His Broken Muse

She Was Never Meant to Leave "Did you really think I would sell my highest worker... and for what reason?" Madame Celeste's voice was calm. Too calm. The kind of calm that frightened people more than screaming ever could. Neol remained on his knees in front of her, his palms pressed firmly against the cold marble floor as if it was the only thing stopping him from falling apart completely. His breathing trembled. His shoulders were tense. But despite everything, he forced himself to speak. "I'll pay you," he said hoarsely. "Anything you want. Just... let her go." Madame Celeste stared at him in silence. Her expression was unreadable. Slowly, elegantly, she lifted her crystal glass and swirled the amber liquid inside. Her sharp eyes never left his face. "You'll pay me?" she repeated softly. Neol nodded. "Yes." Silence. Then suddenly, she hurled the drink straight at him. The liquid splashed across his face, soaking his hair and shirt instantly. The sharp scent of alcohol filled the room. Neol flinched. But he never moved. Madame Celeste leaned back in her chair, watching him like an insect beneath her shoe. A cruel smile slowly curved along her lips. "Just because a filthy thing like you gets to touch one of my girls," she said quietly, "doesn't mean you have the right to stand before me and make demands." Neol clenched his fists. His nails dug painfully into his palms. "I love her," he said. His voice was rough. Broken. Honest. Madame Celeste laughed. A soft laugh. A terrifying laugh. "You are insane." Before Neol could answer, the office doors burst open. "Madame Celeste!" Victoria rushed inside. She was breathless. Terrified. The moment she saw Neol kneeling on the floor with alcohol dripping down his face, her expression crumbled. "Neol..." Her voice shook. Tears immediately gathered in her eyes. She hurried toward him and grabbed his arm. "Stand up," she pleaded. "Please stand up." "Why would you kneel for her?" "She's not worth this." Neol looked up at her. And in that moment, nothing else existed. Not the office. Not the danger. Not Madame Celeste. Only Victoria. Only the woman he loved. "You are." Victoria froze. Her grip tightened. Pain flashed across her face. "No," she whispered. "Not like this." "Not here." Madame Celeste watched them with amusement dancing in her eyes. "Hmm." "Two lovers." The words sounded twisted. Mocking. Cruel. Victoria stiffened. Neol's jaw tightened. Madame Celeste placed her glass down. "Zain." The door opened immediately. A large bald man entered. Silent. Cold. Intimidating. Waiting. Madame Celeste lazily gestured toward Victoria. "Take her to the pit." "Keep her there until she remembers who she belongs to." Victoria's eyes widened in horror. "No..." "Please..." Madame Celeste ignored her. "And get this one out of my sight." Zain moved instantly. He seized Victoria by the arm. She cried out. "No!" "Let me go!" "Neol!" Neol tried standing. Zain shoved him down violently. His knees struck the floor again. Victoria reached for him desperately. For a brief moment, their fingertips brushed. A tiny touch. A final connection. Then she was dragged away. "Neol!" Her scream echoed throughout the office. The door slammed shut. Silence followed. Neol remained kneeling. Breathing heavily. His chest rose and fell unevenly. A few moments later, Zain returned. Without saying a word, he grabbed Neol and dragged him outside. The cold night air hit his face. Then Zain threw him onto the street. The heavy doors closed. Neol stared at them. He was outside. He was free. But Victoria was still trapped inside. And freedom meant nothing without her. --- Three Days Later "What do you mean she ran away?!" Madame Celeste's voice sliced through the room. Zain stood before her. Rigid. Tense. Careful. "She escaped," he answered. "We searched everywhere." The slap came so fast he barely reacted. His head snapped sideways. Madame Celeste stepped closer. Her eyes burned with fury. "Untrackable?" she asked coldly. "You're telling me she disappeared?" Zain swallowed. "We tried finding her, ma'am, but we couldn't..." Before he finished speaking, Madame Celeste swept everything off her desk. Glass shattered. Documents scattered. Papers floated to the floor. The room descended into chaos. "She didn't disappear," Madame Celeste said quietly. Dangerously quietly. "Someone helped her." She turned toward the window. For several seconds, she said nothing. Then she smiled. A chilling smile. "Find her." Zain nodded immediately. "I don't care how long it takes." Her smile widened. "Bring her back." --- Queens, New York Victoria stood in front of a small cottage. For a long time, she simply stared. The air felt different. Cleaner. Lighter. Safe. Her hand tightened around Neol's. "It's real," she whispered. Neol smiled softly. "It is." Victoria looked at him. Her eyes shimmered. She hadn't allowed herself to dream in years. Hadn't allowed herself to believe happiness was possible. But now... Now she could finally breathe. "I want to live my happily ever after with you." Neol lifted her hand gently. He kissed it. "You will." Victoria smiled. A genuine smile. Perhaps the first true smile she'd worn in years. No commands. No fear. No cages. No chains. Only peace. Only love. Only hope. And for one beautiful moment... It truly felt like they had escaped. --- Ten Years Later The air was heavy. Cold. Oppressive. Victoria's hands trembled violently as she held her three children close. Tears blurred her vision. Her breathing was uneven. Her heart was breaking. Because standing before her was the place she had sworn never to see again. The pit. Her nightmare. The prison she once escaped. Her husband was dead. And somehow... After ten years... She was back. "Follow me." Victoria froze. That voice. She knew that voice. Slowly, she turned. Zain stood there. Older. Harder. More intimidating. But still the same monster. Her heart sank. "My children..." She pulled them closer. Instinctively. Protectively. But rough hands grabbed them away. "No!" Victoria screamed. "Please don't take them!" Her children cried. "Mummy!" "Mummy!" The sound shattered her. Everything around her blurred. It was happening again. History was repeating itself. The nightmare had returned. Victoria sobbed as she was forced forward. Step after step. Deeper into hell. Eventually, they stopped outside an office. Zain opened the door. "Go in." Victoria hesitated. Fear coursed through her veins. But she walked inside. The room looked exactly the same. Cold. Silent. Empty. Like time had never moved. Zain shut the door. Leaving her alone. Only her breathing remained. Uneven. Fragile. Desperate. Then she noticed something. A small peephole hidden within the wall. Confusion crossed her features. Slowly, she approached. Carefully. Cautiously. She leaned forward. And looked through it. At first, everything seemed blurry. Unclear. Then she saw them. Madame Celeste. Standing beside a man wearing a black mask. Victoria frowned. Something felt wrong. Familiar. Terrifying. She leaned closer. Trying to see better. The man shifted slightly. And the moment she saw part of his face... Her entire body froze. A gasp escaped her lips. Inside the other room, both figures turned sharply. Toward the wall. Toward her. Panic surged through Victoria. She stumbled backward. Footsteps approached. Slow. Measured. Deliberate. The door opened. Madame Celeste stepped inside. Her expression was dark. Dangerous. "How dare you eavesdrop?" she asked coldly. Victoria couldn't speak. Fear trapped every word inside her throat. Then the masked man entered. Silent. Watching. Waiting. Without warning, Madame Celeste pulled out a gun. She pressed it against Victoria's forehead. Victoria stopped breathing. Her entire body went rigid. Madame Celeste smiled. A smile devoid of warmth. "Now," she whispered. "Tell me what you saw." To be continued...