived shortly and she was watching as promised. She saw him arrived with his men, one of them she recognized as Kelvin. Lucien prepared a room, furnished enough to fit business meetings. Wide windows let in city light, making her crave for raw feel of sunshine.
He didn't rise but remained at the far end of the table. His posture relaxed. "Mr. Vale," he said smoothly. "I hope your journey was comfortable."
Ben eyes scanned the room, relaxing the moment he noticed no camera in sight. "We had no complaints,"
He gestured to the box on his table. "A generous offering," he said, voice neutral. "In exchange for..."
"For nothing," Ben replied. "We noticed you've been granting us safe passage in town to do business. We simply want to show appreciation."
Lucien nodded. "You know your brother's daughter is here."
"I know," Ben said, his expression didn't change. "I told her not to come."
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing. "Now she's here. You don't want me to release her, do you?"
"No," he replied without warning, "Instead, kill her."
Aria's breath caught. She could feel the weight of his words pressing on her ribs, suffocating her. The room held its own kind of tension.
"If that's how you want it, so be it. I'll send her head over as proof."