SASHA’S POV
The cold, hard floor of the room felt unforgiving against my back as I leaned against the wall, my arms still bound tightly behind me.
My wrists ached from the restraints, and the dim lighting of the small, windowless space only amplified my fear.
The silence was deafening, broken only by the occasional creaks of the building around me. I’d long since given up screaming for help. No one was coming. No one even knew where I was.
I’d cried so much last night that my face felt swollen, my throat raw.
The overwhelming confusion, the fear, the helplessness, it all sat like a heavy weight on my chest. Why was I here? Who had done this to me? And, most importantly, why?
I replayed the events leading up to my kidnapping over and over again in my mind, trying to make sense of it.
One moment, I had been stepping out of the car, and the next, I was yanked away into darkness.
The memory was fragmented, pieces of it flashing like broken shards of glass in my head. The smell of sweat.
The rough grip on my arms. The muffled sound of my own screams.
I swallowed hard, forcing back the tears that threatened to spill again.
I couldn’t afford to break down any further. Not now. Whoever had taken me wasn’t playing games, and I needed to stay alert, no matter how hopeless it felt.
The first rays of morning light filtered through the cracks in the door, signaling the arrival of a new day, or at least what I thought was a new day. Time felt distorted here, trapped in this suffocating darkness.
My heart raced as I heard the sound of a key turning in the lock.
I froze, every muscle in my body tensing as the door creaked open.
A tall figure stepped inside, his face obscured by the mask he wore. I couldn’t make out much else about him, His features were hidden, his movements deliberate.
My voice was hoarse as I forced myself to speak. “What do you want from me?” I demanded, though my tone betrayed the fear I felt.
My body trembled despite my best efforts to appear strong.
The man didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he stepped further into the room, his presence filling the small space.
Slowly, deliberately, he reached up and removed his mask.
I gasped, my breath catching in my throat as recognition washed over me like a tidal wave. My mind struggled to process what I was seeing.
“Roland?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
He smiled,
a slow, almost cruel smile that sent chills down my spine.
“Hello, Sasha,” he said, his tone calm, almost casual, as if we were old friends meeting under normal circumstances.
My heart pounded in my chest as I stared at him, disbelief mingling with anger. “You… You did this?” I asked, my voice trembling.
He moved closer, dragging a chair across the floor and sitting down in front of me. His movements were unhurried, as if he had all the time in the world.
“Why?” I demanded, my voice rising. “Why would you do this, Roland? What do you want from me?”
He leaned back in the chair,
His eyes studied me with an intensity that made my skin crawl.
“You ask so many questions, Sasha,” he said, his tone almost amused. “But I suppose you deserve some answers.”
My stomach churned as I waited for him to continue, my mind racing with possibilities. Was this about Sebastian? Did he know something? Was this some sick game to get to him?
“Sebastian,” I said, his name escaping my lips like a lifeline.
“Did he?” I hesitated, the thought too horrifying to complete. “Did he ask you to do this?”
Roland’s smile widened, and he shook his head slowly. “Sebastian?” he repeated, almost mockingly.
“You really think he’s behind this?”
I glared at him, my fear momentarily giving way to anger. “I don’t know what to think, Roland! You’re sitting here in front of me after kidnapping me, so forgive me if I’m struggling to make sense of this!”
He chuckled, the sound low and unsettling. “Oh, Sasha,” he said, leaning forward.
“Sebastian has no idea you’re here. He didn’t ask for this. He doesn’t even know you’ve been taken.”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut, leaving me reeling. If Sebastian wasn’t behind this, then why? Why would Roland do this?
“Then why?” I asked, my voice breaking. “What could you possibly gain from this, Roland? What do you want from me?”
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving mine.
There was something unnerving about the way he looked at me, as if he enjoyed watching me squirm under his gaze.
“I want a lot of things, Sasha,” he said finally.
“But this… This isn’t about what I want. It’s about what Sebastian doesn’t deserve.”
My breath hitched as his words sank in. “What are you talking about?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Roland’s expression darkened, his smile fading. “Sebastian doesn’t deserve you,” he said, his tone cold.
“He’s reckless, selfish, and dangerous. He’ll destroy you, Sasha. And I won’t stand by and let that happen.”
His words cut deep, stirring a whirlwind of emotions within me. Anger, confusion, fear, they all collided, leaving me struggling to find the right response.
“You don’t know anything about our relationship,” I said, my voice shaking. “You have no right to make decisions for me.”
Roland leaned forward again, his face inches from mine. “Don’t I?” he asked, his voice low and menacing.
“I’ve watched him, Sasha. I’ve seen the way he operates. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself. He’ll hurt you, just like he’s hurt everyone else who’s ever gotten close to him.”
I shook my head, refusing to believe his words. “You’re wrong,” I said, my voice firm despite the fear coursing through me. “Sebastian loves me. He would never hurt me.”
Roland’s smile returned, but it was different this time, less amused, more calculating. “We’ll see,” he said simply, leaning back in his chair.
I stared at him, my mind racing with questions I couldn’t bring myself to ask. Why was he doing this? What was his endgame? And most importantly, how was I going to get out of here?
The silence between us stretched on, heavy and suffocating. I could feel the weight of Roland’s gaze on me, studying me like a predator sizing up its prey.
“Let me go,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. “Please, Roland. If you ever cared about me about Sebastian let me go.”
His expression softened for a brief moment, but it was gone just as quickly as it appeared. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Sasha,” he said, his tone almost regretful. “Not yet.”
Tears welled up in my eyes again, but I refused to let them fall. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me break.
“You won’t get away with this,” I said, my voice trembling but resolute. “Sebastian will find me. And when he does”
Roland cut me off with a sharp laugh. “You think Sebastian is your savior?” he asked, shaking his head. “You’re more naive than I thought. By the time he realizes you’re gone, it’ll be too late.”
His words sent a fresh wave of fear coursing through me, but I refused to let it show. I wouldn’t let him win.
The chapter ended with Sasha narrowing her eyes and demanding, “What are you going to do now Roland?”