Chapter Ten: Tethered in Shadows

Lisa’s world had shrunk to the confines of a sterile, windowless room. The walls were cold steel, the lighting harsh and clinical. Days blurred into nights, marked only by the faint click of a lock as food was slid through a slot in the door. Her mind swirled with unanswered questions, her body tense with the memory of her capture.

And then he arrived.

The man who entered wasn’t masked like the others. He carried an air of quiet authority, his dark eyes unreadable, his tailored black suit impeccably pressed. He was tall, with sharp cheekbones and a presence that filled the room.

He introduced himself simply as “Kane.”

Lisa sat on the edge of the narrow cot, her wrists still sore from the restraints they’d only just removed. She glared at him as he set a tray of food on the small table across the room.

“Not hungry?” he asked, his voice smooth but carrying a weight that made her uneasy.

“Why are you here?” Lisa snapped, refusing to play along.

Kane didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he pulled up a chair, sitting with an easy confidence that made her skin crawl. “You’ve been here for three days, Lisa. And yet, you haven’t said a word to anyone. Impressive.”

Lisa’s jaw tightened, her silence her only defense.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You’re brave. Loyal, too. But we both know loyalty can be... dangerous.”

“What do you want from me?” she asked, her voice steady despite the anger simmering beneath the surface.

Kane’s lips curved into a faint smile. “I want to help you.”

Lisa laughed bitterly, the sound hollow in the sterile room. “Help me? By keeping me prisoner?”

“You misunderstand,” Kane said, his tone infuriatingly calm. “Aegis doesn’t want to hurt you, Lisa. We want to protect you.”

“Protect me?” she repeated, incredulous. “From what? Taehyung?”

Kane’s expression darkened at the mention of Taehyung’s name. “From the truth you don’t yet understand. Taehyung isn’t who you think he is.”

Lisa’s heart clenched, but she refused to let him see her falter. “You’re lying.”

“Am I?” Kane countered, his voice soft but insistent. “Do you know why he’s so intent on keeping you close? Why Aegis is willing to risk so much to bring you here?”

Lisa didn’t respond, but her silence only seemed to encourage him.

“There’s something inside you, Lisa,” Kane said, his gaze boring into hers. “Something powerful. Something dangerous. Taehyung knows it, even if you don’t.”

His words sent a shiver down her spine, but she pushed it aside, glaring at him. “I don’t believe you.”

Kane stood, his movements deliberate. He walked to the tray of food, picking up a glass of water and holding it out to her.

“You will,” he said simply.

Lisa stared at the glass, her throat dry, but she refused to take it.

Kane sighed, setting it down on the table. “You’ll come to see that I’m the only one here who truly wants to help you. And when you’re ready to listen, I’ll be here.”

He turned to leave, but paused at the door, looking over his shoulder.

“One last thing,” he said, his voice laced with something Lisa couldn’t quite place. “Don’t let your feelings for Taehyung blind you. Sometimes, the people we trust the most are the ones who betray us.”

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Lisa alone with her racing thoughts.

---

Hours passed, or perhaps days—it was impossible to tell. Kane’s words echoed in Lisa’s mind, tangling with her memories of Taehyung. She hated how they made her question everything.

And yet, Kane kept returning.

He would bring her meals, sometimes sitting in silence, other times speaking in that maddeningly calm tone. He never pushed her, but his presence was unrelenting, a steady drip of water against a stone.

“You’re stronger than they give you credit for,” he said one day, his dark eyes softening as he looked at her. “But strength can also be your undoing if it blinds you to the truth.”

Lisa hated how his voice seemed to linger in her mind, how his words stirred doubts she didn’t want to face. She hated the way he watched her, as if he saw through her walls, through her anger and defiance, to something deeper.

And she hated that, despite everything, she couldn’t entirely hate him.

---

One night, Kane entered with a small, battered notebook. He placed it on the table without a word, then stepped back, watching her.

“What’s this?” Lisa asked, eyeing it warily.

“Answers,” Kane said.

Lisa hesitated, then picked it up. The pages were filled with handwritten notes, sketches, and fragments of information that didn’t make sense at first glance. But as she flipped through it, a chilling realization dawned.

The notes were about her.

Her life. Her family. Her relationship with Taehyung.

“How—” Lisa’s voice faltered as she looked up at Kane.

“Taehyung has been watching you for years,” Kane said quietly. “Long before you ever met him. Do you really think that’s a coincidence?”

Lisa’s stomach twisted, her mind reeling. “You’re lying.”

“Am I?” Kane asked, his voice gentle. “Why don’t you ask him yourself?”

Lisa slammed the notebook shut, her hands trembling. “Why are you doing this?”

Kane stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “Because I believe you deserve the truth. Even if it hurts.”

Lisa met his gaze, her emotions a whirlwind of anger, confusion, and something she didn’t want to name. For the first time, she felt the cracks in her trust, the seeds of doubt taking root.

And Kane, with his dark eyes and quiet voice, seemed determined to water them.

---

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***