"Hmm..."
The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was a blue ceiling with a circular, intricate design. The room was dark, lit only by a dim lamp on the right side of the bed.
This isn't my bed. It's not even my room. The mattress was soft and luxurious, but what the hell was I doing here? I slowly sat up, rubbing my forehead in confusion with my right hand.
Then it all rushed back. Father. That news. And these three strangers at my doorstep. They were the ones who tried to grab me... and then I fell unconscious.
Panic surged through my body like cold water. Chills raced down my spine, raising goosebumps across my arms and neck. So I really had been kidnapped?
I scanned the room, but it was too dark to make out much beyond the bed and the faint glow from the lamp. I glanced down at my clothes, they seemed untouched, exactly as I'd been wearing them. So why had they brought me here? What did they want?
"Oh, you're up, Eva."
That voice... it felt somehow familiar. I'd heard it before, but when? It was calm and gentle. I could practically picture a warm smile on the speaker's face even though I couldn't see him yet.
"Let me turn on the light. I thought you couldn't sleep with the lights on, so I kept them off."
The overhead lights flicked on. I flinched and covered my eyes against the sudden brightness, heart pounding. Slowly, cautiously, I lowered my hand and opened my eyes.
A tall, muscular, but not overly bulky, figure sat on a wooden chair to the right of the bed. He wore a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms and dark black cotton jeans.
His black eyes locked onto mine, sharp, yet strangely magnetic. He was undeniably handsome. His black hair was messy and slightly damp, as though he'd just stepped out of the shower.
Wait a second...
"Daniel?"
I called his name softly. This was Daniel Volkov, my childhood friend. We were never extremely close, just on good terms. His late father used to work for my father as his personal assistant.
But one day, his father and mother died together in a car accident. After that, Father took Daniel and his younger sister in, raising them like his own children.
They were the reason I rarely felt truly alone back then. Daniel was two years older than I, and his sister was one year younger. I mostly talked to Daniel because his sister preferred to keep to herself.
Then, six years ago, Daniel left our house along with his sister. I never really understood what happened, he simply told Father he wanted to stand on his own two feet. Father respected that and let them go.
After that, I never saw him again. Father kept tabs on them out of worry, he'd occasionally mention how they were doing after they moved to a different city.
And now here I was, meeting him after six long years. No wonder it took me a moment to recognise him. Looking at him now, he was even more handsome than he had been back then, with sharper features, and a more confident presence.
"It's been a while, hasn't it?"
Daniel said calmly, crossing one leg over the other as he leaned back in the chair.
"It is... but... are you the one who kidnapped me?"
I asked, my brown eyes fixed on him. Something felt off. It wasn't just the kidnapping, but being around him used to make me feel safe and comfortable. Right now, though, the vibe he gave off was completely different. It's unsettling.
"I heard about Uncle Leonid. You must be devastated."
His words sliced straight through me, dragging the fresh pain of Father's loss back to the surface. My heart ached so sharply I could barely breathe. I still couldn't accept it... couldn't believe it was real.
My eyes widened as I realised that I still hadn't seen Father's body.
"I didn't see him... do you know where they took him?"
I asked Daniel, my voice trembling as I tried to get up, only to fall right back onto the bed with a soft thud.
"Huh?"
What just happened? It felt like something had yanked me backwards. I glanced down at my wrists and froze. Soft strips of fabric were wrapped around them like makeshift cuffs, gentle against the skin but secure. Thin, long chains extended from each cuff, connecting to both sides of the bed frame.
I tugged at them hard, trying to rip the cloth off, but it didn't budge, the material was incredibly strong, unyielding. My heart raced faster.
I looked up at Daniel, stunned. A smirk played across his lips, dripping with mischief.
"What the? It's not funny, Daniel! Untie me now!"
I screamed in frustration, yanking again at the restraints. I wasn't in the mood for any of his stupid games, not now, not after everything. This wasn't like him at all.
Daniel had always been serious, composed, the responsible one. This playful, almost cruel edge... it was the complete opposite of the boy I remembered.
He must have changed in these six years. But even so, that didn't justify this.
"And why did you think I'll untie you? Anyway, as for Uncle Leonid... well, his funeral went well yesterday."
"What do you mean by yesterday?!"
"Oh, you've been unconscious for two days."
Two days?
I'd missed it. I'd missed the chance to see him one last time, to say goodbye, to be there at all. My hands clenched into tight fists, nails digging painfully into my palms as fresh anger and grief surged through me. I glared up at Daniel, tears burning behind my eyes, threatening to spill over again.
"Why the hell did you kidnap me? Answer me!"
My voice cracked.
He rose slowly from the chair and stepped closer until he was right beside the bed, towering over me. Then, without a word, he reached out and pressed his index finger gently but firmly against my lips, silencing me like I was a child throwing a tantrum.
The touch was light, but it carried an unmistakable command as if telling me to be quiet.