His Last name, My Secret

The Attempt

Chapter 5

Zia's POV

My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird as I slipped out of the bedroom, clutching nothing but my phone. Panic and cold, sharp, relentless that pricked at my skin with every step I took. I had to get out. lI had to run.

The oversized shirt I wore brushed against my thighs as I moved like a shadow through the vast, dimly lit living room. Each step was a careful whisper against the silence, the air thick with fear. Every creak of the floor threatened to betray me. I reached the door, hand trembling as it closed around the knob.

Freedom was just on the other side.

But I didn’t make it.

A brutal force yanked me back.

A gasp tore from my throat, sharp and strangled. The world spun around me. Hunter’s arms locked around my body with terrifying strength, dragging me against him. My breath caught as I was crushed to his bare chest.Warm, firm, and entirely unwanted.

Revulsion twisted in my gut.

I struggled, wrenched myself away, only to be held tighter. His grip was iron and he loomed over me.His hair disheveled, pajama pants hanging low on his hips, eyes blazing with a dangerous fire that turned my stomach to ice.

“What the hell are you doing?” he snarled, his voice low and sharp, a growl that sent dread crawling over my skin. “Trying to escape from me?”

“H-Hunter...” I whispered, my voice was thin and shaking, shame and terror choking me. My lips parted to explain, but the words clung to the back of my throat, suffocated by fear. All I could manage was a deep, shaky sigh as I stared at the floor, desperate to hide the trembling that betrayed me.Oh God!

“Really, huh?” he sneered, his sarcasm cutting like a knife. “You think I’m stupid?”

Humiliation burned beneath my skin. I wanted to vanish. Disappear. Anything but stand there, caught and powerless under his gaze.

“I—I’ll go back to my parents,” I stammered, desperation sharpening my voice. “It’s fine, I’ll explain to them. I’ll tell them I left on my own. And the debt... I’ll pay it back. Bit by bit, I swear.”

To my surprise Hunter laughed loud.

It wasn’t amusement, it was something crueler. Mocking. A sound that twisted my stomach and stole the last flicker of hope from my chest.

“You think this is about the money?” he spat. “Don’t make a fool of me, woman. You don’t know how angry I can get. Try me again, and I swear, I’ll show you hell.”

His voice was quieter now, but the rage behind it had not faded. If anything, it had settled into something colder. More dangerous.

He grabbed my wrist again. Pain flared.

“Stop it, you’re hurting me!” I gasped, but he didn’t let go. His grip only tightened and I struggled, panicked, but I was no match for him. His strength overwhelmed me and he pushed me away from him when we entered the living room.

I hit the floor.

The breath fled my lungs as pain thudded through my side. I curled up instinctively, arms around my head, sobs breaking from my lips as the cold floor pressed into my skin.

“I’ll let this slide,” he said, crouching beside me, his breath harsh against my ear. “But don’t ever try to run from me again. Next time, it won’t be just this. Do you understand?”

I couldn’t speak. I could only nod, tears streaming down my cheeks, body trembling like a leaf in a storm. Shame and terror drowned me.

The cold floor became my sanctuary, the only solid thing left in a world where escape was just a dream.

He suddenly gripped my hand, then forcefully grabbed my chin, lifting it so our eyes met. I could see the fury and darkness in his face, like a wild animal ready to pounce at any moment.

“The next time this happens, I swear I’ll break your legs so you’ll be crippled for good,” he growled. “First of all, I hate disobedience. I don’t tolerate anyone who can’t follow my orders. Remember, you’re here under my roof because your parents used you to pay off their debt. You have no right to complain about anything I say or do.”

I couldn’t respond. He released my chin with a sharp shove, causing me to nearly fall forward. I caught myself with my hands on the cold cement floor. He said nothing more. I heard him walk up the stairs, and as soon as he disappeared, I let out a stifled sob, the fear overwhelming me.

I stood up and returned to my room, where I finally allowed myself to cry freely.

For the first time, I felt an intense anger toward my parents. It was because of them that I was trapped in this situation.One I never wanted and I never agreed to.

I reached for my phone and was about to dial Zyra’s number, but I hesitated. She might be busy, I thought. And that’s when it hit me, hard. Now, I only have myself. No one’s on my side. Not even my own family.

I sighed, hugging my phone tightly in my hand, then wrapped my arms around myself until I felt dizzy and fell asleep.

I jolted awake, sitting up with a sharp breath as sunlight spilled into the room. My heart pounded for a moment, disoriented, until the realization sank in. I had cried myself to sleep last night. I didn’t even notice. The ache inside me had numbed everything else.

I stood and opened the window, letting in the morning breeze, then rushed to the bathroom. I splashed cold water on my face and brushed my teeth, trying to wash away the heaviness pressing down on me. But the emptiness clung to my chest like a second skin.

I was worried Hunter might wake up with no food and lash out again. The last thing I needed was another reason for him to be angry. So, I hurried to the kitchen, trying to compose myself.

Relief flooded me when I found the house quiet and empty, the silence wrapping around me like a fragile layer of peace. I moved quickly, brewing coffee, toasting bread and preparing something for him, even though I didn’t know what he actually liked. I doubted he even noticed.

And then, the image of the woman he brought home last night flashed in my mind.

My stomach twisted. My face soured as unidentified feelings crept in, unwelcome but strong. He had someone else in his room… and here I was, worrying about his breakfast.

Bitterness churned in my chest. I lost focus, and before I knew it, the toast had burned. The sharp smell snapped me out of my thoughts. I grabbed it in a panic, burning my fingers in the process, and tossed it into the trash with a curse under my breath.

I leaned against the sink, trying to steady my breathing, blinking back the sting in my eyes.

"No. I can’t let this get to me. Hunter and I, of course we don’t love each other. This marriage is just a contract. He’s free to do whatever, be with whoever." I reminded myself, as I forced my hands to steady and dropped another slice of bread into the toaster.

I finished cleaning, mopped the floors, wiped every surface and yet still, they hadn’t come down. The silence of the house, once a relief, now felt suffocating. The walls felt like they were closing in on me, echoing only my own movements.

I stepped outside into the garden, craving a breath of fresh air, anything to ease the tightness in my chest.There was nothing but stillness. No voices. No laughter. Just me, and the soft crunch of my steps on the gravel. I grabbed the trash bag and carried it outside, welcoming the distraction.

As I opened the gate to throw out the garbage, a loud horn startled me, making me jump a little.

Hunter?

I squinted toward the road. Was that his car? He left early? Maybe he drove the woman back. My chest tightened at the thought.

The horn blared again. I quickly opened the gate to let the car in, then shut it behind me.

But he didn’t drive into the garage. The car came to a stop in front of the house. I turned, eyes narrowing.

Hunter stepped out.

And I hated that my breath caught for a second. He looked like he walked out of a magazine model, tall, commanding, strikingly handsome, with the kind of body that didn’t belong in real life. He was painfully perfect that every one couldn't resist. Mr. Hunter Del Tiero the young billionare with no heart.

I looked away the moment his eyes met mine, frowning. I turned my back to him, pretending to be busy with anything else.

"You."

"H-huh?" I flinched, heart jumping in my chest as his deep voice cut through the air behind me.

"Stop pretending you’re doing something," he said, his tone cold. "Get your things from my car, the ones your family dumped on the street."

I froze. I hadn’t even noticed he was already behind me.

"My... things?" I repeated, dazed turning my face to him. He raised an impatient brow at me.

"Yes," he snapped. "They're in my car. Take them out. I don’t want my car getting dirty nor dusty."

Just like that, whatever admiration I had felt for his looks turned into lead in my chest. His words stung. Sharp and unkind but again I ignore it.

Before he could humiliate me any further, I walked toward his car, swallowing my pride. The trunk opened, and there they were my things, messy and crumpled, tossed together like trash.

Just like me.

"Follow me," I heard Hunter say leaving me frozed and devastated.