The suffocating silence of Abir's grand bedroom was broken only by the haunting sound of Arisa's muffled sobs. Outside, the wind howled like a wounded beast, mirroring the chaos inside the room. Abir tossed his expensive blazer onto the floor with cold indifference. Rolling up his shirt sleeves, he began to advance toward Arisa with slow, calculated steps—like a predator closing in on its prey. There was no trace of remorse in his dark eyes, only a primitive and toxic sense of ownership.
"Did you truly believe I was a kind man, Arisa?" Abir's voice was low, yet it cut through the air like a blade. "Did you think I would ever share what I've claimed? I am Abir Khan. Once I declare something mine, I keep it within my grasp at any cost—whether through love or through terror."
Arisa backed away until she hit the edge of the massive bed. The diamond choker around her neck felt like a noose, its brilliant sparkle now a cruel mockery of her situation.
"You aren't human; you're a monster!" Arisa screamed, her voice cracking with emotion. "You can't win my heart with fear. Rafi was just a childhood friend. He did nothing to deserve your wrath. Why did you humiliate him like that? Why do you enjoy hurting people?"
In a flash, Abir was upon her. He grabbed both of her wrists in a crushing grip and jerked her toward his chest. Arisa winced as she felt the hard, unyielding muscles of his body. The scent of his expensive cologne mixed with his hot breath fanned against her face, making her feel dizzy with dread.
"Because he looked into your eyes," Abir hissed, his face inches from hers. "And I cannot tolerate any other man seeking warmth in what belongs to me. Tonight, your defiance ends, Arisa. You will learn the price of looking back at your past."
He shoved her back onto the bed with brute force. Walking over to a hidden drawer, he pulled out a small black velvet box. Inside was a delicate silver chain—it looked like a beautiful piece of jewelry, but Arisa knew better. It was a subtle, elegant shackle for her ankle.
"No! Please... I beg of you!" Arisa pleaded, her body trembling with terror. "I promise I won't speak to anyone ever again. I won't even mention the outside world. Just don't do this to me!"
"I lost my faith in promises a long time ago," Abir murmured, a dark, joyless smile dancing on his lips. "From now on, you stay within these four walls, right where I can see you. The light of the outside world is too poisonous for you."
Arisa spent the rest of the night trapped in a waking nightmare. When the pale light of dawn finally filtered through the curtains, she saw Abir sitting calmly in the armchair, sipping coffee as if the night's horrors had never happened. Suddenly, there was a firm knock on the door. His head bodyguard entered, looking tense.
"Sir, there's a man downstairs," the guard reported. "He's making a scene, demanding to see Miss Arisa. He claims to be her older brother."
A spark of desperate hope ignited in Arisa's hollow eyes. Her brother? Had he finally come to save her? Or was Abir about to destroy the only person left who truly loved her?
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