Chapter 3 Let Me Go

• The car door shut with a quiet thud behind her, locking Serena in silence with the man she feared and couldn’t understand — Adrian.
• He glanced sideways at her. “How old are you?”
• She swallowed hard. “Eighteen.”
• His brow lifted. “Still in school?”
• She shook her head quickly, voice small. “I dropped out…
• My mom—she’s been sick.
• I had to stay home. We ran out of money.”
• There was a pause, then Adrian reached over, gently tilting her chin toward him. His fingers were warm, confident — and uninvited.
• “You bite your lip when you’re scared,” he murmured. “Don’t. It’s bleeding.”
• Before she could react, he leaned in. His lips brushed hers in a sudden, breath-stealing kiss.
• Serena stiffened, heart pounding in her chest. She froze — not out of consent, but confusion, fear, and disbelief. Her hand instinctively pushed against his chest, but it was like trying to stop a storm with an umbrella.
• Then, just as suddenly, he pulled away — his expression unreadable.
• “You’re stronger than you look,” he said, almost amused.
• Tears burned at the corners of her eyes. “Please… just let me go. I don’t want any of this.”
• Adrian’s tone turned icy. “And let your mother die tomorrow? Is that what you want?”
• Her breath caught. The words were a knife — not cruel in delivery, but ruthless in truth.
• The car slowed to a stop. Adrian stepped out first, then opened her door. She didn’t move, so he reached in, took her hand, and guided her out.
• What stood before her was a private villa — elegant and quiet. Isolated. It felt like walking into a story she never chose to be part of.
• Inside, he didn’t say much. Just walked her up the stairs, opened the door to a bedroom, and let go of her wrist.
• She stood in the center of the room, trembling. He walked to the window, hands in his pockets.
• “Your father gave you to me,” he said after a moment. “For a piece of land worth two hundred million. That’s how much you’re worth to him.”
• Her knees buckled slightly. She leaned on the nearest wall to steady herself.
• “I don’t want anything from you,” she whispered. “I just want to save my mom.”
• Adrian finally turned to her, his eyes softer now — but no less intense.
• “Then listen to me. Stay here tonight. Do as I say. In return, I’ll make sure your mother gets the surgery tomorrow morning. The best doctors. The best treatment. No delays. No more hospital bills.”
• Serena stared at him, her heart a mix of grief, fear, and helplessness.
• She could scream. She could run. But where would she go? Who would help her?
• So instead, she looked down. His arms wrapped tightly around her as she whispered, “Okay.”
• Adrian took one slow step toward her, then stopped. “Good. You’re smart. And in this world… smart girls survive.”
• But even after everything, Adrian still stepped closer.
• His eyes traced the marks left on Serena’s skin—faint bruises, crimson reminders of a night she never asked for. He didn’t touch her again, not in the way she feared. Instead, he studied her like she was an unfinished painting — and then, just as abruptly, turned away.
• “You’ll sleep here tonight,” he said, voice unreadable as he walked out of the room.
• The door clicked shut behind him.
• The moment he was gone, Serena bolted upright from the bed. Her legs trembled beneath her, but she pushed forward. She had to get out. Every cell in her body screamed it.
• She took a few steps, dizzy from exhaustion and the rush of adrenaline, nearly falling to her knees. Her fingers pressed to her temples as she steadied herself.
• She tiptoed toward the door, pressing her ear to it. Silence.
• Carefully, slowly, she turned the knob, cracking the door just enough to peek into the hallway. Empty.
• A flicker of hope sparked in her chest. She took one quiet step outside—
• “Not enough for one night?”
• A voice sliced through the air like a knife.
• She gasped, spinning around, clutching her dress to her chest. Adrian stood casually by the doorway, his expression unreadable but his eyes sharp.
• “I—I thought you left,” she stammered.
• “In that outfit?” He glanced at the evening dress she was still wearing. “Planning to sleep in designer couture?”
• She stepped back, hugging herself. “I… I don’t have anything else to wear.”
• “I didn’t bring you pajamas either,” he said, stepping closer. “So maybe you should sleep without.”
• Serena’s back hit the edge of the bed. Her legs nearly gave out again.
• He lifted a brow at her silence. “I don’t like being lied to. You were trying to leave.”
• “No—” she blurted. “I wasn’t. I swear, I just… I wanted to rest, that’s all.”
• He studied her, then touched her collarbone with the back of his fingers. She flinched.
• “Get in bed. Now. Don’t make me lose my patience.”
• She hesitated, then wrapped the towel around herself again and slowly climbed into bed, curling up on the edge. The sheets still carried his scent, and her stomach turned. But she held it down. She had to.
• Adrian lay beside her without another word.
• The tension in the room was suffocating, but exhaustion eventually won. Serena drifted off into a restless sleep, chased by dark dreams.
• When she woke, sunlight was already pouring through the windows.
• Her head pounded. Her eyes burned. All around her were pieces of the night she didn’t want to remember — scattered clothes, tangled sheets, silence.
• From the bathroom, she heard the shower running.
• Her heart started racing. She didn’t know what she was supposed to do now. Stay? Run?
• Before she could decide, the door opened.
• Adrian walked out, shirtless, a towel slung low around his hips. His hair was damp, water dripping down the lines of muscle across his chest.
• Serena looked away quickly.
• “Take the pill,” he said, without emotion.
• Her eyes flicked to the nightstand. There was a glass of water… and a box of pills.
• Emergency contraception.
• Her hands trembled as she reached for it, staring at the label. Her throat went dry.
• Adrian didn’t explain. He didn’t have to. His silence said enough.
• Serena blinked hard to stop the tears. Then she picked up the glass.
• And swallowed.