The documents lay scattered on the cold floor, their sharp edges curling slightly from her trembling grip. Evelina had read them once, twice, over and over again, as if the words might shift under her desperate gaze, as if the ink might blur into some new truth. But every time her eyes traced those damning lines, the reality remained unchanged: her parents' signatures, the stamped seals, the financial terms that translated to her body, her life, being nothing more than collateral.
It was not a nightmare. It was paper and ink. And contracts did not lie.
Her tears had dried into itchy tracks along her cheeks, but more welled as she pressed the heel of her hand against her mouth to keep the sobs quiet. She felt small, cornered—like an animal that had been caged too long.
When the door opened again, Evelina didn't lift her eyes. The creak of the hinges was enough to jolt her heart, enough to remind her that he was there—that he could enter whenever he pleased.
Kairo's heavy steps carried an authority that made the air bend around him. She had learned already that even silence was dangerous when it belonged to him. He stopped in front of her, and only then did she dare to look up through wet lashes.
He didn't need to repeat what he had said before. The unspoken words carried through his gaze. But still, he asked, voice low, sharp as a blade:
"If I give you something, Evelina, you'll say yes. You'll take it. Understood?"
Her throat tightened. No sound came out. He waited, still as stone, but she knew better than to think he would soften. Her body shook violently, tears dripping down onto her lap as she forced herself to whisper:
"Y… yes…"
Kairo's brow furrowed. "You made me repeat myself."
The disappointment in his tone was worse than anger. Anger was fire, sudden and violent. But this—this calm, deliberate rebuke—was colder than the grave.
He turned his head slightly, a simple gesture, and a servant slipped quietly into the room carrying another tray of food. The faint clink of cutlery echoed louder than thunder in Evelina's ears. The servant did not look at her. They never did. Without a word, the tray was placed on the table and the door closed again.
Kairo walked toward the plate with slow, unhurried steps. He picked up the spoon as if it were a weapon, his large hand dwarfing the delicate handle. Then he turned back to her and crouched slightly, bringing himself closer to her level.
"Eat," he said simply.
Her lips parted in disbelief. She shook her head, then quickly clamped her mouth shut as if that alone might shield her from his command.
His dark eyes narrowed. "Did you not understand me?"
Her tears returned full force. She shook her head, clutching at her own wrists as though binding herself again might protect her.
"Evelina," he said, her name rolling off his tongue like a verdict. "Do not make me repeat. Open your mouth."
She refused. She shook her head again, harder this time, and pressed her lips together until they hurt. Her chest rose and fell in rapid, shallow breaths.
For a long, unbearable moment, Kairo didn't move. The silence stretched, suffocating her. And then—without warning—his hand shot forward, cupping her jaw with unyielding strength. He pried her mouth open with a force that made her cry out, though no one could hear through the soundproof walls.
The spoon slid between her lips, the warm food touching her tongue before she could turn away. Evelina choked, gagged slightly, but he held her there until she swallowed.
Her heart pounded like a trapped bird in her chest. She tried to push him away, but he caught her wrists in one hand, pinning them effortlessly to her lap.
"Now," he said softly, as though instructing a child. "Again."
Tears streamed down her face, hot and relentless. "P… please…" she whispered brokenly. "Don't…"
Kairo's gaze didn't flicker. He brought another spoonful to her lips. She tried to keep them shut, but he leaned closer, closer still, until his breath brushed her skin.
"You will eat," he murmured, voice low, commanding, "because I say so."
And then, with terrifying patience, he forced her again—not just with the spoon, but with his presence, his body closing the space until there was nowhere to turn. His lips touched hers briefly, startlingly soft, but laced with control. He kissed her only to pry her mouth open further, slipping the food past her resistance.
The taste of the meal blurred with the taste of him, a violation that sent Evelina spiraling into a confusion of fear and helplessness. She sobbed against his mouth, but he did not relent until she swallowed again.
Finally, he pulled back just enough to speak, his eyes locked onto hers with chilling finality.
"Now tell me," he said, his tone almost conversational. "Will you eat when I feed you normally… or will you prefer I feed you this way?"
Her entire body trembled. She wanted to scream that she wanted neither. She wanted to beg for her freedom, to demand answers, to wake up from this nightmare. But all that left her throat was a strangled whimper.
His stare bore into her, patient yet merciless.
"Answer me," Kairo whispered, his voice more dangerous than any shout.
Evelina's chest rose and fell with shallow breaths. Her lips quivered. She was cornered, broken between choices that weren't hers to make. Slowly, shakily, she lowered her gaze and whispered the only word she could force out:
"…I'll eat…"
A faint smirk curved his mouth, satisfaction dark and quiet.
"Good," he said, as if praising a child who finally obeyed.
To be continued...