STEP-DAD'S SECRET

06|

✯𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏~𝐃𝐀𝐃'𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓 ✯

(𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒘𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈 ✿ 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕)

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑏𝑦 𝐵𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑗𝑏14

©2025© 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑗𝑏14

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CHAPTER SIX (06)

MAI'S POV

I woke up with a start, my neck throbbing in pain. The soreness seemed to radiate from the base of my skull, making every movement a chore. I reached up to massage the ache, but it only seemed to make it worse. My head spun, and a wave of dizziness washed over me, forcing me to pause for a moment. I took a deep breath and slowly sat up, taking stock of my surroundings. I was sitting on a chair, but I had no memory of how I got there. The last thing I remembered was being on the floor, crying and hitting the door.

I looked around, trying to piece together what had happened. I was still in the basement, but the room looked different now. The dim light was gone, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that something had changed while I was unconscious. I glanced around, taking in the cold, grey walls and the single door. My eyes lingered on the door, and I felt a surge of frustration. I was still trapped. Suddenly, the lights flickered on with a loud clap, illuminating the room. I squinted, my eyes adjusting to the brightness. Roman stood in the doorway, a smug look on his face. His eyes met mine, and I felt a spark of anger ignite within me. I hated him, hated the way he seemed to enjoy my misery. I hated the way he looked at me, like I was some kind of possession. My anger boiled over, and I glared at him, my jaw clenched in fury. I glared at Roman, my anger and frustration boiling over. "You," I spat, my voice venomous.

"Me," he replied, his tone calm and collected.

I took a step forward, my eyes blazing. "What do you want from me?" I demanded.

Roman didn't respond, his gaze never wavering from mine. His silence only fueled my anger.

"What? Answer me! Why are you looking at me like that?" I shouted, my voice echoing off the walls.

Roman's expression didn't change, but his words cut deep. "You're going to live with me forever," he said, his voice devoid of emotion.

I laughed, a harsh, bitter sound. "Funny jokes," I sneered, trying to hide the fear that crept into my voice.

"Joke indeed," Roman replied, his tone unchanging.

I tried to rally, to cling to my defiance. "My mom said one month, not..." I began, but Roman's words cut me off.

"Mommy's gone," he said, his voice cold and detached. The words hit me like a slap, leaving me reeling. I felt a pang of fear, a sense of desperation creeping in. What did he mean? What had happened to my mom? "What do you mean?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady. "Where is she?"

Roman's expression didn't change, but his eyes seemed to gleam with a knowing look. "You'll never see her again," he said, his voice dripping with an unsettling certainty.

I took a step back, my mind reeling. No, this couldn't be true. My mom would never just leave me. She would never abandon me with...with him. I felt a wave of panic wash over me, and I launched myself at Roman, my fists clenched. "You're lying!" I shouted, but Roman didn't flinch. He just stood there, watching me with an unnerving intensity.

"You're lying," I repeated, my voice shaking with desperation. "She's abroad for work, she'll come back to me." I tried to cling to that thought, to convince myself it was true.

But Roman's expression didn't change. Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone. He threw it at me, and I caught it reflexively. The screen was cracked, and there was blood smeared around the edges. My mom's phone case was on it, the one with the cracked screen protector.

I froze, my heart stopping in my chest. The room seemed to spin around me, and I felt like I was going to collapse. The phone slipped from my fingers, and it landed on the floor with a soft thud. I couldn't look away from it, my mind refusing to process what I was seeing.

I took the phone, my fingers trembling as I held it. The screen was cracked, and the blood smeared around the edges seemed to sear into my mind. I felt a wave of grief wash over me, my heart shattering into a million pieces. My mom...

Before I knew it, Roman was behind me. His breath was cold and menacing as he whispered in my ear, "Look over there." His voice sent shivers down my spine, and I felt a sense of dread creeping over me.

I turned my head, my eyes following his gaze. What I saw made my blood run cold. A body lay on the floor, covered in blood. My heart sank, and my mind refused to accept what I was seeing. It couldn't be... But it was. It was my mom. Emory.

Roman's voice was like a knife to my heart. His breathe danced but his voice fell to a whisper as he said.

"I killed your mom."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In a different part of the city, Caleb was lost in his own world, dancing to the music playing in his earbuds. His feet moved to the rhythm, and a smile spread across his face as he thought about his girlfriend, Mai. He wondered what she was up to, and when he'd see her again. For a moment, he forgot about everything else, his heart full of joy and love. Little did he know, the world he knew was about to change forever. He'd been thinking of her since Friday afternoon, her last words still registered in his head.

Caleb spun around, his feet moving to the beat. A grin spread across his face as he thought about Mai. She was always on his mind, and he loved the way she made him feel. He pictured her smile, her laugh, and her sparkling eyes. His heart swelled with affection, and he felt like he was walking on air.

As he danced, he sang along to the song. His voice was off-key, but he didn't care. He was too caught up in the moment, too caught up in thoughts of Mai. He wondered what she was doing right now, if she was thinking about him too.

The music was upbeat, and Caleb felt carefree, like nothing could bring him down. But the song came to an end, and he pulled out his phone to check the time. Missed calls and messages from an unknown number flashed on the screen. Caleb's expression changed, a sense of unease creeping in. Who could it be? And why were they calling him? He hesitated for a moment before deciding to listen to the voicemail. As he pressed play, a chill ran down his spine. Something was wrong.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I stood frozen, my eyes fixed on my mom's lifeless body. The blood seemed to seep into my skin, chilling me to the bone. Roman's words echoed in my mind, "I killed her." I felt like I was living in a nightmare, a never-ending horror show.

Roman's presence behind me was suffocating, his breath cold and menacing. I wanted to scream, to run, to do something, but my body seemed paralyzed. My mind was numb, unable to process the reality of the situation.

I felt like I was going to collapse, my legs trembling beneath me. Roman's words, his actions, everything seemed to be spinning out of control. I was trapped, alone, and defenseless.

A part of me wanted to turn around and confront Roman, to scream at him, to hurt him like he had hurt me. But another part of me was frozen in shock, unable to move or speak. I was caught between grief and rage, unsure of what to do next.

Roman wrapped his arm around me, and I felt a surge of fear. I pushed him away and fled, my heart racing. "Wha..." I started to say, but my voice trailed off.

Roman didn't smile. He never did. His face was a mask of calmness, but his eyes seemed to gleam with a sinister intensity. He sat back on the chair, his gaze fixed on me.

"Still feisty after I killed your mother, huh," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. His words cut deep, and I felt a wave of grief wash over me. I glared at him, hatred burning in my heart. How could he say that? How could he be so calm? My mom was dead, and he was talking about it like it was nothing. I wanted to scream, to hit him, to make him feel some pain. But I stood there, frozen in shock and grief.

"She wasn't just my mother," I spat, my voice venomous. "She was your wife."

Roman's expression didn't change, but he corrected me in a flat tone. "We were never married."

I felt a surge of anger. "But you were engaged," I insisted, remembering the way my mom had talked about him.

Roman rolled his eyes, a hint of annoyance flickering across his face. "Never engaged. Just fake dating," he said, his words dripping with disdain.

I froze, my mind reeling. Fake dating? What did that even mean? My mom had been so happy, so in love... It didn't make sense.

"Then what do you want from me?" I demanded, my voice shaking with anger and fear.

Roman's gaze locked onto mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw a glimmer of satisfaction. "You,"he said, his voice low and menacing.

I wanted to scream at Roman, to tell him that his obsession with me was twisted and wrong. But before I could say anything, he continued, his voice cold and calculating.

"I gave you rules to follow to live in this house," he said, his eyes glinting with a sinister light. "But now, I'll give you rules to survive in here."

I felt a surge of defiance and anger. "I also gave you rules," I spat, my voice firm. "And I'm going to follow them out."

Roman's gaze locked onto mine, his expression unchanging. "Who are you going to run to?" he asked, his voice dripping with amusement.

"The police," I said, trying to sound brave.

Roman cut me off with a laughless smile. "I'll kill them."

I thought of Caleb, hoping that he would be safe. "Caleb," I said, my voice shaking.

Roman's smile grew wider, his eyes glinting with a cruel light. "I'll kill him too."

I thought of Zoey, my friend, my confidante. But I didn't say her name. Roman seemed to sense my thoughts, though. His voice dropped to a whisper, and he said, "I'll kill her too."

My heart sank, and I felt a wave of fear wash over me. How did he know about Zoey? And what did he plan to do with me? Roman bent down to me, his head close to my neck. His warm breath on my skin made me shudder. He whispered in my ear, "I'll kill anyone you try to escape with." His words sent a chill down my spine.

I looked up at Roman, and our eyes met. He was staring at me with an unnerving intensity. His gaze made my skin crawl.

"I'm your only survival," he said, his voice low and menacing. "And I'll always be."

He paused, his eyes glinting with a cruel light. "Your mom... pfft, she's dumb. She signed all her belongings to me. She sold them to me, thinking I'll marry her. But look at her... all dead, rotting in hell."

His words were like a knife to my heart. I felt a wave of grief and anger wash over me. How could he speak about my mom like that? She was dead, and he was mocking her. I wanted to scream, to hit him, to make him feel some pain. But I was trapped, helpless, and at his mercy.

Before I could realize what was happening, Roman was behind me again. His breath was cold and menacing as he whispered in my ear, "I'll give you time to adjust, and time to rest. Tomorrow's work, love."

He paused, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "And if you tell anyone about this, I'll kill them."

Then, he was gone. The room was silent, and I was left standing there, my heart racing with fear.

I thought about everything that had happened, about my mom, about Roman's twisted obsession with me. I thought about Caleb, Zoey, and how Roman had threatened to kill them.

"Why is it always me?" I whispered, my voice cracking with despair. Dead mom, a dead abusive father who only hurt me when he was drunk... and now this Roman. Why did I always get the worst?

I crumbled to the floor, my body shaking with sobs. "Why me?" I cried, my voice echoing off the walls. "Why can't I just have a normal life?"

I cursed the universe, cursed my existence. "Why didn't I die?" I wailed, my heart broken into a million pieces. "Why did I have to live through all this?"

I cried and cried, my tears falling like rain. I felt like I was drowning in my own misery, suffocating under the weight of my pain. Roman's words, my mom's lifeless body, my dad's abusive fists... it all came flooding back, and I was consumed by grief and despair. I was alone and was always alone.

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