A debt that must be paid

Cindy's breath caught in her throat, the tension in the room tightening around her like a noose. As she instinctively took a step back, her back pressed against the cold door, the man before her didn't follow. Instead, he remained where he was, a strange, almost twisted smile spreading across his face.

"There's no need to worry," he said, his voice disturbingly calm. "I won't do anything to you... at least, not yet."

The way he emphasized those last words sent a chill down Cindy's spine. She tried to calm her racing heart, forcing herself to think clearly despite the fear that threatened to overwhelm her. She had to stay composed; she had to find a way out of this.

"If you wanted to hurt me," Cindy began, her voice steady despite the tremor she felt inside, "you would have done it a long time ago. So what do you really want?"