The proposal
2283 Words
The shadows shifted again.
Adeline’s breath caught as the figure stepped forward, slow and deliberate, like he had all the time in the world—and she had none. Her heart hammered against her ribs, but she refused to step back.
“Who are you?” she asked again, her voice sharper this time, demanding.
Silence.
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he moved closer, the dim light finally catching him—first the outline of his shoulders, then the sharp cut of his jaw, then the rest of him. Dark clothes. Controlled posture. A face that held no warmth, no hesitation, no trace of concern.
He stopped just a few feet away from her.
Close enough to be real.
Close enough to be dangerous.
Adeline swallowed, forcing herself to hold his gaze. “I asked you a question.”
“I heard you,” he replied calmly.
His voice was low, smooth—too calm for someone who had just kidnapped her.
“Then answer it.”
“No.”
The bluntness of it stunned her for half a second.
Her brows pulled together. “No?”
“No,” he repeated, almost bored. “You don’t get answers just because you ask.”
Anger flared instantly. “You don’t get to decide that! You brought me here. The least you can do is explain yourself.”
He tilted his head slightly, studying her like she was something mildly interesting.
“The least I can do,” he said, “is keep you alive. Everything else is optional.”
Her stomach tightened, but she didn’t let it show.
“I want to know who you are,” she said again, slower this time, more controlled. “And why I’m here.”
“And I want a lot of things,” he replied. “That doesn’t mean I get them.”
Her jaw clenched. “This isn’t a game.”
“It is to me.”
The words landed heavy.
Cold.
Unapologetic.
Adeline took a step closer, despite the warning screaming in her instincts. “You think this is funny?”
“I don’t think about it enough to find it funny.”
That hit harder than an insult.
For a moment, she just stared at him, trying to read something—anything—in his expression.
Nothing.
“You’re unbelievable,” she muttered.
“I’ve been called worse.”
“I’m not interested in whatever twisted situation this is,” she said. “I just want to go home.”
“That’s not an option.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
Her frustration snapped. “That’s not a reason!”
“It’s the only one you’re getting.”
Silence stretched between them, tense and suffocating.
Then he moved again, walking past her like she wasn’t even there. Like the conversation had already bored him.
“Wait,” she snapped, turning quickly. “You don’t get to just walk away.”
“I do,” he said without stopping.
Her hands curled into fists. “You said something about a proposal. What proposal?”
That made him pause.
Not fully turning, just enough to acknowledge her voice.
“A simple one,” he said.
“Then say it.”
He glanced at her over his shoulder, his expression unreadable.
“Your cooperation,” he said. “In exchange for your comfort.”
Adeline let out a sharp, disbelieving laugh. “Comfort? You think that’s what this is?”
“It can be.”
“I don’t want your comfort,” she shot back. “I want answers.”
“And I don’t care what you want.”
The words were immediate.
Effortless.
Like they cost him nothing to say.
Her chest tightened, but she pushed through it. “Then your proposal means nothing to me.”
“Then you’ll stay exactly where you are.”
“Which is?”
“Here,” he said simply. “Without answers. Without control.”
She shook her head, stepping back slightly. “No. I’m not doing this. I’m not playing along until you tell me what’s going on.”
A pause.
Then—
“Stubborn,” he muttered under his breath.
“I call it having sense.”
He finally turned fully to face her again, his eyes colder now.
“And I call it useless.”
The tension in the room shifted.
Sharpened.
“You’re not in a position to negotiate,” he continued. “The sooner you understand that, the easier this becomes.”
“Or what?” she challenged.
He held her gaze for a long second.
Then—
“Or it doesn’t.”
That was it.
No threat.
No explanation.
Just a statement.
And somehow, that made it worse.
Adeline swallowed, refusing to look away.
“I’m not agreeing to anything,” she said firmly. “Not until I know who you are and why I’m here.”
Silence.
Then—
A quiet exhale.
Not frustrated.
Not angry.
Just… done.
“Fine,” he said.
And just like that—
He turned away.
Conversation over.
Her heart pounded. “That’s it? That’s your response?”
He walked toward the door.
“Wait!” she snapped. “You don’t just get to—”
The door opened.
A guard stepped in.
Adeline froze.
The man didn’t even look back at her.
“Feed her,” he said coldly.
And then he walked out.
Like she wasn’t worth another second of his time.
The door shut behind him.
Locked.
Final.
Adeline stood there, her chest rising and falling, anger and fear twisting together inside her.
“…Unbelievable,” she whispered.
Behind her, the guard moved silently, placing a tray down.
But her focus wasn’t on the food.
It was on the door.
On the man who had just walked out of her life as easily as he walked in.
And the terrifying realization settling deep in her chest—
She wasn’t going to get answers.
Not unless she played his game.
*************
Miles away, in a much smaller apartment—
Lucas was losing his mind.
“Pick up, Addy… come on, pick up…” he muttered, pacing back and forth across the room, phone pressed tightly to his ear.
Same response.
Same cold, automated voice.
Unavailable.
Every time.
He pulled the phone away, staring at it like it had the answers.
“This isn’t funny anymore,” he said, his voice tight.
Adeline wasn’t the type to disappear.
She wasn’t careless.
She wasn’t reckless.
And she would never ignore him like this.
Not after everything.
He dialed again.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
“Damn it!” he snapped, running both hands through his hair before grabbing his jacket and tossing it aside again in frustration.
Think.
Who else?
He scrolled quickly and tapped Lila’s name.
The call rang.
And rang.
And rang—
“Hello?” Lila’s voice came through, tired and confused. “Lucas? Do you know what time—”
“Where’s Adeline?”
That woke her up instantly.
“What?”
“She’s not answering. Her phone’s off or something. Have you heard from her?”
A pause.
“…No. I thought she was with you.”
Lucas’s chest tightened.
“She went out after the interview. That was hours ago.”
“Wait—she hasn’t called you at all?”
“No.”
“Texted?”
“No.”
Silence.
The kind that builds tension.
“Okay… okay, maybe her phone died,” Lila said, but there was uncertainty in her voice now. “Maybe she met someone, or—”
“She would’ve told me,” Lucas cut in sharply.
Another pause.
“Yeah…” Lila admitted quietly. “She would’ve.”
His grip on the phone tightened.
“I’ve got a bad feeling,” he said.
“Don’t jump to conclusions yet,” she replied quickly. “I’ll call the others, check if anyone’s seen her.”
“Do that.”
“I’ll call you back.”
The line went dead.
Lucas stood still for a moment.
Then turned slowly, looking at the door like he expected her to walk through it.
Laughing.
Apologizing.
Explaining everything.
But it stayed shut.
The apartment felt colder.
Quieter.
Empty in a way it had never felt before.
“…Where are you?” he whispered.
And for the first time—
He didn’t think this was something small.
********
Morning came without warmth.
Adeline barely slept.
Every sound kept her alert. Every second stretched longer than it should.
So when the door finally unlocked again—
She was already sitting up.
Waiting.
This time, she didn’t rush.
Didn’t shout.
Didn’t lose control.
The door opened.
And he walked in.
Same presence.
Same cold authority.
Like the room belonged to him.
Like she did too.
“You’re awake,” he said flatly.
Adeline stood slowly.
This time—calm.
Measured.
“Yes.”
His eyes narrowed slightly.
He noticed immediately.
Of course he did.
“You’ve decided to behave,” he said.
“I’ve decided to think,” she replied.
A pause.
Then he stepped further in.
“Good. That makes this easier.”
She crossed her arms lightly. “Then talk.”
He studied her for a moment before speaking.
“You want to leave,” he said.
“Yes.”
“Then you’ll need a reason.”
Her brows furrowed. “A reason? Being kidnapped isn’t enough of one?”
“No,” he said simply.
The bluntness of it almost threw her off.
She exhaled slowly, forcing herself to stay composed.
“Then give me one.”
He walked slowly, circling slightly—not close enough to touch, but close enough to feel.
“You’ve lived a very… ordinary life,” he said. “Struggling. Wanting more. Never quite getting it.”
Her jaw tightened.
“You don’t know me.”
“I know enough.”
His voice stayed calm, but his words were sharp.
“You chase opportunities that don’t choose you. You hold onto people who can’t elevate you. You settle for less and call it love.”
Her chest tightened at that—but she didn’t react.
Not this time.
“And what does that have to do with me being here?” she asked.
He stopped.
Turned to face her fully.
“Everything.”
Silence stretched.
Then—
“I’m giving you a choice,” he said.
Her stomach twisted slightly.
“What kind of choice?”
He held her gaze.
“If you want your freedom,” he said slowly, “you will stay here for one hundred and eighty-seven days.”
Her heart skipped.
“…Doing what?”
A beat.
Then—
“Falling in love with me.”
Silence.
Complete.
Adeline blinked.
Then let out a short, disbelieving laugh.
“That’s your condition?”
“Yes.”
“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
“I don’t care.”
The bluntness again.
Sharp. Unapologetic.
“You think love works like that?” she challenged. “You think you can trap someone and just—what? Wait until they fall for you?”
“I don’t think,” he said calmly. “I know time changes people.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“And if I don’t?”
A pause.
Then—
“You walk away.”
She froze slightly.
“…What?”
“You heard me,” he said. “If, after one hundred and eighty-seven days, you feel nothing—no attachment, no interest, no shift—then you’re free.”
Her mind raced.
That wasn’t what she expected.
“What’s the catch?” she asked immediately.
“There isn’t one.”
“There’s always a catch.”
His expression didn’t change.
“Your only condition is to stay,” he said. “And try.”
She studied him carefully now.
“You’re serious.”
“Yes.”
“You’d actually let me go?”
“If you fail.”
Something about the way he said fail made her uneasy.
“And if I don’t?” she pressed.
This time—
A faint, dangerous hint of something crossed his face.
“Then you won’t want to leave.”
Her heartbeat picked up.
Silence filled the room again.
Then—
“…Fine,” she said.
The word came out before she could overthink it.
His gaze sharpened slightly.
“You agree?”
“I stay,” she clarified. “That’s it. No promises, no guarantees.”
“That’s enough.”
She tilted her head slightly.
“And you really believe I could fall in love with someone like you?”
A pause.
Then—
“Yes.”
No hesitation.
No doubt.
That confidence irritated her more than anything.
“We’ll see,” she muttered.
“We will.”
Another silence.
Heavy. Different this time.
Because now—
There were rules.
A timeline.
A game.
He turned toward the door.
“One hundred and eighty-seven days,” he said.
Her pulse echoed in her ears.
“Starting now.”
The door opened.
He stepped out.
Then paused briefly.
Without looking back—
“Don’t waste my time.”
The door shut.
And just like that—
Adeline was alone again.
But this time—
Not confused.
Not powerless.
Now—
She had a goal.
Survive 187 days.
And not fall for him.
She let out a slow breath, staring at the door.
“…You picked the wrong girl,” she whispered.
But somewhere deep inside—
A quiet voice answered back.
Or maybe… he picked exactly the right one.
And far away—
Lucas was still searching.
Still calling.
Still breaking.
Completely unaware—
That the countdown had already begun.
- Writer
