Trapped in the Crime Lord's Obsession
I stared down at the contract, a wave of defiance bubbling up in me. I turned back to him, meeting his gaze head-on.
"I never asked for your help," I said, "I would've found a way to save my mother on my own. You may think you own me, but I'd rather die than marry you."
A slow smile crept across his face, a smug, knowing look that sent a chill down my spine. He knew exactly what I was thinking, as if my resistance only entertained him.
"Look at me," he commanded.
I reluctantly turned back, locking eyes with him. His face had shifted, his expression darkened, and for the first time, true fury was etched in his eyes.
"Iâll count to ten," he said, "If that contract isnât signed by the time I reach ten, Iâll make the same call I made to pay those bills. Only this time, the instructions will be different. Your mother... your sisterâĶtheyâll both be gone."
He took a breath, settling back as if the threat were a mere matter of routine. "SoâĶ ONE!!"
I swallowed hard, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. Could he be bluffing? No, I'd seen him kill before, seen how casually he turned life and death into sports.
"FOUR," he counted.
My hands started to shake. What could I do? If I signed, I'd be bound to him forever, trapped as his wife. But if I didnât... my mother and sisterâs lives hung in the balance.
"SEVEN."
I closed my eyes, fighting the panic rising in my chest. He wouldnât do it, I told myself. He couldnât be that monstrous. But even as I thought it, the doubt crept in. I wasnât sure.
Then, he hit "TEN" himself