Chapter 5: The Soft chains of love

Cherry sat at her vanity, brushing her long, glossy brown hair as the evening sun cast golden streaks across her bedroom. She felt different. More aware. More awake.

The past few weeks had been a delicate balancing act—keeping her independence without alarming Alexander. She knew now that, in her past life, he had never forced her to give up her dreams.

No, he had done something far more dangerous , he guided her. Encouraged her to let go of herself, piece by piece, until she no longer existed outside of him.

And he did it with a smile, with love.Now, she was determined not to fall for it again.

That afternoon, Alexander had called, his voice alive with excitement.

"Cherry, we did it , I'll text you the address . meet me now ."

She met him at a lounge—the same one where, in her past life, he had once told her she didn't need to work because he would "take care of everything."

Only now, she wasn't the same woman who had believed in fairytales.

When she arrived, she found him sitting at a private booth, looking more polished than ever. His suit was perfectly tailored, his dark hair neatly styled, his smile confident and full of energy.

The moment he saw her, he stood and pulled her in for a lingering kiss, his hands resting lightly on her waist.

"You look beautiful, Cherry," he murmured.

She smiled, but this time, she didn't melt.

"Thank you, Alex. So, what's the big news?" she asked, taking a seat across from him.

Alexander leaned back, his eyes gleaming. "I closed the deal with Belmont Industries."

Cherry's brows lifted slightly. Belmont Industries was one of the biggest financial firms in the country.

"That's… impressive," she admitted, genuinely surprised. In her past life, this deal had taken him years to secure. But this time, he had done it early.

Alexander smirked, pleased by her reaction. "It was a gamble, but I knew I could pull it off."

Cherry folded her hands on the table, watching him closely.

"How did you do it?" she asked.

Alexander's gaze softened as he reached across the table, covering her hand with his. "I just knew I had to bet on myself. The way you always bet on me."

There it was.

That subtle way of tying her to his success, of making her feel like she was an inseparable part of his journey . Before,it had made her feel special—needed. But now, she saw it for what it was. A leash made of silk.

"Of course," she said smoothly, with a graceful smile. "You've always been talented, Alex. You would have gotten here with or without me."

His jaw tightened slightly. It was subtle, but Cherry saw it. He didn't like that.

He wanted her to believe that his victory was their victory. That she owed him her devotion because he was winning.

But Cherry was no longer playing his game. She was playing her own.

After dinner, Alexander insisted on taking her for a drive.

The night air was cool, the city lights blinking in the distance as he guided his sleek black car down the familiar roads of their past.

"I was thinking," he said casually, his hands steady on the wheel, "now that things are taking off for me, maybe you don't have to push yourself so hard anymore."

Cherry's pulse slowed.

Here it was.

The gentle push toward surrender.

She turned her head, watching his profile. "What do you mean?"

He glanced at her with a small, oh-so-loving smile. "I mean, I know you have your ideas, Cherry. And I respect that. But… I don't want you to overwork yourself. I'm here now. I can take care of you."

Cherry inhaled slowly.

In her past life, this was when she had started letting go.

She had believed that his success was their success. She had started trading her independence for his protection, not realizing that every little compromise was another piece of herself fading away.

This time, she saw the chains before they could close around her wrists.

She smiled, tilting her head slightly. "That's sweet, Alex. But I really enjoy working. It's exciting."

Alexander chuckled, reaching over to brush his fingers along her thigh. It was meant to be reassuring, but it felt like an attempt to soothe her into agreement.

"You don't have to prove anything to me, Cherry," he said softly. "I already know how smart and capable you are. You'll always be my brilliant girl."

My brilliant girl.

In the past, she had taken those words as praise.

Now, she recognized them as control disguised as love.

She placed her hand over his, squeezing gently before removing it from her thigh. "I know, Alex,I trust you " she said, her voice warm but unchanging. "And I appreciate it. But I have my own goals too and I want to chase them , just like you chase yours , so I can be better for you "

He was a little annoyed with her resistance but Alexander was way too smooth,in manipulation to push too hard.

Instead, he let out a soft sigh and adjusted his strategy.

"Of course," he said, flashing his signature charming smile. "I just don't want you to burn out, baby. You know I worry about you."

Cherry smiled back, but she wasn't fooled.

She saw it now. The gentle persuasion. The slow dismantling of her independence. The way he always made it seem like he was doing it out of love.

And maybe he truly did love her but that didn't mean he wouldn't consume her if she let him.

As he dropped her off, Alexander leaned in, pressing a soft kiss against her lips.

"I just want you to be happy, Cherry," he murmured.

She smiled, but this time, it wasn't the smile of a woman who believed him blindly.

"I know, Alex," she said.

Then, she stepped back, watching as he drove away.

Her heart didn't flutter the way it used to.

Instead, it steadied.

She finally understood the game he played. And this time, she wouldn't lose herself in it.

They spent most of the following day together.Cherry insisted on starting to work on the newly acquired project but Alexander wanted to celebrate.

They had a few if their friends come together and Alexander had been celebrating his latest business victory, drinking a little too much, letting his ego stretch further than usual.

Cherry had sat beside him, patient, listening, nodding at all the right moments—but she hadn't worshiped him the way she used to and that had been enough to set him off.

"Cherry," he said, his voice sharper than before, "I don't think you're really hearing me. This deal changes everything. It's going to open doors for us."

She tilted her head slightly, sipping her wine. "I understand, Alex. But I don't think it changes everything. You still have a long way to go."

The room went dead silent for a second.

Alexander's jaw tightened. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Cherry stayed calm. She stayed in control.

"It means," she said smoothly, "that you shouldn't get too comfortable yet. You still have a lot to prove, it is your first huge contract"

It was such a simple statement, but it shattered something in him.

Alexander slammed his glass down, the sharp sound echoing through the dimly lit dining room.

"Do you even know how much I've done for you, Cherry?" he snapped.

She blinked, unfazed. "Tell me, Alex. What exactly have you done for me?"

Something in his face twisted. His fingers curled into fists. His breathing turned sharp.

And then—

Fast as lightening came by the slap

A hard, stinging crack against her cheek.

Cherry's head snapped to the side.

She tasted blood.

And just like that, the spell was broken.

In her past life, she would have been shocked. She would have cried, told herself it was a mistake, a one-time thing.

But now?

Now, she just sat there.

She turned her head back slowly, touching her burning cheek, and looked him straight in the eye.

Alexander's chest was heaving. His hands were still clenched. But now, there was fear in his gaze.

He saw it.

He saw that she wasn't broken.

She wasn't scared.

She wasn't going to beg him to love her.

Instead, she smiled.

It was soft. Almost understanding.

And that made him panic even more.

The next morning, Alexander was desperate to fix things.

He brought her breakfast. Flowers. A diamond bracelet.

He kissed her forehead, his touch lingering, his voice soft and pleading. "I don't know what came over me, Cherry. I swear, it will never happen again."

She let him hold her. She let him believe she forgave him.

This was the first time he slapped her but he had violently grabbed her hands once before.

She nodded, whispered, "I know, Alex," and let him rest his head in her lap, just like he always did when he wanted her to comfort him.

But this time, she wasn't comforting him.

She was memorizing this moment.

Because one day, she would repay him for it.

"I need to meet Lana at the cafe now you know"

"Alright Cherry, you can go now but I'll call you later , please pick up baby , I need you .

She agreedvto talk to him later and then she left him

The moment Cherry walked into the café for their usual brunch, Lana's eyes went straight to the faint bruise hidden beneath her makeup.

She sucked in a breath, her hands tightening around her coffee cup. "He hit you, didn't he?"

Cherry stirred her tea, keeping her expression neutral. "It was an accident."

Lana slammed her cup down. "Don't you dare say that. Don't you dare excuse him, Cherry."

Cherry sighed, looking up at her best friend. "I know what I'm doing, Lana."

"You don't," Lana snapped. "Or maybe you do, and that's even worse. You're smarter than this, Cherry. Stronger than this. Why the hell are you still with him?"

Cherry couldn't tell her the truth.

That she was waiting. That she was planning.

That she wasn't staying because she loved him—she was staying because she wanted him to pay.

So instead, she reached across the table, squeezing Lana's hand. "Trust me, okay?"

Lana's face twisted with anger, fear, frustration. "I don't trust him. And I don't trust whatever the hell you're doing."

Cherry just smiled. "You don't have to."

Lana stared at her, then exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "You're scaring me, Cherry."

Cherry squeezed her hand once more.

"Good" Cherry thought

Because the woman Lana used to know was gone.And the woman she was becoming?

She was far more terrifying than Alexander could ever be.