Amelia’s POV
As I lay on the bed, the doctor bandaging my leg and arm, I could barely keep my eyes open from sheer exhaustion. Screaming had drained whatever energy I had left, and the pain from having the bullets taken out was almost unbearable. I tried to steady my breathing, wincing every time the doctor adjusted the bandage. Maybe if I’d just admitted the truth earlier, I wouldn’t be in this situation, I thought.
I’ve seen countless movies where characters get shot, and I always watched with detached curiosity, never fully understanding what it felt like. Now I know. The pain wasn’t just physical; it was soul-crushing, something I wouldn’t forget for the rest of my life. But then, what kind of person shoots you and then sends for a doctor to patch you up? A psychopath. And that’s exactly what Kai is—a twisted psychopath.
I was still lying on the bed when Carlos walked in. The sight of him made my stomach churn with anger, so I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping he'd leave if I pretended to sleep.
“Amelia… I hope I got it right?” Carlos asked, his voice lingering beside my bed. His tone was oddly calm, as if we were having a casual conversation.
I opened my eyes to glare at him. “What does it matter?”
Carlos stood there, shifting his weight like he didn’t quite know how to handle my hostility. “I’m sorry I hit you earlier. I just wanted to scare you, make sure you didn’t give Kai a hard time. I knew what he was capable of doing, and in my opinion, a slap is better than a bullet.”
I didn’t respond, but deep down, I couldn’t disagree. Sure, Carlos had slapped me, but that was nothing compared to the searing agony of being shot. The pain from the slap had already faded; the bullet wounds, though, were a constant reminder of what happens when you cross someone like Kai.
Carlos sighed, folding his arms. “Why did it have to take two gunshots and a death threat before you admitted the truth? Do you really think Kai would let you go if you kept lying? He’s not patient, and he doesn’t waste time torturing people unless he needs them alive.” His tone was almost annoyed, as if I’d made things harder for myself on purpose.
I scoffed, my anger bubbling to the surface. “Your boss? You mean that psychopath?”
Carlos smiled faintly but didn’t seem offended. “That’s not true, but you’re not entirely wrong either. Just don’t call him that to his face if you want to live.”
I shut my eyes again, trying to block out the pain and his voice. The silence hung between us for a moment, but Carlos couldn’t resist breaking it. “Why would a young woman like you choose to be a hacker?”
Without opening my eyes, I responded, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Because I love hacking people’s security cameras, spying on their boring lives, and emptying their bank accounts. It’s so fun watching them cry and spiral into depression, makes me sleep so peacefully at night.”
Carlos sighed, clearly realizing I wasn’t in the mood for his questions. “This was the best room I could find. If you need anything, just let me know.”
I finally opened my eyes and glared at him. “Carlos, or whatever your name is, I don’t need anything from you. All I want is some peace.”
He nodded slightly, a small smile on his lips, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’ll be on my way. Take care of yourself.”
As he turned to leave, I called after him, a question burning on my tongue. “You said Kai needed me. What for? Because I really don’t see how I’m of any use to him.”
Carlos paused at the door, his hand on the knob. “He needs you to fix the mess you made.”
“And how am I supposed to do that?” I asked, my voice rising in panic. “I don’t have five hundred million dollars to pay him back!”
Carlos chuckled softly. “Don’t worry, he knows you don’t. There are other ways to fix it without paying in cash.”
I frowned, confusion swirling in my mind. “What other ways?”
“You’ll find out soon,” he said with a shrug, clearly not willing to elaborate.
Before he could leave, I quickly added, “Can I at least have my phone back? I need to call my friend—she must be really worried.”
Carlos sighed, clearly growing tired of my endless questions. “That’s for Kai to decide. For now, focus on getting better.”
With that, he walked out, leaving me in confusion.
******************
“Hello, dear. Can I come in?” A blonde lady strolled into my room, carrying a box of pizza as if she was making a friendly visit.
“You already did,” I muttered, my tone flat, my patience nonexistent.
“My name is Bianca. I’m Kai’s assistant,” she introduced herself with a smile. I immediately recognized her—she was with Kai the night before when I spilled my drink on him.
“I’m Amelia, Kai’s hostage,” I replied sarcastically, not bothering to return her smile.
“I’m so sorry about your injury,” Bianca said with a hint of sympathy in her voice. “Kai hardly ever hurts women. You must’ve done something to make him lose his patience.”
“Whatever,” I muttered, closing my eyes, hoping she’d get the message and leave me alone.
“I brought you pizza, but it seems like you haven’t touched any of the food they brought earlier,” she said, looking around the room at the untouched plates scattered across the floor and the mini table.
“I’m not hungry. You can take them away,” I answered without opening my eyes.
“You can’t say you’re not hungry. You haven’t eaten anything since this morning,” she insisted, concern creeping into her voice. “You’re already injured. Starving yourself will only—"
“I don’t feel like eating. Can you just leave me alone?” I snapped, cutting her off. My patience was thin, and I didn’t need another lecture about how I should take care of myself.
“Please, tell me what you’d like to eat, and I’ll have the cook prepare it right away,” Bianca persisted, as if she hadn’t heard my plea for silence.
“I want to be left alone,” I said, louder this time. “I don’t feel like eating poisoned food.”
“The food isn’t poisoned, Amelia. Please eat, because Kai wouldn’t be happy if he found out you haven’t touched anything,” she said, and this time it sounded less like a suggestion and more like a threat.
“And what would he do? Kill me? That crazy son of a bitch!” I spat out, feeling a surge of anger. I didn’t care about the consequences anymore.
Bianca’s eyes widened in shock. “You shouldn’t say that to his face. He’d give you a death far worse than you could imagine.” Her voice had a chilling seriousness now. She walked to the door but stopped before leaving. “Eat while you still can. You don’t want Kai to come down here himself.”
With that, she left the room, closing the door behind her. I stared up at the ceiling, trying to process everything that had happened. It felt like a cruel joke—just yesterday, I was free, and now I was a hostage to the most dangerous man I’d ever encountered.
If someone had told me 24 hours ago that I’d be trapped in one of Kai Alessandro’s luxurious prison rooms, injured, and afraid for my life, I would’ve laughed it off. But here I was, regretting every decision that led me to this moment. Maybe I should’ve quit hacking when Tasha warned me two years ago. Now, my life was hanging by a thread because of my choices.
As I surveyed the room, I had to admit it was nice. White, glossy walls, sleek black furniture—it was simple, but luxurious. Too bad I couldn’t appreciate it.
Just as I was lost in my thoughts, the door creaked open, and my heart jumped into my throat. Kai walked in. The air in the room thickened as soon as he stepped in. I had the overwhelming urge to hide, to escape—anywhere but here.
“Why haven’t you touched your food? Don’t you like it?” His voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of authority that made me tense up.
“I’ll eat when I’m ready,” I replied, trying to mask my fear.
“You’ll eat now,” he said firmly, sitting on the bed and opening one of the dishes. The aroma of rice and fish sauce filled the room, but I was too sick with dread to be tempted.
“Sit up,” Kai ordered. I hesitated, but the look in his eyes told me there wasn’t room for negotiation. Slowly, I sat up, wincing as I leaned against the wall. Kai scooped a spoonful of rice and brought it to my lips.
“Eat,” he commanded, and though my lips were sealed in shock, I eventually opened my mouth. The food felt heavy in my throat.
“How do I know it’s not poisoned?” I managed to ask, my voice shaky.
“Would you rather die by my gun than from poison?” His response was chilling, but I took another bite, knowing I had no choice. The irony of him feeding me after shooting me wasn’t lost on me, and I couldn’t help but feel small under his control.
“I can feed myself,” I mumbled, feeling the need to assert some semblance of independence.
“Shut up and eat,” he hissed quietly, his focus entirely on feeding me as if it was his responsibility. I watched him, this cold, ruthless killer who somehow looked like he belonged in a high-end fashion magazine. His face was perfect, sculpted even, but I couldn’t understand how someone so beautiful could be so monstrous.
I hadn’t realized I was staring until his gaze locked onto mine.
“The food is down here,” he said, bringing me back to reality.
“For someone with such a shady career path, don’t you think you’re way too pretty for that?” he asked, and I wasn’t sure if he was joking or genuinely asking me that. I rolled my eyes at him, unable to stop myself.
The change in him was instant. His face darkened, and before I could react, his hand clamped down on my injured arm.
“Did you just roll your eyes at me?” he growled, his grip tightening painfully.
“Stop… You’re hurting—"
“You do not fucking do that,” he interrupted, his anger cutting through my words. His fingers dug into my wound, and I felt the blood seep through the bandages. The pain was unbearable, but he didn’t seem to notice, or care.
“you’re hurting me! Please, stop!” I pleaded, my voice barely a whisper as the tears I’d been holding back finally spilled over.