Chapter 4

Elena's POV

My heart raced as such thoughts slammed into my mind. It couldn’t be right, could it? There was definitely no way he was Caspian Nightingale—the Caspian known by everyone in the country.

“No…” I shook my head in refusal, trying my very best to dispel the thoughts and assumptions that the man I had a one-night stand with after my divorce, the man who had brought me back home, was actually related to my ex-husband and, even worse, his uncle?

I laughed like a maniac, my fingers running through each strand of my hair as I kept my gaze locked on the plaque.

I was still trying my best to make sense of it when, just then, his deep, authoritative voice echoed through the confused silence in the study.

“What are you doing in here?”

Immediately, I jolted back to reality, my eyes snapping toward him as he stood before the door, his hands plunged into his pockets.

I wasn’t supposed to be in here, and I knew it. “I…” A thrilling sense of fear and uncertainty gnawed at my insides as I gulped nervously.

“I was just looking around... I... I didn’t know that…” I stuttered, unsure of what to say to him at this point.

“You know you shouldn’t be here, Squishy…” He began to take slow yet menacing strides toward where I was standing, his piercing gaze never leaving mine.

I matched each step he took by moving backward, but it didn’t stop him from getting closer.

“Yes… I… I am aware, but I felt pressed and had missed my way,” I emitted in fear and shock.

“You did?” He snorted. “But why does it look like you are actually lying to me right now, Squishy? You know I can take anything… anything at all…” he uttered in a more audible tone that sent me reeling and regretting why I had walked into this study.

At that moment, I unexpectedly collided with the desk behind me, making me halt swiftly. He got so close, too, covering the distance between us.

I needed to leave. I needed to escape. But just as I was about to leave, he instantly got a strong grip on my hand and pulled me back to himself, pressing me against the desk, his face mere inches away from mine.

I could feel his eyes on me as they trailed downward to my lips, his Adam’s apple enticing as he stared at them.

Without warning, he reached for my chin, snatching it into his grip, his icy blue eyes trailing back to meet mine, which were filled with fear and caution.

“Just don’t lie to me, Squishy…” he sneered maliciously, his words sending chilling shockwaves down my spine.

“Now tell me…” He leaned closer to my ear, his breath brushing against every single hair on my face. “Why are you in here?”

I swallowed nervously. I had to speak—anything at all—and just then, it clicked. “I wanted to see what it looks like in here. I’m going to be your wife, after all,” I blurted out the second it came to me.

And trust me, I felt stupid. My question didn’t sound nearly as good as it did in my head the moment I let it out.

He pulled back, his eyes fixed on me. For a second, he stared deeply, more like checking if I was still lying.

I bit my lower lip in nervousness. But then, as I stared at him, I realized he bore a cute resemblance to Caleb.

I wasn’t just seeing things, and I wasn’t making things up in my head. He was actually Caspian Nightingale—Caleb’s uncle, older than me by about fourteen years. Yet, he looked so cute and young.

Sarah had mentioned him at the bar, and I rebuked her. But here I was, already married to him after one night.

“Fuck!” I mumbled inwardly, barely audible.

“I’ll let this slide, but just for today. Next time, I don’t know what I might do to you for disobeying me, Squishy. Is that clear?” he warned, and I swiftly nodded my head.

He took a step backward before turning on his heels to exit the study room. My feet felt weak and wobbly beneath me, but it didn’t stop me from moving swiftly behind him.

The second we exited the room, he halted and spun to look at me. “Nathan will take you to your room. I’ll see you once it’s dawn,” he informed, but immediately, I countered.

“No!”

“What?” His left brow arched as he stared at me.

“I can’t stay in a room,” I let out. I couldn’t do this—staying with my ex-husband’s uncle? A man older than me by 14 years? That was huge!

“Then what? You’d prefer to stay in the same room with me?” He took a step closer, making me react swiftly.

“What? No! I mean…” I paused briefly before continuing. “I need to head back home,” I finally let out, but it was met with a scoff from his lips.

“Mind you, I am your home, Elena. You are to stay with me until I say otherwise,” he asserted bluntly, without hesitation.

I needed to find a better excuse.

“My father!” I exclaimed the moment it came to me. “My father hasn’t seen me in a while, and I need to go to him. At least, I’d inform him about all of this too,” I declared abruptly.

He was hesitant to let me go. I could see it in his eyes, but I bet he had no other choice. “Fine then, I’ll come with you.”

“No way. Please…” I shouted instantly. “I can handle this myself,” I said, and before he could let out another word, I ran past him, heading toward the exit of the mansion.

I couldn’t afford to let him hold me back—not yet.

The second I left the mansion entirely, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. It was already getting dark, and I needed to get back home on time.

As I walked back home, unable to get a cab, I couldn’t help but think back—from the fact he was related to Caleb to my current situation.

What was I going to do? How could I get out of this now? My mind raced, scrambling for answers, but none came. My thoughts were a tangled mess, each one more confusing than the last.

Then, out of nowhere, a sudden, sharp noise behind me shattered my focus. My heart lurched in my chest as I froze, my breath catching. Slowly, I turned my head, my eyes scanning the dim surroundings. The silence was heavy, pressing down on me like a weight.

"Hello?" I called out, my voice trembling as it echoed into the empty evening. But there was no answer. No figure in the shadows. Nothing to explain the noise.

I swallowed hard and tried to shake it off, forcing my feet to move forward. One step, two steps... but on the third step, it happened again—a sound sharper, closer, and more chilling than before.

A cold shiver ran down my spine, and I gasped, my pulse pounding like a drum in my ears. This time, I didn’t dare turn around. My instincts screamed at me to keep moving, to get away.

I quickened my pace, each step faster than the last. But then I heard it—footsteps. Heavy, deliberate, and far too close. My breath hitched as the sound of them echoed in the quiet, each one like a warning pounding into my ears.

I was no longer walking slowly; I was practically running, my heart racing, fear clawing at my chest. 

The footsteps behind me didn’t stop—they matched my pace, growing louder, heavier, as if whoever or whatever was behind me wanted me to know they were there.

I was in trouble. My heart pounded as the realization hit me—I was being followed. The heavy footsteps were relentless, closing in on me with every passing second.

 Panic surged through me, and I did the only thing I could think of. I ran. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, hoping to put as much distance as possible between myself and whoever was behind me.

But fate wasn’t on my side. My foot caught on something, and before I could steady myself, I went crashing to the ground. The impact knocked the air out of my lungs, and for a moment, I was too stunned to move.

I tried to push myself up, but a shadow loomed over me. Then another. And another. Three men stood before me, their figures towering and their faces twisted with cruel smiles. Their presence was suffocating, their menace palpable.

“Who… who are you? What do you want?” I stammered, my voice shaking as I struggled to mask the terror consuming me.

One of them chuckled darkly, his eyes glinting with malice. “What we want? Oh, it’s not about you, sweetheart.” He stepped closer, and I instinctively scrambled back, my palms scraping against the rough ground.

“It’s Caspian we’re after,” another added, his sneer deepening. “But since you’re his shiny new bride, we figured we’d use you to send him a little… message.”

The third man leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper laced with threat. “And maybe have a little fun while we’re at it. After all, you’re the key to bringing him to his knees.”

My heart raced, my mind screaming fora way out. But as they inched closer, the crushing sense of helplessness began to set in.

What was I going to do?