Captive of the Billionaire

hand closes on my arm, pulling me back with an implacable force. I vacillate, but the embrace does

skull. I try to move, but my wrists are hampered. Rigid plastic encloses my flesh. My ankles too. I'm sitting o

adow in the embrasure. He enters. Large, silhouette carved in an almost unreal precision. He does not wear mask or hood. His face is disc

are

trolled. No nervousness. No impatie

ere

n object which we have just acquired. His gaze touches my linked wrists, goes back to my neck, lingers o

d you re

too many

jump, but it is faster. A fluid movement, barely a thril

are here for a specific reas

ominate me, establish a dynamic of f

amn

in the air. Then a laugh, discree

alread

s shadow blends into the darkness of the co

e. For th

etrays my mind. My breath is too fast, my fingers tremble. I always thought

termittent sizzle of neon. The soil frozen under my fingers. My brain records,

him as well. His attitude leaves no room for doubt: he is in contr

way to destroy it b

wo men enter, framing M

tach

y something, but the two gorillas by his si

. He awaits an explosion, an insult,

ges, he commen

ort hi

r, exactly? That I thank

ile is

llow

ither I stay here, locked in this cage, or I take

resonates on the concrete floor. Closed

ist. A large black leather chair sits behind a glass desk.

Si

t my

nnoyance cros

erstand, Émilie, that

not a doc

ilence is

is office. Its presence is overwhelming,

he whispers

, a new glow. A

thority. His gaze fixes mine, an invisible tension floating between us. He waits for me to gi

n't

, he whispers, slight

to obey the orders of

has fun. Worse, it seems to a

m, Émilie? It's simp

ch my

es do not

a predator who gauges his prey. He is not in

existence, in this place, depends entirely on my will. You eat when I o

my spine, but I refuse to

if I

tal heat emanates from him, contrast

will lear

threaten. He states a fact, as if he alre

ll not

ides on me,

wil

ey compared without a word, closing the door behind them. I

he re

in mot

rabs me with the wrist. His embrace is firm without being painful, a demonstration of a

mediately, the burni

force me to

s gaze explores my face, lingers on

end up understanding that everything is simple

uns through its gaze fleetingly. A tiny, almost imperceptible he

and settled be

to know why

viou

s, taking the time to

present

rt tig

at v

can be a problem

nd his enig

ak cl

le disa

d to people you shoul

row

w what you're

rward, placing his f

ll know

ith me, distills the drop-down

I'm supposed to follo

ly. Just in

ke my

are

. He does

too daring for

and plant himself in front of me. This time,

. Fight you against me and mak

n my chair, lockin

rn to play i

ber my

not a

plunges i

pro

in. I don't give in

raightens up a

m. Clothes are waiting for you. On

otest, but he r

n invitation

me before ordering one

ell, nor a dismal place. Sober furniture, an adjoining ba

el relieved

y to like me, to make me believe

fall into

e fatigue digging my face. My mind wants

les. I choose a simple outfit from those made available to me, avoiding those that see

rd is waiting for me

llow

. No possibil

us dining room where Max

, a calculating s

Si

e he ordered it. Because I have

ling me as if he were trying to guess what I was going to do afterwards. This silence, far from trivial, is a tactic. A

, refusing to be the one

ner will be enough to mak

hes his mout

is a more formida

en screaming famine for hours, and the smell of dishes a

imply, serving w

re you hav

ietly, then cross his

certain truths are more da

t my

ke the

arkens imp

ve no

his lips and drinks a si

o understand wh

Ye

, as if he wei

th a simple question. What d

nced my first name with disturbing fa

up. Just that you are a rich man w

e widens

an interesting descript

t me to add

e inaccurate. You ar

row

nd that I l

nd relies against th

tence is linked to eve

oat ti

xpl

topping, then his da

ow the name

ind, familiar without my c

ction, perhaps see

vereaux was an influential, p

Wa

ied. B

climbs i

es this have

lass with a me

bad place, at

e spreads

't unde

eople ready to do anything

you one of

becomes m

. involved

ete truth.

d you re

slightly

e something that

eath

know this man, I have no

ly. But you

o w

tate, then ends up letting

as not

to be contrac

ard

was... diffe

ses in his eyes, and suddenly, the air becomes

that

o w

ng away from the table

made to believe that humanity was the only

ke my

waiting for? Th

ng in his gaze changes. A raw intensit

e no othe

travels

lling me tha

t respond

erewolf would be a

semble the parts. It's

Ye

silence sett

hy

ches agai

ng, without being aware of it.

heart resonate

remember

ot

ts in the air. A feelin

What are y

s black and unf

you fear the

from an absurd

nt to

impos

elieve in y

eventuall

but each word reson

f silence.

You will ne

n't

r wh

le disa

he night wi