I woke up choking.
The bed beneath me wasn't mine. The sheets were clean and they smelled expensive.
For a moment, I thought I was dead.
Then the pain came.
My head throbbed. My ankle burned.
I tried to sit up but it was a mistake.
The room spun.
Where am I?
I forced myself to focus on my environment.
The floor-to-ceiling windows stretched across the far wall, revealing the city skyline. The walls were glass and polished stone. There were no photos. No clutter. Nothing personal.
It was in a penthouse.
But it was not mine.
I felt the panic before the pictures of yesterday night hit me.
The rooftop. The stranger pulling me back. Running. My bare feet on concrete. My heartbeat loud in my ears.
Then falling.
I remembered falling.
I forced myself to look down.
My ankle was bandaged.
I wasn't dressed in my ruined gown anymore. Someone had changed me into a loose shirt.
My heart raced as my mind went to the thought of a stranger undressing me.
I slid off the bed too fast, landing hard. Pain shot through my leg, but I didn't care.
I needed to get out.
I limped toward the door, but it opened before I touched it.
A tall man dressed in a black suit was sitting above me.
"Sit down, Sarai."
His voice wasn't gentle like mum's but it wasn't harsh either.
"Who… who are you?"
He stepped inside, closing the door behind him.
"Damien Voss."
I swallowed hard. The name meant nothing to me.
"Why am I here?"
"You tried to kill yourself."
I looked away, unashamed.
"I didn't ask for your help."
"No. You didn't."
Silence stretched between us.
Then I forced myself to meet his eyes.
"Where is my phone?"
"It's gone."
"My things?"
"Also gone."
I felt the fear creeping up my throat again.
"Did you bring me here?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
He walked past me quietly. Then he poured himself a drink from the crystal decanter near the windows. He didn't offer me one.
I watched him carefully, my eyes followinghis everymovement.
"I'm not useful to anyone," I said bitterly.
"You are."
Why on earth was this man giving me vague answers. It was so annoying.
"To who if I may ask?"
He looked over his shoulder.
"To me."
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I limped back toward the bed, unable to stand anymore.
"Look I don't know who you are or what this is about but I'm leaving"
I stood up.
But he didn't try to stop me. He didn't even respond.
I couldn't stop shaking. "What do you even want from me?"
"I want you to survive."
His answer stunned me.
"I know about everything that happened last night. I know that you don't have the will to live but I need you to survive, Miss Wynn. Because you can only know the truth when you are alive."
At least he was starting to make sense. A little.
But I still needed more information.
"Did my father send you?"
"No."
"Liam?"
"No."
"Then who?"
He set his drink down.
"I saved you willingly, Sarai. Nobody sent me. If any of them had sent me, you won't be here "
He crossed the room, crouched in front of me.
I couldn't move.
"Your family," he said softly, "wants you gone but you don't understand why. Do you think the solution to that is jumping off from the top floor of your company?."
I felt the tears rising, but I refused to let them fall.
I hated that this man knew more than he should know. Was he going to announce me being suicidal to my family or release it to the press?
"I need to go."
He stood slowly.
"Go where?"
I didn't answer.
Because truly, I had nowhere to go.
"They froze your accounts. Blocked your phone. Security's been instructed not to recognise you."
I swallowed hard.
"How do you know that?"
He poured himself another drink.
"Let's just say, I know things"
I stared at him, horrified.
"You're working with them?"
"No."
I didn't understand. None of this made sense.
I moved past him.
But when I reached the elevator, it refused to open.
I slammed my hand against the panel. Again. Again.
It was locked.
I turned back.
He was watching me quietly from the glass wall.
"I'm not your prisoner."
"I never said you were"
"Then open the door."
He didn't move.
"I will, Sarai but first...."he stopped as if he had forgotten what to saym
"First what?" I started screaming.
"First, I need you to stop pretending that you still have a life out there." he pointed towards the entrance of the building.
I slid to the floor, too tired to ask questions or understand anything.
I didn't even cry this time.
I just sat there.
Defeated.