Chapter Seventeen—Kahlan’s POV—A Devil’s Deal

I woke up to pain.

A deep, throbbing ache settled in my wrists where the ropes had cut into my skin, and my muscles screamed from exhaustion. My head felt like it had been split open, the remnants of whatever they had used to knock me out still clouding my mind.

I was back in the same room.

Tied up again.

My chest rose and fell rapidly as the reality of my situation hit me all over again. My escape had failed.

I had made it so close—the hallway, the door—only to be dragged back like a dog on a leash.

And now, I was worse off than before.

A slow creak broke through my thoughts.

The door opened, and he walked in again.

The mysterious man.

Still shrouded in darkness, still keeping his face just out of reach, as if his identity alone would shatter everything.

I clenched my jaw, keeping my breath even. I refused to let him see how shaken I was.

"You should've listened the first time," he said, closing the door behind him. His voice was smooth, disturbingly casual, like we were having a simple business discussion instead of a game of survival.

I didn't answer.

He took slow, deliberate steps toward me, his presence looming over my tied-up form.

"You understand now, don't you?" he murmured. "There's no running. No clever little escape plan. No way out."

I remained silent.

He crouched down, leveling his face with mine, though the shadows still concealed him.

"I don't enjoy repeating myself," he said, voice dropping into something sharper. "Let's try this again. You were never kidnapped. You left of your own free will because you wanted to disappear from Aldrich Maximus."

A chill ran down my spine.

So that was the game they were playing.

They didn't just want to remove me from Aldrich's life—they wanted to erase the truth entirely.

I narrowed my eyes. "You expect him to believe that?"

The man chuckled, standing again. "He doesn't have to believe it. He just has to hear it from you."

I shook my head. "No."

His footsteps stopped.

"No?" he echoed.

I lifted my chin. "I won't do it."

Silence.

Then—he sighed, almost disappointed.

"You really are stubborn, aren't you?" he mused. "I was hoping we could make this easy."

I tensed as he moved again, circling me like a predator.

"You're a smart woman," he continued. "Which means you've probably already figured out that I was at the party that night."

I kept my face neutral, though my stomach tightened.

He knew.

He knew about the poisoned drink.

Which meant he wasn't working alone.

"You're connected to Aldrich's business," I said quietly. "Who are you?"

He ignored my question. "Here's what's going to happen, Miss Walsh," he said instead. "You are going to walk away from Kingsport Companies. You will disappear from Aldrich's life. And you will do it willingly. Because if you don't—"

He leaned down again, his breath warm against my ear.

"—there's a man with a gun trained on you at all times."

A sharp, icy fear shot through me.

I forced myself not to react.

His voice was soft, almost mocking now. "Run all you want. Try to escape again. The second you do—you'll be dead before you take your next breath."

I stared at him, my body frozen in place.

For the first time since this nightmare began, true hopelessness settled in.

There was no way out.

There was no fighting back.

Not yet.

I swallowed hard, forcing my voice to stay even. "Fine."

A pause.

"Fine?" he repeated, as if surprised by how quickly I had given in.

I nodded. "I'll do what you want."

His head tilted slightly, as if analyzing me. Then, after a moment, he stepped back.

"Smart choice," he murmured.

Then he turned and walked out the door.

Leaving me alone again.

***

I awoke to another silence.

For a moment, I thought I was still trapped, still tied up—until I sat up and realized—

I was free.

My wrists were no longer bound. My ankles were untied.

And I was no longer in that room.

I was in an empty hotel suite, the curtains drawn, the door unlocked.

My stomach twisted.

This was an illusion of freedom.

I wasn't rescued. I wasn't safe.

I was being watched.

I moved slowly, testing my legs as I got to my feet. I was dizzy, weak, but I pushed forward.

I checked the suite—no cameras that I could see, no signs of anyone else.

They wanted me to believe I was free.

But they had made their threat very clear.

I had no choice but to play along.

I found a fresh set of clothes neatly placed on the bed. My old ones were gone.

They had erased everything that tied me to what happened.

I dressed quickly, taking steady breaths. Then, I reached for the phone.

I dialed the only number I knew.

The line rang once. Twice.

Then—

"Kahlan?"

Aldrich's voice. Sharp. Suspicious.

For a moment, I couldn't speak.

His tone hardened. "Where the hell have you been?"

I closed my eyes. I wanted to tell him everything.

That I had been taken. That there were people inside his business circle trying to destroy him. That I had almost died.

But I couldn't.

So I said the words I never thought I would.

"I left," I whispered.

Silence.

Then—a sharp exhale.

"You what?"

I forced myself to keep going. "I needed time away. I… I didn't want to be around you anymore."

Another silence.

Then, a low, bitter laugh.

"You expect me to believe that?"

I swallowed. "It's the truth."

A pause. Then, his voice dropped into something colder.

"Where are you?"

"I'll meet you," I said quickly. "In public."

He hesitated. Then—

"Fine. The Westminster Lounge. One hour."

The call ended.

I let out a shaky breath.

When I arrived at the Westminster Lounge, I spotted Aldrich instantly.

He was already seated, a drink untouched in front of him, his sharp blue eyes watching me like a predator dissecting its prey.

I took a slow breath and walked toward him.

As soon as I sat down, he leaned forward.

"Tell me what really happened."

I forced a smile. "I already did."

His jaw clenched.

I could see it—the way he didn't believe a single word.

But he didn't press.

Not yet.

Instead, he leaned back, watching me carefully.

"You're lying," he said simply.

I was! And now... Now, I wanted to tell him the truth. I leaned in to speak softly and then froze. Tears flooded my eyes and my breath shook as I noticed the red dot dancing around his chest. 

No…

"Kahlan?"

My heart pounded.

I had no choice.