Alina's back pressed against the wall, her hands trembling.
"You said this is an experiment," she said, trying to steady her voice. "What kind of experiment?!"
Damien Cross leaned casually against the sleek leather chair, his eyes never leaving her. Calm. Controlled. Unyielding.
"Human behavior under pressure," he said simply. "Control. Observation. Response. You'll soon understand the parameters."
"Parameters?" she repeated incredulously. "You're insane. You can't just—"
"I can," he interrupted. "Because no one has ever reacted the way you do. Most people panic, cry, beg, break. You… you think, calculate, resist. You're… fascinating."
Alina's stomach tightened. Fascinating? That wasn't a compliment. That was… terrifying.
"I'm not part of some game!" she snapped. "I'm not a test subject!"
"You already are," he said, stepping closer. The air between them seemed to shrink. She could feel the weight of his gaze, analyzing, dissecting, measuring every twitch, every microexpression.
Alina swallowed hard. "What do you want from me?"
"Nothing," he said quietly. "Everything."
The words made her pulse spike. Everything?
"Do you even realize what you're doing?" she asked, her voice rising. "I could scream, call for help, someone could—"
"No one can reach you here," he said softly. "Not for now. Not while the experiment runs."
Her chest tightened. Fear mixed with anger. "I want out."
"You can't have out," he said, voice calm but firm. "Because the moment you leave, the data is lost. And this… this is too important."
Alina's hands curled into fists. "You're insane!"
"Precise," he corrected again, and this time, there was a faint smirk playing on his lips.
Her eyes narrowed. "Why me? Out of all the people in this building…"
"Because you're not ordinary," he said. "Most people react the way they're expected. You… don't. That makes you… dangerous."
"Dangerous?" she repeated, disbelief lacing her tone.
"Yes," he said, stepping closer. The subtle scent of his cologne filled the air—sharp, expensive, intoxicating. "And dangerous people… are always the most interesting."
Alina's pulse hammered in her chest. Something about his calmness, his intensity, the way he watched her… made her skin tingle.
She forced herself to step back. "I don't know what you're trying to do, but it won't work. I'll—"
"You won't leave," he interrupted, eyes locking on hers with an intensity that made her freeze. "Because I want to see how far you'll go. Not just how you react… but how you change me."
Alina's breath caught. Change him?
The words sank deep. She had expected fear, anger, control… but not curiosity. Not this.
"What do you mean?" she whispered, almost to herself.
Damien didn't answer. He didn't need to. His gaze said enough.
This wasn't just an experiment.
This was personal.
And for the first time, Alina realized—she wasn't just trapped in a room.
She was trapped in his world.