Morning came quietly.
Too quietly.
Chloe woke to sunlight filtering through bulletproof glass, painting the marble floor gold. For a moment, she forgot where she was. Then the memory of the gunshot slammed back into her chest.
She sat up slowly.
The room was unchanged—but she was not.
Someone had left fresh clothes on the chair: soft black fabric, simple and elegant. Not a cage. Not a uniform. A choice.
She dressed without thinking, her hands steady despite the storm inside her.
When she stepped into the living area, Alexander was already awake.
He stood at the window, speaking into his phone in Mandarin, his voice low and precise—each word measured like a blade.
"再犯一次,我会亲手解决."
Do it again, and I'll handle it myself.
He ended the call and turned.
Their eyes met.
No tension. No heat.
Just awareness.
The First Rule
"You're awake," he said.
She nodded.
He gestured toward the long dining table. Breakfast had been set—untouched.
"Sit."
She did.
Alexander remained standing.
"You need to understand something," he said calmly. "This isn't a prison."
Chloe lifted her gaze.
"Then what is it?"
"A stronghold."
He leaned forward, resting his palms on the table.
"There are rules."
Her jaw tightened. "I don't take orders well."
A corner of his mouth curved—barely.
"Good. That means you'll listen."
He straightened.
"Rule one: You don't leave without my permission."
She stiffened.
"Rule two: You don't contact Diego. Ever."
Her breath caught, but she stayed silent.
"Rule three," he said slowly, "you tell me when you're not okay."
Her fingers curled into her palm.
"I don't do that."
Alexander's gaze sharpened—not angry, not cruel. Focused.
"You will."
A Test of Control
Later, he took her outside.
Not into the city.
Onto the rooftop.
The wind tangled her hair as the skyline stretched endlessly around them. No guards. No weapons in sight.
Just height.
"If I wanted to cage you," Alexander said, "you wouldn't be here."
She stepped closer to the edge, heart pounding.
"Then why bring me?"
"Because fear shows truth."
She looked down.
Then back at him.
"You're not afraid of falling," she said quietly. "You're afraid of losing control."
For the first time, Alexander didn't respond immediately.
Then, in Korean, soft and unguarded:
"맞아."
You're right.
A Message in the Dark
That night, Chloe's phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
One message.
Te encontré.
I found you.
Her blood turned cold.
Alexander saw her freeze.
He didn't ask.
He simply took the phone, read the message, and handed it back.
"He's testing you," Alexander said. "He wants a reaction."
"What if I give him one?" she asked.
His answer was immediate.
"Then I end him."
Not a threat.
A fact.
Something Unspoken
As the city lights flickered on, Chloe stood beside Alexander at the window. No touching. No closeness.
Yet something invisible tied them together.
"Why protect me?" she asked.
Alexander answered in French, his voice lower than she'd ever heard it.
"Parce que certaines âmes se reconnaissent."
Because some souls recognize each other.
She swallowed.
Fate didn't feel romantic.
It felt inevitable.
End of Chapter Five