006: The Forbidden Room

ANYA

I swallowed hard, tears threatening to spill from my eyes as I stared at Hunter. I felt powerless under his intense gaze, his presence suffocating.

For a fleeting moment, I thought about fighting back....maybe kneeing him to escape. But fear gripped me. If I acted recklessly, my family would undoubtedly pay the price.

Suddenly, his hand moved from under my dress, and he gently caressed my cheek. His touch sent a shiver down my spine, but it wasn’t from comfort....it was the unsettling control he seemed to have over me.

I squeezed my eyes shut, refusing to look at him.

“Open your eyes when I speak to you,” he commanded, his voice cold but firm.

I reluctantly obeyed, opening my eyes to find his face mere inches from mine. His lips almost brushed mine, and his piercing blue eyes locked onto mine with a chilling intensity.

“My beautiful wife,” he whispered, his tone deceptively soft. “There’s something you need to understand. In this house, my word is law. So, when I say, ‘Go take a shower,’ it’s not a request. It’s an order. Do you understand me?”

I nodded quickly. “Yes.”

“Will you disobey me again?”

I shook my head, the tears finally spilling over.

A smile spread across his lips, one that sent a wave of unease through me. “Good girl,” he said before stealing a quick kiss.

I froze, unable to react as he stood up.

“Go,” he said, gesturing toward the bathroom.

Not wanting to provoke him further, I scrambled to my feet and rushed to the bathroom, locking the door tightly behind me. My heart pounded as I leaned against the door, wishing I could stay in there forever.

But I remembered his warning. I turned on the water and took a quick shower, hoping that following his orders would keep him at bay. When I finally emerged, wrapped in a towel, he was gone. Relief washed over me as I locked the bedroom door from the inside.

Collapsing onto the bed, I let the exhaustion of the day take over. My mind replayed the events....Cross, my family, the court, and now Hunter. It felt like a nightmare I couldn’t escape. Somewhere in my thoughts, I drifted off to sleep.

When I woke, the room was dimly lit by the evening sun. My stomach growled loudly, reminding me I hadn’t eaten all day. Hunger gnawed at me, forcing me out of the room.

The house was eerily quiet as I wandered through the hallways. I had no idea where to find food or even where the kitchen was. The mansion was massive, and I tried retracing my steps from earlier.

That’s when I saw it; the door with the strange drawing. The one Hunter had explicitly forbidden me from entering.

“What is he hiding in there?” I wondered, curiosity pulling me closer. “What if it’s something that can help me escape from him?”

I hesitated, my hand hovering over the doorknob. Hunter’s warning echoed in my mind, but the thought of finding something....anything that could give me an advantage pushed me forward.

Before I could second-guess myself, I turned the knob. To my surprise, the door wasn’t locked.

I slipped inside, my heart racing. The room was dim, lit only by a faint light from the curtains. It seemed like an ordinary bedroom at first glance, simple, yet elegant.

“Why would he forbid me from entering here?” I whispered to myself.

As I scanned the room, my attention was drawn to a cupboard on the far side. It bore the same strange drawing as the door. Something about it felt significant.

I approached the cupboard, my hands trembling as I reached for the handle. “Please don’t be locked,” I muttered under my breath.

The door creaked open, and I sighed in relief. But as I looked inside, my breath caught. What I saw wasn’t what I had expected.

My heart skipped a beat, and I instinctively backed away. I couldn’t make sense of what I was seeing, but fear gripped me like a vice. My knees weakened, and the world around me began to spin. Hunger, fear, and exhaustion blurred together, and I felt myself collapsing.

Before I hit the ground, strong arms caught me.

I opened my eyes, my vision hazy, and found myself face-to-face with Hunter Steele. He was shirtless, his chest muscular and intimidating. His blue eyes burned with anger as he barked, “What the hell are you doing in my room?”