---
The rain never stopped.
It was as if the world itself reflected the turmoil in my soul — a storm that raged, never letting up, never calming. Just like Riven's obsession. Just like my own growing fear.
---
I woke up that morning to the sound of thunder in the distance. The air was thick with the promise of more rain, more chaos. But I knew something else was coming.
Riven was hiding something.
Something I needed to understand if I was ever going to escape this.
---
I found myself walking through the mansion in a daze, the walls whispering secrets I couldn't hear. Every shadow seemed to hold a truth I wasn't ready to face.
But I had no choice now.
I needed to know.
---
Me (whispering):
"Why can't I just leave? Why does it feel like something's pulling me back?"
---
I wasn't talking to anyone, just myself. But the question lingered, hanging in the air like smoke, choking the breath from my lungs.
---
Later, I found myself standing in front of Riven's study. The door was ajar, as if inviting me in. I hesitated for a moment before pushing it open.
Inside, the atmosphere was tense. Riven was sitting at his desk, his face dark, his expression unreadable. But when he saw me, something flickered in his eyes — a flicker I couldn't ignore.
---
Riven:
"You should leave. Now."
---
His voice was cold, but there was something underneath it. Something desperate.
---
Me:
"I need to know the truth."
---
His gaze hardened, his jaw clenching. "There is no truth, not for you."
---
But I wasn't about to back down. I crossed the room, my heart pounding in my chest. "Then why do I feel like I'm being dragged into something I don't understand?"
---
He stood up abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor, his hands curling into fists. "You have no idea what you're asking for."
---
I didn't flinch. I stepped closer, refusing to let him intimidate me. "I need to know. What's your past, Riven? What are you hiding from me?"
---
He was silent for a moment, the weight of my question hanging between us like a dark cloud.
And then, in a low voice, he finally spoke.
---
Riven:
"You want the truth?"
---
I nodded, my stomach tightening in anticipation.
---
Riven (his voice dark):
"My past is a bloodstained legacy. I was born into a world of power, control, and cruelty. I was raised to be ruthless, to take what I wanted, and to never show weakness. But that's not the worst of it."
---
I felt my breath catch in my throat. He wasn't speaking with his usual coldness now. His voice was filled with something far more terrifying: regret.
---
Riven (continuing):
"When I was younger, I made a choice. A choice that would haunt me for the rest of my life. I crossed a line. And I lost something that I can never get back."
---
He paused, and for the first time since I met him, I saw a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes.
But it was gone just as quickly as it came, replaced by the familiar wall of ice.
---
Me:
"Who did you lose?"
---
He didn't answer right away. Instead, he walked to the window, his back to me, staring out into the storm. His shoulders were tense, his posture rigid.
---
Riven (quietly):
"I lost the one person who could have saved me from myself."
---
There was something in his voice that made my chest ache. But I didn't understand. Who could Riven possibly care about? He was the one who had made everyone around him fear him. Who had manipulated and controlled every situation. Who had made me feel like I had no choice but to fall into his world.
---
Me:
"Who was she?"
---
He turned back to me, his eyes now cold again, shutting down the vulnerability. "It doesn't matter. She's gone, and nothing can bring her back."
---
I took a step forward, unsure of what to say. "But you—"
---
Riven:
"I'll never let anyone else get close enough to hurt me again."
---
I froze. There it was again, that underlying fear I had been sensing all along.
---
Riven:
"You're just a pawn in my game, (Y/N). No one gets to leave. Not until I decide it's over."
---
His words stung, but I wasn't afraid of them anymore. Not in the same way.
I didn't flinch. Instead, I stepped closer to him.
---
Me:
"Riven, you're not a monster. You just think you are."
---
He looked at me, his gaze unreadable. "And what if I am?"
---
I reached out, touching his arm lightly. "You don't have to be. You can choose to let go of the past."
---
He stared at me for a long moment, his lips twitching in a small, bitter smile.
---
Riven:
"You think it's that simple? I can't just let go of everything. I can't undo what's been done."
---
I stood there, watching him — seeing him as more than just the cold, possessive man he presented himself to be. I saw the scars on his soul. The pain he tried to hide behind his power.
---
Me:
"Maybe you can't undo the past, but you don't have to let it define you forever."
---
He didn't respond. His silence was louder than words.
---
Just then, there was a knock on the door, breaking the tension between us. I stepped away from Riven, my heart racing, and before either of us could speak, the door opened.
---
It was Cyrus.
---
He stood there, leaning against the doorframe with that smirk of his. "Well, well, well. Looks like I've interrupted a moment."
---
Riven's eyes darkened immediately. "What do you want, Cyrus?"
---
Cyrus's grin widened, and he looked at me. "I think it's time we had a little chat, sweetheart."
---
I felt a chill crawl down my spine.
---
Me (softly):
"About what?"
---
Cyrus stepped into the room, his eyes never leaving mine.
---
Cyrus (smiling):
"About the price you'll pay for being trapped between the two of us."
---
---
[End of Chapter 22]
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