Chapter five

---

The stranger leaned back on the couch, legs crossed, a glass of whiskey in hand. His eyes sparkled with amusement as they locked onto Aveline.

She could feel his gaze crawling all over her, making her skin crawl. Her heart thudded against her ribs.

Dominic walked past her without a glance and settled at his desk, his expression unreadable.

The man took a slow sip of his drink, then stood and approached her. Each step toward her felt like a threat,she wanted to run, to hide, to disappear.

"So this is the infamous Aveline Torres," the man said with a smirk, eyes raking over her body. "I must say, you're more fragile-looking than I expected."

He chuckled lightly, as if amused by her.

Aveline wanted to die. Standing there, exposed, humiliated, and dressed like this in front of a complete stranger,it was a nightmare she couldn't wake from.

"I suppose you were worth all the trouble," the man went on, glancing at Dominic. "Considering my friend spent years watching you."

Her breath hitched.

Years...?

Her eyes widened slightly.

Dominic... had been watching her for a long time?

Her stomach twisted.

The stranger took another step closer, smirking. "You've got a nice figure. Has Dominic taken you yet?"

Aveline's head shot up, eyes wide with shock and fear. Heat flooded her cheeks. Her entire body stiffened.

"That's enough, Lucas," Dominic said sharply from behind his desk, his voice low and cold.

Lucas laughed and backed away with a grin. "She's fun. I can see why you've become so obsessed. She's hot."

Dominic glared at him, unimpressed.

Without saying a word, he opened one of the drawers in his desk, pulled out a folded dress, and tossed it toward Aveline.

"Put this on. Then get out," he said coldly.

Her body trembled as shame washed over her. She bent down slowly, reaching for the dress near her feet, aware of their eyes lingering on her every move. Her hands shook as she unfolded it and quickly slipped it on, desperate to cover herself and escape the room.

"Don't even think about taking that collar off," Dominic said, his voice like ice. "If I ever see you without it... you'll regret it."

Aveline didn't respond. She rushed out of the study, stumbling slightly as she pushed past the door, her breath shaky and uneven.

Lucas watched her disappear, then let out a low whistle. "So she's the one."

Dominic didn't respond at first, calmly rearranging the files on his desk.

"You can see that," he finally said.

Lucas turned serious. "You know you need to act fast. There are people looking for her, especially him. It won't be long before that snake finds out she's here."

Dominic leaned back in his chair, completely unbothered. "What if I want him to find out?"

Lucas narrowed his eyes. "Why would you want that?"

Dominic gave him a blank look. "Maybe I want the world to know she's under my control now, the girl that they have been looking for all this years. Maybe I want a fight."

Lucas scoffed. "You're insane. Do you even understand what you're risking? Doing this puts her in danger, it could start a war."

Dominic's face darkened. "Who says I care if she dies?"

Lucas stood frozen for a moment, taken aback by the coldness of the statement. "Dominic... I know you hate her family. But she's innocent. She was just a child when all of that happened. It was her father who did it,not her. Don't punish her for his sins."

Dominic's stare was flat. Unmoving.

Then he spoke, voice detached. "Shouldn't you be arranging our flight?"

Lucas let out a frustrated sigh. "Don't change the subject."

"This conversation is over," Dominic said sharply, rising from his seat and walking out of the room without another word.

Lucas ran a hand through his hair, muttering under his breath. "Sick bastard..."

---

Aveline ran back to her room, tears brimming in her eyes. She slammed the door shut behind her and sank to the floor, her back against the wood.

The tears broke free.

She hugged her knees to her chest and sobbed quietly, the shame clinging to her like a second skin.

How could he do this to her?

How could Dominic humiliate her like that?

The way Lucas had looked at her made her feel sick. Like an object. A toy. A pet.

She had never felt so degraded in her entire life.

She wiped her face and forced herself to her feet,pulling of the heels. She crossed the room in slow, heavy steps and collapsed onto her bed.

Staring up at the ceiling, she raised her hand and touched the cold leather collar still fastened around her neck.

It made her feel like a dog. Owned. Leashed. Nothing more than someone's property.

Tears slipped down her cheeks again as she turned on her side and curled into herself.

Is this my life now?

Is this what he meant when he said I belonged to him?

Dominic wanted to break her.

And he was succeeding.

She wanted to run. Desperately. But even if she escaped, she knew the world waiting outside wasn't kind either. It had never been. She had no one. No money. No home. No safety.

And that monster was probably still looking for her.....

All she could do was endure.

But how long could she keep enduring before she truly broke?

She shut her eyes, letting the pain wash over her, and drifted into a restless sleep.

---

A soft creak woke her.

Her eyes fluttered open.

The door to her room opened slowly and Dominic stepped in.

He looked different this time. Dressed sharply in a black suit, his hair styled neatly. He looked every bit the powerful, dangerous man she feared.

He approached her bed silently, hands in his pockets, his presence cold and commanding.

Aveline sat up, her eyes lowered. She didn't want to look at him.

"I see you were smart enough to keep the collar on," Dominic said calmly, his gaze resting on her.

She didn't respond.

He leaned down slightly, his face close to hers. "Look at me, Aveline."

Her breath hitched when he said her name.

Slowly, she raised her head.

Their faces were inches apart.

"Good girl," he said, his voice laced with mockery. His gaze dropped slightly. "I see you're still wearing that lingerie beneath the dress. Did you like it that much?"

Her eyes widened in horror. She had forgotten to remove it.

Dominic leaned closer, his lips brushing against her ear.

"It looks good on you," he whispered.

Aveline's heart thudded wildly in her chest. Her face flushed.

He chuckled darkly and pulled away, clearly amused by her reaction. He stared at her for a few seconds longer, then turned toward the door.

Just as he reached it, he paused and looked back.

"I won't be around for a while," he said, voice cold again. "Don't do anything stupid. And remember if I ever see you without that collar, you'll regret it."

Then he walked out, shutting the door behind him.

---

Aveline fell back onto the bed, her cheeks still burning.

She stared up at the ceiling, trying to steady her breath.

"It's a good thing he's leaving for a while," she murmured. "I don't think I can take much more of this."

Her fingers brushed the collar again.

It was still there.

Still tight.

Still choking the last remnants of her freedom.

She closed her eyes and slowly drifted back into sleep, wishing she could wake up from the life she had never choosen....