Chapter 37 Games

Chapter 37 Games

I stormed into his office without knocking.
Charles was behind the desk, a glass of whiskey in his hand. He didn’t even look surprised when I slammed the door.

“How could you?” My voice cracked. “How could you do that to Ryan?”

He looked at me, calm, cold, the same way someone would look at a stranger.
“You saw what happens when you don’t listen,” he said.

I felt my throat tighten. I wanted to hit him, scream at him, but my body shook so hard I could barely stand still.
“You’re a monster,” I whispered. “He was innocent.”

Charles stood up and came closer. “Don’t call me that, Elena. You forced my hand.”

“Forced your hand?” I stepped back. “You killed him! For what? Because I wanted to breathe? Because I wanted to leave?”

He sighed, like he was tired of the conversation already. “Because you keep forgetting who you belong to.”
I shook my head, tears burning my eyes. “I don’t belong to anyone.”

He stopped in front of me, close enough that I could smell the smoke and leather on him. “Say that again,” he said quietly.

I stared at him, my heart pounding. I wanted to say it, but the words stuck in my throat. He looked at me with that cold stare that made it clear I wouldn’t win. Not this time.

“Charles,” I said softly, “please. I’ll do what you want. Just… let my mother go. Let her live a normal life. Keep me if you must, but not her.”

He tilted his head, studying me like I was some puzzle he couldn’t solve. “Do you think I’m stupid?”
“No,” I said quickly. “I just... I’ll obey. I’ll stop running. I’ll stop asking questions.”

For a second, something flickered in his eyes, pain maybe, or guilt. Then it vanished.

He turned away and sat back behind his desk. “You think you can fool me that easily? You think I don’t see the way you look when you think I’m not watching?”

I said nothing.

He reached for something in his drawer. My body tensed, but he only pulled out a small box and placed it on the table. “You’re going to carry this phone,” he said. “You’ll answer when I call. You’ll not use it to contact anyone. If you do…”
He paused and looked straight at me. “Your brother will be next.”

The words hit like a knife. My knees weakened.
I wanted to scream, but all that came out was a small sound, half a sob, half a breath. “You’ve already taken everything from me,” I said quietly. “What else can you take?”

He leaned back, his tone soft but cruel. “Don’t test me. You’re alive because I allow it. Don’t make me regret that.”

I stared at him. His face looked carved from stone, calm, but something inside me shifted. The fear was still there, but behind it, anger started to grow.

“I hate you,” I whispered.

He smiled faintly. “No, you don’t. You just don’t understand me yet.”

He got up again and came closer. His hand brushed my hair, tucking a strand behind my ear like everything between us was normal. “I told you once,” he said quietly, “that being mine keeps you safe. That hasn’t changed.”

I pushed his hand away. “You’re sick.”

“Maybe,” he said, still smiling. “But I’m the only thing standing between you and death. Matteo would’ve killed you the moment he found out who you were to me.”

He started walking toward the door, then stopped halfway. “Dinner will be ready soon. Clean yourself up.”
Then he left, the sound of his footsteps echoing down the hall.

I stood there, frozen, the room spinning around me.
On the desk, the phone still lay where he had placed it. I stared at it for a long time before picking it up.
The screen was blank, but when I pressed the button, it opened to one single video file.
I hesitated, my fingers shaking, then tapped it.

The video played. The image was dark and grainy, but clear enough was Ryan lifeless body.

My breath hitched. The phone slipped from my hand and fell to the floor. I covered my mouth, but the sound still came out, a broken cry I couldn’t stop.

I sank to my knees, tears falling fast. My chest hurt so much I couldn’t breathe. For a long time, I just stayed there, staring at the screen, hoping maybe it was fake, that it wasn’t real.
But deep down, I knew it was.

Charles had done it, he killed mu friend.

I crawled toward the desk and pressed my forehead against it. I didn’t even know what I was praying for, maybe strength, maybe revenge, maybe just to wake up and find out all of this was a nightmare.

After what felt like hours, I wiped my tears with the back of my hand and stood. My legs shook, but I stayed up.

I looked at the door Charles had walked out through.
He thought I’d break. He thought I’d just obey.

He was wrong.

I picked up the phone from the floor and stared at it again. The reflection of my face looked strange, pale and empty, but behind my eyes there was something new. Fire.
He wanted to keep me quiet. He wanted me scared. But he’d gone too far.

I whispered to the empty room, “I’ll make you pay.”

My voice came out steady, almost calm, but it didn’t sound like me. It sounded like someone else, someone harder, colder.

I put the phone back in the box and slid it into my pocket.
Outside, I could hear faint noises ,.maybe the guards, maybe Charles giving orders.

I wiped the last tear from my face, straightened my dress, and took a deep breath.

If I had to smile for him, I would.
If I had to pretend, I would.
But this time, I wasn’t just sur
viving.
I was planning something and for the first time in a long time, I felt something close to power.