He stood over me, hands tucked casually into his trouser pockets. Another immaculate suit—dark grey this time, paired with a stormy blue tie. Polished. Precise.
Civil.
Only now, the civility was a mask worn with confidence. With ownership.
“I have you,” his posture said, even if his mouth didn’t.
He thought he’d won.
“Why?” I croaked, my throat raw, my voice barely there.
“Because I can,” he said, turning away.
Fear stabbed at me as I heard his shoes click against the stone.
I almost begged him to stop. To let me go, but I forced the words away.
He would relish in me demeaning myself. Any posturing to him would feed his sadistic beast. I shut my eyes, listening as a door creaked open.
Slam.
My body jumped, and I heard the heavy metal clink as he locked the door.
Please don't, I wanted to cry. It would be futile. I felt the tears burning beneath my clenched eyelids, but I refused to let them fall.
I refused to let this monster win.
Silence followed, thick and unbroken. I didn’t know how long I lay there with my eyes closed, letting my thoughts drift where they wanted.
They went to my family first. To work. To everything I’d built.
What surprised me was the regret that crept in afterward.
Not spending more time with the people I loved. The holiday my parents had begged me to take last year—one I’d brushed off because I was too busy. The afternoons I could have spent with my grandparents, but didn’t, because I was locked away with spreadsheets and formulas.
Her Glow had been my baby. My pride. A massive part of who I was.
Yes, I was successful—but what was success if I hadn’t actually lived?
There were months where eighteen-hour days were normal, especially when the plant was being set up. I’d convinced myself I had to manage everything. That if I loosened my grip, it would all fall apart.
Now, lying here, I wondered what I’d traded away without even noticing.
???
Once I felt strong enough, I pushed myself upright on the mattress.
Something tugged at my ankle.
I looked down.
A cuff of tanned leather encircled my leg, a padlock threaded through a curved metal hook. My gaze followed the chain to where it disappeared into a rusted iron loop embedded in the stone wall.
Chained.
Like a criminal.
Wasn’t that what places like this had been built for?
