89.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, Taliya took a deep breath and resolved to return to the house. The cool ocean breeze had invigorated her, but the reality of her situation quickly settled back in. She knew she couldn't stay by the water forever. The house, with its looming presence, felt both a sanctuary and a prison.

Steeling herself, she stepped inside, her heart racing with the uncertainty of what awaited her. The interior was quiet, an eerie stillness hanging in the air. She hesitated for a moment, listening for any signs of Faraz. The tension in her stomach tightened further, but she couldn’t back down now.

Just as she entered the living room, the door slammed shut behind her. Taliya turned to see Faraz standing there, his towering figure blocking the light. His expression was a mix of fury and something darker—possessiveness that made her skin crawl.

“What were you thinking?” he growled, stepping toward her with a predatory grace. Before she could respond, he lunged forward, grabbing her by the neck and shoving her against the wall. The impact knocked the breath from her lungs, and she gasped, wide-eyed as she struggled to comprehend the sudden turn of events.

“Faraz, let me go!” she choked out, panic flooding her senses. His grip tightened, and she could feel the rough texture of the wall against her back, her heart pounding violently in her chest.

“Where were you?” he demanded, his voice low and dangerously calm. The intensity of his glare was unnerving, dark eyes filled with a storm of anger. “Do you have any idea how much trouble you caused by running off like that?”

Taliya felt a surge of defiance, even as fear coiled around her. “I was just looking for a way out of here! You can’t keep me locked up like a prisoner!”

His lips curled into a bitter smile, and he leaned in closer, the heat of his body radiating against hers. “And do you think running away will help you? You’re not leaving this island, Taliya. Not now, not ever.”

“You can’t control me!” she shot back, fighting against his hold, but the strength of his grip made it difficult to breathe, let alone think straight. “I won’t be your pawn in whatever twisted game you’re playing.”

Faraz’s face darkened, and for a moment, it seemed as if the walls themselves might cave in from the tension. “You don’t understand,” he hissed, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper. “This isn’t just about you. This is about power. About family. If you think I’ll let you ruin everything I’ve worked for, you’re sorely mistaken.”

“What do you mean?” Taliya asked, trying to grasp the gravity of his words. “What are you planning?”

He released her suddenly, stepping back as if realizing he had crossed a line. Taliya gasped for air, rubbing her neck where his hand had been. Faraz paced away from her, the anger radiating off him in waves.

“Everything I do is to build a legacy, Taliya,” he confessed, his voice strained. “You’re part of that legacy. You don’t get to decide when to leave. I brought you here for a reason.”

“A reason?” Taliya’s mind raced, desperately trying to piece together his motivations. “You think kidnapping me will somehow make you stronger? You’re delusional!”

He turned to face her again, his expression unreadable. “You have no idea what I’ve sacrificed. What it takes to be in control. To have power. But with you… it’s different. I thought I could keep you close, make you understand.”

“Understand what?” Taliya asked, confusion mingling with anger. “That I’m just a pawn in your game?”

Faraz’s jaw clenched. “You think this is just a game? This is life or death, Taliya! I can’t let you ruin everything.”

“I won’t be part of your schemes,” she said firmly, straightening up despite the lingering threat in his posture. “I won’t let you use me like this.”

His eyes flickered with something—perhaps uncertainty, perhaps a flicker of respect. “Then you need to start thinking about what you really want. You can’t run away from this. I can give you a life you’ve only dreamed of, but you need to choose to stay.”

“By force?” Taliya replied, her voice trembling slightly with indignation. “That’s not how this works. You can’t just expect me to comply because you’ve made some grand plans.”

“I’m trying to protect you!” he snapped, the anger flaring back up as he took a step closer. “But you keep pushing me away! You don’t know what I’ve been through, what I’ve had to do to survive. You’re all I have left!”

The intensity of his declaration caught her off guard, leaving her momentarily speechless. In that moment, she saw a flicker of vulnerability behind his hardened exterior. But before she could react, he turned away, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

“I can’t keep chasing you if you’re just going to run away,” he said quietly, almost to himself. “But I won’t let you go, Taliya. Not now, not ever.”

Taliya swallowed hard, her heart racing as the reality of her situation pressed in on her. She needed to find a way out, but now it felt like the walls were closing in even tighter. She had to be careful. Faraz was unpredictable, and she had to tread lightly.

“I won’t give in to fear,” she whispered, her resolve hardening. “You might have taken me from my home, but you can’t take away my will.”

Faraz turned to her, a mixture of anger and something deeper flashing across his face. “You think you’re so strong? You have no idea what’s at stake. But I won’t give up on you, Taliya. I can promise you that.”

With that, he stormed out of the room, leaving Taliya alone with her thoughts, her heart racing with uncertainty. She was trapped in a game she never wanted to play, but she would find a way to turn the tide. She had to. For herself and for her freedom.