Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Lisa’s POV

I stared at the text on my phone, my heart racing. “Come alone. 9 p.m. Don’t tell anyone.”

Claudia’s words echoed in my mind. She wanted me to meet her alone. But how could I do that when Damien was practically breathing down my neck? He’d made it clear that I belonged to him now, and I didn’t doubt for a second that he would kill me if he thought I was hiding something from him.

But Claudia sounded desperate. She’d said she was in trouble, the kind of trouble that could get us both killed. I didn’t trust her—not after what she’d done to me—but I couldn’t ignore her either. If she had answers, I needed to hear them.

My stomach churned as I shoved the phone into my pocket. I had less than twelve hours to figure out what to do.

Damien didn’t give me much time to think. An hour later, I was sitting in the backseat of his sleek black car, staring out the window as the city blurred past. The air inside the car was tense, and the silence was deafening. Damien sat beside me, his sharp gray eyes fixed on his phone, while one of his men drove.

“Where are we going?” I asked finally, my voice barely above a whisper.

Damien didn’t look up. “To work,” he said simply.

I frowned. “What kind of work?”

Damien’s lips curved into a faint smirk. “You’ll see.”

I didn’t like the sound of that. My nerves were already stretched thin, and the thought of being dragged into whatever “work” meant in Damien’s world made my skin crawl.

The car eventually pulled into an underground parking garage. Damien stepped out first, and I followed reluctantly, my heart pounding in my chest. He led me to an elevator, and we rode it in silence up to the top floor of the building.

When the doors opened, I found myself in a large, luxurious office. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking view of the city, and the furniture looked like it cost more than I’d make in a lifetime.

Damien walked over to a desk and sat down, motioning for me to sit in the chair across from him. I hesitated but eventually did as he said.

“This,” Damien said, sliding a folder across the desk toward me, “is everything we know about Claudia.”

I stared at the folder, my hands trembling. Slowly, I opened it and flipped through the pages. There were photos of Claudia, phone records, and addresses—more information than I ever thought possible.

“We know she’s still in the city,” Damien continued, his tone calm but firm. “She’s been moving around, trying to stay off our radar. But she’s getting sloppy.”

“What do you want me to do?” I asked, my voice shaking.

“Find her,” Damien said simply. “Use what you know about her to figure out where she’s hiding.”

“I told you, I don’t know anything about her!” I protested, my frustration bubbling over. “She was just a client. I don’t know where she lives, who she talks to, or anything about her life.”

Damien leaned back in his chair, his sharp eyes studying me. “You’re smarter than you look, Lisa,” he said finally. “You’ll figure it out.”

I clenched my fists, anger and fear swirling inside me. Damien made it sound so simple, but it wasn’t. How was I supposed to find someone who didn’t want to be found?

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Damien’s men escorted me back to his mansion, where I was once again locked in the luxurious room he’d assigned to me. I paced the floor, my mind racing with thoughts of Claudia’s text.

I knew what I had to do. If I wanted answers, I had to meet her. But how could I possibly get out of here without Damien noticing?

I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the clock on the wall. It was almost 7 p.m. I had two hours to come up with a plan.

At 8:30 p.m., I finally worked up the courage to act. Slipping on a pair of sneakers, I grabbed my phone and quietly opened the door. The hallway outside was empty, but I knew Damien’s men were stationed throughout the house.

I crept down the hall, my heart pounding with every step. My palms were sweaty, and I held my breath, praying I wouldn’t run into anyone.

When I reached the front door, I paused, listening. The house was eerily quiet, and for a moment, I thought I might actually make it out. But just as I reached for the door handle, a voice behind me made me freeze.

“Going somewhere?”

I turned slowly, my stomach dropping. Damien stood at the top of the staircase, his sharp eyes locked onto me.

“I was just… getting some air,” I said weakly, my voice trembling.

Damien’s lips curved into a smirk, but there was no humor in his eyes. “Nice try,” he said, descending the stairs.

I backed away as he approached, my heart racing. “I wasn’t trying to leave,” I said quickly. “I just needed some fresh air.”

Damien stopped in front of me, towering over me. He didn’t say anything, but the look in his eyes sent a chill down my spine.

“Lisa,” he said finally, his voice low and dangerous, “you’re terrible at lying.”

“I’m not lying!” I insisted, though my voice shook.

Damien raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. “Then why do you look so guilty?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out.

Damien leaned in, his face inches from mine. “Let me make something very clear,” he said softly. “If you try to run, you won’t get far. And if you lie to me again, you’ll regret it.”

I nodded quickly, my hands trembling. Damien straightened and stepped back, his sharp eyes never leaving mine.

“Go back to your room,” he said coldly. “Now.”

I didn’t argue. I turned and hurried back upstairs, my heart pounding in my chest.

By the time I reached my room, it was nearly 9 p.m. I paced the floor, trying to figure out what to do. Claudia was waiting for me, but there was no way I could leave now. Damien was watching me too closely.

My phone buzzed, and I grabbed it quickly. It was another text from Claudia.

“I’m waiting. Don’t leave me hanging, Lisa.”

I stared at the message, guilt twisting in my chest. She was counting on me, but I couldn’t help her—not without risking my life.

The door suddenly opened, and Damien walked in. I quickly dropped the phone onto the bed, trying to act normal.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his eyes narrowing.

“Nothing,” I said quickly.

Damien’s gaze fell on the phone, and he walked over to pick it up. My heart stopped as he unlocked it and read Claudia’s messages.

When he looked up, his expression was cold and unforgiving. “So,” he said, his voice dangerously calm, “you’ve been lying to me.”