Before starting the car, he glanced at me and said, "Lock the seatbelt, because it's a long journey, butterfly."

The weight of his words lingered in my mind as I stared at him, unsure of what to feel. The car hummed quietly as he started the engine, and the drive ahead was filled with silence, a silence that seemed to press down on me, suffocating any chance of conversation.

I had been told to keep my mouth shut, and I obeyed, sitting there silently, my eyes fixed on him throughout the entire drive. His cold, unwavering gaze never left the road ahead as he drove.

When we finally reached home, he did something unexpected. He grabbed a ladder from my neighbor's yard and placed it near my window. Without saying much, he told me to climb up. I didn't argue; I obeyed.

But as my hands gripped the cold metal, fear began to creep in. Tears stung my eyes, but I kept going, unsure of what else to do.

A heavy sigh escaped me as I remembered everything. I didn't want to do anything today, I just wanted to sleep, to escape from all the tension and anxiety swirling inside me.

"Why aren't you ready, Maya?" Mom suddenly burst into my room, her voice filled with frustration. I closed my eyes, stifling another yawn that escaped my mouth. The exhaustion weighed me down like a heavy blanket.

Mom didn't wait for an answer. She pushed me into the washroom, urging me to take a bath. I did as she said, the warm water giving me a slight sense of relief. When I stepped out of the shower, I was about to grab the dress I had planned to wear, but then Mom spoke up again.

"Wear this today," she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she held up a beautiful dress. "Look, it's so beautiful, you know? I saw my favorite actress wearing something similar, and it looked so good on her. I wanted to wear it too, but you know, I'm too old for that now." She rambled on, her voice rising in enthusiasm, while I stood frozen, staring at the dress in her hands.

My heart skipped a beat. The dress was stunning, and I couldn't deny but I didn't wanted to wear it. My eyes blinked again, hoping against hope that this was all just some strange, bad dream. I silently wished I could wake up from this nightmare.

Turning towards Mom, I hesitated for a moment, my voice barely a whisper as I spoke. "Mom, can I not go today? I'm really tired."

She stopped, arching an eyebrow and folding her arms across her chest. "What were you doing last night then?" Her question was sharp, and my stomach twisted in fear.

Before I could even answer, my phone rang, and I immediately knew who it was. I quickly answered, trying to keep my voice steady despite the dread flooding my chest.

"Yes..." I said, my voice shaky.

"I'm waiting," Rhys said, his deep voice sending a chill down my spine. I nodded, though he couldn't see me. My gaze shifted nervously towards my mom.

"Yes, yes, I'm coming, just wait for me, okay?" I quickly said, trying to sound as normal as possible, and grabbed the dress.

"Mom, I was reading a book," I said loudly, trying to explain, but she immediately shot back with disapproval.

"That's why I've told you again and again not to read those books, right?" she snapped. Her tone was scolding, and it stung.

"I won't, I promise," I replied loudly, hoping to end the conversation. After that, I heard the door click shut behind her.

I stared at myself in the mirror as I tried to pull myself together. I looked at the dress, my fingers tracing the fabric as if to reassure myself that this was just another day. My hair was left loose, cascading around my shoulders, but the dress had a wide neckline that made me feel exposed. The dress fell just below my knees, and I couldn't shake the image of Rhys's reaction.

Would he be angry? Would he hurt me? I didn't know what to expect, but I couldn't do anything about it now.

I quickly grabbed a long hoodie from the wardrobe and tucked it into my bag, hoping it would cover enough. As I walked down the stairs, I muttered a quick goodbye to my parents and hurried outside.

Once I reached the garden, I quickly slipped the hoodie on behind a wall, trying to hide myself as much as possible. But I still couldn't shake the feeling of my exposed legs. I would have worn pants, but it would've looked too awkward. My heart pounded in my chest as I clutched the dress tightly, walking towards his car.

My sneakers made small sounds on the ground as I kept my head down, trying to avoid making eye contact with anyone. As I got closer to the car, I saw him—Rhys—sitting in the driver's seat, his eyes focused on his phone.

My heart raced in anticipation, knowing how angry he would be when he saw me. I gave a soft knock on the window, and he looked up. Without a word, he unlocked the door, but his gaze quickly returned to his phone. I pulled the door open, but I didn't enter right away. I stood frozen, afraid of what might happen next .

few seconds passed

"Why are you standing there?" he finally asked, his voice cold, as he turned to face me.

His eyes darkened as he looked at me up to down, and I quickly lowered my head. My nails dug into my palms in an attempt to steady myself. The intensity of his gaze sent chills through me, and I could feel my body tremble under his scrutiny.

"Who do you want to seduce, Maya?" His voice was mocking, yet dark with anger. "Me, or some other guy?"

His teeth clenched and unclenched as he controlled his fury. I dared to look up at him, my voice barely above a whisper. "Mom... made me wear it," I stuttered, my legs weak with fear.

His eyes flared with rage, and my legs nearly gave out as I stumbled, a hiccup escaping my mouth.

"AND YOU COULDN'T SAY A FUCKING NO, RIGHT?" he shouted angrily, his voice cutting through the air. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I gripped the dress, trying to hold myself together.

"FUCKING GET INSIDE, RIGHT NOW!" he yelled louder this time, and I flinched, nodding through my tears. I stepped into the car, my head lowered in shame.

"Wear your seatbelt, for God's sake, and stop crying like a pathetic bitch," he said coldly, his voice laced with annoyance. His tongue poked into his cheek as he made a dismissive sound.

I wiped at my tears, but the sniffles wouldn't stop. He drove the car in the opposite direction, and I didn't dare question him. I let him take me wherever he wanted, my mind too clouded with fear to think clearly.

The silence between us was deafening, heavy with tension. He stopped the car in front of a mall and grabbed my hand, pulling me out of the car. I kept my head down, trying to hide from the stares of anyone around.

He tightened his grip on me whenever someone looked our way. He led me into a small office, where he instructed the guard to call the mall manager. Within minutes, the manager appeared.

"I want this mall emptied for a while," Rhys said coldly, his tone commanding. The manager, already sweating with nerves, nodded quickly.

In less than five minutes, the mall was deserted. Not a single person remained, not even the guards or the manager. Rhys grabbed my hand again, but this time his grip was softer, though still firm. He dragged me towards the elevator, pressing the button for the top floor.

When the elevator stopped, we stepped out, and Rhys immediately started searching for something. He found what he was looking for and changed direction, pulling me into a clothing store.

Without hesitation, he picked out a pair of loose pants and scanned me from head to toe. Without saying a word, he pulled me towards the dressing room, opening the door. He stepped inside first, then pulled me in after him, locking the door behind us.

What will happen now cuties... 🤭?