Cage wrapped up in silk

Ahana's heart pounded as she hurriedly stuffed her clothes into a bag. Her hands trembled, her mind racing with questions.

Who was after her? What did they want? And why was Aksh acting like this had been inevitable all along?

She turned to him, watching as he slipped a gun into his coat pocket, his expression unreadable. "Aksh… tell me the truth. What's happening?"

Aksh didn't look up. "You don't need to know."

Her frustration flared. "Of course, I need to know! My life is being turned upside down, and you expect me to just—"

In a blur of movement, he was in front of her, his hands gripping her arms gently but firmly. "I expect you to trust me."

Ahana stared up at him, her breath unsteady. His eyes burned with something raw, something possessive.

"You're safe as long as you're with me," he murmured, his voice a dangerous promise. "And I won't let anyone take you away."

Ahana swallowed hard. "And if I want to leave?"

His fingers tightened just a little. "Then I'll bring you back."

A shiver ran down her spine, not just out of fear—but something deeper. Something she didn't want to name.

Before she could say anything, a loud crash sounded from outside.

Aksh's grip on her loosened instantly, and in the next moment, he grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward the door. "We have to go. Now."

Ahana barely had time to grab her bag before he was leading her through the dimly lit hallway. She could hear hurried footsteps approaching, voices speaking in hushed tones.

They reached the back exit, and a sleek black car was already waiting. Aksh opened the door and pushed her inside before following after her.

As the car sped into the night, Ahana pressed a hand to her racing heart.

She wasn't sure if she had just been rescued… or if she had stepped into an even bigger trap.

The car sped through the empty streets, the city lights flickering like silent spectators to the storm raging inside Ahana. She sat stiffly in the leather seat, her fingers clenched around the strap of her bag. Across from her, Aksh sat in calm silence, his gaze fixed ahead, his posture relaxed as if he hadn't just dragged her into the unknown.

Ahana inhaled deeply, forcing her voice to stay steady. "Where are we going?"

"To a safe place."

"That's not an answer, Aksh." She turned to him, eyes searching his face. "Tell me where we're going."

His lips curved slightly, but it wasn't amusement. It was something darker, something that made her pulse flutter in both fear and something far more dangerous. "You ask too many questions, Little Flower."

"I have a right to—"

"You lost that right when you became mine."

Her breath caught. "I am not—"

The car halted abruptly in front of a grand, modern mansion, its towering walls illuminated by the moonlight. The driver stepped out and opened the door, but Ahana didn't move.

Aksh leaned in slightly, his scent a mix of something sharp and clean—like fresh rain on steel. "Welcome home."

Ahana's eyes widened. "Home?"

His gaze darkened. "Yes. From now on, this is where you'll stay."

The finality in his voice sent a chill through her. "You can't just keep me here."

Aksh reached out, his fingers grazing her chin, tilting her face toward him. "I can. And I will." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I told you, every path you walk will end at me."

Ahana's breath hitched as his thumb traced over her lower lip, his touch light yet claiming. Her heart pounded so loudly she was sure he could hear it.

He let go abruptly and stepped out of the car, turning back only once. "Come inside, Ahana. Or do you want me to carry you?"

Ahana swallowed hard, knowing deep down—no matter what she chose—she was already trapped.

Ahana sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers gripping the hem of her dress. The soft silk bunched under her touch as she swung her legs slightly, a habit from childhood she had never outgrown. Normally, she would have been humming to herself, lost in the little world she built around Aksh—the world where he was untouchable, perfect.

But that world was crumbling.

She glanced at the door, where Aksh had disappeared moments ago. Her lips pressed together in a small pout, her heart twisting in a way she didn't like. She didn't understand this feeling. It wasn't anger, not exactly. It wasn't sadness either.

It was something else.

Disillusionment.

She had always followed Aksh without question, without doubt. He said something, and she listened. He told her to stay, and she did. She had been like a little flower reaching for the sun, craving his warmth, his light. But now…

Now, that light felt distant.

It felt like she had been standing under a streetlamp, not the sun. Something artificial. Something that could flicker off at any moment.

The door creaked open.

Ahana looked up, blinking as Aksh stepped inside. He was calm—too calm—but his dark eyes pinned her down like he could see straight into her thoughts.

"You've been avoiding me," he said, voice quiet but firm.

Ahana's fingers tightened around the fabric of her dress. "No, I haven't."

Aksh tilted his head slightly, studying her the way a predator studies something interesting. "Lying doesn't suit you, Little Flower."

She flinched at the nickname. It had once made her giddy, made her heart race with the sheer thrill of being something his. But now, it felt… different.

Like she wasn't sure if she wanted to belong to him anymore.

Aksh took a step forward, and she instinctively shrank back, only to stop herself at the last second.

He noticed.

His eyes darkened, and something in his jaw tightened. "You never used to look at me like that," he murmured.

"Like what?" she whispered.

"Like you don't know who I am."

Ahana's throat felt dry. She bit her lip, shifting in place, and Aksh sighed before crouching in front of her. His hands came up, palms resting on her knees, trapping her in place.

"Why are you defying me now?" His voice was softer this time, almost… confused. "You never did before. You followed me without question, Ahana. But now, you're trying to run. Why?"

She swallowed. "Because I don't know who I was following."

Aksh's expression didn't change, but she saw something flicker in his eyes. A crack in his perfect control.

"I thought I knew you," she continued, her voice small, fragile. "I thought you were—" She stopped herself.

He arched a brow. "Were what?"

Ahana's lips trembled before she blurted out, "Mine."

The word lingered between them.

She had never said it before. Never voiced what she had always felt. That Aksh was hers in some way. That no matter what, she was the only one who saw this side of him. That he wasn't just someone she admired from afar—he was someone who belonged to her, even if he didn't realize it.

But now, there was Meher.

And Meher knew things Ahana didn't. Meher had a past with Aksh.

The past Ahana had no place in.

Aksh's gaze darkened, and for a moment, she thought he would say something cruel. Dismissive. But instead, he exhaled, lifting a hand to her face. His fingers brushed against her cheek, warm and firm, making her breath hitch.

"You were right about one thing," he murmured.

Ahana blinked up at him, confused.

Aksh leaned in, his breath ghosting over her lips, his fingers curling around the back of her neck. "You don't know me," he whispered. "Not yet."

Her heart stuttered.

"But you will," he promised, tilting her chin up slightly. "Because no matter how much you try to run, this is the only choice you'll have." His lips barely grazed hers, not quite a kiss, but enough to steal her breath. "Each and every path you walk…" His grip tightened. "I'll make sure it ends on me, Little Flower."

Ahana's pulse pounded, her hands trembling as she clutched his shirt.

She wanted to push him away. She wanted to say she hated that he had this power over her.

But the worst part?

She didn't.

Because even though she was confused, even though she wasn't sure if she truly knew him—

She still loved him.

Blindly.

Foolishly.

Hopelessly.

Just like before.

And that terrified her more than anything.