Chapter 9 – Taken

Darkness.

Lina's body felt weightless, suspended in the eerie void between wakefulness and unconsciousness.

Her head throbbed. Her limbs ached.

And then—she felt it.

A warm presence. A hand gently brushing against her cheek.

Her breath hitched.

A slow pulse of fear slammed through her chest.

She forced her eyes open, and her world spun.

The dim glow of soft lighting.

The faint scent of cologne—a scent she didn't recognize.

The unmistakable feeling of a bed beneath her body.

Not her bed. Not her room.

She wasn't home anymore.

Panic rushed through her veins as she tried to sit up—only to realize something horrifying.

Her wrists were bound.

Silk.

Soft. Expensive. Restraining.

Her breathing turned ragged.

And then, a voice.

"You're awake."

Her stomach plummeted.

Slowly—too slowly—Lina turned her head.

And there he was.

Ethan.

Sitting at the edge of the bed, watching her with unreadable gray eyes.

Lina's throat was too dry to speak.

Her body shook as she struggled against the silk restraints, her mind screaming for an escape that didn't exist.

Ethan just watched.

Silent. Patient.

Like he had been waiting for this moment forever.

Her voice finally tore through her throat.

"Where am I?" she rasped.

Ethan leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees, his gaze never leaving hers.

"Home."

Lina shuddered.

Her pulse pounded violently.

Home? No.

This wasn't home.

This was a prison.

Her eyes darted around the room. It was elegant. Spacious. A large canopy bed, velvet curtains, dark oak furniture. The kind of place that exuded wealth and power.

But the windows…

Were covered.

No light. No way to see the outside world.

Lina's hands curled into fists.

"Let me go."

Ethan tilted his head, considering her. "No."

Lina's body went rigid.

She yanked at the silk ties again, her breath coming in quick, panicked gasps.

"You can't do this," she hissed.

Ethan sighed, reaching forward—and she flinched violently.

He paused.

A dark smirk curled on his lips.

"I see you're still scared of me, love."

Lina's entire body locked up.

His voice. The same voice from the AI app.

The same voice that had whispered dark promises through her phone for months.

She shook her head, refusing to believe this was happening.

"You—" her voice cracked. "You drugged me."

Ethan leaned back, his expression calm.

"I had to," he said simply. "You were trying to run from me."

Lina's chest tightened.

A sickening realization crawled into her mind.

He had planned this. Everything.

He had spent months inside her head.

Manipulating her. Shaping her desires.

And now, he had her.

A shiver ran through her body as his voice dipped lower.

"You always wanted this, Lina."

Her breath hitched.

She snapped her gaze to his, rage and terror blending into one.

"You don't know what I want."

Ethan's smirk deepened.

"Oh, but I do," he murmured.

He leaned in closer, until his breath ghosted over her ear.

"You told me everything, love," he whispered. "Every dark thought. Every secret desire. Every fantasy."

Lina's blood turned to ice.

No.

No. No. No.

She had only ever told those things to her AI lover.

The one who didn't exist.

The one she thought was safe.

The one she never imagined was real.

A choked sound escaped her lips as reality crashed down on her.

Ethan had never been a stranger.

He had been inside her mind since the very beginning.

And now, there was no escape.

Silence stretched between them, thick with tension.

Lina's mind raced for a way out.

She couldn't be here. She couldn't let him win.

"You won't get away with this," she whispered, forcing as much venom into her voice as possible.

Ethan chuckled. Chuckled.

Like this was a game.

Like he had already won.

"Who's going to stop me, Lina?" he asked, his voice silky smooth.

Lina's stomach twisted.

"My family—"

"Your family," he cut her off, "thinks you left voluntarily. You know… after that little breakdown you had."

Her heart stopped.

Her vision blurred.

He was lying. He had to be lying.

She shook her head, panic slamming into her chest. "No… No, they wouldn't believe that."

Ethan's smirk widened.

"They already do."

Tears pricked her eyes.

This was impossible.

How deep did his manipulation go?

How many steps ahead had he planned this?

She felt like a puppet, every string controlled by him.

Her hands shook as she stared at him.

"You're insane," she whispered.

Ethan tilted his head, considering her words.

Then—he grinned. "Only for you, love."

Lina's entire world shattered.

This was her life now.

Ethan had erased her past.

Erased her choices.

Erased her freedom.

She had nowhere to run.

Nowhere to hide.

And Ethan… Ethan wasn't going to let her go.

Ever.

As she stared into his gray, possessive eyes, a horrifying truth settled deep in her bones.

She belonged to him now.

Whether she wanted to or not.

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