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The restaurant sat gracefully along the waterfront, with soft waves rhythmically lapping against the shore. Normally, the sea breeze and the serene atmosphere would calm me, but tonight, nothing could shake the unease swirling in my mind. Jason had chosen this place, one of my favourites, where the pulse of the tide should have helped me unwind.Instead, I felt trapped, like the dark water beyond was pulling me under.As we stepped inside, the warm of the restaurant felt strangely oppressive. The outdoor deck, with its swaying string lights and open view of the moonlit sea, usually filled me with peace.But not tonight.Tonight, everything felt calculated. Jason had picked this spot for a reason. I couldn't help but wonder if this was another one of his tactics to keep me compliant. Here, outside the confines of home, he couldn't easily slip anything into my drinks or food. He couldn't make me docile under his care. Maybe that was why I felt safer here, where he had less control.We we
Lana had been acting off lately, more distant, more unpredictable. Her reactions were sharper, her words more deliberate, like she was thinking too hard about what to say.I could see it in the way she looked at me sometimes, questioning everything.That night when she claimed someone had knocked on the door, saying nonsense. She wasn't lying, I knew that much. I needed her to stop digging.Today, I brought her to Jerry's clinic. Just a casual visit, I told her, nothing more. She'd relax, talk to Jerry and he'd help her calm down.I'd make sure of that."It's just a follow-up, Lana," I said softly as I drove. "You know Jerry. We're all friends. This is just routine, nothing to worry about."She stared out the window, barely responding. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, sensing the tension between us. Something was on her mind, something I couldn't quite put my finger on.When we arrived, Jerry greeted us warmly, as always. He was our friend, but I'd already planted seeds of d
My stomach knotted at the question, and for a split second, I froze. I hadn't expected Jerry to dig into this now, but I should've known. He was too sharp to let it slide.I leaned against the wall, running a hand through my hair. "Jerry, you can't tell Lana. I don't want her to go through the heartbreak again."Jerry's frown deepened. "Heartbreak? What heartbreak? Jason, you're hiding too much from her. She deserves to know the truth."I shook my head, forcing myself to stay calm. "She's better off not knowing. She's already been through enough. The last thing I need is for her to remember that Samuel was pulled down by Naomi. That's all she needs to know—nothing more."Jerry crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "And why are you so insistent on that? Why not let her remember the full truth? What are you hiding?"His words hit like a punch to the gut. I'd kept my secrets buried for so long, but Jerry was getting too close now. If he started prying too much, I'd lose contr
In her dimly lit living room, the glow from her phone screen casting eerie shadows across her face. She scrolled through Lana's last message, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. The messages were becoming more frequent now. Lana was reaching out, hungry for answers, vulnerable to manipulation.It was exactly what she had hoped for.Jason wouldn’t be able to keep Lana on a leash for much longer.She knew she had to act fast. The more unstable Lana became, the more Jason would tighten his grip. He’d keep her under constant watch, smothering her with concern, anything to keep her from the truth. But she was counting on that. Lana’s desperation would grow the more trapped she felt.And that’s where she came in, offering her an escape, offering her the truth.She carefully typed out her next message:“Lana, I know you're scared. I can’t even imagine what it must feel like to be gaslighted by the person you trust the most. But you’re not crazy. Jason is hiding something from you, and you
My head hasn't stopped spinning since the message arrived.Hey, Lana, is Jason around? I left something special for you in your postbox. It’s from the good old days. Come and collect it the sooner you got the chance.I've been sitting here for what feels like hours, staring at my phone, replaying that voice in my head. Naomi, or at least, the woman who claims to be her. I don't even know what to believe anymore. But if she knows something, if she can give me answers, how can I ignore her?Jason's been hovering more than usual lately. Watching. Always watching. It's like he senses something, like he knows I've been questioning everything he's told me. His gaze follows me when I move around the apartment, and I can feel it.The weight of it presses down on me, making it hard to breathe.It's suffocating.But it's also keeping me from sneaking out. Every time I get the urge to grab my keys and head for the door, there's Jason. "Do you need something?" he asks, his voice so casual, but the
The night was suffocating, thick with unanswered questions. Every creak of the apartment, every shadow that danced across the walls seemed more alive than before. Jason had retired to the bedroom, leaving me alone in the dim light of the living room, but I could feel his presence looming over me, even from a distance.I hadn't been able to touch the dinner I'd made.The phone on the table vibrated, jolting me from my daze. My pulse quickened as I stared at it, knowing exactly who it was.Naomi.I snatched up the phone and hesitated, my thumb hovering over the message notification. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure Jason wasn't watching. I could hear the faint sound of water running. He was in the shower. I had a few minutes.I unlocked the phone and read the message:Did you like the gift? It was your favourite, wasn't it?I felt my chest tighten. I didn't know whether to feel comforted or terrified.I typed out a reply, my fingers trembling.Yes, its a long story, right?The dot
The cab pulled away, leaving me standing at the edge of the park. I took a deep breath, the cool night air filling my lungs as I glanced around.The street lights cast long, uneven shadows on the ground, barely illuminating the park like daylight. I could see a few people, probably coming back from work walking along the path. Some wore headphones, lost in their own world, while others hurried by, eager to reach their destination.My heart raced. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, spinning faster with each passing second.Where is she?I scanned each person, trying to pick out Naomi from the crowd. My phone buzzed. A message."I’m here. By the bench under the large fig tree. Facing the road."I glanced around, trying to locate the place she was talking about. My eyes landed on it, off the beaten path, deeper into the park. The branches hung low, its massive trunk casting a shadow even darker than the night itself.My feet hesitated.Something felt wrong. Naomi, as she called herself
I woke up to the sound of dripping water, the faintest echo in the stillness. My head pounded as if someone had driven nails into my skull, and my mouth felt dry and metallic. My arms ached, my wrists were raw, tied together with coarse rope that cut into my skin every time I moved. It took me a moment to remember what had happened.I blinked, my vision slowly coming into focus. My heart lurched as I took in my surroundings. The room was dimly lit, the light barely filtering through cracked windows. But it wasn't just the dimness that unsettled me.I had been here before. My skin crawled with the realization.I slowly scanned the room, every inch triggering distant memories I couldn't quite place. The heavy wooden door, its dark, varnished surface chipped and worn. The brass-colored ceiling fan above, its blades unmoving, but the slight creak of the ceiling hinted that it hadn't been used in years. The windows, large and arched, were framed with old, peeling wood that had rotted with t
Nelson gripped the handlebars of his motorcycle tighter, his knuckles turning white, its powerful engine thrumming beneath him like a restless beast. It roared through the night streets of Sillas City as he weaved through traffic, the engine’s deep growl echoing off the narrow alleys. Lana's trembling voice replayed in his head, each word etched into his mind.“Crescent Towers… tenth floor—uh, number… 358, I think. … you’re my only hope. You have to help me.”He had hesitated at first, and for a fleeting moment, he wondered if this was a prank. But as the silence stretched after the call ended, guilt and worry gnawed at him.What if Lana truly needed help? The thought left a bitter taste in Nelson's mouth."Damn it," he muttered under his breath, twisting the throttle. The 650cc engine roared to life, propelling him forward with a surge of adrenaline.He couldn’t ignore her, not after hearing the desperation in her voice.Nelson eased his bike into the parking lot, the sound of the ru
The room felt heavy with unspoken tension, the kind that seeped into the walls and lingered like a storm waiting to break. Jason stood near the window, his hands clasped tightly behind his back, gazing out at the city skyline. The glittering lights mocked him, a chaotic reflection of the battle raging inside. His jaw tightened as he exhaled slowly, the sound barely audible over the hum of the air conditioning.Behind him, Jerry sat at the table, methodically sorting through his medical bag. The precise clink of glass vials against one another was the only sound, a steady rhythm in the charged silence.“Jerry,” Jason began, his voice low, almost a growl. “I need your help.”He didn’t look up immediately, but Jason noticed the subtle stiffening of his shoulders. When Jerry finally met his gaze, his expression was guarded, his movements deliberate as he closed the bag.“I’m already helping you, Jason,” Jerry said coldly. “More than I should.”Jason turned, his expression dark. “We’re not
I lay motionless, every inch of my body weighed down by exhaustion. Outside the bedroom door, I could hear them.Jason and Jerry, discussing my condition in hushed tones.I strained to catch snippets of their conversation, words like "dosage" and "observing" drifting through the crack. They sounded calm and steady, but to me, it felt more like they were plotting my imprisonment.Then I noticed it.Jason's phone rested on the seat where he usually sat while keeping watch over me. The screen glowed, a recent message half-typed, abandoned in his haste to follow Jerry. My heart thundered in my chest, adrenaline surging through my veins.This was my chance.Ignoring the throbbing pain in my stitched hand, I dragged myself to the edge of the bed, fingers outstretched toward the phone. I trembled, fighting to steady my breath.My mind raced as I navigated to the contacts list.Nelson.He was my only hope. After the heated argument with Jason days ago, I clung to the belief that Nelson would n
For the next two days, the walls seemed to close in, inch by inch, and despair began to creep into my bones. I had hoped that playing the part, feigning obedience, would give me some space—maybe a chance. But Jason didn't leave the apartment.Still, he stayed, his presence shadowing me with its quiet, unnerving calm.Most meals arrived at the door, delivered with barely a sound, a silent reminder that I was cut off from the outside world. Jason set up his laptop on the counter, working without a word. Though he gave me the freedom to roam the living room, even watch TV, it felt orchestrated. As if he wanted me to feel relaxed enough to drop my guard.I tried to distract myself with the television, flipping through channels for anything that could pull me from this claustrophobic existence, but nothing caught my interest. Every laugh track, every news anchor's voice felt hollow, echoing against the surrounding silence.There was no way out. Every door locked from the inside, every windo
Jason stepped out of the shower, his movements relaxed as he wrapped a towel around his waist, droplets of water clinging to his skin. He noticed immediately that Lana was not in her room, but it only deepened his calm. He knew that there was no possible way for her to get out.He had seen to it. She was safely contained, her every means of connection to the outside world secured or removed. He'd thought through each scenario, each potential escape, and he knew with certainty that the only way she was leaving was with him, to Granata.As he dried his hair in his room across from Lana's, Jason glanced at the clock on the living room wall. The time was nearly up. He needed to change her bandage. He draped the towel around his shoulders, with a steady breath, he padded toward the kitchen, a small smile curving as he found her there, sipping a glass of water. She turned at the sound of his approach, her expression calm but distant, masking the tension he knew was hiding underneath."I hope
My arm throbbed lightly, a raw, stinging reminder of the wound left from yesterday. I winced, testing the movement, but relief washed over me when I realized it wasn't deep enough to slow me down.I needed to move fast, to be quiet. The shower hissed from behind the closed bathroom door, the only sound in the apartment. I took a quick, steadying breath.If there was ever a time to get out, it was now.I padded across the living room, feeling every muscle tense with purpose. When I reached the front door, my fingers went to the lock.I froze.That unyielding panel of numbers stared back at me, unmovable and impassive. I punched in the only codes I thought might work. Birthdays, common combinations, even random sequences. But each attempt ended with a sharp, unforgiving beep. My heart hammered in my chest. He had activated the security locked down system, blinking red with each failed entry.With growing dread, I tore my eyes from the door and cast a frantic glance around the apartment.
I blinked awake, my eyes adjusting to the dim light as I took in the soft shadows of the room. My hand throbbed slightly, wrapped in a fresh bandage.The antiseptic smell lingered, a reminder of how closely Jason had hovered over me. It felt like a weight pressing on my chest, this feeling of being caged. I needed to get away, away from his grip that seemed to tighten with every passing day.I shifted on the bed, letting out a quiet sigh. A warm hand squeezed my shoulder, gentle yet firm. Jason's voice reached me through the haze, soft and careful. "Hey, you’re waking up. I’m here.”Blinking, I opened my eyes, struggling to bring the world around me into focus. My mind felt heavy, muddled, and it took a moment to recognize where I was. Jason’s face hovered over me, a faint, reassuring smile on his face.The sunlight seeped through the blinds, casting soft, crisscrossed shadows over the room, grounding me slightly in its warmth. As I looked around, my eyes caught on the IV bag, nearly d
Lana began to stir, Jason felt a flicker of hope. He gently squeezed her shoulder, his voice low and soothing. "Hey, you're waking up. I'm here." Her eyes fluttered open, revealing a mix of confusion and fatigue. He smiled reassuringly, hoping to ease the disorientation that seemed to cling to her.The sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting soft shadows throughout the room. He glanced at the IV line, noting that the bag was nearly empty. The remnants of the medication administered by Jerry would soon be out of her system, and he hoped that would bring Lana back to herself."Here, drink this," he said, pouring warm water into a glass. He carefully raised it to her lips, watching as she took small sips. "You need more restful sleep." He added, wanted to ensure she felt comfortable and cared for."Jerry came by to check on you earlier," Jason explained, keeping his tone gentle. "He set up the IV to help you recover. It's almost done now." He gestured toward the line on her arm. "He
Jason eased Lana onto the bed, taking care to settle her comfortably before pulling the blankets up snugly around her, cocooning her in warmth.He brushed his fingers gently through her hair, smoothing out any strands that had strayed, letting them slip like silk through his fingertips.A mix of tenderness and guilt deep within him stirred, he lingered a moment longer, his gaze tracing her face as she slept, realizing just how far he had gone to keep her close, even if it meant crossing lines he'd once vowed never to cross.Making sure she was settled comfortably, Jason moved to close the blinds, casting the room into darkness, softening the edges of reality.The dim light created a quiet cocoon around them, shielding her from the world beyond those walls. He lowered himself onto the mattress beside her, the mattress creaking slightly under his weight.He observed closely as the tension in her expression eased, her brow softening as the pain began to recede. Her bandaged hand lay limp