Our Story: Through You, Through Me, Through Us

Author's POV

On one of the streets of Madison, a young man around 25 years old stood with a phone pressed to his ear. From his serious expression, it was clear the conversation was important.

"Are you sure you want to do this? Think again, Elena. After this, there's no way back. Look, I'm ready, but I know this will be the hardest thing for you to do. So... think carefully."

"I'm sure. Very sure, actually. I don't want to stay here. I can't marry someone I don't even know-he's so old! My father has gone crazy ever since he learned about you. He will surely marry me off to him. So, yeah, I think this is the better option, and I'm ready."

"Alright then, I'm on the backstreet near your house, waiting for you. Come quickly."

"Okay, I'll be there in five minutes," she said before hanging up.

Dressed in a red bridal outfit, Elena hurriedly grabbed two pieces of cloth and ran to the bathroom. When she came out, her jewelry was gone, her makeup wiped clean, and her hair undone. She picked up a bag from the table, emptied its contents onto the bed, and began stuffing it with her clothes, some money, and a diary. Putting on a hoodie over her shirt, she covered her head with the hood, slipped into her sneakers, locked the door, and moved toward the window.

The height wasn't too much-she could easily escape. She opened the window and jumped out.

The house wasn't big, nor did it have a backyard. As she landed on the street, bustling with shops and people, she quickly closed the window behind her. Of course, she couldn't lock it. Adjusting her bag on her shoulders and shoving her hands into the hoodie's pockets, she started walking.

She crossed her street and soon reached the one where she was supposed to meet him. Spotting him from a distance, she walked toward him, trying to stay calm.

"Finally, you're here. No one saw you, right?" he asked.

"No, thankfully. But let's just leave-it's not safe to stay here."

"Yeah, come on," he said, holding her hand as they headed toward the road.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"We're leaving the city," he replied.

"Aaron, are you sure your parents won't say anything?"

"Yes, I'm sure. We'll get married first, and then I'll take you home. That way, no one can say a word," he assured her. She nodded.

They stopped at a corner, waiting for a taxi. Elena held his hand tightly. She was scared-what they were doing was no small thing. They had taken a huge step, and there was no turning back.

Elena's POV

I'm scared. I don't know if what I did is right or wrong, but I had no other choice. I can't marry that old man-he's 46 or 47 years old, and he has a daughter my age. I'm just 25! The age gap is huge.

My father... I don't know what to say about him. He's mad, I guess. Just because he found out about Aaron, he's ready to ruin my life. I'm his daughter, but look at what he's doing to me. How can he even think like this?

We got into the taxi. My thoughts kept drifting to everything that had happened in the last two days. How quickly life can change. I just ran away from my marriage. I can't believe it-I still can't believe we actually did it.

Aaron is my college friend. We've been together for a year now. Everything with him is beautiful and memorable. And now, we're going to get married. I don't know if his parents will ever accept me, but... I just hope for the best.

My chain of thoughts broke as the car came to a sudden halt. I looked ahead to see a black BMW blocking the road.

"What the hell?"

"Let me check, sir," the driver said, stepping out of the car.

"What if he was sent by Dad?" I asked, clutching Aaron's hand tightly.

"Don't worry. He can't be. Look, he's a rich guy. Why would someone like him work for your dad? Let me see what's going on," Aaron said, stepping out of the car.

The man in the BMW didn't step out immediately. Aaron tried to open the door, but it was locked. I decided to get out as well to see what was happening.

"Man, what do you want? Get out or move your car. Why are you blocking the road?"

The road was narrow-too thin for two cars to pass simultaneously. I didn't know what this new problem was now.

"Hello! I'm talking to you. Are you even listening?" Aaron shouted.

Finally, the door opened. First, a pair of legs stepped out, and then the rest of the man's figure followed. He was lighting a cigarette with a lighter. Dressed in a suit, he exuded wealth and authority.

I turned around and noticed two more cars stopping behind our taxi. Four or five men, all dressed in similar suits, stepped out. They looked like bodyguards.

Wait...

What's going on?

"Who are you?" Aaron demanded.

The man didn't say a word-he was busy smoking. A moment later, the bodyguards grabbed us both.

"Hey! What are you doing? Let us go!" Aaron yelled.

I was terrified. Now I was certain-this man was sent by my father. Why else would he do this?

"Aaron!" I screamed in fear.

"Who are you? Leave us, you bastard! I'm warning you-let us go!"

I struggled to free myself, but there were too many of them. They forced us into a car, and I had no idea where we were being taken.

Oh God, what is this new problem now?

Elena's POV

I slowly opened my eyes, my head spinning. It took me a moment to understand where I was. The room was almost empty, except for two chairs. I was tied to one, and Aaron was tied to the other, still unconscious.

"Aaron... Aaron, wake up!" I shouted.

He slowly opened his eyes, looking around in confusion. Then his gaze settled on me. Both of us were tied with ropes, unable to move an inch.

"Are you okay, Elena?" he asked, trying to move closer.

"I'm fine, but who is he? Why did he kidnap us?"

"I don't know who he is. Only he can tell us what he wants."

"Aaron, I'm scared. What if he kills us?"

"He won't. Maybe he wants money, and once he gets it, he'll let us go."

Aaron leaned closer, trying to loosen the ropes with his teeth, but they were too thick and tightly tied.

"Ugh, it's not working!" he groaned.

Tears started rolling down my cheeks. I had no idea what was happening or why it was happening to us. What had we done to deserve this?

"Don't cry, Elena. I'll save you," he said, trying to reassure me.

He leaned in and kissed me gently, but our moment was interrupted by the door swinging open. The same guy who had kidnapped us entered the room.

"Look at you two, still romancing. Not bad," he mocked, smirking.

One of the goons placed a chair in front of us, and the man sat down, casually folding his sleeves.

"What do you want from us?" Aaron asked, his voice laced with frustration.

"I don't want anything from her. I want something from you," the man replied, his eyes fixed on Aaron.

"But who are you? I don't even know you. What do you want from me?"

"True, you don't know me, but I know everything about you. Everything."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Oh, God, do I really have to explain? Fine. But... I'm not in the mood to explain right now," he said, standing up and moving behind Aaron.

"You have to tell me!" Aaron demanded.

"I said I don't want to," the man snapped. He untied Aaron and barked, "Stand up."

Aaron got to his feet reluctantly, facing him. The man leaned back in his chair, lighting a cigarette.

"So, any guesses about who I might be?" he asked, exhaling smoke.

"I've never seen you before. I don't know you. Will you just speak up and end this stupid game of yours?" Aaron shouted.

The man stood, his gaze turning cold and dangerous.

"Go and stand there," he ordered, pointing to the center of the room.

"Why should I listen to you?"

"Because I told you to."

"I won't."

"Aaron, please!" I pleaded. I could sense how dangerous this man was, and I didn't want things to escalate.

"See? Even your girlfriend is asking you to listen to me. Smart girl," the man taunted.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Aaron shot back.

"Fine. But don't make it difficult for yourself-or your girlfriend. You know, she's very pretty, and there are plenty of guys outside..."

"You filthy bastard!" Aaron punched him hard across the face.

The man staggered but quickly regained his composure, wiping the blood from the corner of his lips. His glare sent chills down my spine.

"You're going to regret that," he hissed, punching Aaron back. Aaryaman fell to the floor, blood dripping from his face.

"Aaron!" I screamed.

"You don't know who I am or what I'm capable of," the man snarled. He grabbed Aaron by the collar, hauling him to his feet, and punched him again.

"Please stop! Leave him alone!" I begged, tears streaming down my face. I struggled against the ropes, but it was useless.

The man dragged Aaron to the center of the room, pointing a gun at him.

"You made a huge mistake, boy," he growled.

"No! Please don't! Leave him! I'm begging you!" I screamed, my voice shaking with terror.

The man smirked, his finger hovering over the trigger. "Say goodbye to your boyfriend, girl."

"Please! Don't do this! I'm sorry for whatever he did. Please forgive him!"

The sound of a gunshot echoed through the room.

I shut my eyes tightly, unable to bear the sight. My entire body trembled as I fought back the urge to scream.

"Sssss... Unlucky," the man muttered.

I opened my eyes hesitantly. Aaron was lying on the floor, blood spreading across his shirt.

"No... no... no!" I screamed, my voice breaking. The sight of blood made me nauseous.

"Take me away from here! I can't see this! Please!" I shouted, trembling uncontrollably.

The man crouched in front of me, his face inches from mine.

"Shhh... I hate unnecessary noise. Quiet down," he said, his voice calm but chilling. His closeness terrified me.

"Please, let me go," I whispered.

"Unfortunately, I can't."

"I swear I won't tell anyone about you. Please, just let me go."

"Still, I can't. You'll stay here until I decide otherwise."

"Please, don't do this. Please!"

"I don't repeat myself, so stop begging. I won't hurt you-I had no issue with you. My problem was with him, and his fate was death. But I promise you'll be safe here. You won't face any problems. That's my word," he said, standing up and untying my ropes.

He led me out of the room. My legs felt weak, but I forced myself to walk. I glanced around, trying to figure out where I was.

It was clear I wasn't in Madison anymore. I knew every corner of Madison, and this place was entirely unfamiliar.

"Where are we?" I asked through my tears.

"New York," he replied, guiding me into a car.

This man wasn't normal. He must be some kind of don or mafia leader-just like in the movies.

Where is life taking me now?

Elena's POV

The car came to a halt, and a guard opened the door for me. Stepping out, I was greeted by the sight of an enormous mansion. It was massive, majestic, and impossible to look away from.

The structure stood like a castle, with every inch radiating wealth and grandeur. My breath hitched at the sheer magnificence of it.

"Move," he ordered curtly, pulling me from my daze.

We entered the mansion, and I was left speechless again. The interiors were stunning-luxurious and expensive. Every corner of the place screamed opulence. I wasn't wrong; this man was far from ordinary.

"Grace!" he called out, his voice sharp and authoritative.

A woman, probably in her mid-30s, hurried toward us. "Yes, sir?"

"She's my guest. Show her to a room and make sure it's clean," he instructed firmly.

"As you say, sir," she replied with a polite nod before turning to me. "After you, ma'am."

I followed her up a grand staircase. Every step reminded me that this was no ordinary house. This was one of the biggest and most extravagant mansions in New York.

The hallway stretched endlessly, with rooms lining both sides. Grace stopped in front of one and opened the door for me.

"The room is clean, but if you'd like, I can clean it again," she offered.

"No, thank you," I said, stepping inside. My eyes immediately took in the room's lavish decor.

It felt surreal, like stepping into a dream I'd never imagined. Everything here was too perfect to be real.

"As you say, ma'am. If you need anything, you can call us. The device is on the wall," Grace said, pointing to a small speaker with a button.

I nodded and sat on the bed, letting the events of the day replay in my mind. Just a few hours ago, everything had been normal. We were happy. And now... everything was shattered.

Aaron was gone, and here I was, in the house of the man who killed him.

I got up and headed toward the bathroom. I needed a shower to calm my nerves and clear my mind.

Standing in front of the mirror, I caught a glimpse of myself. I looked like a mess-my hair disheveled, my face pale.

"What is happening in my life?" I whispered, my voice trembling.

I stepped into the shower, letting the water cascade over me. Tears streamed down my face, mingling with the water. I cried my heart out, hoping to wash away the pain, but it wasn't that easy.

After the shower, I put on the same clothes. My bag was nowhere to be found.

Sitting back on the bed, I tried to think of a way out of this place. I couldn't stay here. I needed to find a way to escape.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. I opened it to find Grace with a trolley of food.

"Sir ordered me to bring you food. We didn't know your preferences, but we tried to prepare the best," she explained.

I stepped aside to let her in.

She served me a plate of rice and chicken Manchurian, along with a slice of cake.

"This is enough," I said, sitting down to eat.

I hadn't eaten all day, and hunger won over my reluctance. The food was delicious, and I couldn't help but compliment her.

"It's really tasty. Health to your hands," I said.

"Thank you," she replied with a smile before leaving the room.

Once I finished eating, I took the plates and stepped out of the room. I wanted to find the kitchen and explore the house.

"Ma'am, do you need something?" another maid asked.

"I'm looking for the kitchen," I said.

"Let me take the plates. You don't need to do this," she said, reaching for them.

"It's fine. I wanted to explore the house anyway," I replied.

"Oh, I see. Let me guide you," she offered, and I nodded.

She led me to the kitchen, where several maids were having their dinner.

"Mam, you need anything?" one of them asked.

"No, she wanted to explore the house, so I'm helping," the maid explained.

After leaving the kitchen, we continued exploring the house.

"That door leads to the servant quarters, where we live," she said, pointing. "And the left door leads to Sir's work area."

"What's in there?" I asked trying to open the door.

"No!" she said quickly.

"Why not?"

"That area is restricted. Only Miss Martga is allowed there for cleaning since she's the oldest."

"Oh, I see," I replied, filing the information in my mind.

"Come, I'll show you the backyard," she said, opening a large mirror door.

We stepped outside, and the backyard was equally impressive. On one side was a pool with seating arrangements, and on the other was a lush lawn with flower pots neatly placed in the corners.

"That's the way to the main gate, and this is the back door," she explained. "No one uses this door unless there's an emergency."

"Is it locked?" I asked casually.

"No, it's just closed. No one outside knows about this door," she replied innocently.

A wave of relief washed over me. She had no idea how helpful that information was.

We returned inside, and she showed me the remaining rooms. The last room had a large picture of HIS on the wall behind the bed.

"This is Ezra Sir's room," she said.

"Ezra?" I repeated. What a strange name.

"Yes," she confirmed.

After looking around, I thanked her.

"It's my work, ma'am," she replied, leaving me alone.

I returned to my room, determined to leave this place tomorrow. Taking out my wallet, I checked how much money I had.

That bastard had taken my phone, but thankfully, my wallet was still with me. There wasn't much money, but it was enough to get me out of here.

I lay down, closing my eyes. Tomorrow, I would escape. This would be the end of you, Mr. Ezra.