I didn't even get a chance to catch my breath before the door slammed behind me.Dominic stood in the center of the room, arms crossed, eyes sharp enough to cut glass. The guards flanked him like statues, silent and imposing. The mansion felt miles away and all that existed was this room, this moment, and him.
"Stand still," he ordered, his voice flat, unwavering.
I froze .My legs were heavy, my hands trembled. "W-what… what is this?" I asked
"Your first lesson," he said, stepping closer. "Obedience."
Before I could respond, he snapped his fingers. One of the guards nudged me forward. Hard enough to make me stumble. My heart slammed against my ribs.
"Not like that," Dominic said sharply. "Again. Slowly. Perfectly. Or face consequences."
I clenched my fists, trying to steady myself. This was insane. I didn't even know what "obedience" meant in his twisted world. But I obeyed anyway. My steps were careful, measured, painfully slow.
"Better," he said, voice softening just enough to make my chest tighten. "But don't think that being good will save you entirely. Not yet."
I glanced at him, swallowing hard. His gaze held mine, ice-cold yet burning. I wanted to look away, but my body refused.
Then he moved closer, and I could feel his presence press against me like a physical weight. My breath hitched. "Step back," I whispered.
"You're learning," he said, and his smirk was sharp. "Fear is part of the process."
A shiver ran through me. Fear… yes. But also something else I wasn't ready to admit. A dangerous pull, like gravity toward him.
"Sit," he ordered abruptly.
I hesitated. Every instinct screamed no. But disobedience meant punishment and I wasn't ready to find out what that meant. I sank into the nearest chair, legs shaking, hands clenched in my lap. Dominic circled me like a predator inspecting prey.
"Good," he said finally, voice low. "But your posture… unacceptable."
I straightened as best I could, heat rising to my cheeks. "I-I'm trying," I stammered.
"Trying is meaningless," he said, voice slicing through the air. "Results are everything."
The guard stepped forward, producing a small leather whip and raised it up to hit me . My stomach plummeted. I wanted to scream, but my throat went dry.
"Relax," Dominic said, almost lazily. "This is just training. A reminder."
The whip touched my shoulder. Light at first, then heavier. Pain radiated through me, sharp and immediate. I bit back a scream.
"Again," he said.
I flinched, heart racing, but obeyed. Step. Bend. Stand. Pain. Fear. And somewhere deep inside, adrenaline surged. Minutes or hours, I didn't know passed like this. Each movement, each correction, pushed me further to my limit. My body ached. My mind screamed for escape. But I couldn't move. I couldn't defy him.
And then he stopped.
"You're learning," he said again, softer this time. "Not fast enough… but learning."
I slumped in the chair, trembling. Relief washed over me. Maybe… maybe I had survived. Then his eyes caught mine, sharp and calculating.
"I wonder," he said quietly, "how long it will take before you stop resisting… entirely."
The words sent a thrill through me I hated to admit. My heart raced,not just from fear. Something else stirred. Something dangerous.
"Tomorrow," he continued, "we move to the next stage. You will learn to anticipate me… or the consequences will be harsher."
I swallowed hard, trying to push down the rising panic. My body ached, my pride stung, and my mind refused to obey his rhythm. But one thought clung to me like a lifeline: I have to survive him. Somehow.
The guard opened the door. "End of lesson," he announced flatly but he didn't move . His gaze lingered and a faint smile curled up on his lips
"Go," he said finally. "Rest. You'll need it."
I stumbled out of the room, legs trembling, breath ragged. The hallway stretched endlessly before me, and for a moment, I thought I might collapse.But then a quiet voice inside me whispered: This is only the beginning. And I will not break… not entirely.
Yet as I rounded the corner, I saw him standing there, waiting, watching, as though he knew exactly what I was thinking. And I realized with a jolt that the next lesson would test more than my body. It would test my very heart.