"Don't touch me."
Rina's voice came out sharp, trembling with anger as she jerked her arm away the moment his fingers brushed her wrist.
The man didn't react.
Didn't even blink.
He simply looked at her.
Calm.
Cold.
Unmoved.
As if her resistance meant nothing.
That alone made her chest tighten.
"I said don't touch me," she repeated, stepping back, her breathing uneven.
The space between them felt suffocating.
Too small.
Too controlled.
Like she was already trapped.
Behind him, her guardian stood silently.
Watching.
Not interfering.
Not helping.
Rina's chest ached.
"Say something," she demanded, her voice breaking slightly as she turned to him. "Tell him to leave. Tell him this is some kind of mistake!"
Silence.
Again.
That same unbearable silence.
Her heart cracked a little more.
"Please…" she whispered.
Still nothing.
Her fingers curled into fists.
"Why are you doing this to me?" she asked, her voice trembling now.
Finally—
He spoke.
"It's already decided."
The words hit harder than a slap.
Rina stared at him in disbelief.
"Decided?" she repeated. "You decided my life without even asking me?!"
His expression didn't change.
"This is for your own good."
Her eyes widened.
"Don't say that!" she snapped, anger exploding through her. "Don't you dare say this is for me!"
Her voice echoed through the room.
But it didn't change anything.
Nothing changed.
Nothing moved.
She laughed suddenly.
A broken, bitter sound.
"For my own good?" she repeated. "Selling me to a stranger is for my own good?"
Her gaze shifted back to the man in front of her.
He was still watching her.
Still silent.
Still… terrifyingly calm.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
This time—
He answered.
"Damien."
The name settled heavily in the air.
Rina swallowed.
"And what gives you the right," she continued, her voice shaking but defiant, "to think you can just take me?"
Damien's gaze darkened slightly.
"I don't need your permission."
Her heart pounded.
"Then you're not getting me," she shot back.
Without thinking—
She turned and ran.
Fast.
Her feet pounded against the floor as she rushed toward the stairs, her mind screaming one thing—
Escape.
She didn't know where she would go.
Didn't know what she would do.
But she couldn't stay.
She wouldn't.
"Stop her."
The command came cold.
Sharp.
And it wasn't directed at her.
It was directed at someone else.
Her guardian.
Her heart sank.
No…
Please don't—
Footsteps.
Fast.
Behind her.
She barely made it down the stairs before a hand grabbed her arm—
Hard.
"Let me go!" she cried, struggling violently.
But his grip tightened.
"You're making this difficult," he said, his voice low.
Rina froze.
Not because of the words—
But because of the voice.
It wasn't her guardian.
Her breath hitched.
Slowly—
She turned.
Damien.
He had caught her.
So fast.
So easily.
Panic surged through her.
"No… no, let me go!" she struggled harder, trying to pull away.
But it was useless.
His grip didn't budge.
Not even a little.
"You can't run from this," he said quietly.
Her chest tightened.
"Watch me," she snapped.
She twisted sharply, trying to break free—
But instead—
She lost her balance.
A gasp left her lips as she slipped—
And fell straight into him.
His arms caught her instantly.
Strong.
Unyielding.
For a second—
Everything stopped.
Her heart raced wildly as she found herself pressed against his chest.
Too close.
Dangerously close.
She could feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
Calm.
Controlled.
Unlike hers.
"Let me go," she whispered.
Her voice was weaker now.
He didn't move.
Didn't release her.
Instead—
His grip tightened slightly.
As if he had no intention of letting her go at all.
"You're coming with me," he said.
Final.
Her heart dropped.
"No," she said again.
But this time—
It sounded different.
Not defiant.
Desperate.
"You don't have a choice."
Those words hit harder than anything else.
Choice.
She had none.
Tears filled her eyes.
"There's always a choice," she whispered.
His gaze held hers.
For a moment—
Something unreadable flickered in his eyes.
Then it was gone.
"Not anymore."
Her heart shattered.
Before she could react—
He lifted her.
Effortlessly.
Rina gasped.
"Put me down!" she struggled, hitting his chest weakly.
But it didn't affect him.
Not at all.
He carried her toward the door like she weighed nothing.
Like her resistance didn't matter.
Like her voice didn't matter.
"Let me go!" she cried again, her voice breaking.
Still—
Nothing.
The door opened.
Cold air hit her face.
And reality hit her even harder.
This was real.
This was happening.
She was being taken.
Taken from the only life she knew.
Her chest tightened painfully as she looked back.
At the house.
At the man who had raised her.
He didn't move.
Didn't call her name.
Didn't stop them.
He just stood there.
Watching.
And that—
That hurt more than anything.
Tears slipped down her cheeks.
"You really don't care…" she whispered.
Her voice was so soft—
She wasn't even sure he heard it.
But it didn't matter.
Because he didn't respond.
Damien placed her inside the car.
The door slammed shut.
Locked.
Final.
Rina's hands shook as she reached for the handle.
Pulled.
Nothing.
Again.
Still nothing.
Locked.
Her chest tightened.
"No…" she whispered.
Panic rose again.
She turned to the window.
The house blurred behind her vision.
Then—
The car started moving.
Her heart dropped completely.
"No… no, stop… please stop!" she cried, hitting the window.
But the car didn't slow.
Didn't stop.
It kept going.
Taking her further away.
Further into the unknown.
Further into his world.
And deep down—
Rina realized something terrifying.
There was no escape.