Chapter 155 CHAPTER 156

Chapter 155 CHAPTER 156
CHAPTER 156
YAEL

My heart was racing.

“Stay calm, Yael,” I whispered to myself. “You are not helpless. You are not that sixteen-year-old girl anymore. Think. Look for a way out.”

The door opened with a loud creak. Grey walked in carrying a bottle of water. He smiled when he saw me awake.

“Good morning, baby,” he said softly.

I glared at him. “Let me go, Grey. This is not going to end the way you want it to. They will find me. Knox and Aaron will find me.”

He laughed quietly and crouched in front of me. “They can try. But I planned this very carefully. No one is coming for you right now. You are mine for the next few days. I’m going to remind you who you belong to.”

He reached out and touched my cheek. I jerked my head away.

“Don’t touch me,” I said through gritted teeth.

He grabbed my chin hard and forced me to look at him. “You used to love it when I touched you. Remember? When you were sixteen and you said you would always be mine? You promised me.”

“I was a child,” I said, my voice shaking but strong. “I was scared and confused. I didn’t know what love was. But I know now. And it is not this.”

Grey’s eyes darkened. He stood up and started pacing in front of me. “You think that football boy loves you? He will forget about you. They all will. But I never will. I have been watching you for years. I know everything about you.”

He stopped and looked at me. “You are still so beautiful. Even after everything. I think it’s time I remind you who you belong to.”

He stepped closer and started unbuttoning his shirt. My stomach turned.

“No,” I said, my voice rising. “Don’t you dare come near me.”

He smiled and reached for my shirt. “You are mine, Yael. You always have been.”

I waited until he was close enough, then spit directly in his face. “I will never be yours.”

Grey wiped the spit from his face slowly. His expression turned cold. He slapped me hard across the cheek. The pain exploded across my face.

“You always were a fighter,” he said. “But I like breaking fighters.”

He tried to grab me again. I kicked out with both legs, catching him in the stomach. He stumbled back, cursing.

“Stay away from me!” I shouted. “I will fight you every single time. I am not that scared girl anymore. I have people who love me. I have strength now. You cannot break me.”

He laughed and grabbed my hair, yanking my head back. “You think your Taekwondo will save you? You think your therapy will save you? I made you weak once. I can do it again.”

He tried to force himself on me, his hands rough and desperate. I fought with everything I had. I twisted my body, kicked, and screamed at him.

“Get off me!” I yelled. “I will never let you touch me like that again!”

He slapped me again, harder this time. “Stop fighting. You are mine. Say it.”

I spat blood at him. “Never. I belong to no one but myself.”

He kept trying, but I fought back with every ounce of strength I had left. I used my legs, my shoulders, anything I could move. Eventually he got frustrated and stepped back, breathing hard.

“You are still fighting,” he said, almost impressed. “Good. It will make breaking you even sweeter.”

He left the room and locked the door behind him. I was alone again.

My body hurt everywhere. My face was swollen, my wrists raw from the ropes, and my head was throbbing. But I refused to cry. I refused to give up.

I closed my eyes and thought about Knox. I remembered his arms around me, the way he held me like I was the most important thing in the world. I thought about Aaron’s protective voice, Maya’s laughter, Jordan’s strength, and Liam’s kindness. I thought about my mom and how proud she would be if she could see me fighting right now.

“You are not alone,” I whispered to myself. “They are looking for you. They will find you. Just hold on.”

Grey came back later. He brought water and forced me to drink some. Then he started threatening me again.

“You think they care about you?” he said. “They will move on. Knox will find someone new. Aaron will get tired of protecting you. But I will never stop. I will always be here. You will always be mine.”

I looked him in the eyes. “You are wrong. They love me. Real love. Not this obsession you have. They are coming for me. And when they do, you will regret every single thing you have done to me.”

He laughed and slapped me again. “Keep believing that. It makes this more fun.”

He left me alone once more. The hours blurred together. I was hungry, thirsty, and in pain. But every time the fear tried to take over, I fought it back with memories of the people who loved me.

I whispered to the empty room, “Hold on, Yael. They are coming. Knox is coming. Aaron is coming. Just hold on a little longer.”

My body was hurting, but
my mind was still mine. I was not going to let Grey break me.

Not this time.