3rd Person POV
Suhana opened her eyes slowly. A pounding sensation shot through her head as she tried to get up. Her head plopped on the pillow again, and a whimper left her mouth. She was rubbing her temple when the foreign surroundings caught all her awareness.
She blinked a couple of times, and the incidents before she fainted flashed in her mind, causing her to sit up hurriedly. She looked around the room and found all the curtains drawn, and only a nightstand lamp was lit. It was bigger than her cottage's bedroom, darker, and more luxurious.
Alone in the dimly lit room, she couldn't help but wonder what had happened after Billy delivered Alexander's order. Suddenly, she felt parched and began searching for water nearby. As she stood up and walked towards the door, her attention was drawn to her luggage and other possessions in the closet located in the corner.
Suhana immediately realized that the room she was standing in was the one Alexander had instructed her to move into. Opening the door, she noticed Martha approaching with a food trolley. Martha quickly walked towards her upon seeing Suhana awake and exclaimed,
-"Oh my! You're awake! Why didn't you stay in bed? Poor thing. Let's go inside. You need to eat something and get plenty of rest. The doctor advised so, and it's important that you follow his instructions."
Taking her back inside, she made Suhana sit on the bed and put the trolly in front of her. Sitting beside her, Martha spoke,
-"What happened, Suhana? Were you unwell, dear? Why didn't you tell anyone if you were feeling sick?" she worriedly asked while caressing Suhana's hands.
Suhana remained silent when asked the question. She wondered whether anyone would believe her if she told the truth about her and Alexander. Even if they did, would they have the courage to stand up against the most feared person in the world? She knew they wouldn't. If they hadn't protested against his previous wrongdoings, why would they do it now?
She noticed a glass of water on the trolley and picked it up. As she quenched her thirst, a question occurred to her. She wanted to know how she and her belongings had ended up in this unfamiliar room. After finishing the water, she turned to Martha and asked her for an explanation, to which Martha replied,
-"Dear, you passed out in front of your cottage, and Alex brought you here. He also instructed me to move your belongings. After hearing the news of your fainting, he immediately rushed to your side, showing a great deal of concern. I can't recall ever seeing him this worried for anyone except Sarah," She paused and tried to read Suhana's expression, who was listening to her words in mistrust, "When the doctor arrived to examine you, he was present and carefully listened to what the doctor had to say. Despite the doctor's reassurance that it was not a serious issue, Alex demanded a thorough checkup. Thus, the doctor prescribed some tests for you."
Suhana listened silently to everything while keeping her gaze lowered to the floor. She believed it was also a part of his act. He never has been this kind to her and never will be. Seeing her silent, Martha decided to ask her a question.
-"Suhana, I must ask, is there anything going on between you and Alex? Please don't overthink it. Just tell me the truth. I feel like you have a lot on your mind, but you're keeping it to yourself." Suhana remained silent, unsure whether she should trust Martha and be honest. "How he was acting around you today made me think that...well, we think he likes you!" Martha added, hoping to encourage Suhana to open up."
As soon as Suhana heard that, her gaze widened at Martha. She parted her lips to clarify that it was their misunderstanding and that the real story was something else, but Marhta cut her.
-"Suhana, we have known Alex his entire life, and we have seen him undergo profound changes. Once a cheerful and kind boy, he has transformed into a ruthless and emotionless mafia king. After losing his parents, he was thrust into a world he never knew existed. But he is undoubtedly fiercely protective of his remaining family, especially Sarah. He also considers all of us as his family, even though he rarely shows his true feelings. But I know he cares deeply for us," she paused and took a deep breath, "But with you today, he was different. He was protective but in a different way. A way that could only mean he is falling or has fallen for you. Trust me, dear, he never showed this kind of care for any other girl."
Suhana found herself in a situation where she couldn't reveal the truth to Martha. She realized that sharing her thoughts would be pointless, as Martha completely trusted Alexander. She felt that even if Martha believed her, she wouldn't be willing to defy Alexander and help her escape from her captivity. As a result, Suhana was left to stay silent.
Martha noticed that Suhana was not responding to her questions, so she decided to stop discussing the matter for now. She thought that Suhana was not yet ready to answer all of her inquiries and needed to eat and rest appropriately before opening up. Martha sighed and picked up the plate of food from the trolley.
-"I understand if you don't want to talk about it now, child. But please remember that I'm always here for you, and whenever you feel ready to talk about it, you can talk to me. Okay?" She said, and Suhana only nodded in response. "Now, it's already dinner time, and I want you to eat your food. This plate should be empty ASAP, girl. I'm not going anywhere until you finish eating." said Marhta, and slowly, Suhana started eating.
After finishing her meal, Martha instructed Suhana to get some rest. Suhana mentioned that she wasn't feeling sleepy as she had already slept for several hours, but Martha insisted she should sleep. She also inquired about Sarah, to which Martha replied that Sarah had already returned from school and had fallen asleep after completing her homework and having dinner. Martha added that Alexander had helped Sarah with her homework and dinner. Then, in a commanding tone, Martha told Suhana not to worry about Sarah and to focus on her own health instead.
Suhana locked the door after Martha left and went to the closet. She picked a fresh pair of Salwar Kameez and went to the bathroom to freshen up. In her mind, she knew that she had no choice but to accept her new room. She couldn't protest as Alexander wouldn't listen to her. He had done what he wanted; he had shifted her to the mansion.
Now that she was unfortunately there, she knew she had to be extremely cautious. She couldn't risk being alone with Alexander, even though she knew he would continuously try to put her in such uncomfortable situations. After changing into fresh clothes, she exited the bathroom and headed to the veranda door. The door was made of floor-to-ceiling glass, and she stood before it, gazing up at the stars twinkling in the sky beyond it.
She longed to leave the confines of the room, but she couldn't take the risk of encountering Alexander. Waiting until morning seemed like a safer option for her own well-being. The eerie silence in the room gave her goosebumps. The only sounds she could hear were her own breathing and the ticking of the clock on the wall.
The sound of the door lock clicking behind her startled her, and she quickly turned around. Although the door swung open, there was no one in sight. The room was still dimly lit as before, but now the hallway outside her room appeared darker. She remembered that it wasn't this dark when Martha left, and she had never seen the hallway so dimly lit before. The fear gripped her as she wondered if Alexander had opened the door. She remembered that Alexander had the keys to her cottage and thought he must also have the keys to her new room.
Unlike the past incidents, Suhana stood still in her spot. She didn't call out or walk forward to see who it was. Instead, she fearfully waited there, praying that it was not her tormentor. But her dread turned into reality as soon as Alexander appeared before her. She was petrified to the point that she didn't even know how to react. She didn't know if she should try to walk past him or stay quiet. The only thing that played in her head was what he wanted from her, and it was enough to make her feel dizzy again out of anxiety.
As soon as she saw Alexander enter the room and lock the door behind him, her breathing became rigid. He turned around and glared at her, his eyes narrowing at her petite form. He clenched his jaws, remembering the photograph his man had sent him. Tucking his fists into his pockets, Alexander sauntered towards her carelessly yet with a dominating aura.
Suhana was filled with terror and unable to utter a sound. Although she had successfully escaped him on previous occasions, now he seemed scarier. There was something in his aura that she had never felt before. With every step he took towards her, she kept retreating until her back hit the glass door. A gasp escaped her lips as she looked to her sides in search of an escape route, only to find none.
-"Alone, at last," he said huskily, and Suhana looked at him in panic, "The room you're in right now is where I bring my toys and play with them all night. And your presence here tonight... serves the same purpose."