Chapter 4

SELENA

I groggily opened my eyes, blinking a few times until I adjusted to the dim light of the unfamiliar room. Confusion and panic immediately set in as I tried to remember how I ended up in this place, but everything was blank. As I sat up, I took in the surroundings and tried to piece together where I was.

The room was small and sparsely furnished, with a single bed pushed against one wall and a small table beside it. There was an old-fashioned clock ticking loudly on the wall, a lamp on the bedside table and a window with minimal daylight streaming in, casting eerie shadows around the room. The walls were painted a dull shade of gray, which made it feel even more unwelcoming.

A sense of unease began to grip the me as I took in the unfamiliarity of the space. I quickly searched for any clues that could give me a hint to my whereabouts but there were none. No familiar items or personal belongings were in sight.

I felt knots form in the pit of my stomach as I tried to remember how I got here. My tummy twisted as I slowly recalled that I was held at gun point before I blacked out, was I dead?  

My breath quickened as I looked around the unfamiliar room getting out of the bed. I searched for a way out, running my hand over the smooth surfaces of the walls, but I found no hidden panels or seams. The only furniture was a simple wooden chair in the center of the room, which I pushed aside with a grunt of frustration.

Turning to the door, I gave it a firm shove, but it didn't budge. I tried the handle, but it was locked tight. Panic rose in my chest as I realized I was trapped. 

My eyes scanned the room again, looking for any clue or tool that could help me escape. It was then that I noticed a small vent near the ceiling. I stood on the chair, stretching to reach it. It was too small for me to crawl through, but I could see a faint glimmer of light on the other side.

Using the strength in my arms, I managed to remove the vent grate, and I was relieved to find a narrow space between the walls that I could squeeze through. I hesitated for just a moment not sure of what could be out there but I knew this was my only option.

I took a deep breath ready to get in when the door opened slowly, I staggered on the chair out of fear, I was sure I was going to be the death of me once my head touched the ground, shutting my eyes closed I braced myself for impact but instead my fall was stopped mid air.

I opened my eyes to see who was holding on to me so firmly, "You?" I exclaimed as I stared at Aiden Frazier. 

I shoved him off me staggering back as a smirk fell on his face, I couldn't remember how I had gotten here but it was obvious now that they had not killed me but brought me here on his order. 

"Where is my mum and my sister? What have you done to them you crazy lunatic?" I asked angrily. Were they also locked up in a room like I was?

"They are safe for now," he said to me walking to the bed and dropping a file and a phone on the bed that I had not noticed he was holding on to when he had tried to stop me from falling off the chair.

"Let me out right now," I demanded but only got a light chuckle from him, when I had slapped him in the office earlier I had been consumed by anger but now standing before him and seeing him upright I was consumed by fear. 

His glare terrified me and I could only wonder what was going on in his head as he stared at me with a repulsive look.

"Sign the papers and I would let you out," he said. 

"Sign what fucking papers? I want to see my mum and sister right now, I demand to see them this minute."

"Demand?" He glared at me angrily closing the distance between up, I gulped at the sight of him walking up to me, I wanted to move back but my feet remained glued to the ground. 

"I don't do too well with disobedience," he informed me grabbing me by the arm and squeezing tightly as I winced in pain, I opened my mouth to protest but before I could be shoved me right on the bed next to the file and the phone. 

"I didn't mean to hit you," I sobbed as fear consumed me, it seemed being stubborn was going to get me killed, maybe if I begged him he would let me off. 

"Does it look like I care, open the goddamn paper right now," he yelled at me as shivers went down my spine. 

I hurriedly opened the paper reading the content carefully, what was this? A contract for a marriage? Was this some kind of joke? Did he kidnap me to get married to me or was I hallucinating?

"What is this?"

"A marriage contract, you have one minutes to decide or I won't hesitate to slit your mother and sisters throat."

At his words a video started to play on the phone, it was like it was programmed that way, I dropped the file to the side and picked the phone. It was a video of my mum and sister tied to a chair and blindfolded with two men standing behind them and holding a knife over their neck.

I stared at Aiden as panic filled me, "please let them go, it is me you want, I didn't mean to hurt you," I cried going on my knee instantly. Why was he doing this to me? What was he going to gain by getting married to me? 

"You have fifty seconds left," he said checking his wristwatch.

"Please don't do this, I beg you," I cried. 

"Kill them," he ordered like he was talking to someone. 

"No!!" I screamed. "I will marry you, I will agree to the contract, don't do it." I cried.