CRIMSON VOWS

Chapter 19

The house was silent. Too silent.

Aira locked her bedroom door quietly, the soft metallic click offering her a fleeting, fragile sense of control. Her heart thudded violently against her ribs, but her mind was already racing ahead—he can’t be watching me every single second, right?

Her phone vibrated in her palm. Unknown Number.

She hesitated, her thumb hovering over the screen, before pressing it to her ear.

"Aira? It’s me."

Her stomach dropped into a abyss.

"Reyan?" she whispered, taking a cautious step closer to the window. "Why are you calling from a new number? What if he—"

"Listen to me," her ex-fiancé’s voice came through, low and urgent. "I found someone who can help us. There’s an investigative journalist who wants to bring Dominic down. We just need proof. Anything—documents, illegal ledgers, audio recordings, something personal. Can you get it?"

Her fingers trembled against the casing. "I—I don’t know. He watches everything. He’s always around. I’m scared, Reyan."

She glanced nervously back at the locked door. Above her, the ceiling fan spun in slow, rhythmic circles.

"Okay..." she breathed, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I’ll try."

A heavy pause hung on the line.

"I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you at the wedding," Reyan whispered softly.

"You still can," she whispered back.

Click. She ended the call, wiping her sweaty palm against her skirt.

And then—a soft, slow, rhythmic clap echoed through the room.

Aira spun around, her heart jumping straight into her throat.

Dominic.

He was leaning casually against her closet door, his arms crossed over his chest, clad in a fitted black shirt. A razor-thin smirk played on his lips.

Aira’s phone slipped from her fingers, clattering against the hardwood floor.

"Touching. Really," his voice was quiet, dangerously cold. "Your little knight trying to slay the big bad monster. How painfully romantic."

Her throat closed up. "How did you—"

"You’re my wife, darling," he said, stepping out of the shadows. "Did you really think I wouldn’t tap your phone before we even left the estate?"

He closed the distance between them with slow, measured steps.

"You just agreed to hand me over on a silver platter like I’m a common criminal. After I sat down and fed your parents. After I let you breathe for a whole day without forcing you to carry my name in public."

"You are a criminal!" she snapped, backing up until her heels hit the baseboards.

Dominic tilted his head, watching her with dark, hypnotic eyes. "And you’re my wife. That makes you complicit in everything I do, doesn't it?"

"I’m not scared of you," she breathed, her chin trembling despite her brave words.

He stepped closer, closing the remaining space between them. "Liar."

"Don’t come near me!"

"Why?" he whispered, cornering her against the wall, towering over her small frame. "Because you know I won’t lay a hand on you unless you beg me for it?"

"I’d rather burn in hell."

Dominic smiled—a dark, wicked expression that sent chills straight down her spine. "Then let’s both burn together."

He slammed his hand against the wall right beside her head, trapping her. His hot breath ghosted over her flushed cheek.

"Let me guess... Reyan asked you to betray me, steal my files, run away with him?"

She kept her mouth shut, glaring at him through her lashes.

Dominic leaned closer, his nose softly brushing the strands of her hair. "You smell like guilt, Aira."

"Get out," she choked out.

"No."

Slowly, Dominic reached into his trousers pocket, pulled out a sleek, metallic digital recording device, and casually tossed it onto her bed.

"Go ahead," he murmured, his eyes locking onto hers. "Spy on me. Gather your evidence. But next time you play spy... remember that I spy back harder."

He turned on his heel to leave, taking two calm steps toward the unlocked door—then stopped in his tracks.

"Oh. And do me a favor..." He glanced back over his shoulder, his dark gaze cutting through her. "Tell Reyan that if he breathes anywhere near your radius again... I’ll mail him back his own spine."

Thud.

The door shut firmly behind him.

Aira slid down the wall until she hit the floor, covering her mouth with both hands as hot tears spilled over her cheeks.

Her whole body trembled in the quiet room. But beneath the raw fear and white-hot rage... something darker was beginning to stir in her chest.

She wasn't just a victim anymore. She was in the game now.