28

28

Bethany's POV

Adrian's scent still clung to me.

No matter how many times I scrubbed my skin raw in the shower or how many layers I wore, it wouldn't leave. It wasn't just his scent, though—it was him. The way his hands felt on my body, the way his mouth had claimed mine in the woods like nothing else existed. Like I was something to be claimed.

And yet, here I was.

Sitting in Mason's cold, sterile office, flipping through a stack of reports I didn't care about, under the watchful, suffocating eye of the man I hated most.

Mason.

I could feel him even when he wasn't here, like a shadow looming over me, ready to strike. His presence was woven into every inch of this mansion. I couldn't breathe without him controlling how deep my lungs filled.

I hated him.

I hated the way he barked orders, how he looked at me like I was beneath him, like some disposable thing he could crush under his boot.

And yet, I was still here. It wasn't like I had any choice to begin with.

I stared at the blinking cursor on the computer screen. The Kensington & Co email sat unopened in my inbox, bold and waiting.

A reminder of what could've been.

Bethany, we're following up regarding your interview. Please confirm your attendance or let us know if you'd like to reschedule.

But there was no rescheduling. Not with Mason pulling my strings.

I could still hear his cold, dismissive tone in my head.

"Decline it. You work for me now."

No room for argument. No chance to plead.

I was suffocating, and he didn't care.

My hands curled into fists in my lap.

I wanted to scream, to break something, but even that felt useless. Mason would just smirk and remind me who owned me now.

A soft knock on the door snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts.

Before I could even answer, the door creaked open, and Lily's head peeked through.

"Beth?"

Her voice was soft, cautious, like she wasn't sure if I'd bite her head off or burst into tears.

"Lily." My voice cracked, and I quickly cleared my throat. "What are you doing here?"

She slipped inside, closing the door behind her. "I figured you could use some company." She glanced around the office and wrinkled her nose. "God, it's like a prison in here."

I let out a humorless laugh. "Feels like one."

She moved closer, dropping into the chair across from me. "Okay, spill. You look like you're two seconds away from burning this place down."

I stared at her for a moment, the weight of everything pressing on my chest. Then, the words just started pouring out.

"I got an email from Kensington & Co. They wanted to remind me about the interview I never got to attend."

Lily's eyes widened. "Wait, that high-end fashion company you were obsessed with?"

I nodded slowly, feeling the sting behind my eyes.

"They followed up, and I had to tell Mason about it." My throat tightened. "He told me to decline."

Lily's jaw dropped. "What? Are you kidding me?"

I shook my head, staring at the dark screen in front of me.

"He said I work for him now. That's it. No discussion. No choice."

Lily leaned forward, her eyes blazing. "That absolute asshole."

I huffed a bitter laugh. "Yeah, tell me something I don't know."

"No, seriously. Who does he think he is? Just because you broke some stupid heirloom doesn't mean he gets to ruin your entire life."

"Apparently, it does." I sighed, sinking deeper into my chair.

Lily crossed her arms. "I swear to God, if I had the strength, I'd punch that smug face of his. No, scratch that. I'd punch him somewhere lower where it counts."

A small laugh escaped me, surprising us both.

"That would be… satisfying." I imagined it for a moment. Mason doubling over, clutching himself, and for once, not being the one in control.

Lily grinned, seeing the flicker of amusement on my face. "There she is. There's the Beth I know."

The moment faded too quickly. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the desk. "It's not just the job, Lily. It's everything. I feel like I'm suffocating in this place. Mason watches me like I'm prey, and I—"

I cut myself off, biting my lip.

"And what?" Lily pressed, narrowing her eyes.

I hesitated, then whispered, "Adrian."

Her brows shot up. "Adrian? Mason's uncle Adrian?"

I nodded slowly, my heart pounding in my chest.

"I… we…" I couldn't finish it. Couldn't say it out loud.

Lily's mouth fell open. "Bethany!"

"Shhh!" I hissed, glancing at the closed door like Mason would burst in any second.

Lily covered her mouth, but her eyes were wide with shock and curiosity. "Oh my God. You and Adrian? Again? How?"

I swallowed hard. "During the full moon. In the woods. It just… it happened."

She stared at me, speechless for once.

"You've got to be kidding me," she finally said. "Bethany, this is like... soap opera levels of messy."

"I know." My voice was barely a whisper.

Lily blinked, then leaned back in her chair. "Okay, okay, wait. Let me process this. You hate Mason—obviously—and now you're hooking up with his uncle?"

I groaned, burying my face in my hands.

Lily let out a slow whistle. "Girl, you're going to get yourself killed."

"Don't you think I know that?" I mumbled through my hands.

"Okay, okay. Let's focus. First, we need to figure out how to get you out of here. Mason can't control you forever."

"I'm stuck, Lily." I dropped my hands, my voice flat. "Even if I quit, he'd find another way to trap me. And Adrian… God, I don't even know what's going on there."

Lily's eyes softened. "You're not stuck. You're just… temporarily screwed."

I snorted. "Thanks for the pep talk."

"No, seriously. We'll figure this out. And in the meantime, we can curse Mason's name until the walls crack."

A small smile tugged at my lips.

"Like, may his coffee always be cold," Lily said dramatically.

"May his socks always be slightly damp."

"May every shirt he owns get wrinkled no matter how much he irons it."

"May he always step on Legos in the dark."

We dissolved into quiet laughter, the heaviness on my chest lifting, even if just for a moment.

Lily smiled at me, reaching across the desk to squeeze my hand.

"You're not alone in this, Beth. I'm here. And Mason may be powerful, but he's not invincible."

I squeezed back, the smallest spark of hope flickering in my chest.

"Thanks, Lily. I don't know what I'd do without you."

She grinned. "Probably punch Mason in the face and get yourself killed."

I laughed, and for the first time in days, it felt real.