It was already 10:00 PM. The heavy silence of the night was suddenly broken by the sound of a child crying in the distance. The moment that familiar cry reached her ears, Soha's heart twisted with a mother's instinct. She couldn't stand there a second longer; she took a step forward, desperate to rush to the crying child.
Seeing her sudden movement, Adrik reacted with lightning speed. With an iron-grip, he abruptly caught hold of her wrist, trapping her in place. Giving her no room to escape or pull away, he tightened his hold and leaned in close to her ear
Adrik (in a cold, indifferent voice):
"Where are you in such a hurry to go, Soha? Are you planning to use that crying noise as an excuse to run away? Remember, without my permission, you don't have the right to take a single step outside this room or off this cliff."
Soha's hand remained trapped within his unyielding grip, while the echoing, distressed cries of the child in the distance only amplified the complex and suffocating tension between them.
Soha yanked her hand away in a fit of rage, her voice sharp as she demanded:
"Let me go! Where is this place? Where have you brought me?"
Adrik gave a slight, mocking smirk, pointing a finger toward a distant house visible on the other side of the mountain, and said calmly and arrogantly:
"Look over there... the house visible on the other side of the mountain..."
Soha shouted back:
"Whose area is this? Whose child is here?"
Adrik answered with total indifference:
"Yours."
The moment those words hit her, Soha's heart shattered. She cried out in panic:
"My baby is crying! Let me go, I said!"
Right at that instant, a maid hurried over, breathless and anxious, and called out:
"Ma'am, your ten-month-old baby is crying uncontrollably..."
The moment the maid mentioned the crying baby, Adrik moved with swift, calculated authority. Before Soha could utter another word or scream out, his large, firm hand clamped tightly over her mouth, cutting off her breath and stifling any sound she tried to make. Pulling her unresisting form tightly against his chest with his other arm, he completely immobilized her.
Turning his cold, commanding gaze toward the maid who stood waiting anxiously, his voice cut through the heavy night air with an air of absolute dominion:
"Listen to me, beautiful maid... go ahead and bring the baby here right now."
Soha's muffled cries and frantic struggle against his hand intensified, her eyes blazing with a mixture of terror, fury, and desperate maternal anguish as the tense, suffocating atmosphere reached a breaking point.
The moment the maid hurried away to fetch the child, Adrik's other hand slipped seamlessly past the buttons of Soha's shirt, sliding directly beneath her clothes. Ignoring her frantic struggles and the hand still firmly clamped over her mouth to stifle any cries, Adrik let his touch turn utterly bold and unyielding.
His sudden, aggressive intrusion caused Soha's entire body to shudder violently. She tried to vent her boiling hatred and fierce protest through muffled, desperate whimpers trapped against his palm, but with him holding her trapped in such an inescapable grip, she had zero way to push him away.
With a swift, dominant tug from Adrik's hand, Soha's bra was instantly pushed aside beneath her shirt, leaving her skin completely exposed to his touch. Just as Soha parted her lips to launch a furious protest, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed—the maid had returned, carrying the ten-month-old baby in her arms.
The moment the baby was placed into Soha's reach, the little one let out a soft, adorable "hmmm... hmmm..." sound an uncanny, exact replica of Adrik's signature habit of murmuring. Hearing that tiny voice and recognizing that unmistakable mannerism straight out of his father's mold made all of Soha's raging fury and bitter hatred instantly melt away.
A mother's instinct overrode everything else. Pulling away from Adrik's grasp without a second thought, Soha snatched the baby into her arms. Wiping away the lingering tears from her eyes, she pulled the child tight against her chest and began nursing her baby right there, completely shedding any hesitation in the face of her child's need.
Even amidst the harsh and tense atmosphere of the isolated cliffside, the raw, tender bond of motherhood instantly transformed the space, though Adrik's dark, possessive gaze remained locked entirely on the two of them.
Nestled against his mother's warm chest, the ten-month-old baby quieted down completely. Pausing every now and then from nursing, the little one gently caressed Soha's chest with tiny, soft hands, patting her with innocent affection. The pure, delicate touch of those small fingers instantly washed away all of Soha's lingering anger, pain, and emotional exhaustion.
With a tender, protective love, she stroked her baby's soft hair as tears of profound relief slipped down her cheeks. No matter how dark or harsh the surrounding world felt, looking down at that innocent face and feeling those tiny hands made Soha forget every single hardship, finding her entire universe right there in the arms of her child.
As the baby nursed and rested against Soha's chest, a sudden shift softened the fierce expression on Adrik's face. Reaching out with a heavy, yet surprisingly gentle hand, he let his fingers brush softly against the baby's head, smoothing down the soft strands of hair with quiet affection.
The man whose touch had just moments ago been entirely fierce and demanding now showed a raw, hidden side of his nature as a father. Watching him stroke their child with such quiet tenderness sent a complicated wave of emotion crashing through Soha. Against the backdrop of the cold mountain wind and their turbulent reality, that brief, protective gesture between father and child wove an even deeper, more inescapable web around them all.
Entranced by his father's gentle touch, the little baby turned away from feeding for a moment and broke into an adorable, bubbling giggle. Wrapping tiny, delicate fingers tightly around Adrik's large finger, the baby held on with a pure, instinctual grip that instantly bridged every gap between them.
A rare, incredibly tender smile touched the corners of Adrik's lips a soft expression that only ever surfaced in the presence of his child. Watching this unfolding scene, Soha's breath caught in her throat. A powerful wave of overwhelming emotion surged through her chest, completely melting away the last remaining traces of anger and resentment under the warmth of the moment.
The sound of the baby's innocent giggles completely transformed the heavy air around them. Without waiting another second, Adrik gently and skillfully lifted the child from Soha's lap, settling the little one securely against his broad, muscular chest.
The moment he held his child, all the harshness and intensity vanished from Adrik's demeanor. Bringing the baby close to his face, he brushed his nose softly against the infant's in an intensely affectionate gesture, letting out his signature, low, rumbling murmur:
"Hmm... hmmm..."
Hearing that familiar, low tone, the baby lit up with pure joy, waving tiny arms and giggling even harder. Mimicking his father with astonishing precision, the little one opened up a tiny mouth and responded with an exact echo of the sound:
"Hmm... hmmm..."
Watching father and child share that identical, unique mannerism left Soha utterly spellbound. Standing amidst the darkness and the biting chill of the mountain, every lingering trace of anger and resentment faded away into the background, overshadowed by the surreal warmth of the scene. Adrik cradled their child securely with one arm while keeping his dark, intense gaze locked onto Soha, a silent testament to an unyielding bond that claimed them both forever.
Sensing the brief window of opportunity while Adrik was completely distracted by their child, Soha decided to make her move. Realizing this was her only chance to escape, she silently took a step back, trying to slip away unnoticed. Without wasting another second, she turned on her heel and began sprinting down the mountain path toward the safety of the house.
However, her desperate bid for freedom was cut brutally short. Before she could even cross a few paces, a towering, suffocating shadow materialized out of nowhere to block her path.
Right before she could crash into it, Adrik's low, chilling voice cut through the mountain air directly from behind her, freezing the blood in her veins:
"Where do you think you're going, little bird? You can't run away from me that easily."
Though caught red-handed, Soha fought hard to keep her voice steady, forcing a weak, trembling excuse past her lips:
"I wasn't trying to run... I was just walking around a little bit, that's all."
A slow, mocking curve touched the corner of Adrik's lips as he saw right through her transparent lie. Without a single wasted motion, he carefully handed the baby over to the waiting maid standing nearby, his voice low and commanding:
"Take the child inside. Make sure she is safe."
The moment the baby was out of reach, Adrik turned his unyielding gaze back toward Soha. The cold, dangerous gleam in his eyes made it entirely clear that in his world, escape was nothing more than an illusion.
The moment the baby was safely handed over to the maid, a dark, chilling shift shadowed Adrik's face. He had no intention of entertaining Soha's transparent excuses or her pathetic attempt to escape. In a flash, his strong, unyielding hand shot out, clamping around her wrist with an iron grip that left zero room for argument.
Ignoring her frantic struggles, her sudden gasps of protest, and the way she tried to dig her heels into the ground, Adrik dragged her forcefully toward the darkest, most isolated sector of the compound the secluded quarters where the foreign Christian captives and workers were kept.
The heavy, suffocating silence of that restricted area made Soha's heart hammer wildly against her ribs. Trapped in his inescapable hold, a wave of cold terror washed over her as she realized just how terrifying Adrik's wrath could truly be.
With a sudden, violent wrench, Soha managed to twist her wrist free from Adrik's iron grip. Without wasting a single fraction of a second, she bolted, her feet flying across the uneven ground in a desperate bid for survival. Ignoring the sharp stones tearing at her shoes and the raw terror choking her throat, she sprinted straight past the shadows and threw herself through the heavy wooden doors of the ancient, looming church.
With a loud, resounding thud, she slammed the massive doors shut behind her, throwing the heavy iron bolt into place. Inside, the church was a sanctuary of profound silence, completely insulated from the harsh, brutal reality outside. Towering stone pillars stretched up into the shadows, the scent of aged cedar and melting beeswax hung thick in the air, and the dim, flickering glow of candlelight cast long, spectral crosses against the walls.
Soha stood in the very center of the nave, her chest heaving as she sucked in ragged, desperate breaths, trying to quiet her racing pulse.
Just as the initial wave of relief began to wash over her, the echoing crunch of heavy footsteps broke the stillness of the inner aisle. Startled by the sound, Soha spun around and pressed her back against a wooden pew. Emerging from the dim shadows near the altar came the elderly village priest, his long robes sweeping the floor as he approached her with a calm, measured pace.
Pausing a few feet away, the priest looked at her wide, terror-stricken eyes with deep compassion, his voice a low, gentle rumble in the cavernous space:
"My child, why do you come to the house of God in such a state of panic this late at night? What shadow is chasing your soul?"
Soha's lower lip quivered uncontrollably. Tears spilled over her lashes as she dropped to her knees, clutching the edge of the priest's robe like a lifeline. Her voice broke into a desperate, sobbing plea:
"Father... please, you have to save me! Adrik... he will never let me live in peace. He has trapped my entire life in a cage of nightmares. Please, Father, I am begging you protect me from this hell before he finds me!"
Just as the elderly priest raised a trembling hand to offer a comforting touch to Soha's head, a violent, earth-shattering crash echoed from the heavy wooden doors of the church. The deafening thuds shook the ancient stone walls, reverberating through the holy sanctuary like the strikes of a doom's bell.
Ice flooded Soha's veins. Gripping the priest's robes with white-knuckled desperation, she shook her head frantically, her voice a terrified whisper:
"He's here... Father, he's found me! Please, do not open those doors don't let him in!"
Ignoring her panic entirely, Adrik's chilling, authoritative voice sliced through the heavy air from the other side of the wood:
"Open the doors, Father. Return my little bird to where she belongs."
The command was absolute, carrying a dark, inescapable weight that filled every shadowy corner of the chapel. Hesitant and unsettled by the raw terror radiating from the young woman, the priest took a cautious step toward the entrance.
Before he could even reach the bolt, a splintering, metallic crash echoed as the heavy wooden bar gave way. The massive doors swung slowly open, and stepping through the threshold into the dim candle glow came Adrik. His eyes burned with a relentless, terrifying fire of absolute ownership, making it instantly clear that no sanctuary on earth could ever hide Soha from his grasp.
With each silent, terrifying step Adrik took, the sacred, peaceful air of the church seemed to freeze into a chilling stillness. The elderly priest stood his ground, looking back and forth between Soha's tear-stained face and the dark, unyielding fury burning in Adrik's eyes.
Stepping forward with quiet authority, the priest tried to block his path, his voice firm yet filled with a warning:
"Stop right there, Adrik! This is a house of God, not your personal kingdom or a slaughterhouse. You cannot barge into a holy sanctuary and drag a terrified soul away by force. Let her go."
A cold, mocking smile twisted the corners of Adrik's lips. He didn't even blink as he looked down at the old man, his voice a low, dangerous whisper that cut through the silence of the chapel:
"Father, your God may offer sanctuary to the broken, but for this little bird, my chest is her only cage. Neither this church nor its stone walls have the power to take her away from me."
Before the priest could utter another word or raise a hand to stop him, Adrik strode past him with terrifying speed. Soha let out a choked gasp and scrambled backward, her hands pressing against the wooden pews in a frantic attempt to escape. But she was too slow.
In a single fluid motion, Adrik caught her by the waist, effortlessly lifting her off her feet and pulling her flush against his solid frame.
Ignoring her muffled sobs, her desperate pleas, and the way she pounded her fists weakly against his chest, he carried her out of the sacred doors and back into the cold, inescapable shadow of the night.
Carrying her through the dark, biting chill of the night, Adrik brought Soha straight back into the house. He didn't spare a single glance at the staff as he strode up the stairs, kicking open the bedroom door before slamming it shut and locking it behind them with a heavy, echoing click.
Cut off from the rest of the world within the suffocating walls of the room, the last shred of Soha's strength finally shattered. Sliding down the surface of the door until she hit the cold floor, she pulled her knees to her chest and sobbed into her hands, her voice breaking through the quiet:
"Why won't you just let me go... why do you keep dragging me back into this endless nightmare?"
Adrik didn't speak. For a long moment, he simply stood over her, his dark, intense gaze consuming every tear and every tremble of her frame. Then, moving with measured, deliberate steps, he knelt down in front of her.
Reaching out with a single, calloused hand, he gripped her chin firmly, forcing her tear-streaked face up to meet his eyes. His voice was low, laced with an absolute, terrifying finality:
"You can call it a nightmare all you want, little bird. But no matter where you run, the dark is the only place you belong because you are mine, and you will never escape me."With a swift, ruthless motion, Adrik tossed Soha onto the plush mattress, giving her no chance to scramble away. Before she could even push herself up, he turned on his heel and strode toward the bedroom door. Stepping outside, he pulled it shut and turned the key with a heavy, final click, locking her securely inside.
Standing just beyond the heavy wood, he called out to the maid waiting in the dim hallway, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade:
"Guard this door. Make sure she never gets another chance to slip away."
Leaning in close, Adrik fixed his terrifying, ice-cold gaze straight into the maid's eyes, his voice dropping to a lethal, bone-chilling whisper:
"If you want to keep breathing, listen to me very carefully do not let her out of your sight for even a single second. If she slips away again, your life will pay the price."
The maid's face drained of all color, her hands trembling as she clutched the edge of her apron and nodded frantically, too terrified to even breathe under the crushing weight of his warning.