You Belong to Me

The night air was thick with tension. Lydia sat by the window, her eyes scanning the glittering skyline of the city. Somewhere out there, people were living freely — laughing, loving, choosing. She had none of those things.

Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.

Her bag was packed. Just the essentials — cash she’d hidden over the months, a change of clothes, and the phone Ivan gave her. A different number, untraceable. He’d promised to wait for her at the side gate before dawn.

Just a few more hours, and she'd be gone.

She turned off the light and slipped into bed, pretending to sleep.

But her peace didn’t last long.

The bedroom door swung open violently, crashing against the wall. Lydia jolted upright.

Eric stood in the doorway, his face a mask of fury.

Her heart dropped.

He knew.

His cold eyes scanned the room, landing on the half-zipped bag beside the dresser. Slowly, he stepped inside, shutting the door behind him with a deafening finality.

“Going somewhere?” he asked, voice deathly calm.

Lydia swallowed. “Eric—”

“I asked you a question.”

She lifted her chin. “Yes.”

His eyes darkened, and in two quick strides, he was towering over her.

“You think I wouldn’t find out? That you could just walk away?” His voice trembled with rage — or fear. “Do you take me for a fool?”

“No,” she whispered. “But I’m not your prisoner.”

“You’re not my prisoner,” he repeated, scoffing. “You sleep in my bed. You eat in my house. You wear what I give you. I feed you, clothe you, protect you.”

Lydia stared back, defiant. “You use me. You lie to me. You love someone else and expect me to just sit here like nothing matters!”

He grabbed her arms, pulling her to her feet. “You think I love her? Christiana’s a tool. A marriage of power. A deal sealed in blood. But you—”

He stopped, breathing heavily, eyes wild.

Lydia’s voice cracked. “But I’m nothing, right? Just a body in your bed?”

Eric’s grip tightened. “No. You’re the only thing that makes me lose control. The only one who keeps me awake at night. I watch you even when I shouldn’t. I hate how much I need you.”

Her lips trembled. “Then let me go.”

His expression shattered into something raw and terrifying. “I can’t.”

He crushed her against him, burying his face in her neck like he was trying to inhale her soul. “You belong to me, Lydia. No one else will touch you. Ever.”

Tears slid down her cheeks.

“This isn’t love, Eric.”

His voice dropped to a whisper. “I don’t know what love is. But I know I’d burn the world before I let you go.”

They stood in silence, bodies pressed together, hearts racing for very different reasons.

“I’ll run again,” Lydia said finally, softly.

“I’ll find you,” he replied without hesitation.

Her eyes met his. “Then one of us will have to die.”

For the first time, Eric didn’t respond. Just stared, breathing heavily, his hands shaking against her waist.

He wasn’t ready to lose her.

And she wasn’t ready to be his secret anymore.

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