Ch. 4: Keyu

Third person's point of view

The hallway seemed to stretch on forever.

As they reached the top of the stairs, Dax stopped and turned to face her.

“Welcome to my home,” he said, his voice low. It was a line he had clearly said countless times before, but the way it rolled off his tongue made it sound like a threat rather than a greeting.

Astrella didn’t respond. There was nothing left to say.

“Feel free at home,” he mumbles. His eyes softened, though it did nothing to ease the tension that had settled between them. “He's been longing to see you.”

Astrella remained motionless, her feet firmly planted. “Is it San Pedro? No thanks, Dax.” Her voice, sharp as broken glass, cut through the silence.

Dax sighed as if her resistance was nothing more than an annoying inconvenience. “You think you have a choice?” He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “You don’t, Astrella. This is my world now. You’re just a guest in it. If you want to leave, you’ll have to earn that right. And I’ll be the one deciding how you do that.”

Astrella took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. Every part of her wanted to fight, to scream at him, but something inside her told her that it wouldn’t do any good.

“Okay, tell me that if you're already my favorite animal, Dax,” her voice raw. “You already chose to be my enemy. I’m not your pawn. My father doesn't even care about me. It's useless to use me. If you think this will make you feel better—”

“It’s not about what makes me feel better,” Dax snapped, his voice like a blade. “It’s about justice. About making those who ruined me pay for everything they took from me. And you’re part of that equation. Your family is the reason I’m here. The reason I’m this.”

“Aiissh,” Astrella cut in, rolling her eyes. “You’ve said that already. And just so you know, you’re still not my favorite animal, guess that’s your permanent spot, huh? Also, don’t even think about cooking anything else. You’re dangerous in more ways than one.”

He stepped forward. Brilliant animal.

“Okay, for now, I'm not able to be your favorite animal. But you know what?” His voice was dark. “Do you think I wanted to turn into this monster? Your father's betrayal broke me. I had to rebuild myself. From nothing.”

Astrella’s chest tightened, but she refused to let herself feel sympathy for him.

"Oh, what animal are you again? Oops! Stop! I don't want to know."

Something like pain flickered in Dax's eyes, but it vanished in an instant, replaced by rage. “So, unserious. I didn’t ask you to want to know me. I don’t care whether you like it or not. But you will respect what I’ve become because you have no choice in the matter.”

Dax turned and started to walk again, and for a moment, Astrella stood there wanting to kick his peachy àss, fvck this animal. She swears that Dax will not be that kind of favorite animal.

However, she took a deep breath and followed him.

He led her to a large set of double doors, and with a swift motion, he pushed them open, revealing an expansive, dimly lit room. It was an office, but it looked like something out of a nightmare.

A large desk sat in the center of the room, and behind it, a figure stood. The man was tall, broad-shouldered, with dark, greasy hair pulled back into a tight ponytail.

Dax stepped into the room without a word, his presence commanding. The other man didn’t turn to greet them immediately. Instead, he lingered by the window, watching the night, his hands clasped behind his back.

“Keyu,” Dax uttered, his voice deep. “This is the woman I told you about. Astrella Honey Salcedo.”

Keyu turned around slowly, and when his eyes locked with hers, she felt the weight of his gaze like a physical blow. He didn’t smile. He didn’t speak. He just studied her as though she were some new object to be appraised.

Astrella felt her skin crawl under his scrutiny, but she refused to show any weakness. She had dealt with men like him before, men who thought they could own her, break her, destroy her.

“Oh, I see why Dax was so determined to keep you,” Keyu stated, his voice rough, almost predatory. “You’ve got that fire in your eyes. Did he say that he'll burn the world for you? Woah, aren't you daddy's girl? Where is he now?”

Astrella didn’t respond. She couldn’t bring herself to say anything.

Dax stepped forward, his posture stiff, his jaw clenched. “Keyu is someone who has helped me build my state,” Dax exclaimed, his eyes not meeting hers. There was a strange undertone in his voice, almost like a confession. “He’s been a loyal ally. And he’s eager to meet you.”

Someone? A special someone? Astrella knotted her forehead.

“Woah. Loyal, you say? You mean western dog with rabies clinging unto you?” Astrella scoffed, her tone cutting. If this is in a no serious convo she'll laugh her áss out. “You think you have loyalty here, Dax? These men," she pointed to Keyu, then back to Dax, "this life you’ve built, there’s no loyalty. Only betrayal. Only fear. Only animals with wild rabies.”

Keyu chuckled darkly, stepping closer to her.

“Feisty, I like it. But I think you misunderstand,” Keyu expressed. “Loyalty isn’t about what you think. It’s about power, sweetness." He turns to look back at Dax, "and Dax, he’s the one who holds all the power now.”

A sense of claustrophobia washed over Astrella, suffocating her with their cruel weight. Two men trapped her, one consumed by his need for vengeance, the other driven by his dark, twisted desires. Neither of them cared about her. Neither of them cared about anything other than their ambitions. Why can't they marry each other? They're both giving the same vibes anyway.

“Shibal, you've all gone mad,” she mumbles, her voice firm despite the storm inside her, “I think I'd rather go back to my mother's womb if that's what you're planning. This can’t be what you want, right?" Astrella tried for the last time to convince him to change his plan. But her shoulders just dropped. He didn’t answer her right away. Instead, he stared at her.

“I’m sorry, Astrella,” Dax declared, his voice rigid. “But you don’t get to tell me who I am anymore.”

Astrella’s chest tightened with a grief she couldn’t suppress. This is not a double but a triple-kill.

Keyu stepped even closer, his lips curling into a sinister smile.

“This is how things work now, sweetheart. I'm thrilled to join,” he smirked.

“You’re in Dax’s world. And in his world, everyone pays the price. How much are you once again? A billion dollars?”