CHAPTER 004
1109 Words
CHAPTER 004
Sofie’s POV
I don't trust Elias. Not for a second. His eyes reveal a calculating nature that makes me distrust him completely. I refuse to discover what Elias desires from me because I have no intention of learning his intentions. At this moment I lack any alternative.
The pursuit by Jonas's men became too aggressive and rapid. The panic made my breathing stop and my thoughts become jumbled. Elias held onto my wrist to prevent me from getting lost in the approaching danger that threatened to engulf me.
I sit in his car watching the city rush by as we drive. The passing buildings merge into one another while streetlights produce a golden trail through the night darkness. I am currently attempting to understand what exactly transpired. I feel both gratitude and fear at the same time.
The mansion located at the city's edge appears even more daunting when you see it in person. It’s massive. Too massive. The building looks like it belongs in a cinematic production. The solid stone walls rise to match the height of the sky, and the imposing entry gates seem tall enough to halt military troops. And the inside? Even worse. Every surface appears too refined and too flawless. The marble floors reflect like mirrors, and the furniture appears untouched.
Elias leads the way with confident strides that never waver while he seems to dominate the world,, which he might actually control. Elias walks ahead without glancing behind him while I trail behind him because he seems completely unaware of my nervousness. The doors shut softly behind us while the oppressive atmosphere of this place starts to crush me.
I confront him with my harsh voice when I finally reach his side. The fact that we stand within this fortified building and that he provides security means nothing to me. I won’t be controlled again.
Elias doesn’t stop walking. He walks without glancing back at me. He speaks with a steady tone when he tells me, "You don't need to trust me." Survival requires nothing more than staying alive.
I hold back my response, yet my eyes stay fixed on his departing figure. Who does he think he is? The ability to control my life decisions remains beyond his authority. I exist as a strong individual who doesn't require his protective care.
“Why are you helping me?” The question escapes my lips before I can prevent it from leaving my mouth. “What do you want?”
Elias faces me directly with his eyes meeting mine as a brief emotion passes through his gaze. Amusement, maybe. Or pity. I can’t tell.
He speaks in a dull tone when he declares, "I don't help people." “I collect them.”
His words create a heavy atmosphere that feels strange to me. The words remain unclear to me because I lack their meaning. His delivery of the statement combined with his unfeeling voice makes me question whether he might be correct. Do I represent another item in his accumulating collection of objects?
I narrow my eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He looks at me without blinking as though he can see through everything I am. I try to turn my eyes, but my body refuses to obey.
Elias speaks in a soft tone when he tells me, "You're here because you don't have a choice." “I’m offering you protection. I will give you my loyalty in return for your protection.
My stomach drops. I’m not stupid. I understand what he intends to gain from this situation. “What do you want?” I ask the question although I already know the response will be unpleasant.
Elias gives me a brief examination before his smirk appears. The word "loyalty" emerges from his lips like a blade.
I swallow hard. Loyalty? To him? To someone like him? It feels like a trap. He plays a twisted game with me, and I doubt I want to participate in his dangerous game.
Разместите меня во владении своих планов. I bark firmly while making a barrier with my crossed arms across my chest. Elias received a direct response from me when I said, “I’m not going to follow your orders, Elias.”
He doesn’t seem fazed. His approach toward me feels overpowering because it makes my heart pound rapidly. His voice becomes dangerous as he states, "You don't have a choice." “Jonas wants you dead. And right now? Right now Elias stands as your only lifeline.
His statement strikes me like a physical blow, so I stand motionless. He’s right. I know he’s right. Jonas continues his pursuit of me until he regains my possession. He will never release me from his control until I die.
But I won’t give in to Elias. I can’t.
Do you believe I would obey you like an obedient pet? My voice shakes with fury, but I cannot hide my fear. Scared of what Jonas will do. Elias' actions make me fear both his potential responses.
Elias doesn’t answer right away. He moves toward me until his body heat reaches my skin. He speaks in a gentle voice when he tells me he doesn't care whether I follow him or not. The facility exists because you have no other choices available to you.
I hate that he’s right.
I face away from him as I attempt to break free from the mounting pressure in my body. The house feels suffocating. The walls are pressing down on me while I struggle to catch my breath.
I survey the space filled with locked doors and security cameras that watch every corner. I’m trapped. Again.
“Am I safe here?” My voice trembles as I ask the question more gently than I meant to because doubt fills my words.
Elias doesn’t answer immediately. His expression remains blank as he observes me.
He asks me in a quiet voice, as if he wants a response, “Do you believe you're safe wherever you go?” “You’re not. You never were.”
My heart races inside my chest while fear tightens my throat. Should I remain in this place forever? In this gilded cage?
I look at the locked doors once more while questioning if this place has become my new form of captivity. The safety of Elias's mansion does not guarantee genuine freedom for its inhabitants.
Or is it just another trap?
I can’t tell. I don’t know.
But I have to stay here. I have no other choice.
Do I have a chance to live, or have I become another inmate in this new enclosure?
- Writer
