Isabella didn't sleep that night.
Even after Ethan left—vanishing into the night as if he had never been there—his presence lingered. She locked every window, double-checked every door, but it didn't matter.
The damage had already been done.
She knew now that no lock could keep him out. No amount of distance would make him let her go.
She had seen the truth in his eyes.
Ethan Lancaster wasn't just obsessed with her.
He was claiming her.
And there was nothing she could do to stop it.
The next morning, Isabella arrived at work with dark circles under her eyes, exhaustion weighing down her every step.
She pushed open the doors to the design firm where she worked, offering a forced smile to the receptionist before making her way toward her office.
"Isabella."
She stopped at the sound of her boss's voice.
Mr. Holloway stood outside his office, arms crossed. He was a middle-aged man with graying hair and sharp eyes, always professional but never unkind.
"Sir?" she asked, straightening.
"Come inside."
Her stomach twisted.
The moment she stepped into his office, she noticed the envelope on his desk.
And she knew.
Knew before he even spoke.
"I received an interesting message this morning," Mr. Holloway said, sitting behind his desk. "It was from one of our biggest investors."
Her mouth went dry. "Who?"
His lips pressed into a thin line. "Ethan Lancaster."
A cold shiver ran down her spine.
"He made a very generous offer," her boss continued, fingers tapping against the envelope. "A donation to our company, along with a request."
Her pulse pounded. "A request?"
Mr. Holloway nodded. "He wants you removed from all current projects. Effective immediately."
Her breath hitched.
"Of course, I denied it," her boss added quickly. "You're one of our best designers, Isabella. But I won't lie—having someone like Ethan Lancaster against us isn't ideal."
She gritted her teeth.
This was his punishment.
This was what happened when she told Ethan no.
"I don't understand," she forced out. "Why would he do this?"
Mr. Holloway sighed, studying her carefully. "That's what I was hoping you could tell me."
She swallowed hard. "I—I don't know."
The lie burned her tongue, but what could she say? That Ethan was obsessed with her? That he had broken into her apartment last night, whispering promises of possession?
She barely understood it herself.
"I want you to be careful," Mr. Holloway said after a long pause. "If Ethan Lancaster has a problem with you, I suggest you find a way to fix it."
Her stomach twisted.
She knew exactly what that meant.
Ethan wasn't just a man. He was power itself. A force that couldn't be stopped.
And now, he had set his sights on her.
That night, Isabella sat in her apartment, phone gripped tightly in her hands.
She should call him.
Tell him to stop.
Tell him she wouldn't bend to his will.
But deep down, she knew the truth.
Ethan didn't take orders. He gave them.
And he expected them to be followed.
Her hands trembled as she finally pressed his number. The phone rang once. Twice.
Then—
"You finally called."
His voice was smooth, dark.
Like he had been expecting her.
Her throat tightened. "Why did you do it?"
A pause.
"I assume you're referring to Holloway's little problem?"
She clenched her jaw. "You had no right—"
"I have every right, Isabella."
His voice sent shivers down her spine.
"I told you what would happen if you defied me."
Her pulse pounded. "You're insane."
Ethan chuckled softly. "And yet, you're still talking to me."
She gritted her teeth. "What do you want from me?"
Silence.
Then, a whisper.
"Everything."
Her hands shook. "I won't let you control me."
His voice darkened. "You already belong to me."
She felt the walls closing in.
No escape. No way out.
"I hate you," she whispered.
He only chuckled.
"Good," he murmured. "Hate means you're still thinking about me."
And then the line went dead.
Isabella's hands trembled as she stared at her phone, the weight of his words pressing down on her.
Ethan Lancaster had declared war.
And the price of defying him?
Her entire world.