EPISODE THREE
1388 Words
CHAPTER 003 LINA’S POINT OF VIEW
I knew I should have stayed out later the moment I entered the house. There was tension in the air. Still. The kind of silence that indicated a storm was on its way in the corridor.
He had already arrived. Jasper. Arms folded, face blank but smoldering beneath, standing at the edge of the living room. I could tell that look without seeing his eyes.
"You're running late."
I spoke softly and left my purse on the table.
"Traffic."
He remained motionless. simply gazed.
"That all?"
His tone conveyed more than just the words. It was piercing my skin.
"Jasper, what's this really about?"
"You gave him a smile."
I blinked.
"What?"
"Lina, don't act foolish. at the gathering. You gave Niklas that look? Too supple. Too familiar.
I exhaled and gave a single, dry laugh.
"Is that what this is? Are you envious of someone's appearance?
He took a step forward. Slowly. Like a cat waiting to attack.
"You don't think I noticed his gaze on you? He looked at you as if he had known you before. As if he could still."
I lifted my chin.
"Perhaps because he did have me before you pushed your way in."
He twitched his hand. Only once. Although he didn't strike me, the threat lingered in the air between us.
"I now own you. Keep that in mind.
He took hold of my left hand and gave it a slight twist, revealing the enormous diamond he had pushed onto my finger the previous week.
"This has significance. even if you pretend that it doesn't.
"Yeah," I whispered. It implies that you can parade me around. Something shiny that you purchased.
His eyes were cold as he grinned.
"An extremely costly one, too. Thus, pretend to be it.
"You believe you own me because you put a ring on me?"
"I doubt it. I am aware.
I wrenched my hand away.
"I'm not loved by you. You're a control freak.
"And you love attention," he retorted. Niklas still causes your eyes to flicker because of this. Even now.
"You're crazy."
"No," he said in a low voice. "I'm intelligent. You’re the one who needs reminding who’s in charge."
"You wouldn't dare harm me."
His breath was hot against my cheek as he leaned closer.
"I wouldn't be required to. I would simply interrupt you. Pull each and every string. What is the status of your father's business? Lost. What's your name? It's not a worthy endeavor. Do you believe they would pick you over me? Lina, I created you. I can also unmake you.
Something broke. My hand flew before my brain caught up, and I'm not sure what happened to me. The room reverberated with the slap.
He didn't recoil.
He simply glanced at me, more slowly this time, with that uncanny composure that frightened me more than any yell.
"You will regret that."
He then took hold of my jaw and planted a kiss on me.
Hard. Strong. More of a caution than a love.
I turned my stomach and heaved my chest as I pushed him back with both hands.
"Avoid touching me once more."
He c****d his head. He wiped the corner of his mouth.
"You don't give orders here, sweetie. You take them.
Suddenly, he started to move in the direction of the stairs. As if we hadn't just been in a combat zone.
For a long moment, I stood motionless. Then another.
At last, my legs moved. I staggered into the bathroom, closed the door, and tapped the counter with my hands.
Pale and hollow, my reflection stared back.
"Lina, what are you doing?" I muttered. "What have you become?"
Niklas was on my mind. I was captivated by the way he gazed at me during the celebration. He seemed to remember every detail about me. Not just the shell I'm wearing right now.
I felt the gentle touch of his fingers as he handed me a glass. He asked, "Are you okay?" as if he already knew the answer.
I gasped.
"Run."
In my mind, that was the word. Again and again. As if it had been planted there and was now refusing to go.
Where do you run, though? To whom? How, too?
I took out the flash drive I had stashed under the soaps after opening my drawer. This was the flash drive that my father had given me before my heart attack. Jasper had claimed everything before he swooped in like a vulture.
I connected it to the laptop. Files appeared. The emails were private and contained financial information. Jasper's signed letters.
forged.
My blood became icy. It was this. I had never been able to locate the proof.
My father's company had been stolen by him. individually. while I was in mourning. when I was blind.
Behind me, the door creaked. I slammed the laptop shut after yanking the drive out and jamming it down my bra.
"Something wrong?" Jasper leaned against the frame and asked sharply from the doorway.
I made an effort to smile.
"I'm just washing my face."
He continued to observe me for a moment. then gave a nod.
"You’ll need to pack a dress. Something sophisticated. Tomorrow, we're taking off by plane.
"Where?"
"Zurich. At a private event, we will announce the merger. Blackridge and König have merged. Isn’t that what you always wanted? in order to honor your father?"
I didn't respond.
He went out.
And I fell to my knees, pressing my forehead against the chilly tile floor.
The globe was in a state of rotation. I was having trouble breathing.
He had everything planned. to remove me. to put his name above mine.
Now, though, I had that drive.
I was in charge.
Perhaps for the first time in several months.
That night, I didn't sleep. My heart was pounding and my eyes were wide as I lay awake. It felt like a scream every time the house creaked. He was in every shadow.
My phone came on at about three in the morning.
Unknown number.
**Are you still alive? – N**
My chest ached as I gazed at the screen.
I returned the type.
**Hardly. You were correct. He poses a threat.
A few seconds went by.
**Leave. Right now. Come see me. I'll protect you.**
I paused. My fingers lingered.
**I have evidence. on him. Important things. I can't abandon it.**
He answered almost immediately.
**Then don't lose it. But he won't stop, Lina. He didn't.
I wiped away tears that didn't even feel like they were falling.
And that's when I decided.
I would visit Zurich.
Not as his puppet, though.
according to his estimation.
The drive was concealed inside a tiny silver locket when I came downstairs the following morning. From the corner, he watched me pack like a hawk.
"Today you're quiet."
"Just focused," I answered.
"Good girl."
It sounded like praise from him. similar to training.
I grinned as well.
because he failed to anticipate the storm.
Jasper called later on the plane, One by one, negotiating. Through his teeth, lying smoothly.
I sat across from him, pretending to read, heart hammering, counting down the hours until we landed.
We checked into the hotel that evening. A gold and glass palace. There are cameras everywhere. Employees are too courteous to inquire.
He poured us wine.
"For the future," he stated.
I held up my glass.
"And the past," I whispered.
He didn’t notice the weight in my words.
But someone else did.
I sensed that someone was watching me from the other side of the room.
Niklas.
He was present. At the bar.
And he lifted his glass a little. A single word shifted in his mouth.
**Very soon.**
My skin began to burn.
Jasper put his hand on my waist.
"You alright?"
I forced a smile as I nodded.
"Just warm."
But inside, everything was burning.
Because I knew, without question…
Dinner and drinks wouldn't be the end of this.
There would be fire and blood at the end.
And maybe, just maybe, freedom.
But the cost?
I still didn’t know.
Would I survive?
Would he?
Then it came as a slap.
Was I prepared to exchange my soul for retribution?
Or was it already too late?
- Writer
