Chapter 11

Laura's POV

My hands trembled as I twisted the bathroom faucet, sending a rush of cool water spilling into the porcelain sink. The moment it touched my skin, I scrubbed. Hard.

The water swirled pink as I watched the stain of his blood slide off my fingers, the color stark against the white basin. My breath came in quick, uneven bursts, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop shaking.

I braced my hands against the edge of the sink, gripping the cold ceramic as I stared at my reflection.

I looked…

Like a woman who had just seen a monster.

And I had.

A ruthless, cold-blooded executioner. A man who had killed without hesitation, without remorse. He has killed that man with his bare hands. Crushing his skull with his fingers.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to rid my mind of the sound of that man’s screams. The way his body had thrashed before the life drained out of him.

And then… Kelvin’s voice.

Smooth. Lazy. Completely unaffected.

The way he had laughed when I asked him that question. That deep, amused sound, as if I had just said something utterly ridiculous. As if the blood, the death, the violence, none of it mattered.

I shuddered, my stomach twisting violently.

I had to get out of here.

But to where?

I had no money. No allies. No way to escape this estate, not with those guards stationed at every turn. Not with him being the one who would search for me.

I sucked in a shaky breath, pressing my damp hands against my face.

This wasn’t a nightmare I could wake up from. This was real. The man I had married was a monster, and I was trapped in his world.

A sharp knock on the door jolted me, and I spun around so fast I nearly lost my balance.

My pulse thundered in my ears as I backed away, my heart slamming against my ribs.

“Laura,” a voice called.

I recognized it instantly. It was Dylan. Kelvin’s ever-loyal shadow.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I forced myself to breathe. I straightened, forcing my expression into something neutral before walking to the door. My fingers hesitated over the handle before I exhaled and pulled it open.

He stood there, his face as impassive as ever. He barely spared me a glance, briefly assessing me.

He extended his hand, revealing a small silver packet and a bottle of water.

“Take these,” he said flatly.

I stared at the pills resting in his palm. They were white and small.

“What are they?” My voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.

“Something to help you sleep.” He regarded me with a deep meaningful stare. His posture seemed relaxed yet firm, as if he already knew I wouldn’t refuse.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. I didn’t trust him. I didn’t trust anyone in this place. But the exhaustion clawing at me, the tremors still wracking my body, made it hard to argue.

Slowly, I reached out and took them.

“It's from the boss,” he said simply before turning on his heel and walking off, his footsteps fading into the dimly lit hallway.

I watched him go, gripping the bottle tighter, my knuckles white.

Then, with a shaky breath, I stepped back inside and locked the door.

Sliding down the wall, I pulled my knees to my chest, the pills resting in my open palm.

Kelvin had sent them.

A gift? A command? A silent reminder that he controlled everything, even my sleep? Now that I think about it, did the psycho even watch me sleep too?

My throat tightened as I unscrewed the bottle cap, my fingers trembling.

Then, with one last breath, I swallowed them down.

The pills worked faster than I expected.

I barely had time to pull myself onto the bed before my eyelids grew heavy, my body sinking into the mattress like dead weight. For the first time in what felt like forever, sleep came swiftly, dragging me under without a fight.

No dreams. No nightmares. Just darkness.

When I woke, my body felt… lighter. My limbs weren’t stiff with tension, and my chest didn’t feel like it was caving in from the weight of the night before.

I blinked up at the ceiling, momentarily disoriented.

Had it really worked?

I rolled onto my side, the faint traces of drowsiness still lingering in my system. My eyes flickered to the bottle of water resting on the nightstand, the silver packet of pills still beside it.

In my half-sleepy state, I couldn't help but wonder how he had these ready. It didn't seem to be a coincidence.

How many times had he done this before? And who did he have to give the drug to?

I pushed the thought away as I sat up, rubbing my face. That was a rabbit hole I wasn’t ready to fall into.

My gaze shifted to the foot of the bed, and I stilled.

The shopping bags were there, neatly arranged and untouched. The same ones from last night.

A sigh escaped me, memories of the evening creeping back in. I pushed the covers off and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. The cold air kissed my skin, sending a slight shiver through me, but I ignored it. I needed to get out of this room, out of this house, out of this suffocating nightmare, even if just for a few hours.

I decided to go to work.

There were still a few days left before my leave was officially over, but I couldn’t sit still here. Not after last night.

With that thought in mind, I forced myself to move.

I went through the motions of getting ready, methodically picking out a simple yet professional outfit from my closet. My reflection in the mirror looked more put together than I felt, but at least I didn’t look like a woman on the verge of breaking. That was something.

After brushing my hair and applying minimal makeup to hide the lingering exhaustion under my eyes, I grabbed my bag and left the room.

The house was eerily quiet as I made my way downstairs.

No Kelvin.

Relief flooded my chest at the realization.

I’d half-expected to find him lounging in the living room, waiting for me with one of those amused smirks, but he wasn’t here.

Dylan wasn’t around either.

Good. That meant I could eat in peace.

I had planned to skip breakfast entirely—my stomach still felt unsettled from last night, but I knew I needed the energy. So, I headed to the dining room and ate quickly, forcing down toast and eggs with sips of orange juice.

It wasn’t much, but it was enough.

Once I was done, I grabbed my purse and made my way to the front door.

I was just about to step outside when a firm hand clamped down on my arm.

My breath hitched.

I turned sharply, heart hammering in my chest, only to find one of Kelvin’s guards standing there. His grip wasn’t rough, but it was stubborn.

“The boss said if you’re going out, you have to take one of the cars,” he stated plainly, as if he wasn’t completely ruining my morning.

My stomach dropped.

One of Kelvin’s cars.

I barely suppressed a groan, my mind racing through the possibilities. He didn’t own normal cars. No simple sedans or compact, everyday vehicles. Every single one of his cars screamed money. A fleet of sleek, high-end machines, each one designed to turn heads and draw attention.

Which was the last thing I needed.

I wasn’t stupid. The moment I pulled up to work in one of those ridiculously expensive cars, people would start talking. My coworkers, my boss, the nosy receptionist who loved gossip, they’d all notice.

And the questions would follow.

How could I afford something like that? Who did it belong to? Was I secretly involved with a billionaire?

It would be a disaster.

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my expression neutral. “I don’t need a car. I’ll take a cab.”

The guard didn’t even blink. “The boss said no.”

Of course, he did.

I gritted my teeth, inhaling sharply through my nose. “And what if I refuse?”

The guard finally met my eyes, his stare unwavering. “Then you’re not going anywhere.”

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. My pulse pounded in my ears as frustration clawed at my chest. I should’ve known Kelvin wouldn’t let me move freely. This wasn’t about convenience, it was control. A reminder that every step I took, he’d be watching.

I was his wife, and he wanted the world to know.

Damn that bastard.

I could argue, but it wouldn’t change anything. If I wanted to leave, I’d have to comply.

I forced a tight-lipped smile. “Fine.”

The guard gave a curt nod before stepping aside, motioning for me to follow him outside.

The moment we reached the driveway, my worst fears were confirmed.

A sleek black Rolls-Royce waited at the front, polished to perfection, the sun glinting off its expensive exterior.

Of course.

I barely resisted the urge to slap a hand over my face.

This wasn’t just a car. This was a statement. An announcement to the entire world that I belonged to a man with more power and money than most people could dream of.

I hesitated, scanning the driveway for anything less dramatic. But no, this was the only option.

Fantastic.

Wordlessly, the guard opened the back door, waiting for me to step in.

I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and slid inside, ignoring the sinking feeling in my gut.

The second the door shut behind me, the driver pulled out of the estate, and I stared out the tinted window, watching the city blur past.

I could already picture my coworkers' reactions.

This was going to be a nightmare.

I cleared my throat, trying to sound casual despite the nervous energy buzzing in my veins. “Drop me a street away from my workplace.”

The driver didn’t glance at me through the rearview mirror, didn’t question it. He simply gave a small nod. “Understood.”

I blinked, momentarily caught off guard. That was… easy.

Too easy.

I had expected resistance, maybe even an outright refusal. But he was complying without hesitation. Did this mean he wasn’t completely loyal to Kelvin? That maybe, just maybe, I had found a small sliver of freedom within this suffocating world?

The thought filled me with a surprising sense of relief.

For the first time in what felt like forever, someone wasn’t forcing control over my every move. Maybe this driver wasn’t like the rest of Kelvin’s men. Maybe he was just doing his job, not overly invested in policing my actions.

Maybe… I had found an ally.

As the car slowed to a stop at the curb, exactly one street away from my office building, I turned to him. “Thank you.”

His face remained unreadable, but something about his silence felt… neutral. Not indifferent. Just not threatening

I swallowed down my hesitation, pushed open the door, and stepped out. The moment my feet hit the pavement, a sense of relief washed over me.

I could breathe.

I could walk into work without drawing too much attention. No luxury car pulling up right in front of the building. No unnecessary eyes on me.

It wasn’t much, but it was something.

I shut the door behind me and took a step away, ready to put some distance between me and the vehicle.

Then I heard it.

A quiet rustling, followed by a low murmur.

Instinctively, I glanced back, just in time to see the driver pressing a hand to his ear, fingers adjusting the small earpiece hidden beneath his neatly trimmed hair.

“Yes, Boss,” he said smoothly.

My stomach dropped and I smiled sardonically.

Of course.

I should have known.