WHERE IS ISH ANN GRAY

Chapter 5

WARNING

This story contains mature and intense themes that may not be suitable for all readers. It explores psychological trauma, obsession, manipulation, and emotional turmoil. There are scenes of emotional and physical conflict, as well as complex relationships that may be disturbing or triggering for some individuals. Reader discretion is strongly advised. If you are sensitive to themes of mental distress, unhealthy relationships, and dark emotional experiences, please approach this story with caution.

Thunder

"Saan mo ako dadalhin, get off me!!?" I demanded, my voice sharp.

But instead of answering me, he just kept walking. He didn’t seem bothered by my struggles. He didn’t even react when I elbowed him in the ribs. His expression was hidden behind the mask, but his body language was still... strangely calm, like this was an everyday occurrence for him.

When we reached the top of the stairs, he walked down the hallway, past several doors, before stopping in front of one I hadn’t seen before. The door was open, and I could tell immediately that something was different.

This wasn’t the room I had been kept in before.

He stepped inside, carrying me into the center of the room, and gently set me down on the bed. For a moment, I was too stunned to say anything. The bed was soft, the air warmer, and... there were actual windows.

I stared around the room, my eyes darting from the freshly painted walls to the neatly arranged furniture. It looked... new—newer than anything else in this house. The floor was polished, the bed was made with crisp, white sheets, and the scent of lavender and fresh paint hung in the air.

"What... the hell?" I whispered, my voice low and sharp as my eyes scanned the room. The disbelief in my tone barely masked the fury bubbling beneath the surface. "You renovated the room na sinunog ko?"

He stood casually by the door, his hand resting on the frame like he wasn’t responsible for the chaos in my life. His nonchalant posture only fueled my anger.

"What do you expect? Hindi kita natitiis dun," he said, his tone maddeningly calm, as if this was some ordinary conversation. His eyes flickered toward me, assessing, calculating. "And... I figured out something. You're allergic to the cold. I noticed the hives kanina, nawala lang nung uminit na ang kwarto. I'm sorry."

"Why do you care?" I snapped, sitting up straighter, the weight of his words crawling under my skin. My tone was defiant, but I could feel the discomfort growing—an ache I refused to acknowledge. "Ano ngayon? Diba yun ang goal mo? Ang pahirapan ako? Eh, ano naman kung mamatay ako sa kati o sa gutom dito? What is it to you? Sana hinayaan mo na lang ako—"

"Because I don’t want you to feel completely useless," he interrupted, stepping closer, his movements deliberate yet restrained. His voice dipped lower, cold yet edged with something I couldn’t place. "If you’d just behave, you wouldn’t have to go through this. We’d be fine just fine if you could set aside your stubbornness for once."

He stopped, his head tilting slightly, his eyes narrowing. "But no, you’re a bad girl, aren’t you? A bad girl who needs to be punished. Still, you should be thankful I care enough to hold back."

His words were a dagger, and I couldn’t stop myself from snapping. "Thankful?" My voice cracked with fury. "Thankful for what? For abducting me? For locking me up in here for reasons I don’t even f*****g understand? I’m clueless, and you treat me like an animal a f*****g captive!"

I pushed myself to my feet, my legs trembling under the weight of exhaustion and fury. My knees buckled, forcing me to steady myself against the bed. The weakness in my body was infuriating, but I wouldn’t let him see it.

He didn’t move. He just stood there, his posture calm, though something flickered in his expression. Concern? No. That couldn’t be it.

"You’re not treated like that here. Wag ka ngang mag-imbento," he said quietly, his voice softening as if trying to convince himself of his own lies. "But you have to understand—" His tone hardened again. "You’re not leaving here until I say so. And every time you try to escape, you will face punishment."

I glared at him, my chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. My anger, my frustration it all swirled into a storm that I couldn’t contain. "So this is your idea of being 'nice'? Renovating my prison cell and pretending I’m not your prisoner? And what's next? Are we playing husband and wife now? Ang lakas ng tama mo, gago!"

For a moment, he said nothing, his silence louder than any response. Then, slowly, he turned toward the door. "Whatever you call it ,"

"I f*****g hate you!" The words shot out of my mouth like venom, but he didn’t flinch. He didn’t look back. The door clicked shut, sealing me in once again.

I was left alone in this newly renovated space of the room I'm trying to burn . My heart was still pounding in my chest, but there was a strange, unsettling feeling building inside me

Why the hell would he spend so much time making this place comfortable for me? I was his captive, he psycho

This didn’t make sense. Not at all. And the more I thought about it, the angrier I became. He might’ve renovated the room, but it didn’t change the fact that I was still trapped.

Still his prisoner.

He just can't be gone he is just always there and I'm afraid I can't really plan about escaping when he is just there lorking around waiting for me to move watching every step I take that's just insane

After how Many weeks of being trapped and making mistakes and errors in the this damn place I don't even know what day Is today he made me ignorant about everything that is really hard

The window blow hard by the rain and the wind that I can sense if would be raining hard today God how I hate rain

Cause whenever theres rain there's lightning and thunder

Ang dilim na ng paligid, halos wala nang liwanag na pumapasok mula sa bintana. Biglang dumagundong ang kulog na halos ikinagulat ko. Mabilis kong tinakpan ang tenga ko, pero kahit anong gawin ko, naririnig ko pa rin ang malakas na ugong ng kidlat. "Shit... shit..." I whispered to myself, my whole body trembling. Ever since I was a kid, wala akong kaya kapag may bagyo. There’s just something about the loud crack of thunder that makes my heart race like crazy.

Nasa gilid ako ng kama, nakaupo at pilit na niyayakap ang sarili para lang hindi ako lamunin ng takot. Every time may sumasambulat na kidlat sa labas, halos maiyak na ako sa kaba. Bakit ba kailangan mangyari ‘to ngayon? As if being a captive isn’t enough.

Bigla kong narinig ang marahang pagkatok sa pinto. Hindi ko pinansin. Ayokong makita siya ngayon, lalo na’t nasa ganitong estado ako.

Pero nagulat ako nang bumukas ang pinto at narinig ko ang mabigat na yabag niya papalapit sa akin. Agad kong inangat ang ulo ko at nakita siya—si Mask Guy, nakatayo sa pintuan, hawak ang isang tuwalya para sana takpan ang basa niyang balikat.

“What now?” tinig ko’y nanginginig, hindi ko mapigilang kumunot ang noo habang pinupunasan niya ang sarili. He must’ve come from outside, kasi basang-basa siya mula ulo hanggang paa.

“Bakit ka nanginginig?” tanong niya, his voice steady as always, pero may bakas ng concern sa boses niya. Lumapit siya, and before I could react, he was already kneeling beside my bed, inspecting me like he was checking kung may nangyari sa’kin.

“It’s just... the storm...” I muttered, turning my gaze away. Ayoko siyang tingnan. I hate looking vulnerable in front of him.

“Then why are you scared ?” tanong niya, para bang nakahanap siya ng bagong laruan na mae-explore.

“Im not? At pake alamero ka umalis kana Hindi kita kailangan dito” I shot back, pero alam kong hindi na siya papatulan ng simpleng pagtaray lang. Biglang kumidlat ulit at halos mapasigaw ako sa takot. Automatically, I buried my face in my hands.

Tumahimik siya saglit. Then, he let out a soft sigh. “not scared huh, .. Move over,” he said, pointing at the side of the bed.

“H-Ha? Anong sinasabi mo?!” I stuttered, not sure if I heard him correctly.

“Move over,” he repeated, this time with that steady, commanding tone. I was too shaken to argue, so I reluctantly scooted to the side. I watched as he climbed onto the bed, his weight making the mattress sink slightly. “Ano bang ginagawa mo?!” halos pasigaw kong tanong, pero hindi ko na natapos dahil biglang dumagundong ulit ang kulog. I instinctively reached out to grab the nearest thing—at siya ‘yun. Napahawak ako sa braso niya, my fingers digging into his wet shirt.

“Relax,” bulong niya, his voice calmer now. “I’m just here para hindi ka matakot.”

He leaned back against the headboard, pulling me gently until I was leaning against him. His warmth slowly seeped through my trembling form. I could feel his steady heartbeat against my cheek. It was... oddly comforting. But at the same time, it was making me aware of how close we were.

I tried to move away, pero pinigilan niya ako. “Stay,” he whispered, his hand gently caressing my back. "It's just a thunder it won't hurt you, you're inside the house so you don't really need to be this scared "

We stayed like that for a while, listening to the rain pattering against the windows. His fingers traced soft, soothing circles on my back, helping my racing heart slow down. I closed my eyes, trying to steady my breath.

Bigla kong naramdaman ang pag-angat ng ulo ko. He tilted my chin up, forcing me to look at him. Our eyes locked, and for a moment, the tension between us thickened. The storm outside seemed to disappear as I got lost in those intense eyes behind his mask.

He leaned in closer, his breath brushing against my lips. The air was heavy, charged, as if we were balancing on the edge of something we both knew we shouldn't cross. I could feel his gaze flicker down to my lips, and my breath hitched.

“Bakit... bakit mo ginagawa ‘to?” I whispered, my voice barely audible. Hindi ko na alam kung ano pa ang iniisip ko. This... this was insane.

He didn’t answer, he just wrapped me with some blankets . I felt the warmth of his breath on my forehead, the tension between us so thick it was almost suffocating. I found myself leaning in, almost involuntarily, but then—

Boom! Another crash of thunder erupted outside, making me flinch. He pulled back, his eyes still locked onto mine. Para kaming parehong natauhan sa ginawa namin.

“Matulog ka na,” he finally said, his voice hoarse and low. “I’ll stay here hanggang sa humina ang bagyo.”

Hinayaan ko siyang hawakan ang kamay ko, his grip firm but gentle, until my eyes grew heavy and my exhaustion finally took over. Sino kaba talaga I found him this time so defenseless that I didn't also think what I did after I found the chance to do so..

who are you

Ish Ann Gray POV.

The opportunity presented itself almost too perfectly.

I’d been watching him closely, waiting for that one moment when he would let his guard down, and tonight was finally it. The mask guy he was distracted, leanings over the headboard , . I could hear his steady breathing, his shoulders relaxed, completely unaware that I was inching closer, my heart racing with the idea running inside my head right now.

I’ve been waiting for this. Now or never, Ish Ann.

I swallowed, my hands trembling, but I refused to let my nerves get the better of me. I reached out slowly, my fingers brushing against the cool surface of his mask. For a moment, I held my breath, anticipation thrumming through my veins as I began to lift it—

But before I could even peel it off halfway, his hand shot up like a viper, grabbing my wrist in a bone-crushing grip.

"What do you think you’re doing?" he growled, spinning around to face me. His eyes, the only part of his face I could see, were blazing with fury. In a split second, his other hand was around my throat, slamming me back onto the bed.

I gasped, clawing at his wrist as he squeezed, cutting off my air supply. "You never learn, do you?" His voice was low, dangerously calm, but his eyes burned with something darker—rage, or maybe something worse.

"I f*****g hate you!" I spat, even as my vision started to blur, my chest tightening as I struggled to breathe.

"I f*****g hate your guts too," he snarled, his grip tightening for a moment before he eased up just enough for me to catch a shallow breath. "Look, I'm trying to be nice here, pero inuubos mo pasensya ko."

The frustration in his voice was evident, almost like he was fighting some internal battle. But I was too angry, too desperate to care. I used every ounce of strength I had left, trying to push him off, to knee him in the stomach, to get some kind of upper hand. But he was too strong—my blows landed uselessly against him.

He just laughed, a bitter, mocking sound. "Is that all you’ve got, sweetheart?"

I kept fighting, refusing to give up, even though I knew it was futile. My body was starting to give out; I was running on pure adrenaline now. But just when I thought I’d be crushed under his weight, a sudden, deafening crack echoed through the room. A loud clap of thunder shook the walls, startling both of us.

His grip loosened, and for a brief second, I could see the hesitation in his eyes. It was like the storm outside had thrown him off balance. I took the chance to gulp down air, coughing as I tried to steady myself.

And then, to my utter disbelief, his grip softened completely. His hands slid from my throat to my shoulders, and I saw something shift in his eyes—something that looked almost like... concern?

My breath hitched, and suddenly, all the anger I’d been holding onto crumbled. The adrenaline that kept me fighting drained away, leaving only exhaustion and... something I didn’t want to acknowledge. My eyes burned, tears slipping down my cheeks despite myself.

"I hate you so much!!," I choked out, my voice barely a whisper now, a broken sob escaping my lips.

"I know, baby, I know," he murmured, his tone so soft it almost didn’t sound like him. His hands moved to cup my face gently, his thumbs brushing away the tears. He leaned closer, his breath warm against my ear.

"But you don’t hate me as much as you think you do."

His voice was low, steady, and maddeningly confident. The words hung in the air, sinking into the charged silence between us like a heavy stone.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat. The audacity of his statement sent a chill racing down my spine, but the way he said it so calm, so sure made my chest tighten in ways I didn’t want to admit.

"You’re insane," I spat, my voice trembling despite my effort to sound firm.

He tilted his head, a ghost of a smirk playing on his lips. "Maybe. But that doesn’t make me wrong."

There was no malice in his tone, only an unsettling certainty that made my stomach churn

"You’re delusional," I spat, my voice trembling despite my attempt to sound firm. "I loathe you. Every second, every breath, every word that comes out of your mouth just makes me hate you even more."

I wanted to push him away, to tell him he was wrong, but the words got caught in my throat. The storm raged on outside, the sound of rain hammering against the windows, and for a moment, all I could do was cling to the warmth of his body, hating myself for needing the comfort he was offering.

I hated him. I hated him so much it hurt. But right now, in this twisted moment of vulnerability, all I could do was cry into his chest as he held me close.

I couldn’t shake it. After that intense encounter where he held me close, where he comforted me when I was at my weakest... something shifted.

There was something about him that was eating me up inside. I needed to know who he was. The mask, the way he spoke, the strange moments where he seemed almost... human. Hindi ko na mapigilan ang curiosity ko. Sino ba talaga siya?

So when I noticed na ilang araw na siyang hindi nagpapakita, I knew it was my chance. Now or never, Ish Ann.

I waited until I was sure the house was silent. The guards had left their posts. This was it—my window to find answers. Dahan-dahan akong lumabas mula sa kwarto ko, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest. Every step echoed in the empty hallways, making me second-guess my plan, pero wala nang atrasan.

Finally, I reached his room. It was locked—of course—but I had managed to sneak a spare key from one of the guards a few days ago. With trembling hands, I inserted the key and slowly turned it, praying it wouldn’t make any noise.

Click.

The door swung open, and I slipped inside, closing it quietly behind me.

The room was pristine. Too pristine. Everything was in place—perfectly folded bed sheets, spotless floors, and not a single speck of dust. Parang walang taong nakatira dito. Seriously? This place was cleaner than any luxury hotel room.

I began searching. I checked the drawers, the closet, even behind the paintings on the walls. Nothing. Not even a single scrap of paper. It was like he went out of his way to erase every trace of himself. Tangina, how can someone live like this?

Frustration bubbled up inside me as I rifled through his belongings—pero wala talaga akong makita. Every drawer was empty, every cabinet completely bare. But just as I was about to give up, I heard the faintest sound—footsteps.

Shit. He was back.

My heart dropped to my stomach. I frantically looked around for a place to hide, but there was nowhere—no closets, no curtains. In a panic, I dove under his bed, squeezing myself into the narrow space just as the door opened.

I held my breath, trying to control the rapid thudding of my heart. I could only see his feet from my hiding spot, but it was enough. He walked into the room, his footsteps slow and deliberate, like he knew someone had been here.

"Well, well, well..." he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I know you're here somewhere, sweetheart."

My eyes widened, panic surging through me. Did he know? Had he already figured out I was under the bed?

I bit my lip to keep from making a sound. I could hear him moving around, opening drawers, checking behind doors, and every time he got closer, my heart skipped a beat.

Then, to my horror, he stopped right beside the bed. His black boots were just inches from my face. I held my breath, praying to every god I didn’t believe in that he wouldn’t look down.

He was silent for a few seconds, and then—CRASH! He kicked something across the room. "Goddammit!" he growled.

For a moment, I thought he was going to flip the bed over. But instead, I heard him walk away. The door slammed shut behind him.

I stayed under the bed for what felt like an eternity, waiting to see if he would come back. When I was sure he was gone, I crawled out, my limbs aching from staying still for so long.

I had been so close—so damn close—but I still had nothing. My mind was racing, and the frustration gnawed at me even more. Pero isa lang ang sigurado ko ngayon. I needed to be smarter, faster, and more careful. This game wasn’t over yet.

"Sino ka ba talaga?" I whispered to the empty room, determined to find out.

I couldn’t waste a second. After that close call, tumakbo ako pabalik sa kwarto ko, making sure my footsteps were light and quick. The moment I shut the door behind me, I sprinted straight to the bathroom, desperately trying to calm my racing heart. He almost caught me... But I couldn’t let him know I was snooping around his space.

I quickly stripped off my clothes, turned on the shower just to make it sound like I was really bathing, and splashed some water on my face and hair. Mabilis akong nagpunas, pinilit kong ayusin ang sarili ko kahit pa nanginginig pa ang mga kamay ko. I grabbed a fluffy robe and wrapped it around me, making sure I looked like I’d just stepped out of the shower.

The moment I stepped out of the bathroom, he was already there—standing in the middle of my room, his chest heaving like he’d been running. His eyes were wild, filled with a mix of frustration and something else I couldn’t quite place.

"Where have you been?" he barked, his voice harsh.

I blinked, forcing a look of innocent confusion on my face. "What do you mean?"

Patay-malisya kong sagot, keeping my tone casual even though my heart was still pounding.

"You!" he growled, stepping closer. "You were not here a while ago. Where have you been, woman?" His eyes were scanning me, looking for any clue, but he couldn’t quite meet my gaze directly.

I couldn’t help but smirk inwardly. The fact that he was avoiding my eyes said a lot. Maybe it was because I was standing there in nothing but a robe, my hair damp, water droplets still clinging to my skin. Flustered, huh? I thought.

"Taking a bath?" I answered nonchalantly, arching a brow at him. "Teka, bakit ba?"

He looked like he wanted to pull his hair out. His fists clenched at his sides as he paced around the room like a caged animal, clearly frustrated. His eyes darted everywhere but at me. "I..." he hesitated, as if searching for the right words. "I checked everywhere! You weren’t here!"

I shrugged, doing my best to look unfazed. "Maybe you just missed me? You paranoid f**k!! " I teased, letting out a soft laugh that only seemed to infuriate him more. But deep inside I'm shaking I'm nervous as hell

"Stop playing games with me, woman!" he snapped, his voice cracking slightly, betraying the frustration he was trying so hard to mask. He looked like he had just run back and forth across the whole building, trying to find me. And the fact that he couldn’t made him even more furious.

I crossed my arms over my chest, the robe slipping slightly, revealing more skin. His eyes flickered down for a brief second before he forced himself to look away, jaw clenching. I could see it the way his control was hanging by a thread. And for some reason, that gave me a sense of power. I have that affect on him that's my asset , and I guess advantage in this situation

"Relax," I said in a soft, taunting whisper, stepping closer. "If you wanted to watch me bathe, all you had to do was ask.but you don't have the right tho so, ..."

I poke his forehead and

"I'm sorry that never will never happen, "

His face darkened, a growl rumbling in his chest. But behind that anger, there was something else something I could almost taste. And as much as I hated him... I couldn’t deny the thrill it gave me to mess with him.

"You..." He stepped forward, so close I could feel the heat radiating off him, but this time, he didn’t touch me. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, as if he was holding himself back. "You really don't know when to stop, do you?"

I smiled sweetly. "Oh, I didn't do anything tho, and where's the fun in that?"

His jaw tightened, his eyes boring into mine. For a moment, I thought he was going to snap, to lose that careful control he always held onto so tightly. But then, just as quickly, he stepped back, his expression hardening.

"Be careful, milady," he said, his voice dropping to a low, threatening whisper. "You’re playing a dangerous game."

I just smirked, turning my back on him as I headed towards my bed. "We’ll see about that."

I could still feel his eyes on me as I walked away, his presence heavy and filled with something dark. But I wouldn’t let him see how much he was getting to me.

This was far from over.

Sino ka ba talaga

I couldn't shake off this growing feeling of familiarity. May kung ano sa kanya yung kilos, yung katawan, even the way he moves na parang kilala ko na dati. But his voice, that deep, controlled tone... it’s nothing like I remember.

Could it be...? I thought to myself.

Wrauderick?