8

Author's pov

After one week

Inaya had finally made up her mind, she was going to escape. There was no other choice. If she didn't leave now, she would be trapped here forever.

Aryan was always watching her. No matter where she went, his eyes followed. Even when she bathed, he would sit just outside the bathroom, making sure she couldn't run. At first, she thought he was just being protective, but now she knew the truth she was a prisoner in his world.

She still couldn't believe how things had turned out. The man she had once trusted, had locked her away.

At times, she had fought back. She had screamed, argued, even slapped him in frustration. But nothing changed. Aryan would only smile, as if amused by her behavior, and place a soft kiss on her cheek, whispering that he could never be angry at her.

His obsession had no limits.

But tonight, she was going to end it.

She had studied his routine carefully. In exactly one hour, Aryan would be busy with a meeting. That was her chance. She had no idea where she would go or how far she could get, but she didn't care. Anything was better than living in this cage, being told she was loved while having no choice in her own life.

Taking a deep breath, she looked around the room one last time. The same place she had spent countless sleepless nights, the same walls that had felt like they were closing in on her. Soon, she would be free.

All she had to do was run.

She sat on her bed, lost in thought, when Aryan walked in. Without a word, he sat beside her.

"I'm going to an important meeting, princess," he murmured, his fingers brushing against her cheek. "I'll deal with you once I return."

She forced a tight-lipped smile.

"You should go to bed now," he added, gently pushing her down onto the pillows.

She obeyed, letting him tuck the blanket around her, though sleep was the last thing on her mind.

Aryan stood up, adjusting his suit as he walked toward the door. Before stepping out, he turned to glance at her one last time.

She quickly closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.

A quiet chuckle escaped his lips. He was watching her. She could feel it. After a few agonizing seconds, she finally heard the soft click of the door closing behind him.

She waited. Counted her breaths.

And then, when she was sure he was gone, she opened her eyes.

This was it. Her only chance.

She had to run. Now.

■

The moment Aryan walked from the room, Inaya's heart pounded harder.

The cold air hit her like a slap as she climbed onto the window. Her hands shook as she gripped the edges, her bare feet freezing against the wooden frame.

Her heart pounded in her chest.

She looked down. The ground was covered in thick snow, but it was still a long way down. She knew the fall would hurt, maybe even injure her. But staying here was worse.

She had no choice.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed away from the window and jumped.

The air rushed past her, her stomach twisting as she fell. The wind howled in her ears, and for a brief moment, it felt like time had stopped.

Then, impact.

She crashed into the snow with a hard thud, pain jolting through her body. The cold seeped into her bones instantly, but she didn't stop. She couldn't.

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself up. Her legs wobbled, her arms ached, but she pushed forward, stumbling through the snow.

She had done it.

She had escaped.

But now, she had to run.

The wind was ice-cold, cutting through her thin dress as she stumbled forward. Snow covered everything, stretching endlessly in front of her. Her arms wrapped tightly around herself, hands rubbing her skin, but nothing helped. The cold was everywhere, sinking deep into her bones.

Her feet were already numb. Every step was slow, painful, like walking on sharp needles. She didn't know where she was going, she just knew she had to keep moving. If she stopped, she'd freeze. Or worse, Aryan would find her.

She had escaped.

She had jumped.

She was finally free.

But it felt terrifying.

There was silent except for the howling wind. No houses, no people, no sign of life. Just snow, endless. She kept moving, but her body was getting weaker. Her legs shook, her fingers felt stiff, and her breath came out in small, white clouds.

Then, suddenly, her knees buckled. She fell into the snow, gasping as the freezing cold wrapped around her. She tried to push herself up, but her arms wouldn't listen.

She was too cold.

Too tired.

Her eyelids felt heavy. She knew she couldn't sleep, but the snow felt soft beneath her. The wind sounded distant now, like a whisper in the background.

Her body stopped shaking.

She just needed to rest for a second. Just a second.

Her eyes slowly began to close.

The pain was unbearable.

She sat in the snow, gripping her injured leg, tears streaming down her face. The cold made it worse, numbing and burning at the same time. Her breath came out in broken gasps, her fingers trembling as she tried to hold onto the last bit of strength she had left.

This was the same leg, the one that had injury during the tournament. And now, it was worse. Much worse.

She tried to move, but the sharp pain shot through her, forcing a sob from her throat. The snow beneath her was turning red. Blood. Her blood.

She was alone.

Completely alone.

And for the first time since she ran, she wished Aryan was here.

Because no matter how much she hated him for what he did, he never let her suffer like this.

But he wasn't here.

No one was.

She was on her own.

Her body was giving up.

And she didn't know how much longer she could fight.

She sat there in the snow, her arms wrapped around herself, shivering violently. The pain in her leg was unbearable, throbbing with every passing second. She pressed her hands against it, hoping to stop the bleeding, but it only made the pain worse.

She let out a weak, broken laugh, shaking her head. "This is ridiculous," she muttered to herself, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I hate him," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I hate him so much."

But even as she said it, another thought pushed its way in, one she didn't want to admit.

"But if he was here... at least I wouldn't be alone."

She sniffled, rubbing her arms, trying to stop the violent shivers. The cold was too much, sinking into her bones, making her body feel heavier by the second.

"He would've carried me," she murmured, almost to herself. "He wouldn't let me sit here like this. He wouldn't let me freeze."

A bitter smile formed on her lips, and a fresh tear rolled down her cheek. "God, I must be losing my mind."

She had spent days planning her escape. She had told herself she would never think of him again. But now, with the snow swallowing her whole and the pain in her leg making her dizzy, all she could think about was Aryan.

She clenched her jaw, her fingers digging into the icy ground. "No," she whispered harshly. "I don't need him. I don't need anyone."

But her body betrayed her. She was getting weaker. The cold was winning.

And deep down, no matter how much she hated him no matter how much she wished she didn't she still wanted him here.

Through the thick snowfall, Inaya saw a pair of headlights in the distance. A car.

Her heart pounded hard in her chest.

She had to reach it.

Ignoring the sharp pain in her leg, she forced herself to stand. Her body weak and trembling, but she pushed forward. Each step felt heavier than the last. The freezing wind bit at her skin, her clothes soaked from the snow, but she didn't stop.

She lifted her arm and waved, her movements slow and shaky. "Please..." she whispered, though she wasn't sure if the driver could even hear her.

The car slowed down.

Relief flooded her chest, but before she could take another step, her knees gave out. She collapsed onto the icy road, her breath coming out in small, broken gasps.

The car door opened, and a man, probably in his thirties, rushed toward her. His eyes filled with concern as he knelt beside her. "Hey, are you okay?"

Inaya's lips trembled, her voice weak. "Take me away from him."

"From whom?"

She shook her head, unable to explain. "Please... help me."

The man hesitated only for a second before carefully lifting her into his arms.

"I'm heading to my family house," he said gently. "I'll take you there. You'll be safe."

Safe.

She wanted to believe it.

He placed her in the back seat of the car, shutting the door softly.

Her eyelids felt heavier. Her breathing slowed.

As the car started moving, the last thing she saw was the blurred car.

And then everything went dark.

■

Aryan came home after meeting and his eyes narrowed as he spotted a car parked outside. He already knew who it belonged to.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside and, just as expected, saw Vyom sitting on the couch, sipping a glass of water like he owned the place.

Aryan didn't waste time. "Why did you come here, Vyom?"

Vyom looked up, smiling casually. "This is my home too aryan, hope you didn't forget that. And also I wanted to meet you." He stood up and gave Aryan a quick hug, but Aryan didn't hug back. He just stood there, arms stiff at his sides.

They both sat down, a heavy silence between them.

After a moment, Vyom leaned forward. "Guess what? You won't believe what happened today." He chuckled. "On my way here, I saw a girl lying on the road. She was injured, barely able to walk or talk. She looked so scared. So, I brought her here to let her rest for a while. Hope that's okay. I think she was running from someone."

Aryan's face remained blank, but his hands curled into fists.

"Vyom, the only woman who is allowed to be here is my girlfriend. I don't want any other woman here."

Vyom frowned. "Are you serious? The girl was terrified. Where should I take her?"

"Anywhere but here. I don't want my Inaya to feel another woman's presence in this house."

Vyom's expression changed. "Who's Inaya?"

Aryan's jaw tightened. "That doesn't matter to you. Just take that girl and leave."

Vyom let out a frustrated sigh and stood up. "Fine. I'll take her." He walked toward the guest room, shaking his head. Aryan followed behind him.

But the moment he saw the girl lying on the bed, his breath caught.

His entire world stopped.

"Inaya?" His voice was barely a whisper.

Vyom turned to him, confused. "You know her?"

Aryan ignored his question. His eyes were glued to Inaya's pale face, the bandages on her leg, the way her body looked so weak.

His heart pounded. "You found her on the road?" he asked, his voice low.

Vyom nodded slowly. "Yeah... why?" Then, realization hit him. His eyes widened. "Wait... did she try to escape from you, Aryan?"

Aryan didn't respond. He just gave a single, slow nod.

Vyom exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. "This is crazy, man. But you know what? This isn't my problem. You deal with it."

Without another word, Vyom turned and walked out.

Aryan, however, didn't move. His eyes stayed on Inaya.

She had run from him.

And yet, she had ended up right back in his home.

■

Aryan walked closer to the bed, his eyes fixed on Inaya. She looked so weak, her face pale, her breathing soft and unsteady. His hands clenched into fists as he took a slow breath.

She had run from him. She had tried to leave him. But in the end, she was right back where she started. With him.

He sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out carefully. His fingers brushed against her cold hand, and the moment they touched, she flinched. Even in her sleep, she moved away from him.

A bitter smile formed on his lips.

"You really thought you could escape me?"

His grip on her hand tightened just a little. "You can hate me all you want, but you'll always be mine, Inaya."

His gaze moved to her injured leg. Seeing her like this made something twist inside him. She had hurt herself trying to get away from him. She had pushed herself beyond her limits just to leave him behind.

The thought made his jaw clench.

He wanted to wake her up. He wanted to make her look at him and see that no matter what she did, she could never run far enough. But at the same time, he couldn't ignore the exhaustion on her face, the way her body looked so fragile.

With a heavy sigh, he leaned forward, resting his forehead lightly against her hand. "I should be angry at you. I should punish you for running." His voice was barely a whisper. "But not tonight."

She needed rest. She needed to heal.

For now.

He pulled the blanket over her carefully, making sure she was warm. His fingers gently brushed a few strands of hair away from her face, his touch lingering for a moment.

Then, without another word, he stood up and walked to the door. He looked back at her one last time before stepping out and closing it behind him.

She wasn't going anywhere. Not this time.

■

Inaya slowly opened her eyes, her body aching as if she had been through a battle. As her vision cleared, she saw him, standing right in front of her like he owned the place.

"What the-" she started to curse.

Before she could finish, he walked towards her, closing the distance between them in just a few steps. Without warning, he wrapped his arms around her.

"If you wanted to escape, you could have," he murmured against her. "I told you, princess. But look at you now. You got injured."

She frowned, trying to piece together what had happened. The last thing she remembered was running away, desperate to leave this place. But now... she was back?

"How did I come back here?" she asked, pushing against his chest so she could look into his eyes.

He smirked slightly, as if he had been waiting for her to ask that.

"The guy who helped you is Vyom," he said casually.

She blinked. "Vyom? Your brother?"

"Yeah."

She let out a frustrated sigh and rolled her eyes before lightly hitting herself on the forehead. Just her luck. She had tried to escape, only to be brought back by none other than his own brother

She tried to step back, but he tightened his grip, his fingers digging into her wrist just enough to make her freeze.

"I told yo," he whispered, his breath warm against her skin. "Run as far as you want. Hide wherever you think you're safe. But in the end... you'll always end up right here. With me."

Her heart pounded as she struggled to breathe. "You can't keep me here forever."

He chuckled, low and dark. "Oh, but I can. And I will."

She tried to yank her hand away, but he pulled her closer, his lips just inches from her ear.

"You think Vyom saved you?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "No, sweetheart. He brought you back because he knows the truth."

She swallowed hard, fear creeping up her spine. "What truth?"

He smirked, tilting his head as if amused by her innocence.

"That you belong to me," he said, his fingers tracing her jawline. "And no matter how hard you fight it, no matter how much you scream... there's no escaping me."

Her breath hitched as his eyes darkened.

"Because," he continued, his voice dripping with possession, "I don't just want you to stay. I want you to realize... you were never meant to leave."

She tried to push him away, but he was faster, grabbing her wrist and pulling her against his chest. Their bodies collided, her breath hitching as his fingers slowly traced down her arm.

"You really think you can run from me, princess?" he murmured.

She glared at him. "I'll do it again."

His smirk deepened. "Good," he whispered, tilting his head slightly. "I love a good chase. But tell me... did you miss me while you were gone?"

She scoffed, looking away. "In your dreams."

He chuckled, leaning in until his lips almost brushed against her ear. "Oh, you have no idea what I dream about, sweetheart."

A shiver ran down her spine, but she refused to react.

His fingers trailed up her back, making her skin tingle. "You can deny it all you want," he murmured, his voice dark and teasing. "But your body? It tells me a different story."

She gasped when he suddenly lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his intense gaze. His thumb brushed against her lower lip, his eyes locked onto hers.

"Next time you try to run," he whispered, his lips barely an inch away, "make sure you don't leave behind the scent of your perfume on my pillow... because that's what drove me insane the most."

She tried to turn away, but he was quicker. His fingers curled around her waist, pulling her back until her spine pressed against his chest.

She inhaled sharply, her heart pounding. "Let me go."

He chuckled, his grip tightening just enough to make her breath hitch. "Oh, I will... but only when I'm done reminding you why you belong right here."

She turned her face, her lips almost brushing against his jaw. "I don't belong to you."

His smirk deepened. "Then why does your pulse race every time I touch you?"

Her breath caught in her throat as his fingers slowly trailed up her arm, igniting a fire she desperately wanted to ignore.

"See, princess," he whispered, leaning down so his lips barely grazed her skin. "Your body betrays you every single time."

She clenched her jaw, refusing to react, but then he suddenly spun her around, caging her between his arms against the wall.

"You keep running, but the funny thing is..." he tilted her chin up, eyes dark with intensity, "you always end up back in my arms."

She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the heat between them. "You are delusional."

He smirked. "Maybe," he admitted, his fingers tracing the side of her neck, making her shudder. "But if this is a delusion, then tell me, sweetheart..." His lips ghosted over hers, teasing, taunting. "Why haven't you pushed me away yet?"

To be continued

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Spoiler for next chapter: "I looked at my bicep which is covered with blood. I took this bullet only for her. So that she will care for me."