Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Beneath the Surface

Alexia

The cold seeped into my bones as I sat slumped against the wall, my wrists still bound by the heavy chains. My body ached, but my mind raced. Who was this man, really? And what kind of pain had twisted him into the monster standing in front of me?

Jayden loomed in the corner of the room, his presence as oppressive as the damp air. He didn’t speak, didn’t move, but his gaze bore into me like a weight I couldn’t shake. I hated how vulnerable I felt under his scrutiny, how powerless.

“What now?” I asked, my voice hoarse.

He tilted his head, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Now, we talk. And you answer my questions truthfully this time.”

“I already told you the truth,” I snapped, the anger bubbling up again.

Jayden’s smirk vanished, replaced by a glare so intense it made me flinch. He stepped closer, his boots echoing against the stone floor.

“Let’s try again,” he said, his tone low and dangerous. “What do you know about your father’s dealings with Don Alfredo?”

I clenched my jaw, refusing to let the tears welling in my eyes fall. “I told you—I don’t know anything. My father left us years ago. He never told me anything about his business, and I never wanted to know.”

Jayden crouched in front of me, his face inches from mine. “Do you really expect me to believe that you’ve lived your whole life in ignorance? That you’ve never heard a whisper about the blood on your father’s hands?”

His words struck a nerve, and I glared back at him. “What part of ‘he abandoned me’ don’t you understand? He didn’t care about me or my mother. Why would he tell me anything?”

For a moment, something flickered in Jayden’s eyes—doubt, maybe? But it was gone as quickly as it appeared. He stood and began pacing the room, running a hand through his dark hair.

“Convenient,” he muttered. “Too convenient.”

I exhaled sharply, the chains clinking as I shifted. “What do you want from me, Jayden? Do you want me to invent some story to make you feel better about torturing me? Because I have nothing to give you. Nothing.”

Jayden stopped pacing and turned to face me, his expression unreadable. “I want the truth,” he said, his voice cold.

“I’ve already given it to you,” I whispered.

He stared at me for a long moment, and I could see the wheels turning in his mind. Finally, he walked to the door and knocked once. The heavy metal creaked as it opened, and a man stepped inside, his face partially obscured by shadows.

“Vicker,” Jayden said, his tone sharp. “Take her back to her cell.”

Vicker nodded and moved toward me. His grip on my arm was firm but not rough as he pulled me to my feet. I stumbled, my legs weak from hours of sitting, but he didn’t seem to care.

“Wait,” I said, my voice trembling. “Jayden, please—”

“Enough,” Jayden interrupted, his back to me. “We’re done here. For now.”

I wanted to scream, to curse him for his cruelty, but I bit my tongue. If I showed weakness, he would only use it against me.

---

Jayden

I watched as Vicker dragged Alexia out of the room, her protests echoing faintly down the corridor. The moment she was gone, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

She was lying. She had to be. No one could live under the shadow of a man like Bob Damon and remain completely unaware of his crimes.

And yet…

Her eyes. There was something in her eyes that made me hesitate. Pain. Fear. But not guilt.

I shook my head, pushing the thought aside. This wasn’t about her. This was about him. About the destruction he left in his wake. About the family I lost because of him.

Still, I couldn’t deny the pull I felt every time I looked at her. It was infuriating. She was my enemy, the daughter of the man who had ruined my life. I should hate her. I did hate her.

But her defiance, her fire—it was intoxicating.

“Sir,” Vicker’s voice interrupted my thoughts, pulling me back to the present.

“What is it?” I asked, turning to face him.

“She’s in her cell,” he said, his tone cautious. “But... are you sure about this? She doesn’t seem like she knows anything.”

I scowled. “Don’t let her fool you, Vicker. She’s Damon’s daughter. She knows more than she’s letting on.”

Vicker hesitated, then nodded. “Understood.”

As he left, I sat down in the chair Alexia had occupied moments ago, my mind racing. I needed to break her. To get the truth out of her, no matter what it took.

Because if I didn’t, I’d never find peace.

---

Alexia

The cell was no better than the chamber Jayden had interrogated me in—cold, damp, and suffocating. Vicker had left me with a thin blanket and a bottle of water, but the meager offerings did little to ease my discomfort.

I huddled in the corner, my knees pulled to my chest as I tried to make sense of everything. How had my life come to this? One moment, I was living a quiet, uneventful life, and the next, I was being held captive by a man hellbent on destroying me.

A man who, despite his cruelty, ignited something in me I couldn’t explain.

I shook my head, disgusted with myself. How could I feel anything but hatred for him? He’d kidnapped me, chained me, accused me of crimes I didn’t commit.

And yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about the way his eyes softened, just for a moment, when I told him about my mother. It was like he wanted to believe me but didn’t know how.

I buried my face in my hands, exhaustion and frustration weighing me down. If I didn’t find a way to convince Jayden of my innocence, I might never see the outside world again.

But how could I prove something I didn’t even understand?

---

Jayden

I couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face. Her tears. Her defiance.

She wasn’t what I expected. I’d prepared myself for a spoiled, entitled woman who would crumble under the weight of her father’s sins. Instead, I got Alexia—strong, resilient, and maddeningly innocent.

Or at least, she seemed innocent.

I poured myself a glass of whiskey, the amber liquid burning as it slid down my throat. I needed to stay focused. This wasn’t about her.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was missing something.

And it was driving me insane.