Tangled in His chains

The first thing Kelly B noticed was the silence,

wasn't really the kind of peaceful quiet that came with the dawn, but unnatural, like the air itself had stopped moving like something unseen was watching.

Her head began to pound as a dull, restless ache sat behind her eyes, and when she blinked, the world around her shifted in a way that made her stomach rumble. Everywhere in the room seemed familiar, like a place she had lived in before but never truly stayed

She sat up, sheets tangled around her legs. The morning sunlight passed through pores in the thick curtains, the place was a small but cluttered apartment. Papers were scattered across the desk. A notebook lay open beside a black recording device, its red light blinking as if it had something important to say.

Then, she saw the mirror.

It was right across the room, covered with dust and cracked along one edge by the side

And written across it, in bold thick black ink, were four words that sent a chill down her spine:

"Trust no one. Not even yourself."

Her breath caught.

Her hand covered her mouth, her own pulse pounding in her ears.

"What the hell...?" she whispered.

With her trembling legs, Kelly stood and struggled to move. As she got closer to the mirror, she felt odd like something was missing. Something was wrong. She stared back, wide-eyed, confused, and then-her heart stopped.

Because she didn't remember writing those words.

She didn't remember anything.

A knock on the door made her whirl around.

She wasn't alone.

And whoever was outside... knew exactly what she had forgotten.

The Stranger at the Door

The sharp knock came again. Not the hesitant tap of a neighbor or a delivery person. Someone knew she was inside.

Kelly's pulse quickened. She glanced at the mirror again, at the warning scrawled across it. Trust no one.

Another knock on the day but, Louder this time.

She took a step back, her bare feet brushing against something cold. Her eyes darted down a silver key, lying on the floor as if it had been placed there. Has it been there before?

The door handle turned slightly. Whoever was on the other side wasn't waiting for an invitation.

Kelly's breath fastened. Panic bloated her chest. Her instincts screamed at her to run, to hide, to do something... anything... but her body felt frozen. Then, a deep, steady voice cut through the silence.

"Kelly... open the door."

The voice sent a jolt through her. It wasn't unfamiliar, but she couldn't place it. It carried an edge, something between urgency and frustration.

She moved closer, pressing her hand flat against the wooden surface. "Who are you?"

A pause. Then-

"Rowel Don."

The name sent a shiver down her spine.

She didn't know him. She was sure because she couldn't recall

But somehow... it felt like she should.

Her fingers tightened around the silver key. Something told her that if she opened this door, everything would change.

And yet, standing in the dim light of her apartment, with a blank memory and a stranger calling her name, Kelly realized something terrifying.

It already has.

The knock came again. Slow. Measured. Like the person on the other side already knew she was listening.

Kelly's pulse pounded in her ears.

The room felt colder now, the air thick with something unseen. She swallowed hard and took a step back, her gaze darting around the apartment-looking for answers, for familiarity, for anything that made sense.

But nothing did.

The cracked mirror, the warning scribbled across it, the silver key on the floor it was like walking into someone else's life. And then, there was the voice.

Deep. Steady. Dangerous.

"Kelly... open the door."

She flinched. He knew her name. But how? Who was he?

Her hands desired to take the key, unlock the door and see who was waiting on the other side, but on the other hand..a part of her knew that whatever she does now, she won't be able to take it back

Her voice quietly said "Who are you?" she demanded.

Silence. Then-

"Rowel Don."

The name sent an unnatural chill through her veins. It was familiar in the way a forgotten dream lingers on the edges of waking just out of reach, but refusing to disappear.

She clenched her fists. Think, Kelly. Think.

But no matter how hard she tried, her mind was a void. There was nothing.

And then --

The sound came from beneath the door. Not a knock. Not a shuffle. But the unmistakable drag of nails against wood.

Kelly's breath caught in her throat.

Something was wrong.

A shadow passed under the doorframe. She saw the shape of boots, unmoving, and the faintest sigh, like someone exhaling in frustration.

Then, Rowel spoke again. But this time, his voice was lower, almost... amused.

"You don't remember, do you?"

Her grip on the key tightened.

No, she didn't. But she was starting to think that remembering might be worse.

Kelly took a slow, measured step back from the door. Something was off.

The way Rowel said her name.

The way his voice felt familiar, yet distant-but she couldn't recall.

And most of all, the way her instincts screamed at her to wait.

You don't remember, do you?

No, she didn't. But she wasn't about to open the door to a stranger just because he said her name.

Her eyes scanned the room. There had to be something here... something that explained why she felt like a ghost in her own life.

She quickly turned and moved to the desk. A pile of papers lay scattered across it, some blank, others filled with messy, almost fainting handwriting. Her own handwriting. She grabbed one.

"If you're reading this, it means it happened again. Keep calm. Look for the key. Look for the tape."

Her stomach dropped.

The tape.

Her gaze went directly to the voice recorder sitting beside the papers, the small red light blinking like it had been waiting for her. Her own voice... telling her details of what she's supposed to know

As she sat quietly, she grabbed and then pressed play.

She heard her voice, weak and shaken

"Kelly. If you're hearing this... it's already too late."

A cold chill filled her skin

"You won't remember what happened yesterday. You won't remember anything. But listen carefully-do not open the door until you know the truth."

Confused at the moment because Rowel was still there standing and waiting.

Kelly held the recorder tighter, her heart palpitating as she listened.

"Rowel Don is the key. But he's also the reason you're trapped."

She sucked in a breath.

"And whatever you do, don't let him touch you."

A sudden, sharp knock rattled the door once more

"Kelly." Rowel's voice was calmer now, but there was something cold beneath it.

Her mind spins "He's the key. But he's also the reason I'm trapped"

The silver key is on the floor.

The warning on the mirror.

Her own voice telling her not to let him touch her.

Kelly's fingers curled into a fist. Whatever this was, she wasn't playing blind anymore.

She reached for the papers, flipping through them faster, desperate for more answers when suddenly, something on the last page made her freeze.

A single sentence, written in hurried, rough script:

"Don't trust what you see. He's not human."

She panicked

And outside the door, Rowel Don whispered "I can hear you, Kelly."

Kelly's pulse pounded, her fingers gripping the recorder like it was her last lifeline. He's not human.

The words stared back at her from the paper, sharp and unforgiving. But before she could fully process them, Rowel spoke again.

"I can hear you, Kelly."

His voice was calm. Too calm. Like he was waiting for her to crack.

She swallowed hard, pushing down the fear clawing at her throat. If she was going to get answers, she had to play smart.

Taking a steady breath, she stepped closer to the door but didn't unlock it. "Why are you here?" she asked, keeping her tone steady.

A pause. Then-

"Because you asked me to be."

The response sent a chill down her spine.

She asked for this?

She tightened her grip on the recorder, replaying the message in her mind. "Rowel Don is the key. But he's also the reason you're trapped."

Lies. Truth. Which was which?

In a confused state, She pressed against the door, with her palm lying flat on the cool floor. She sighed.. "I don't recall anything."

Silence stretched between them.

"I know." His voice dropped lower, almost... regretful. "That's why I came back."

Her heart skipped.

Back?

Her fingers hovered over the lock.

Desperate to stop but couldn't.. she needed some answers. She needed to see his face. And clarify

Slowly, she turned the key.

The lock clicked.

The moment it did, the temperature in the room changed. The air grew heavy, thick with an unseen weight.

Something was wrong.

Kelly's breath hitched. Her body recognized the danger before her mind did.

She barely had time to react before the door, on its own, slightly opened

And there he was.

Rowel Don stood in the dim hallway, his tall frame shadowed by the weak light. He was exactly how she imagined he would be, dark, striking, and dangerous.

But it wasn't his appearance that sent ice down her spine.

It was his eyes. Like a storm of silver and black, filled with liquid mercury, almost like something inhuman.

He slowly turned his head , watching her with an intensity that made it impossible to look away. Then, with a slow, deliberate step, he crossed the door

And for the first time, Kelly realized the truth, he didn't need her permission to enter. He never did.

Kelly played along with fear, but she forced herself to stay still. Don't show fear. Don't let him know!

Rowel's gaze flocked over her, sharp and assessing, like he was waiting for her to react or flinch, to step back, to run.

She didn't.

Instead, she crossed her arms and leaned against the desk, turning her head slightly. "You don't knock like a normal person, did you?" she said, forcing a smirk

His lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile." You didn't answer like a normal person."

Kelly shrugged, pretending like her heart wasn't hitting hard against her ribs. Act normal. Buy time. Figure him out.

"Didn't realize I had a standard way of answering," she said, her voice smooth despite the chill in her bones. "Since, you know, I apparently don't recall anything."

Rowel's expression didn't change, but something in his posture shifted-could it be an unreadable thought of Regret? Amusement? She couldn't tell.

"I told you. That's why I came back."

Kelly raised an eyebrow. "Right. And I just conveniently forgot to mark that in my calendar?"

His gaze darkened. "Kelly."

The way he said her name sent a shiver down her spine. It wasn't a warning. It wasn't a threat. It was something else but something deeper.

Like he'd said it a thousand times before.

Her fingers curled slightly against the desk. She wanted to press for answers, to demand what he meant, but she knew better. If he was dangerous, the worst thing she could do was make him aware that she knew it.

So instead, she let out a breath and forced a laugh. "Fine. Let's say I did ask you to come back. What exactly are we supposed to be doing here?"

Rowel took a step closer. "Putting things back the way they should be."

Her stomach twisted. The way they should be?

She kept her face neutral. "And what exactly does that mean?"

He studied her for a long moment, his silver-black eyes searching hers. Then, slowly, he lifted his palm up, waiting.

Kelly's entire body tensed.

"Don't let him touch you."

The warning from her own recording screamed in her mind.

But Rowel... he just stood there, calm

And then he spoke with a softer voice

Kelly stared at his stretched hand. The warning pulsed in her mind like a flashing red light: don't let him touch you.

But what if that was a lie?

What if the only way to remember, to understand, was to take that risk?

Her fingers twitched at her side. Rowel didn't move, didn't rush her. He just stood there, waiting, his storm-filled eyes locked onto hers.

Kelly took a breath and slowly reached out to him. Everything scattered the moment their skin felt each other

She felt a rush of memories in her head with flashes of places she didn't recognize, faces blurred by time, and voices whispering in a language she didn't understand.

Pain.

Loss.

A promise she had made to him.

And then, fire.

Not real flames, but something deeper, burning through her veins, revealing the very fabric of who she thought she was. Something inside her woke up.

She almost collapsed as her knees sort of displaced but Rowel caught her and wrapped her around his arms. With that action she felt a strange perception.. Like she had been here before. Like she had died here before.

Her breath came in short, sharp gasps. "What... was that?"

Rowel held her steady, his grip firm but careful. "The truth."

She looked up at him, dazed, her heart racing. "Who.. who am I?"

His jaw clenched as if he wasn't sure he should answer. But then, he exhaled and whispered the words that made her blood turn cold.

"You're mine, Kelly. And you always have been."

"Take my hand, Kelly. And I'll show you."

Kelly's knees were still weak, her mind spinning from the flash of memories that weren't entirely hers.. or maybe they were. The whole thing clashed in her head, putting her in a confused state.

She had been here before. But I still can't figure out when..how??

Rowel still held her firmly yet carefully, as if he knew just how fragile she felt at that moment. His silver-black eyes watched her waiting.

She took a shaky breath, willing her body to steady itself. "What... What did you do to me?"

Rowel didn't answer immediately. He reached into his coat, pulling out a small, silver pendant. The second Kelly's gaze landed on it, something inside her lurched.

A sharp pain flashed through her brain.

She stumbled back, gasping.

A memory...promise...betrayal!

Rowel stood over her with desperation in his eyes. "Don't forget." His voice was raw, pleading. "You promised, Kelly."

But she had forgotten.

Kelly clutched her head, as she heard echoes from her past ringing in her head but she couldn't comprehend it

Rowel stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "You're remembering."

"No," she snapped, voice unsteady. "I don't remember. I don't even know what's real."

He studied her for a moment before slipping the pendant into her palm." Then start with this."

The second it touched her skin, heat coiled through her veins, her breath catching in her throat.

She saw herself-not as she was now, but as someone older, stronger, a survivor.

And standing beside her, always just within reach, was Rowel.

The truth hit her like a storm.

This wasn't just about the past.

It was about the war they had left unfinished.

Trapped in His World...

Kelly sat on the cold leather seat of Rowel Don's limousine, her hands clenched into fists on her lap. The weight of the pendant in her palm was unbearable like it carried a secret too heavy for her to hold.

She had a feeling that she wasn't supposed to be there

Not in even his car, in his world.

But what could she do? Than to sit and watch because she had no choice.

Minutes ago, she had still been in her rundown apartment, trying to recall memories, drowning in unpaid bills and unanswered calls from creditors. Now, she was sitting beside the most ruthless billionaire in the city-a man who claimed she had made a deal with him.

But she remembered nothing.

Rowel sat across from her, one arm resting on the back of the seat, with his tailored suit hugging his powerful frame, and the sharp angles of his face were unreadable.

"You're awfully quiet," he said, sipping from the glass of whiskey in his hand. His deep, smooth voice sent a shiver down her spine.

Kelly forced herself to meet his gaze. "Maybe because I don't remember ever agreeing on this!"

A slow, dark smirk played on his lips. "Oh, but you did." Reaching forward he rested his elbows on his knees and said "Kelly.. where do you think you got the money for your mother's surgery huh? Tell me!"

Her breath caught. "What?"

His smirk widened. "You think miracles happen for free?"

Her stomach twisted and inside her, she fought "No no no, that couldn't be right"

Her mother's surgery!! The only reason she was still alive. The hospital had said an anonymous benefactor covered the costs.

But if that benefactor was Rowel Don...

She swallowed hard, her fingers trembling. "What do you want from me?"

Rowel leaned back, watching her like a predator amused by its prey. "Nothing much," he said, voice deceptively smooth. "Just... you."

Her heart pounded. "Me?"

"You owe me, Kelly." His gaze darkened. "And I always collect what's mine."

Mine... Is this a joke?!

The word echoed in her mind, cold and inescapable.

She had walked into a trap. And now, there was no way out.

___

Kelly could feel her heart racing in her ears as Rowel's voice vibrated within the confines of the limousine. He said "You owe me, Kelly. And I always collect what's mine."

Giving her a cold gaze..pinned her down like a trap, the truth was heavy she couldn't deny it as much as she wanted to and tell him that he was wrong

The pay was her mother's surgery...

The miracle she had never questioned...

Had come with a price.

His price..!

Holding tight to the pendant in her lap she whispered "It can't be...this is a mistake Rowel, it's all a mistake because I can't remember making a deal with you"

Of course, Rowel didn't show any reaction instantly; instead, he had a slow sip of his whiskey and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. And he said.

"You think that changes anything?" His voice was smooth, almost amused." Whether you remember or not, a deal was made. And I'm here to make sure you fulfill it!"

A chill ran down Kelly's spine.

"I didn't-"she started, but he cut her off.

"Oh yes you did Kell"

The finality in his tone left no room for argument or disagreement

She paced with a shaky breath, forcing herself to think accurately. If this was true, that she had signed a deal with him unknowingly, she needed to be smart, but time wasn't really on her side.

She forced her expression into something softer, something almost submissive, and said, "Then... what do you want me to do?"

Rowel slowly turned his head with a smirk, as if he could see right through her little act.

"I'm glad you asked."

Suddenly, the car slowed down and stopped in front of a tall glass skyscraper; Kelly turned her head to see where they were. Upon realizing, she had chills

That tower of building with the name "Don Enterprises" inscribed on it displays a symbol of power and wealth

She was sure she had heard the name before, even seen it on the news. It was a corporate empire, one of the biggest in the country. And at the center of it all was him.. Rowel Don.

The door was opened by a well-mannered driver who gestured for her to step out.

Kelly paused for a second.

But Rowel didn't hesitate to step down and reached for her hand and said "Welcome to your new home, Kelly"

Her heart paused for a moment. "My new Home?"

The security guards couldn't blink as their powerful boss escorted a woman who didn't belong in this world. Rowel didn't mind as he led her through the sleek lobby

The ride on the elevator was silent like a graveyard. Thick tension filled the air, suffocating the atmosphere

As the elevator slides open, Rowel lets go of her hands and says

"This will be your world now," he said. "You will live here. Under my roof. Under my rules."

Kelly's hands quiver. "But you can't just-"

He interrupted immediately "I can" turning to her face "And I have..already"

She panicked and stared at him, trying to hide her true feelings. "What exactly do you want from me?"

Then Rowel took a step closer. Then another, and another, until.. the space between them was gone.

She trembled and moved back until her back hit the glass, and she lost her breath as he leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"I want you to remember," he said. "I want you to know why you came to me that night, why you begged me to save her. And why you promised me everything in return."

Her heart pounded.

He was too close. His presence was suffocating.

"I don't remember Rowel." she managed to choke out.

Rowel's hand lifted, his fingers lightly touching her jaw. The touch was surprisingly gentle, yet it held the weight of something far more dangerous.

"You will Kelly," he murmured. "And when you do, you'll understand why you can't leave."

Kelly felt the world hovering around her as if the walls were closing in.

Trapped..!

Owned..!

She realized she had walked into a cage, and the master key holder was Rowel Don.

But if he thought she would break so easily-he was wrong. She may seem weak now, but one thing was certain!

She would definitely find a way out for sure

Even if it meant taking him down with her.

Just as Kelly sat in the dark-lit room, gazing at the contract in her hands, she paused. Knowing that this contract questioned everything Rowel told her. Her heart skipped and this reminded her of the trap she was in

She stared at the door that was locked..again!!

She was no longer questioning if she was a prisoner, knowing fully well that she was. But the real question was.. why?

It was obvious that Rowel had all the answers but practically made one thing clear. He would only give her details he wanted her to know

From her little recalled memory, Vincent's warning echoed in her mind.

"Rowel is not your savior, he's the reason you're trapped."

Those words pierced hard against her chest, as she couldn't detect if she was being manipulated into believing she had a choice, whereas she was being used by Rowel without being aware of the full scope.

She thought for a while as the door was slightly opened...

The door opened, and Rowel Rowel entered the room with self-discipline and a facial expression that made it difficult to interpret. His presence alone shows confidence and control without needing to say a word. She looked at him and sighed.. "what a man!"

"You've barely touched your food," he said with his gaze never departing from her.

Kelly didn't respond. Rather she shoved the contract across the table.. "Explain this."

On the other hand, Rowel didn't bother to look at it, he quietly calculated in his mind before sitting next to her.

"Where did you get this?"

He said with a calm voice, but she felt something was off..could be dangerous

"Does it matter?" she responded, holding the edge of the table.

His gaze darkened. "It does. Because if someone is misleading you false information, I need to know who."

She almost laughed. "False you say? So this isn't real?"

Rowel reached forward, tapping his fingers on the polished surface, "There's only one truth Kelly, but the real question is...can you handle it?"

The Mind Games Begin...

She so much hated the way his words got under her skin; he was always four steps ahead of her, and he spoke like she was too naive to grasp the main picture.

"I want my life back," she whispered, her voice fluctuating.

Rowel inclined his head and said, "Are you sure you ever had one?"

She couldn't recall anything and that question alone got her stuck in a deep ocean

And maybe that was the scariest part.

Her body got tensed up. "You're hiding something from me."

Rowel not knowing what exactly to say, gazed at her for awhile before standing up. "Eat. Rest. And stay out of things you don't understand."

Then he left, closing the door behind him

Kelly sat frozen, her head spinning as she found herself in a state of confusion

At last, She thought she was fighting for her freedom, but what if the real battle was for her memories??

As Kelly lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, a faint thought quietly came forth in her mind.

"Don't trust him."

She gasped slightly

The voice wasn't Rowel's.

It wasn't Vincent's.

It was her own.

But she had no memory of saying it, which drove her wild

"The voice in the Dark" continued to echo in Kelly's mind, growing louder with each passing moment

Kelly felt her breath coming in shortly as she suddenly sat up straight with a sense of surprise .. Her eyes wide with shock

"Don't trust him."

Those words still rang a bell in her mind like a feeling of fear after a nightmare

She pressed hard on her hands t, trying to clear her mind w, which was already in a mess, struggling to put her thoughts together and get meaning out of it but was haunted by a voice that sounded like her but couldn't recall...

Sadly, cause there were no memories left.., I wasn't sure what it was!

The walls of her room suddenly felt too close.

She climbed out of bed, with her bare feet touching the cold marble floor. She was desperately in need of answers.

She reached towards the door, testing the handle, and of course, it was still locked. Rowel made sure she had nowhere to run or even any chances of escaping the room

Frustration coiled inside her like an earthworm bathed with salt

Suddenly she caught a faint light under the door, someone was definitely out there

Moving closer to the door, her heart was beating so fast as she pressed her ear against the wood to grab the convo

Silence.

As she backed away, she saw a shadow like someone, just standing outside..watching

Kelly tried to control herself from panicking since she realized she wasn't alone.

The journal was the key to unraveling her mysteries

Being eager to ignore the creeping paranoia, she changed direction towards the desk at the corner of her room. Her fingers trailed the edge of the drawer, as she pulled it open

Inside the drawer was just a pile of documents and a leather journal

She doesn't recall seeing it before.

At a slow pace, she lifted the cover; the pages looked familiar handwriting. It was hers

But she had no memory of writing any of it, which was frustrating

Her heart racing as she skimmed the words.

"The contract is a lie."

"He's not who he says he is."

"If I don't leave soon, I won't remember who I am."

Kelly couldn't catch her breath at this point. What did that mean??

She flipped the pages faster, looking for something.. anything.. that made actual sense.

Then she found it

A final entry, written in bold letters.

"Don't drink the tea."

The journal slipped from her hands and fell

Her blood ran cold.

She had been drinking Rowel's tea every night.

Whoa!

---

A knock at the door made her spin around.

"Kelly."

Rowel's voice was so smooth, controlled, and deceptively calm.

She hesitated. Did he know what she had found?

Just a click sound and the door was unlocked from the outside. It slowly creaked open and Rowel stood there with his glaring gaze staring at her

"Still awake?" he asked.

Kelly forced her expression to remain neutral and stable. "I couldn't sleep." trying to act normal, so he won't suspect

Rowel's gaze flashed to the journal on the floor before returning to her. His expression didn't change a bit, but the air changed.. tension with an uncomfortable silence

"I figured," he murmured. "That's why I brought this."

He stepped inside, placing a steaming cup of tea on the table

Kelly stared at it.

*Don't drink the tea."

The warning echoed inside her head.

"Drink," Rowel instructed, his voice sounding with thunder-like command

Kelly fought to lift the cup, but her hands trembled slightly. She forced herself to bring it to her lips. As she pretended to sip.

Rowel watched her closely.

Did he know she was faking?

Kelly's hands shook as she set the untouched tea down. Rowel knew.

"Good girl," he murmured. Then as if satisfied, he turned and walked toward the door.

Kelly let out her breath, lowering the cup.

Then, just as Rowel reached the threshold, he stopped.

Without turning around, he spoke.

"If you're going to lie to me, Kelly, at least be better at it."

He had been testing her., but she wasn't aware

The door slammed shut.

And this time, the lock clicked twice.

____