Annelly

From the moment we were introduced, I knew a man like him wasn’t meant for a girl like me. If only I’d accepted that truth from the start. If I hadn’t been so determined to prove to myself I was worthy, maybe then I would have recognized the signs. Desperate to be desired, I stupidly walked into the arms of this monster, stripped bare and without protection, never mind the emotional fortitude to survive a man like him.

How could I have been so stupid?

The question churns in my mind as he drags me over the threshold of his office. The feel of his fingers biting into my skin like a vice intensifies the fear coursing through me. After slamming the door shut behind us, he shoves me hard against the wall. Pain shoots down my back as my head slams against the hard surface. But it’s the brutal grip of his fingers around my jaw that breaks me. Pain, terror, confusion. They all mix in a cocktail of emotions that proves too much and force a hard sob past my lips.

“Please… you’re hurting me,” I plead in desperation as I try to reach the man who only days ago told me he loved me. The man who spent nearly two months wooing me with lavish gifts, dinner dates in far-off places, and convincing me to take a chance on him. But as I look into those cold, hard eyes, I’m left wondering if that man ever existed at all.

“You’re so beautiful, my little dove. So small. So powerless.” His voice drips with mockery, each word a venomous caress. He leans in close, his breath warm against my ear, sending an involuntary tremor through me. “And yet here you are, thinking you hold any power over me.”

He chuckles, the sound low and cruel, and when he pulls back, his lips twist into a sardonic grin. His gaze roams over my face, scrutinizing my features with an intensity I can’t comprehend. He must not find whatever he’s searching for because before I can react, his palm connects with the side of my face. The slap is sharp and unrelenting, whipping my head to the side and leaving my vision swimming.

I must be in shock. It’s the only explanation for why the pain doesn’t immediately register. It lingers beneath the surface, a slow burn that intensifies with each passing second, and as the sting spreads, so does the weight of my self-loathing.

How could I’ve let this happen?

Once again, I allowed my insecurities to dictate my choices. Blinded by the desperate need to fill the empty spaces inside me, I forgot who I am. A weak girl with terrible judgment and no instincts. An impostor who doesn’t belong in the fast-paced world of this city, let alone the big dreams I’m chasing.

When the pain finally overwhelms me, I scream in agony as tears of shame slip free. My hand trembles as I press it against my tender flesh, and I force myself to meet his gaze. My mind scrambles for an answer—any explanation for why he’s doing this to me. But the triumphant grin on Victor’s face confirms my greatest fear.

This is what he wants.

He wants to hurt me. 

To see me afraid and pleading for his mercy. 

The realization sends a shiver up my spine, and with it comes a crushing resignation. If groveling is the only way to make him stop, then I have no choice but to give him what he wants.

“I’m sorry…” I choke out, dropping my gaze as shame simmers inside me. The frailty in my voice only intensifies my humiliation at having to utter those words.

“You should be,” Victor replies smoothly, his tone laced with self-satisfaction. He steps toward me, his hand snaking around my waist as he pulls me close, my head resting against his chest. “You embarrassed me tonight.” He strokes my back like he’s trying to comfort me. “You’re mine, Annelly. I invited you tonight to show you off to my business partners. To parade before them the beautiful woman I’ve fallen for. But then you denied me.”

He pulls away, only to grip my jaw again with crushing force, his sudden anger radiating through his touch. Before I can react, he slams my head against the wall with a hollow thud. A sharp jolt of pain blooms at the back of my skull, and silent tears stream down my cheeks. The look of utter disdain in his eyes triggers yet another wave of panic that leaves me shaking.

“I can forgive a lot of things,” he snarls with a low menacing growl. “But denying me? That’s something I won’t tolerate. In case I haven’t made myself clear…” His fingers dig into my skin as he leans in closer, the venom in his words slicing through me. “You. Are. Mine. You never. Ever. Deny me!” His hot, angry breath brushes against my face, making me flinch as I whimper in pain. “This is your only warning,” he hisses.

“I didn’t mean to upset you.” I stammer, the words tumbling out in desperation. “I… I wasn’t comfortable with what was happening. I-I don’t think I’m ready…”

The movement is so fast it barely registers. A flash of his fist, and then the impact—a sickening crack that sends my world spinning. Darkness swallows me whole, but it’s fleeting. When the light returns, it’s hazy and distorted, blurred behind the tears flooding my eyes. Disoriented, my knees buckle, and I collapse onto the cold, unforgiving floor. The rough texture of the wood planks scrapes against my palms, grounding me in a reality my mind refuses to accept because this can’t be real.

It can’t be.

But it is.

Never in a million years did I think I’d be this girl. Naïve to the point of stupidity. For years, I fought to prove them wrong—my family, their endless warnings, their doubts. They always said I was too innocent, too sheltered, and sweet to understand the complexities of the world, let alone navigate its darker corners. And I rebelled against them with everything I had, determined to carve out my own path. But now… now I see the truth. Even as I pushed them away, angry and defiant, some part of me must have always known they were right.

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