ROOM 7
Chapter Fifty-Eight: The First Day
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The morning after the wedding, Yuri woke up alone.
The bed was cold. The sheets were white. The room was silent. His wife was gone. She'd walked out of the reception. Walked down the street. Disappeared into the night. He'd watched her go. He hadn't stopped her. He couldn't. His feet were nailed to the floor. His hands were frozen at his sides. His heart was a stone in his chest.
He sat up. The room was bright. The sun was high. He'd slept through the morning. He never slept through the morning. He was always up early. Always moving. Always planning.
Today, he didn't want to move. He didn't want to plan. He wanted to lie in the dark and pretend the past year hadn't happened.
His phone buzzed. His father. Come to the office. We need to talk.
He threw the phone across the room. It hit the wall. The screen cracked. He didn't care.
He got up. Showered. Dressed. Walked downstairs. His mother was in the kitchen. Her eyes were red. Her hands were shaking.
"Yuri."
"Mom."
"She's gone."
He walked to the door. "I know."
"Yuri—"
He walked out. The door closed behind him.
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Part One: The Office
His father's office was on the top floor. Glass walls. A view of the city. A desk covered in papers. His father was standing at the window, his back to the door.
"You're late," his father said.
Yuri closed the door. "I know."
His father turned. His face was pale. His eyes were dark. "She left."
Yuri sat in the chair across from the desk. "She left."
"The merger—"
"The merger is fine." Yuri leaned back. "She's married to me. The contracts are signed. The partnership is sealed."
His father walked to the desk. Sat across from him. "She's not living with you."
"She will."
"Yuri—"
"She will."
His father looked at him for a long moment. Then: "Her father called this morning. He's withdrawing from the partnership."
Yuri went still. "What?"
"He's pulling out. All of it. The contracts. The investments. The ships."
Yuri stood up. "He can't."
"He can. He already has."
Yuri's hands were fists. His jaw was tight. "He'll regret this."
His father stood. "Yuri. Let her go."
"No."
"Yuri—"
"No." He walked to the door. "She's my wife. She's not going anywhere."
He walked out. The door slammed behind him.
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Part Two: The Parking Lot
The parking lot was underground. Dark. Cold. Rows of cars. His was at the end. Black. Expensive. Empty.
He walked toward it. His footsteps echoed. The lights flickered.
"Yuri."
He stopped. Turned.
Keifer was standing at the other end of the lot. His hands were in his pockets. His face was calm. His eyes were dark.
"Keifer."
"Yuri."
Keifer walked toward him. Slow. Measured. Each step deliberate.
"You married her."
Yuri didn't move. "I married her."
Keifer stopped a few feet away. "She didn't want to marry you."
"She agreed."
"She was forced."
Yuri's jaw tightened. "She's my wife."
Keifer stepped closer. "She's not yours."
Yuri stepped forward. Their faces were inches apart. "She has my ring on her finger."
Keifer's eyes flickered. "She threw it away."
Yuri went still. "What?"
"She threw it in the street. I watched it roll into a drain." Keifer's voice was low. Steady. "She didn't want to wear it. She didn't want to be yours."
Yuri grabbed Keifer's shirt. "You're lying."
Keifer didn't move. "I'm not."
Yuri's hands were shaking. His chest was tight. His voice was low. "She's my wife."
Keifer looked at him. At his hands. At his face. "She'll never be yours."
Yuri punched him.
Keifer staggered back. Touched his lip. Blood on his fingers.
He looked at Yuri. His eyes were dark. His voice was calm.
"You shouldn't have done that."
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Part Three: The Torture
Keifer moved fast.
His fist connected with Yuri's stomach. Yuri doubled over. Gasped. Keifer's knee connected with his face. Blood sprayed. Yuri fell. His back hit the concrete. His head hit the bumper of a car.
Keifer stood over him. His hands were fists. His face was calm.
"You threatened her family."
Yuri tried to get up. Keifer pushed him down.
"You forced her to marry you."
Yuri tried to get up again. Keifer pushed him down again.
"You made her cry."
Yuri stopped moving. His face was on the concrete. Blood dripped from his nose. His lip was split. His eye was swelling.
Keifer knelt beside him. Grabbed his collar. Pulled his face up.
"Listen to me."
Yuri looked at him. His vision was blurry. His head was pounding.
"Jay is not yours. She will never be yours. She will never love you. She will never want you. She will never—"
Yuri spat blood. "She's my wife."
Keifer slammed his head against the concrete. Yuri's vision went white.
"She's not your wife. She's a prisoner. And you're the guard." Keifer's voice was low. "But guards can be removed."
Yuri's eyes widened. "You wouldn't—"
Keifer's hand tightened on his collar. "Try me."
He let go. Stood up. Looked down at Yuri. At the blood on the concrete. At the swelling on his face.
"Stay away from her," Keifer said.
He walked away. His footsteps echoed. The lights flickered. The door opened. Closed.
Yuri lay on the concrete. Blood dripped from his nose. His lip was split. His eye was swelling. His head was pounding.
He didn't move.
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Part Four: The Hospital
They found him an hour later.
A security guard. Making rounds. Saw the blood. Called an ambulance.
Yuri woke up in the hospital. White walls. White sheets. The smell of antiseptic. His mother was beside him. Her eyes were red. Her hands were shaking.
"Yuri."
"Mom."
"What happened?"
He looked at the ceiling. At the lights. At the tubes in his arm.
"I fell."
She stared at him. "You fell?"
He nodded. "I fell."
She didn't believe him. She didn't push.
His father walked in. His face was pale. His eyes were dark.
"The police are outside."
Yuri shook his head. "No police."
"Yuri—"
"No police."
His father looked at him for a long moment. Then he nodded. Walked out.
Yuri closed his eyes. His mother held his hand. The machines beeped. The hours passed.
He didn't sleep.
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Part Five: The Night
Keifer sat in his apartment. The lights were off. The city was bright. The shark was in his lap. Bruce was beside him.
Jay was in the bedroom. Sleeping. She'd been sleeping for hours. The wedding dress was on the floor. The shoes were by the door. The ring was gone.
He looked at his hands. His knuckles were bruised. Split. Blood on his fingers.
He didn't regret it.
He heard her stir. Heard her call his name.
"Keifer."
He stood. Walked to the bedroom. She was sitting up. Her hair was messy. Her eyes were tired.
"Where were you?"
He sat on the edge of the bed. "I was in the living room."
She touched his face. "You're hurt."
He covered her hand with his. "I'm fine."
She looked at his knuckles. At the blood. At the swelling.
"Keifer. What did you do?"
He looked at her. At her face. At the shadows under her eyes.
"What I should have done a long time ago."
She stared at him. "Yuri?"
He nodded.
She pulled him into her arms. Her face was against his neck. Her voice was barely a whisper.
"Thank you."
He held her. "You don't have to thank me."
She pulled back. Looked at his face. "I love you."
He kissed her forehead. "I love you too."
She lay back down. He lay beside her. His arm was around her. Her head was on his chest.
"Keifer."
"Yeah."
"Will he come after us?"
Keifer looked at the ceiling. At the shadows. At the city beyond.
"Let him," he said.
She closed her eyes. His heartbeat was under her ear. His hand was in her hair. The shark was on the floor. Bruce was on the pillow.
She slept.
He didn't.
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End of Chapter Fifty-Eight