Chapter 2 Golden Cage

• The car speed through the rainy streets. Ivy sat stiff in her seat, her fingers clutching the damp border of her jacket. Across from her, Harrison rested in complete control, his sharp eyes watching her like a predator.
• “You’re quiet,” he remarked.
• Ivy glanced at him but quickly looked away, her heart still pounding hardly from what she had witnessed. “What do you expect me to say?” she mumbled, her voice trembling.
• Harrison chuckled in the sound low voice. “Good. You’re learning.”
• Before she could respond, the car slows down, pulling into the driveway of a lavish mansion. Ivy’s breath stuck as the gates closed behind them, the sound echoing like the lock on a prison cell.
• “This is where you will stay,” Harrison said, stepping out of the car. “Come, Ivy. Time to see your new place.”
• Ivy followed, her soaked shoes screaky against the marble floor as they entered the grand hall. The space was breathtaking; glowing chandeliers and an aura of wealth that felt suffocating. But the beauty of it couldn’t mask the darkness that were in every corner.
• “You’ll find that I’m a generous employer,” Harrison said, leading her through the halls. “You’ll have everything you need; clothes, food, money for your mother’s treatment. But there are rules.”
• Ivy’s heart twisted as they stopped in front of a door. “What kind of rules?”
• Harrison turned to her. “Rule one: You answer to me and only me. Rule two: You don’t speak of what you see or hear within this house. And rule three…” He stepped closer, whispering. “You will not run.”
• The weight of his words settles on her like chains. “I understand,” she said, forcing the words out.
• “Good.” Harrison opened the door, revealing a lavish bedroom. “This will be yours. Rest tonight. Tomorrow, your work will start.”
• Ivy entered the room hesitantly; her eyes go over the luxurious bed and furnishings. It felt like a golden cage, and she was the trapped bird.
• “Sleep well, darling,” Harrison said, with mockery. As he closed the door behind him, Ivy released a shaky breath, her legs threatening to give way.
• The room feels cold despite its luxury. Ivy sat on the bed, her heart pounding. What had she gotten herself into? The image of Harrison plunging the knife into that man replays in her mind, making her throat tighten.
• She looked at her phone, which unbelievably still had a signal. Dialing up her mother’s number, she hesitated. How could she explain any of this?
• Before she could decide, a knock sounded at the door. Ivy jumped; her pulse fastens.
• “Miss Everett,” a deep voice come. It was one of Harrison’s men.
• “Yes?” she replied, her voice unsteady.
• “There’s food in the dining room if you’re hungry.”
• “I’m not,” she said quickly.
• The man didn’t respond, his footsteps fading outside. Ivy exhaled, realizing her hands were shaking. She lay back on the bed. Sleep came slowly, and when it did, it was filled by nightmares of cold blue eyes and bloodied hands.
• Morning came too soon. Ivy woke up by a knock, followed by the door opening without waiting for a reply.
• “Get up,” Harrison commanded. He was standing in the doorway, dressed in another beautiful suit.
• Ivy sat up; her heart stopped at the sight of him. “What do you want?”
• “To introduce you to your duties,” he said, stepping into the room. “And to remind you of the costs of failure.”
• She swallows hard and swung her legs over the side of the bed. “What do you need me to do?”
• Harrison smiled, but it doesn’t have any warmth. “For now, you’ll assist me in managing certain… transactions. I’ll need you to keep meticulous records, handle sensitive information, and ensure everything runs smoothly.”
• “I don’t know anything about that kind of work,” Ivy admitted.
• “You’ll learn,” he said simply. “And quickly, I hope.”
• He handed her a tablet, the screen displays a series of documents and numbers. Ivy frowned, realizing she was looking at the financial records of his criminal territory.
• “This is illegal,” she said before she could stop herself.
• Harrison’s smile widens. “Darling, you’re standing in the heart of illegality.”
• The day passed in a haze of instructions and light covert threats. Ivy worked silently, her fear keeping her focused. Harrison watched her like a hawk, his presence was suffocating.
• By evening, she was exhausted, her mind was twisting with everything she had learned. But just as she thought the day was over, Harrison summoned her to his office.
• “Sit,” he ordered, gesturing to a chair across his desk. Ivy sat; her nerves worn.
• Harrison slides a file across the desk. “I need you to deliver this to someone tonight. Alone.”
• Her eyes widen. “What? Why me?”
• “Because I want to see if you can follow orders,” he said.
• Ivy hesitated. “What happens if I don’t?”
• Harrison leaned forward, his eyes piercing. “You don’t want to find out.”
• Ivy found herself standing outside a broken-down warehouse on the border of the city, the file clutched tightly in her hands. Every shadow seemed to hold a threat around her.
• The door creaked open, and a man stepped out; a muscular man with a scar on his face. His eyes narrowed as they landed on her.
• “You’re the delivery girl?” he sneered.
• Ivy nodded with her racing heart. “Yes.”
• He reached for the file, but before she could hand it over, a gunshot rang out, breaking the silence.
• Ivy froze, the file slipped from her grasp. The man in front of her fall to the ground, blood going beneath him.
• From the shadows, a man emerged, a gun in hand. Ivy’s blood ran cold as Harrison stepped into the light; his expression was deadly.
• “I told you, Ivy,” he said, his voice was cold and unforgiving. “This is my world. And now, you’re a part of it.”
• To be Continued…