Lana's chest rose and fell in shallow, panicked bursts. The rope cut into her wrists, tied cruelly tight in front of her. A blindfold pressed against her skin, damp from her own tears. The air inside the car was suffocating. it was thick with silence, thick with fear. Her body trembled, as she tried to listen to what was happening around her. She had no idea where she was being taken. No idea who these men were. The questions clawed at her mind until they hurt. Was this it? Was this how her life ended? Her heart pounded painfully. She forced her lips to move. Her voice came out cracked and thin. "Wh... where are you taking me?" The words barely left her mouth before the silence swallowed them. Neither of the men beside her answered. They didn't even shift. They sat like stone. Her throat tightened. "Please," she cried louder this time. "Don't do this! I'll pay you back... i'll pay every single penny I owe!" Still nothing. It was like she wasn't even there. Lana's sobs grew ragged. She hated herself for begging again, but what else could she do? Her whole life had been one long plea, pleading with neighbors, with lenders, with strangers. Always on her knees, always begging. And now? Not even that could save her. I need to think. I need to get out of here. But how? Her hands were bound. The blindfold stole her sight. If she even tried to free herself, they'd notice in seconds. Suddenly The car slowed down and Stopped. Her heart lurched violently. No. No, if we've arrived... then I'm done for. A heavy silence followed, more frightening than the ride itself. Then there was movement. A hand reached toward her face. She recoiled instantly, her body shaking. But instead of pain, she felt the fabric of the blindfold tugged away. Light rushed in, blinding her. She blinked furiously, squinting until her eyes adjusted to the light. The man in front of her wasn't what she expected. No tattoos, no wild look, no rough loan shark appearance. He was dressed head to toe in black, sharp as a blade, with the calmness of a bodyguard. The man look Professional but also Dangerous. "Get down," he ordered, his voice deep and steady. The door swung open. Lana hesitated, her breath stuck in her throat. But his stare was hard enough to make her legs move on their own. She stepped out of the car and then froze. Her jaw dropped. A mansion towered before her, glowing faintly in the night like something from another world. Its sprawling walls stretched impossibly high. Its gardens were pristine, gates ornate, doors massive. It looked less like a house and more like a palace. Lana's knees weakened. She couldn't breathe. What is this place? It wasn't the kind of place debt collectors came from. This was wealth beyond imagination. Untouchable wealth. Did Father really borrow from someone here? From people like this? If he had... she was finished. She could never repay a debt like that, not in ten lifetimes. The man tugged her arm, snapping her back to reality. His grip wasn't rough, but it left no room for resistance. Each step closer to the mansion only made her chest squeeze tighter. By the time they reached the massive mahogany doors, Lana's thoughts were spiraling again. She didn't even dare imagine what awaited her inside. One of the guards pressed the bell. A chime echoed faintly from within. Moments later, the enormous doors creaked open. Her pulse thundered as she was pulled forward. And with that step, she crossed into a world she never should have entered.

The mansion swallowed Lana whole. Her shoes tapped lightly against the polished marble floor as the men led her deeper inside. Her eyes darted everywhere at once, wide with disbelief. If she had been awestruck by the outside, the inside left her breathless. Golden chandeliers hung from towering ceilings. Paintings she couldn't name but knew were worth millions lined the walls. The air smelled faintly of polished wood and something floral, something expensive. Her lips parted. She had never imagined stepping foot in a place like this, not in this lifetime or the next. A voice cut sharply through her thoughts. "Mr. Carson is waiting for you." Lana's head turned. An older man stood nearby, dressed in a neat black uniform. His silver hair was slicked back, his face hard and unreadable. He looked like the kind of butler she'd only seen in movies. He didn't look at her twice. Didn't care that her wrists were bound. Didn't care about the fear in her eyes. He spoke, then turned away, as though she were just another item delivered to the house. Her throat tightened. Mr. Carson? Who... who is that? Before she could ask, the guards tugged her again. The walk felt endless. Every step deeper into the house felt like sinking further into a trap. She tried one more time, her voice trembling. "Why are you doing this? I didn't do anything wrong. Please, you've made a mistake..." Her words hit a wall of silence. The men ignored her, their faces stone. Finally, they stopped. A heavy wooden door loomed in front of her. One of the men unlocked it and shoved her forward. The door slammed. The lock clicked. And she was alone. Lana blinked rapidly. Darkness smothered her. She held her hands out but saw nothing, not even the outline of her fingers. Her breath quickened. "No... no, this isn't right!" She stumbled to the door, pounding her fists against it until her hands stung. "You can't keep me locked up in here!" Her voice echoed off the walls, but there was no answer. She twisted the knob furiously. Nothing. Her desperation cracked into a scream. She banged again and again, until her arms ached, until her voice turned raw. But the door remained shut. Finally, her strength gave out. Her knees buckled, and she sank to the floor. Hot tears blurred her vision. Her shoulders shook violently as she sobbed. No one is coming. No one will even notice I'm gone. Her phone was still in her room. Her belongings, too. Her neighbours barely knew her. She was just another worker on the line, one easily replaced at work. If she disappeared forever, the world would keep moving. The only people who might care... were her father's debtors. The bitter thought twisted her lips into a half-scoff, half-sob. She pressed her palm over her face, the sting of reality cutting deeper than the ropes around her wrists. Her tears slowed. Not because she felt calm, but because she knew she couldn't waste her strength. If she was going to survive this, she needed it. Lana forced her back against the door and drew in shaky breaths. Her eyes squinted into the dark, straining. Slowly, faint shapes began to take form. Then she froze. Someone was there. A figure stood in the shadows, tall and still. Her chest tightened as hope surged violently through her. The door creaked, and she realised it was the same man who had brought her here. "Are... are you letting me out?" Her voice cracked. She pushed herself to her feet, her eyes wide with desperate hope. The man didn't answer. His face remained stone. "Come with me," he said flatly. Lana hesitated, her body trembling. But what choice did she have? She nodded quickly, stumbling after him when he turned. Her mind scrambled for a plan, for anything that might save her. She could beg, plead, people always pitied her when they saw how helpless she was. Surely even this man might. "Where are we going?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. He didn't reply. The silence suffocated her. They walked through another long hallway, its floor echoing their steps. The walls seemed to close in, the house stretching into a labyrinth. Finally, the guard stopped in front of a door. He gripped her arm tightly, making her yelp. He knocked, then turned to her with a cold look. "He's waiting in there." Her stomach dropped. "He? Who..." Before she could finish, the man shoved her forward and opened the door. She stumbled inside. The door slammed shut behind her. Locked. Again. Panic surged back in full force. She grabbed the knob, twisted it hard, and pulled until her wrists burned. "What are you doing? Let me out!" "There's no use." The words slid into the room, low and cold. Lana froze. That voice wasn't the man's. Her breath hitched, and slowly, she turned. Her heart was thumping faster than ever in her chest. Her eyes locked onto a man standing across the room from her and her heart stopped. He was unlike anyone she had ever seen. His shirt was half unbuttoned, his sleeves rolled up, exposing forearms dusted with veins. His dark hair was tousled, like he'd been running his hands through it in frustration. But it was his eyes that were what trapped her. His eyes were Ocean blue. It was stunning, piercing and cold. Really cold. They pinned her in place, sharp as ice, stripping her bare without mercy. Her lips slowly parted, her voice breaking as she spoke. "You... who are you?" He didn't move. He didn't blink. But deep down, Lana already knew. This man, this dangerous, impossible ma, was the reason she had been brought here. This was Mr. Carson.

The man's ocean-blue eyes regarded her in silence, sharp and merciless, like waves about to drown her. For a moment he didn't speak, just advanced, each step deliberate and heavy. Lana's heart thudded violently. Instinct made her retreat, her legs trembling as she stumbled back. Her entire body was pulled tight with fear, as if her nerves were strung like violin strings about to snap. If looks could kill, she'd already be dead. Panic flared. What in the world had her father gotten them into? What kind of man was this? She didn't want to be involved, didn't want any part of debts, threats, or games. She just wanted her life back. her life was quiet, small, ordinary apart fromm the debtors who made her life hell. Was that too much to ask? But the way he looked at her... as if she were already his. His lips curved slowly into a chilling smile that didn't reach his eyes. When he finally spoke, her breath caught in her throat. "Lana." Her name rolled off his tongue like a claim, low and certain, as though he had been waiting his entire life just to say it. Lana froze, staring at him wide-eyed. He knew her? But she had never seen him before. Not once. Not ever. "I finally found you," he murmured. Her knees buckled when he stopped right in front of her, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. She tried to step back again, but there was nowhere left to go. Her spine hit the heavy wooden door, and her escape ended there. He had her trapped, caged like a prey. Her palms dampened with sweat as terror clawed through her veins. "What do you want from me? Why was I brought here?" Her voice cracked. She was so tired of begging, but she needed answers. Even if freedom was impossible, she had to know what she was up against. His smile vanished in an instant, replaced by a darkness in his gaze that made her stomach twist. He leaned closer, his shadow swallowing her up. "Why were you brought here?" he echoed, almost mocking her words. A cold chuckle rumbled from his chest, low and humorless. Lana stared at him as though he had lost his mind. What could possibly be funny about this? About kidnapping her? About holding her hostage in some stranger's mansion? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. She pressed her back harder against the door, her throat dry. "Do you... do you know who my father is? Is this about money?" Her voice faltered, weak with fear. She hated how small she sounded. His eyes burned into hers. "Do you even know who I am?" "No!" Lana shook her head desperately. "I don't know you! I've never seen you before in my life!" Her breaths came in ragged gasps. Her father's debts, was this man one of the collectors? or Someone far worse? "Are you... one of my father's debtors?" she whispered, almost choking on the words. For a heartbeat, silence. Then a hollow chuckle slipped past his lips, cold and sharp. His laughter made her skin crawl. Then, without warning, his expression snapped. The laughter died. His body stiffened. His blue eyes that was icy and unreadable locked onto her, and before she could move, his hand shot out. It clamped around her neck. Lana's eyes flew wide in horror. His grip was merciless, crushing, cutting off the very breath from her lungs. She clawed at his hand instinctively, her nails digging into his skin, but his strength was monstrous. " I can't breathe... I can't.." Blood rushed hot to her face. Her chest burned as she gasped, her body thrashing against the door. Panic roared in her ears. This was it. This was how she would die, at the hands of a stranger she didn't even know. Her vision blurred at the edges. Black dots danced before her eyes. No, please, not like this... Then just as suddenly as it had started his grip loosened. Air flooded back into her lungs in a painful rush. She collapsed to the floor in a heap, choking and gasping, her throat burning raw. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably as her entire body shook. Her arms scrambled weakly, pushing her backward across the polished floor until her spine hit the wall. She hugged herself, trembling, staring at him in horror. But the man didn't move. He just stood there, frozen, as if dazed, his expression unreadable, his blue eyes flickering with something that almost looked... haunted. Lana's pulse hammered so loudly she could hear nothing else. She didn't care if he was lost in some trance. All she cared about was one thing, escape. Her gaze darted around the room. A study. A desk. Shelves lined with leather-bound books. And there at the far end, there was a window. Her heart leapt. She looked back at him. Still motionless. Still locked in whatever storm was raging behind his eyes. This was her chance. If she could just... His voice thundered suddenly, shaking the air. "Is anyone out there? Take her away from my sight!" The command struck like a whip. His face twisted with fury, his words dripping with resentment. Lana's body reacted before her mind did. She scrambled to her feet and bolted for the window. Freedom was right there, just a few steps... But a hand seized her arm. "No!" she screamed, her voice raw as she fought like a wild thing, thrashing against the grip. "Let me go!" Her pleas meant nothing. The man's hold was iron. In a heartbeat, she was yanked back, lifted as if she weighed nothing at all. "Put me down! Damn it, let me go!" she cried, kicking, struggling, her voice echoing through the grand halls. She twisted in the man's arms, and her gaze collided with the man's one last time. Those ocean-blue eyes. But they weren't mesmerizing now. They were lifeless. Cold. Empty. The eyes of a monster. Hatred bubbled inside her chest, hot and bitter. Her tears burned as they slid down her cheeks, but she didn't look away. She glared at him, every ounce of fury she had pouring into her stare. He wanted her caged. But she would not break. As the man carried her away, Lana vowed through clenched teeth that she would escape. She would run. She would fight. No matter what it took. Because she would never belong to him. ---