CHAPTER 10 — Observation (Dominic POV)
695 Words
She tried to run.
Dominic expected that.
What he didn’t expect…
Was how quickly.
He stood near the window, hands resting loosely in his pockets, watching the security feed play out in front of him.
Three minutes.
That was all it took.
Three minutes after waking up in a place she didn’t know…
And she was already looking for a way out.
A faint smile touched his lips.
Predictable.
But not disappointing.
“She’s heading toward the west corridor,” a voice said behind him.
Dominic didn’t turn.
“I can see that.”
A brief pause.
Then
“Should we stop her?”
Dominic’s gaze remained fixed on the screen.
Elara moved quickly despite the lingering weakness in her body, her steps uneven but determined.
She checked corners.
Watched reflections.
Counted doors.
Adapting.
Learning.
Good.
“No,” he said finally.
Behind him, Malik shifted slightly. “Sir”
“I said no.”
The room fell quiet again.
Malik knew better than to argue.
Most people did.
Dominic tilted his head slightly, studying the way Elara hesitated at an intersection.
Her breathing.
Her posture.
The way she looked over her shoulder twice before moving forward.
Fear.
Sharp.
Alive.
Real.
His gaze darkened slightly.
“She’s scared,” Malik said carefully.
Dominic didn’t respond.
Of course she was.
That was the point.
Fear made people honest.
Stripped them down to what they really were.
And Elara
Elara was still fighting.
That interested him.
“She won’t get far,” Malik added.
“No.”
Dominic finally turned, his expression calm.
“She won’t.”
Malik hesitated. “Then why let her—”
“Because I want to see how she thinks.”
Simple.
Clear.
Unarguable.
Malik nodded slowly, though his expression remained uncertain.
Dominic didn’t care.
His attention returned to the screen.
Elara had stopped moving.
Her body stilled in the middle of the corridor.
Not frozen.
Thinking.
Good.
Very good.
She was starting to understand.
“This place…” Malik began carefully, “it’s not exactly easy to navigate. Even for someone trained.”
“She’ll figure that out.”
“And when she does?”
Dominic’s gaze didn’t shift.
“She’ll come back.”
Malik frowned slightly. “You’re sure?”
A pause.
Then
“Yes.”
Not confidence.
Not arrogance.
Just fact.
Because Elara didn’t have options.
And Dominic knew that better than anyone.
On the screen, she moved again.
Slower this time.
More cautious.
Her earlier urgency replaced with something sharper.
Something more controlled.
Dominic watched her closely.
Every step.
Every hesitation.
Every decision.
“She’s different from the others,” Malik said quietly.
Dominic’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“I know.”
That was exactly why she was here.
Exactly why he took her.
Exactly why he was watching her now instead of ending this quickly like he usually would.
Elara turned a corner
And stopped.
Completely.
Dominic’s expression didn’t change.
But something in his eyes did.
Interest.
Recognition.
Understanding.
“She found it,” Malik said under his breath.
The exit.
Or at least what looked like one.
Hope.
It always showed up at the wrong time.
Dominic leaned back slightly, his gaze fixed.
“Now we see,” he murmured.
On the screen, Elara stepped forward slowly.
Carefully.
Like she didn’t trust it.
Like she shouldn’t.
Good.
Very good.
Her hand reached for the door.
Hesitated.
Then—
She opened it.
Silence.
A beat.
Two.
Three
She didn’t move.
Didn’t step through.
Instead…
She stepped back.
Slowly.
Her expression unreadable even through the screen.
Malik frowned. “Why did she”
“She’s learning,” Dominic said quietly.
The faintest hint of approval slipped into his tone.
“She knows it’s not that easy.”
Malik exhaled slowly. “So what now?”
Dominic watched as Elara turned away from the door.
Not defeated.
Not broken.
Just… thinking.
Adjusting.
Adapting.
“Now,” Dominic said softly, “we begin.”
Because this
This wasn’t about keeping her.
It wasn’t about control.
Not yet.
It was about something far more interesting.
Breaking her.
Carefully.
Piece by piece.
Until she stopped trying to leave.
And started choosing to stay.
- Writer
