+25 Bonus
Return to Captivity
That was what drove Daniel to call Alina with an ultimatum. To threaten her with a contract he knew would destroy her family.
Daniel opened his eyes, returning to the reality of the dark study. The clock showed 3:15. His phone still lay on the sofa where he’d thrown it after that call.
Had he crossed the line?
Daniel shook his head, dismissing the question. No. He did what had to be done. Alina had to come home. She had
no choice.
And after she came home, everything would return to normal.
Daniel was sure of that.
Or at least, he tried to convince himself.
Downstairs, after Daniel left, Margaret and Clarissa were silent for a moment.
Then Clarissa smiled–small, but satisfied.
“That was easier than I thought,” she whispered.
Margaret glanced at Clarissa with sharp eyes. “Don’t be too confident. Daniel might be cold with Alina, but he’s not stupid. If you’re too obvious with your manipulation, he’ll notice.”
“I know.”
Clarissa sat back down, crossing her legs elegantly. Her lips curved in a thin smile.
“That’s why I play the concerned mother,” Clarissa said again. “Vulnerable. Wounded. Men like Daniel–stoic, controlled–they’re attracted to women who need protection. Alina is too strong in a subtle way. She never begged, never cried in front of Daniel, never showed weakness. That was her mistake.”
Margaret looked at Clarissa with a mixture of approval and something else. Wariness, maybe.
“You’ve been planning this for a long time, haven’t you?” Margaret asked. “Your return. The timing.”
Clarissa smiled, not answering directly. “I just want back what’s rightfully mine. Daniel, Junior, the position as Mrs. Blackwood. Alina was just a placeholder. Temporary. Now that I’m back, she’s not needed anymore.”
Margaret fell silent, watching the woman who was once her favorite daughter–in–law–beautiful, sophisticated, from an elite family.
Different from Alina who came from a bankrupt family, had no connections, just a marriage contract.
Margaret had never liked Alina. The woman was too ordinary for the Blackwood family.
But there was something about Clarissa now that made Margaret slightly uncomfortable. Something too calculated. Too cold.
But Margaret ignored that instinct. Because having Clarissa back meant status quo restored. Meant the Blackwood family was whole again in society’s eyes.
And that was what mattered.
1/4
+25 Bonus
“I’m going home,” Margaret finally said, standing. “It’s too late. Or morning, technically. You should rest too.”
“I’ll stay until Daniel finishes calling Alina,” Clarissa said. “Just in case he needs support.”
Margaret nodded, walking to the door, then stopped briefly.
“Clarissa,” she called without turning. “I support you coming back. I support you being Junior’s mother again. But don’t hurt that child. Whatever game you’re playing with Daniel or Alina, don’t involve Junior.”
Clarissa was silent for a moment, then smiled even though Margaret couldn’t see it.
“Of course, Mom. Junior is the priority. Always.”
Margaret left, leaving Clarissa alone in the family room.
Clarissa looked at the study door where Daniel was, hearing the faint sound of Daniel talking on the phone–a voice that was loud, commanding.
Threatening Alina, no doubt.
Perfect.
Clarissa stood, walking to the window, staring at her reflection in the dark glass.
“Soon,” she whispered to her own reflection. “Very soon, everything will go back to where it belongs. And Alina Hayes? She’ll be nothing but a footnote in the Blackwood family history.”
Clarissa smiled, and in the dark reflection of the window, that smile looked predatory.
At seven in the morning, the sun had just risen when Emma’s car passed through the Blackwood mansion gates.
Alina sat in the passenger seat with an empty face, staring at the magnificent building she’d called “home” for five years. But the mansion had never really been home. Just a structure of cold stone and marble, filled with people even colder.
“Are you sure about this?” Emma asked for the tenth time since they left her apartment twenty minutes ago.
Alina nodded without looking at her friend. “I don’t have a choice.”
“You always have a choice-”
“Emma, please.” Alina’s voice was tired. “We already discussed this. I can’t let my family lose everything because of me. My father is too old to start over. My mother has a heart condition–stress could kill her. And my sister… she’s in her last semester. I can’t destroy her future.”
Emma gripped the steering wheel tighter, her jaw hardening. “Daniel Blackwood is a bastard. Using your family as hostage-”
“I know,” Alina cut in with a flat voice. “But that bastard has a legal contract that I signed myself. And now I have to pay the consequences.”
The car stopped in front of the main entrance. Alina could see Mrs. Helen standing there with a worried face, her hands hugging herself as if holding back cold though the morning was quite warm.
“I’ll wait here,” Emma said firmly. “Until I see you safely inside and no one hurts you. And Alina—” Emma squeezed her friend’s hand, “if there’s anything, anything at all, you text me. I’ll come get you. Fuck the consequences.”
2/4
+25 Bonus
Alina smiled weakly–grateful for the only person who genuinely cared. “Thank you. For everything.”
“Don’t say it like this is goodbye,” Emma looked at her sharply. “This isn’t the end, Alina. We’ll find a way out of this. I promise.”
Alina nodded though unconvinced, then got out of the car.
Mrs. Helen immediately came down the steps, hugging Alina tightly. The old woman was crying–genuine tears from someone who for five years had seen Alina as more than just “the lady of the house.”
“Thank God you’re home, Ma’am,” Mrs. Helen whispered with a trembling voice. “Junior hasn’t stopped crying since last night. He refused to eat, refused to sleep. He just sat in front of your bedroom door waiting.”
Alina’s chest tightened imagining Junior–his small body on the cold floor, eyes swollen from crying, teddy bear in his arms.
“Where is he now?” Alina asked quietly.
“Still sleeping in Mr. Daniel’s room,” Mrs. Helen answered, releasing the hug. “Sir finally managed to get Junior to sleep around four in the morning. But even in sleep, Junior still calls your name.”
Alina closed her eyes briefly, swallowing the emotion threatening to overflow.
“Ma’am…” Mrs. Helen hesitated, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Sir has given instructions to security. Starting today, Ma’am is not allowed to leave the mansion without written permission from Sir. The gate will be locked. The driver cannot take Ma’am anywhere. And…” the old woman looked very uncomfortable, “…Sir said all of Ma’am’s phone lines will be monitored.”
Alina froze.
Prisoner.
She was officially a prisoner now.
“I understand,” Alina finally said in a controlled voice though her heart was screaming. “Thank you for telling me, Mrs. Helen.”
The old woman looked at Alina with teary eyes, clearly wanting to say something but not daring to. Finally she just nodded and carried Alina’s small bag inside.
Alina turned briefly toward Emma’s car. Her friend sat in the driver’s seat, looking at her with an expression torn between worry and anger. Alina raised her hand–a small wave–trying to convince Emma that she was okay.
But they both knew it was a lie.
Emma nodded, then reluctantly started the engine and slowly left the mansion grounds.
Alina stood alone in front of the main entrance, staring at the magnificent entrance with marble pillars and a crystal chandelier that could be seen through the glass door,
This wasn’t coming home.
This was returning to prison.
With a deep breath, Alina stepped inside.
3/4
New Battle hes
