Episode Three
1034 Words
Without hesitation, he carried her to his room, his heart beat fast with every step. He laid her on the bed and grabbed his phone.
“Get the doctor here now,” he ordered.
After a few minutes, the doctor appeared;
“She’s weak and dehydrated,” the Doctor said, “likely from stress, she needs to rest, eat and take care of herself”.
James nodded and dismissed the doctor.
He sat on the edge of the bed, exhaling slowly and rubbing his face. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he did that to her, but seeing her like this left a knot in his stomach.
“I’m not supposed to feel bad or guilty, she deserves it, but something about her pulls me closer,” he thought
Claire stirred in her sleep, her body tensed, her breath quickening as soft whimpers escaped her lip.
No…. please, she whispered, her hand grasping the sheet. “Don’t lock me in ….. I’ll be good….I promise….’ James stiffened, guilt slammed into his chest.
“It’s just a nightmare”, he whispers gently
Her fingers clutched onto his sleeve as if she was still trapped in the dark.
James watched her sleep and, for the first time, he wondered if he had crossed a line he could never undo.
When he turned to leave, he looked back one more time at Claire, still asleep on the bed. The flicker of doubt faded as he walked out.
But as he stepped into the hallway, a cold breeze swept past him, causing him to pause. It was strange, unsettling. He turned to look back at the door to the bedroom, the quiet stillness hanging in the air.
Something wasn’t right. James thought
Claire’s eyes fluttered open, her body stiff; the ceiling above was unfamiliar, and the soft scent of expensive cologne filled the air.
She looked around skeptically and realized she was in James’ room.
Her breath hitched
Memories crashed into her darkroom, cold floor, fainting, someone carrying her, a nightmare.
Before she could piece everything together, the door suddenly opened and James walked in with a tray of food.
The warm aroma of the food filled the air and right on cue, her stomach betrayed her with a loud growl.
A slow smirk tugged at the Conner of his lip. “Go freshen up and have your food”
Claire stared at him; disbelief washed over her face.
“Was this some kind of game? Did he plan to kill me? She thought.
Something clicked in her mind and before she could stop herself, the question spilled out
“Why did you let me out ?” Her voice was sharp and demanding,
“You could’ve left me to die; you’ll be free and I’ll be too,” she added.
Before she could realize it, she felt a soft tender lip kissing her passionately, her word cut in her throat.
She struggles to free herself, but all to no avail.
He released her and said,
“ eat your food” his voice calm and deliberate
Claire’s throat tightened. She wanted to yell, to push, to demand an answer, but something in his gaze made her pause.
And for the first time, she realised she wasn’t sure if surviving him was better than dying in the darkroom.
Claire gulped down the food and went to her room to freshen up.
James was in his study when a call came through his phone.
“Hello,” said James
“I have a message for you with the code YsK1f5,” said the voice on the phone.
James rushed out of his office and headed out with some of his men. Claire saw him rushing out and, out of concern, wanted to ask but decided against it.
James stood in front of the traitor, with his hand casually folded behind his back. He was panting, his chest heaved, but he was defiant, refusing to succumb to James.
“Still silent,” James asked, his voice gentle but laced with menace.
He took a slow step towards the man;
“You think you’re special, huh? That you’re getting away with that” James let out a small chuckle.
The man swallowed hard but said nothing.
The tension in the room grew thicker, like a heavy fog.
James leaned down, bringing his face close to the traitors, “I can make this easy for you,” he murmured
“Tell me who sends you?” James asked
Luca’s lip trembled. James straightened, snapped his fingers, the door behind him opened and two of his men stepped inside, each with a pliers.
What is it going to be? James asked coolly, a smirk forming in the corner of his lip. “A name or more pain?”
The man’s eye darts from the pliers back to James’ face.
James signals his men and one of them reaches for Luca’s hand, holding the pliers over his finger, a silent warning. His entire body tensed with anticipation.
“Do it” James ordered
The man groans and fills the air.
It’s Ikbal, the man finally speaks
James patted his shoulder and whispered, “You just made the right choice,” his voice dangerously calm.
With a swift motion, he turned, signaling his men to finish him and clean up.
“Luca,” he said, “Don’t worry, Ikbal will be the next to know what happens when he messes with me”.
It’s already past midnight when Claire decides to check whether James has returned, but he’s nowhere to be found. As she was heading back to her room, a weird sound from the hallway caught her attention.
With every step she takes toward the sound, her heart pounds against her chest.
Where could that be coming from and what’s the sound? She thought
The sound becomes intense and clear as she moves closer.
The sight before her left her speechless and dumbfounded.
The dim light in the hallway casts a shadow of two individuals doing God’s knows what.
“What the hell is that ?” she said to her
She moves forward a bit and her breath hitched
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