Chapter 1
Where am I? I can’t see anything. It’s so dark…
I don’t understand where I am. What’s happening? Why do I feel so dazed? A fucking panic is rising inside me.
I try to react, but my arms are pinned behind my back. How is this possible? How the hell did I end up tied to a fucking chair?
I can’t breathe properly. There’s something over my mouth… I can’t…
Calm down… no! I can’t calm down.
Have I been kidnapped!? Maybe they hit me on the head… no, that’s impossible—I don’t feel any pain.
Then they must have drugged me at the bar. At least, I think so. What did I drink? I don’t even remember. I’m such an idiot.
How many of these bastards are there? Before… before all this, I think I heard something. Voices. Or maybe I’m imagining it.
I can’t remember clearly. Everything is blurred. I squeeze my eyes shut and try to think, but it’s like trying to grab smoke.
They definitely want money. A kidnapping—ransom from my father. He’s the only one who can get me out of here.
What’s going to happen to me? I’m fucking terrified. I don’t know what to do, damn it!
I should have listened to that bad feeling. My God… what will become of me?
I don’t want to die. I still have too much to do, too much to discover. My life can’t end like this.
My wrists hurt. The rope binding them is tearing at my skin—soon it’ll be raw. Damn it!
I need air. If I don’t see some light… this room is dark. Too dark.
The cloth over my mouth is suffocating me, and there’s only a single light bulb casting a faint glow.
A sort of bed with a blackened mattress. The ceiling is full of cobwebs. An iron door, locked with a bolt. No windows.
Who the hell built a place like this? Maybe it’s a basement.
The smell of mold makes me nauseous. I have to breathe slowly to keep from throwing up.
Whoever you are… whatever you want…
The door opens. Footsteps. My breath stops.
The sound is clear, sharp. No other movement. Just one person.
I don’t know if that reassures me or terrifies me even more. I lift my gaze.
I see him. He’s walking slowly, emerging from the shadows.
The flickering light barely touches him as he takes one step after another.
My heart is hammering in my chest.
He gets closer. Too close. Fingers on my neck… this is it. He’s going to kill me. He’s gripping my head! What are you going to do to me!?
React, William. At least try. A bastard like this can’t just kill you like that!
My wrists hurt more and more. They’re going to snap—I’m sure of it. I want to get out. Even if I have to crawl like a worm with the chair dragging behind me.
If I could just free myself, you’d see what I’m capable of.
It’s easy to act like this when you know your victim can’t fight back.
“Calm.” The voice pierces through me. Low. Hoarse.
I don’t want to cry.
Hands grab my shoulders. Nails dig into my flesh.
I try to pull away, but I can’t move. There’s no escape.
His mouth is inches from the back of my neck. His breath is faint.
A shiver runs down my spine.
I jerk violently. I pull at the ropes—pull, pull, pull—until something warm starts dripping over my palms.
