She watched him walk out the door and the next thing she heard was the clicking sound of the door locking.


    Her father had just locked her right inside her room.


    She couldn’t believe it. She’d thought she was dreaming but now she was finally awake and realized that she was sleeping at all.


    Her father definitely wasn’t making any jokes either. This was real.


    She got up from the bed and rushed towards the door to try to pull it open but it wouldn’t budge.


    She banged hard against the door, trying to get attention.


    "Father, open this door," she demanded but there was no response. This still felt unreal to Thalia. An hour ago, she was thinking of how to celebrate one of the children’s birthdays at the orphanage, and now she was locked up and being forced into a marriage she doesn’t even want.


    "Father!! Let me out!!" Yet, silence was the only thing that responded to her.


    Thalia couldn’t let this happen. She wasn’t going to stay here and wait till she met this so-called man. She needed to escape.


    <i>At Anastasia’s home,</i>


    Xavier dropped a ss of water on the dining table, gently rubbing on Anastasia’s back as he urged her to drink the water.


    "You need to stop thinking about that man before you get sick," he said. "I doubt he would want to do anything against you now. If he were interested in doing anything to you, he would have tried long ago," he added.


    Anastasia nodded but still couldn’t take her mind off it.


    She’d killed his brother after all, so it may be better she stopped visiting their home and only invited Thalia out for a hangout once in a while.


    "Did you go to the hospital today?" She asked Xavier.


    He nodded slowly. "He has not woken up yet. But the doctor did say that his health is improving."


    Since Xander had been admitted into the hospital, Xavier had lost weight overthinking about everything.


    Sometimes he would keep meals and she would have to remind him to eat. She’d never seen him like this before and she could only hope that Xander woke up soon.


    "It’ll be fine. I don’t think Xander would want to leave without having a chat with you." She stood up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and gave him a peck on the lips.


    His hands instinctively wrapped around her waist as he pulled her closer.


    "I’m sure he will," he replied as he pressed his lips on hers for a second. Her fragrance attacked his nostrils and her fingers that were slowly massaging his hair didn’t help the situation at all.


    He was starting to lose control.


    "It’s gettingte. Let’s go to bed," he said, reluctantly parting from her.


    Anastasia’s shoulders slumped while she reluctantly nodded.


    It was obvious Xavier was trying to control himself. After everything, she’d tried initiating sex but he always pulled away whenever they were close to doing it.


    It always ended like this, with him reminding her it was time to sleep.


    Anastasia was about to respond but the heavy knock from the door came crashing through the heavy silence.


    She jumped, gasping because the cause had ripped through the silence, right from nowhere.


    "Ana!!" She heard that familiar voice calling from behind the door.


    She nced at Xavier before she walked towards the door to find Thalia, panting for breath with her clothes wet from sweat.


    She was wearing a backpack right behind her, her hands on her chest as she tried to catch her breath.


    "Let’s go in quickly," she urged as she gently pushed them inside while locking the door herself.


    Anastasia and Xavier stared at her in confusion.


    "What happened?" Anastasia asked, her tone mixed with concern and confusion.


    "I’ll tell you everything, but first, can I stay here for a few days?" Thalia requested, staring at them with hope in her eyes.