Chains & Roses

Chapter 3

Ohh, it's Louis. A friend from my middle school. He pulled me for a hug and whispered, "Happy Birthday, we are going to the same college, Lisbon University."

I pulled back. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, your father wanted to give you a surprise on your birthday. So he even forbade me to tell you."

My jaw dropped. She pulled him for another hug and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. Suddenly, my eyes locked on Adrian. I didn't know he was looking so furious. But what for?

The night carried on. Cake, laughter, music. But I kept catching myself sneaking glances at him. He wasn't laughing with the others, wasn't clapping like everyone else. He just... watched.

And when Louis pulled me onto the dance floor, I felt his stare the most.

Louis spun me, made me laugh. He leaned close, whispered in my ear. Too close. My cheeks flushed, my heart racing-but not the good kind of racing.

And then-he almost kissed me. Right there, in front of everyone.

Before I could even react, a loud crash broke the moment. I whipped my head toward the sound.

Adrian. Standing there with glass shards at his feet. His jaw was tight, his eyes darker than I'd ever seen them. For a second, I swore there was fire in them, like he was ready to tear the whole place apart.

But then... nothing. His face turned cold, calm, like he hadn't just shattered a glass on purpose. He mumbled something about being clumsy and left the room.

I stood frozen, my chest tight, my thoughts racing.

Why did it feel like he was angry at Louis? At... me?

Why did his eyes burn with something I couldn't understand?

Adrian wasn't the kind of man who fell for anyone. Everyone said he was ruthless, untouchable. And yet tonight, I saw something in him that didn't match that at all.

And it scared me almost as much as it thrilled me.

After Some weeks of my birthday

I froze in the doorway, my breath shallow. Dad looked nervous. That alone unsettled me. Dad never looked nervous.

And then Adrian’s gaze shifted. To me.

My stomach twisted when his eyes landed on me, when his lips curled into something too dangerous to be called a smile. I felt stripped bare under it, like he could see everything I was—fear, confusion, innocence—all at once.

“Your daughter, Erina,” he said, his voice smooth, cruel. My heart stuttered.

I blinked, unsure if I’d heard him right. “What?”

“Come here, darling.”

My feet moved without my brain’s permission, each step too loud in the silence. Dad said nothing. Nothing. My pulse pounded louder. Why wasn’t he stopping this?

Adrian’s words wrapped around me like chains. “You are going with me, princess. Live with me.”

I stared at him, wide-eyed. Was he serious? Surely this was some twisted game between him and Dad. Surely—

“No,” I whispered, forcing steel into my voice. “I am not .”

He only smiled, like my refusal amused him. Like he wanted me to fight.

And then—his hand. Firm around my waist, pulling me closer. I gasped, struggling against the heat of his grip, but he didn’t move. His other hand reached inside his jacket, and the metallic click froze me. A gun.

He pointed it at my Dad.

“Say yes, or I will shoot your father right here.”

The world spun. My chest clenched so tight it hurt. “No,Dad?” I whispered, searching his face for strength, for reassurance, for anything.

But Dad’s eyes… he wasn’t looking at me. He was staring at the gun. Terrified—not for me, but for himself.

The betrayal cut deeper than Adrian’s threat.

Tears burned down my cheeks before I could stop them. My throat ached with the words I didn’t want to say. “Alright. I’ll go. Let him go.”

Adrian’s smile was faint, victorious. “Good girl.”

He pulled me with him, out of the house, out of the life I thought I knew. The car door slammed, and suddenly I was sitting in the passenger seat, staring at the city lights blurring past. My hands trembled in my lap.

I wasn’t sure which scared me more—the man beside me, or the realization that my father had just let me go without a fight.

And Adrian… he didn’t look like someone who would ever let me go.

I never really talked to him that much. So basically it can be said we just met. Yet he set a lot of pet names for me. It kinda caught me off guard.

We reached his giant mansion .There were men in every hallway, gates , even in front of the rooms.He led me to the stairs and arrived at a room. There were two men beside the two sides of the door. Adrian cracked the door open.

"Get in. This is your room until..."

"Until?"

He cleared his throat, "Nothing."

I realized he just hid something from me.

I entered the room and sat at the edge of the room. The room was way more luxurious than our whole house.

I was looking around , and suddenly I felt his hand on me. A jolt went down my spine. I looked at him. Without any warning he touched my cheek.

" Erina, I am sorry. I...I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't bring you here to hurt you but your father left me no choice. I had to"

My eyes forgot how to blink.I have never seen him talk so softly before. So he wasn't that much heartless. But I was terrified what if he could do something bad to me out of his anger to take revenge on my father.

"I am scared." I murmured.

"Shh. I know." He said and caressing my cheek. The touch was so soft. Though I didn't want him to touch me , I couldn't deny him.

His thumb moved on my lower lip. A sudden gasp came out of my lips. My lips solely parted. His thumb now moved into my mouth, getting saliva and the touch of my tongue.

He stood up abruptly and looked away.

" If you need anything. Call any one of the guards. They will get you. Outside of the room. And .. ..(cleared the throat) I will be in my office downstair."

Saying so, he left immediately.