THE HEARTLESS ALPHA

epi 3: painful night

Bella's room was silent. Cold.

"Wait here. I'll get a towel," she said.

And closed the door behind her.

Click.

That sound made my heart sink.

30 seconds later, the door opened again.

But it wasn't Bella.

It was Ryan.

And behind him, his 3 drunken friends. Smirking.

"Well, well," Ryan laughed, shutting the door.

"The poor girl trying to play princess."

My blood ran cold.

"Get out," I said, my voice trembling.

"This is Bella's room."

"Relax," one of them grinned.

"Bella sent us. She said you wanted company."

Lies. All of it.

"Please leave," I backed away until my back hit the dressing table.

"Or I'll scream."

"Scream all you want," Ryan stepped closer.

"No one can hear you. The music is too loud."

They surrounded me. 4 boys. One girl.

My heart was hammering so hard I thought it was my last day.

"Please. Just let me go," I begged.

"I only have my dignity. That's all a poor girl has.

Don't humiliate me."

Then one of them grabbed my wrist.

Anger burned through me.

I slapped him across the face. Hard.

That was my mistake.

He went crazy. Grabbed me and shoved me onto the bed.

Started hitting me.

"Let me go!" I fought to get free.

My leg kicked Ryan by accident.

He slapped me across the face in return.

Blood filled my mouth.

A sharp wave of pain shot through my body.

Through the pain, I called for my mom. For my dad.

But I knew they couldn't come.

In the chaos, the wine bottle on the table crashed to the floor.

CRASH!

Glass shattered everywhere. Red wine and shards scattered.

As they looked away for a second, I jumped up and ran.

But a large piece of glass sliced into my bare foot.

"Ah!" Pain shot up my leg. Blood mixed with wine.

I couldn't stop. I ran faster. Reached for the door.

Before I could get out, they grabbed me again.

One of them grabbed my face with both hands.

Tried to force a kiss on me. His breath reeked of alcohol.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" I screamed and drove my knee into his stomach.

The door slammed open.

James.

His eyes had turned from gold to blood red.

He saw everything in one second.

Me on the floor. Blood from my foot. Torn gown.

Four boys around me.

Silence. Even the music downstairs disappeared.

"What the hell is going on here?" His voice was low. Deadly.

Ryan panicked.

"James! It's not what it looks like! She was asking for money!

She said if we paid her, she would--"

"Shut up," James cut him off.

And then Bella walked in. Perfect timing.

Hand over her mouth. Acting shocked.

"Oh my God, Alen!" she cried.

"I left for one minute to get a towel and you...

you called these boys here for money? Alen, how could you?"

Her accusation hit like a knife.

"What?" I whispered. Blood dripping from my foot.

"Bella, you know that's not true--"

"Don't lie!" Bella suddenly lunged forward and shoved me.

I lost my balance.

My injured foot slipped on wine and glass.

And I fell backward.

Straight onto the broken glass.

Pain exploded through my back and arms.

The world spun. The lights blurred.

The last thing I saw was James.

Running toward me. Face twisted in rage.

And then , darkness

Hospital room:

My whole body felt numb. Frozen.

But even then, a sharp wave of pain tore through me.

That pain, it was the first thing I felt.

Then nothing.

I was drowning in darkness.

When I came to, I was lying on a bed.

Eyes closed. Body wouldn't move.

Only my breathing was alive.

"Alen?"

That voice. Far away. Tired. Angry.

I couldn't answer. I couldn't speak.

I could only hear.

Footsteps. Then the sound of a chair dragging.

James sat beside me.

"Stupid girl," he murmured. "Why did you go to that room?"

His hand found mine. Cold. Shaking.

My wounds still burned. But I couldn't even scream.

Then, lightning shot through my head.

My mother.

They say when you're in pain, you remember your mother first.

Because she's the only one in this selfish world who loves you for real.

And then I remembered my wounds.

Not the ones on my body. The ones that had been bleeding in my soul for years.

I grew up alone. In lack.

I had a father’s love, but I also had Zooi’s schemes.

Because of her, I could never even feel that love completely.

Zooi’s slap.

Zooi! she would bury me alive if she found out I ruined the plan.

I should never have listened to Bella.

I went to work as a waitress. I should’ve just stayed quiet.

Then my dignity wouldn’t be in danger.

College. Ryan mocking me. That broke me even more.

I wish I was rich too. Then I’d show these arrogant people who they’re messing with.

Everything flashed before my eyes.

And then I heard James. He sounded, disturbed.

"Stop it," his voice cracked. Like he was hurting too.

"Why am I seeing this?"

And I slipped back into deep sleep.

With one last wave of pain. And fear of Zooi.

RAAT - 11:00 PM

The room was dark. Only a candle burned on the table.

The air smelled of alcohol.

Zooi was sprawled on the sofa. Red dress. Hair down.

Across from her, her boyfriend Daniyal. Expensive suit. Whiskey in his hand.

"Relax, baby," Daniyal laughed and poured Zooi another drink.

"You’re too quiet today. Enjoy the party."

Zooi downed half the glass in one go.

Her eyes kept darting to the door.

"Something’s not right," she muttered, picking at her nails.

"Alen’s been gone 8 hours. She should’ve been back by now."

Daniyal smirked.

"Why do you even care?

She’s not a kid. And anyway, she’s not even your real daughter."

Zooi’s hand froze.

She slammed the glass down. Whiskey spilled.

"Are you insane?" Her voice was low. Poisonous.

"I don’t give a damn about that girl." Her jaw tightened. "I want her dead."

She stood and walked to the window.

Staring at the city lights.

"I’m worried about HER FATHER," Zooi hissed through her teeth.

"If he finds out I sent Alen to work that party as a waitress,

It’s all over, Daniyal. EVERYTHING."

Daniyal laughed.

"So what? He’ll divorce you?

We’ve already taken enough money from him. We can live fine."

Zooi turned and glared at him.

Eyes red. Not from alcohol. From rage.

"Divorce?" She let out a hollow laugh.

"That man still owns this house. His name is still on it.

I just need it in MY name. Then I’ll be the one who leaves him."

She gripped the glass tighter.

"If he finds out I used his daughter for money...

I lose the house. The money. Everything."

She hurled the glass at the wall.

CRASH.

"Years of playing the 'good stepmother'... all for this day!" she screamed.

"And this Alen,this girl, I’m not letting her go.

Just let her come home once."

BACK TO HOSPITAL:

He sat there all night.

Sometimes wiping her forehead. Sometimes looking at her wounds with regret.

I don’t know why, but whenever I look at her,

I feel pulled to her. What is it about her that draws me in?

I noticed the golden glow. And that golden glow was still there between us.

I took her hand in mine.

"Do you feel it too? Or am I just going crazy for you?"

I asked her silently in my mind.

That’s when I saw something that shocked me.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. I rubbed them twice.

Was I imagining it? No. It was real. Completely real.

The wound on her hand,the one that was there minutes ago,

was completely gone.

I rushed to her feet. Panic in my chest.

And the same thing. The wound on her foot was slowly disappearing too.

I stared at my hands. Then at her feet.

It was 6 AM. And I was stuck on one thought: how is this possible?

I could see every worry, every thought she’d had. Clear as day.

Then my eyes landed on her face. Clean. No makeup.

Something wild rose in me. I didn’t even realize how close I’d gotten.

I could feel her breath on my face.

I was looking at her like a man dying of thirst looks at water.

Slowly, I put my hand on her cheek.

With so much care, I touched the cut on her lips.

Even unconscious, she was tense.

I heard her thoughts. Her mother’s diary.

"When you break, daughter, don’t cry. The world will break you more."

"I won’t break, Mama," she whispered in her mind.

My breath caught.

"God," I whispered. "How much have you suffered?"

Her pain hurt me.

Behind that angry, fighting girl,she was shattered inside.

The crystal around her neck grew warm.

It started to glow.

And with it, my breathing turned fast.

I lost control. Of myself.

I leaned in closer. So close her lips were an inch from mine.

One moment. Just one.

And then her eyes flew open like lightning.

She stared at me in shock and panic.

I didn’t know what to do. My body wouldn’t move.

Her lips were an inch from mine and I couldn’t pull away.

Like time stopped. I had no idea what I was doing.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" She screamed and shoved me with both hands.

I stumbled back. Jolted awake like from a deep sleep.

Shock. And shame on my face.

"What are you doing?" She was shaking. From pain. From anger.

"Was this the plan? Save me first, then take advantage?"

Guilt hit me like a truck. I wanted to explain but couldn’t.

She was right. I saved her from them... and now I was about to do the same thing.

I was so angry at myself I wanted to punch a wall.

"Sorry. I didn’t mean, I just--"

"I know everything!" she cut me off, tears falling.

"Rich people are all the same. You take advantage of the poor.

Bella sold me. And you came to buy me. That’s the only difference."

Her voice broke.

"Mr. James, I’m not something you can buy. I’m a person.

I have feelings. I have thoughts. I feel pain too.

Why do you rich people treat me like I’m made of stone?"

Her tears killed me. Her words cut me open.

My face went hard. Stone.

No anger. No pain. Nothing.

I stood in silence and walked out without looking back.

If I stayed one more second, I’d do something I’d regret.

Then I stopped. Turned halfway.

"Nurse will be here in 5 minutes. Bill’s paid.

My secretary will bring your discharge papers."

And I walked out. Without seeing her reaction.

Click.

My driver ran to me. "Sir, everything okay?"

I nodded. "Take me home. I need to rest.

And get me some sleeping pills. I want to sleep."

The driver looked surprised. "But sir, your father banned those-"

"I don’t care. He won’t know. Get them. I want to sleep the moment I get home."

I snapped and got in the car.

SUBAH - 9:00 AM

The room was white. Silent.

Only the beep beep of the heart monitor.

Alen lay on the bed, eyes closed.

Bandages on her body. Dry lips.

The door opened.

"Good morning, Miss," Nurse Sara came in with a tray. Medicine and water.

She smiled at Alen.

"Take this before breakfast," she held the glass to Alen’s lips.

Alen swallowed the pill. Too tired to talk. Too tired to cry about her fate.

The nurse checked her bandages. Probably thinking of changing them.

"You’re so lucky, dear."

Alen looked at her, confused.

"A boy sat here all night," the nurse said, fixing the blanket.

"He was so handsome. And rich too. Black suit, expensive watch."

Alen’s heart skipped a beat.