I couldn't fall asleep. The ledger on my nightstand felt like a heavy weight, pressing down on my chest.
Every time I tried to close my eyes, one word kept creeping back in.
Collateral. Not daughter, not love, not even protection. Just a transaction.
The betrayal stung deeper than Damian's silence ever could. The man I had looked up to, my father, didn't just fail to protect me. He sold my future like it was nothing more than a numbered account, handing it over to the devil himself.
As dawn peeked through the window, I pushed myself off the bed. The house was eerily quiet. Damian hadn't come back since our fight.
Good. Let him stew. I need some fresh air.
I moved quickly through the halls. The guards nodded as I passed, but stayed silent. They knew better. Damian's orders were clear: "She can go anywhere inside these walls."
But even a cage with velvet linings is still a cage.
I stepped onto the rooftop terrace, feeling the cold wind against my skin. The city below was just waking up, people rushing, horns honking, totally unaware of the empire looming above them, run by monsters in designer suits.
I wrapped my arms around myself, staring out at the skyline. I am not afraid, not anymore.
"Beautiful view," a voice said.
I didn't turn. It was softer than usual, almost human.
His presence felt like a shadow. He didn't touch me, and for once, he kept his distance.
"I wasn't sure you'd still be here," he said gently.
You didn't give me many places to run.
He chuckled softly. "That's not true. There are always exits. But they come with consequences."
I turned to face him. "Like being hunted? Or killed in my sleep?"
"Like losing me," he replied softly.
I let out a sharp, humorless laugh. *You think that's a threat?*
"No, I see it as a promise. One you haven't realized you've already broken."
My breath caught. There was no arrogance in his voice, no cold menace just something raw. Something dangerous, but in a different way. Unfiltered.
I didn't ask for any of this, I whispered.
"But you stayed. You signed that paper, slept in my bed, looked me in the eye and wanted the truth. Now that you have it… what? You want to punish me?"
I want to understand why.
He stepped closer. "You think I chose this? I didn't. Your father came to me. He begged me. I could've walked away, but I didn't. You want to know why, Claire?"
Why?
"Because I saw you just once. Years ago. You were in a red dress, dancing at your father's birthday party. You didn't know I was watching. And from that moment, I've never wanted anything else."
My mouth went dry.
"You were seventeen, innocent, untouchable. But I knew I'd wait. I knew I'd own you eventually."
I took a step back, my chest rising and falling rapidly. That's not love, I whispered.
"No, it's obsession." He said it without a hint of shame. I stared at him, unable to breathe. He continued, his voice calm.
"I've killed for you, Claire. I've lied for you. I've built you a throne and bled to keep it standing. So don't pretend this is one-sided."
You manipulated everything in my life, my choices, my grief.*
"And I gave you power, more than your father ever did. More than Lucien ever would. I don't cage you; I protect you."
I don't want your protection. I want my life back.
"You don't even remember who you were before me," he growled. "I made you more than what they've tried to bury."
You made me a prisoner.
"No," he said, stepping close enough that I could feel his warmth. "I made you mine."
In a burst of anger, I slapped him. The sound echoed in the cold air. His head turned slightly, but he didn't flinch. When he looked back at me, his eyes were darker than night.
But he didn't raise a hand. Didn't shout. He just said, "I deserved it."
Tears filled my eyes, hot and furious. I didn't know what was worse: that he spoke all of this so easily or that part of me understood.
"You're not the same girl who walked into this penthouse. And I am not the same man who watched you in that red dress. But this, whatever it is, is real."
I blinked hard, trying to wrap my head around everything. I really want to trust you, but I'm just not sure how to do that.
"Then let me help you learn. And in return, you can show me how to let go."
I pulled back, suddenly feeling drained. Honestly, I'm just not ready to forgive you yet.
"I'm not asking for your forgiveness. I'm just asking for a little time."
I turned my gaze back to the city. Well, if that's the case, then stop keeping secrets, starting now.
He paused for a moment, clearly weighing his words.
"There's one more thing I need to tell you about Lucien. It's about what he did to your father before the deal and what he plans to do to you."
A chill ran through me, settling deep into my bones as I looked at him.
"I think it's time you meet the man your father feared even more than me."