"Look up, girl..." she demanded.

Taking my gaze away from Dad, I looked at Maya. My gaze turned to Mom, who was waiting for her to look up. Taking one step closer, I called...

"Maya... look up. Mom is asking something..." I said, and she obeyed. Oh, I loved how her body listened only to my voice.

She looked up, with those doe eyes at Mom. Mom turned her head and arched her eyebrow, looking at me.

"What's your name?" Mom asked.

"M..aya..." she answered.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful girl..." Mom said and chuckled. Turning her head towards Dad, she just nodded, and Dad understood.

Letting out a sigh, he walked towards me...

"You, crazy son of mine..." he said, and a loud laugh echoed in the room.

Maya's POV...

The laugh made me shudder in fear. Everything that was happening was wrong. My mind was blank, yet my heart held so many fears.

And the biggest was this...

The whole family looked happy, like they were accepting their son's love, who had asked for their permission—which was what Rhys said. But it wasn't true. It could never be true, right?

My feet moved forward to run, but the fear of power held me back. Stumbling on my own steps, I was about to fall when he held me, and I lost it.

I didn't want him to hold me. I wanted him to be away from me. I wanted him to disappear from my life. Turning my body with a jerk, he looked at my face, his eyes traveling everywhere.

"Are you okay, butterf—" he was about to finish when my hand moved automatically, colliding with his cheek with full force. I didn't know how it happened, but it did.

I was shocked, and he was too—maybe for a second. His parents looked at me with wide eyes. I didn't want to know what would happen to me, what they would do. I just wanted to run, and I did. Pushing him harshly away from me, I ran outside.

I kept looking back. No one followed me—I was glad. I ran, looking at the giant door, suddenly making it my target to reach. I ran, climbing down the stairs quickly. Just as I was about to reach the door, it closed, and a cry of helplessness escaped my lips. Knocking on the door again and again, I shouted.

Some maids and guards were there. I looked at them and begged, "Please let me out."

My knees gave up, and sitting on the floor, I cried.

"P...lease let me out..."

But no one listened. No one listened until Rhys came, looking at me with his dark gaze, up and down, while walking down the stairs with slow steps. My teary eyes roamed, searching for someone who could help me. And I saw them—his parents, standing on the first floor.

But would they help me? Why would they?

A loud sob left my mouth when Rhys suddenly grabbed my arm, pulling me up.

His eyes met mine again, and I lowered my gaze, crying helplessly.

"Look up, Maya," he said angrily, and I quickly obeyed.

"I a..m so..rry..." I said, crying while maintaining the gaze.

He didn't say anything to me and started dragging me upstairs again with him. I was thrown at his parents' feet, my head lowered in shame.

"I a....m so..r..ry, I d..idn't me..an t..o h...urt hi..m. I-I a..m so...rry, Un..cle and A..unt," I said, and Rhys crouched down, sitting on my left side.

"Look up at him when you say sorry, Maya," he said, and I did.

"I a...m s..orry...."

Rhys's dad didn't say anything, while his mom came close to me, her heels clicking on the floor.

Looking down at me, she grabbed my chin.

"See, Maya, I don't know what my son has done to you, nor do I want to know. I have never raised my hand on him, and you did—in our first meeting."

"Rhys, I want this girl in control. Let's go, honey..." she said, turning her head to Rhys and then to her husband.

I lowered my head quickly. A loud cry was dying to leave when suddenly Rhys's hand slid from the left, grabbing my nape. He turned my face towards him, and his lips pressed against mine.

He pulled me into a harsh kiss. His lips rubbed against mine back and forth, pressing me down, while his hand on my nape didn't let me lower my head. His tongue roamed inside my mouth, his teeth chewing my lips again and again until I started tasting blood.

Leaving me breathless, he stood up, taking me in his arms, and I didn't struggle, crying into his chest.

Taking me inside a room, he made me lie on the bed and hovered over me. I flinched, closing my eyes, terrified at the thought of what he was going to do. But then, he pressed his lips on my closed eyes, one by one. I opened them slowly, letting more tears fall.

"I a..m sorry..." I said in a very soft voice.

He brought his face close to mine, placing his lips on mine for a second before saying,

"Stop crying, butterfly. I'm not mad..."

And I looked at him, confused.

"W...hy..." I let out in a small, trembling voice.

"Don't know..." he said.

And I let out more cries before grabbing his tee, pulling him closer to me. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I hugged him tightly. His weight was all over me, and suddenly, he turned, taking me along with him. His back was now pressed against the bed, while my hold remained the same.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." I cried, and he hummed, rubbing my back with his large hands.

And once again, I was in the arms of the one from whom I was running away...