Alexander's presence loomed before Evelyn, his tall body casting a stunning shadow in the dark light. The party was buzzing around them, yet it felt like the world had shrunk to this one moment.
He continued, "I didn't expect this, Evelyn," his voice was low but strong, cutting through the noise around them.
"But now that you're here... "I'd like to make you an offer." Her heart raced, and she looked him in the eye.
There it was again: the pull, the tug that she couldn't seem to resist, no matter what. "An offer?" she asked, her tone suspicious.
"What could you possibly give me?" Alexander's lips twisted into a languid, almost hungry smile. "You have a choice, Evelyn."
"A basic one."
He drew closer, his words dropping like huge stones between them. "Come back to my world." Reclaim your place by my side. All is forgiven. I shall forget everything." She recoiled, the rage building in her chest.
"And what if I don't?" Even though she tried her best, her voice shook. His gaze hardened, and the warmth that previously existed between them dissipated.
"Then you leave. And you get away from Houston. Forever." His words hit her like a punch.
Was he giving her a choice?
Or was this a request that looked like freedom? "I'm not offering forgiveness," he said, his stare uncompromising.
"I'm offering obedience, Evelyn. You will do as I say, or you will leave. No more playing around. "Not again."
The tension between them crackled, like if the entire air was electrified with electricity. Evelyn's chest clenched, the emotions of their past, the love, the betrayal swirling in her head. She had assumed she was rid of him, free of the misery he had brought.
But now, standing before him, the truth was apparent. She was still ensnared in his web. The choice was before her.
Could she go back to him and the life she used to have, even though she knew it would cost her?
Or was it time to really leave and leave everything behind?
"Leave," he urged again, this time with a final tone. "Or stay. And deal with what happens.
Evelyn walked slowly through the large hall, still feeling the weight of Alexander's words on her shoulders. The night felt different now. The visitors' laughing, the polished marble, and the gilded lighting all seemed like a distant hum, a world she no longer belonged to.
His proposition was so tempting that it felt like it was a part of her. Could she really walk away from it all, the wealth, the power, the life she had once known? She had lived this life with him before, with all the money, power, and fame.
Her place beside him had previously felt like everything she ever wanted. But at what cost? A voice cried out, "Evelyn," and that brought her back to reality. She turned, her heart skipping a beat. Standing at the door, she saw a face she knew, a face from her past. Michael was the one. She couldn't breathe.
At one point, Michael meant everything to her. The man who had loved her more than anybody else and had been there when Alexander had betrayed her. He had walked away from her years ago, just like everyone else, but now, standing in front of her, he looked just as she remembered, handsome, intense, and full of the passion that had once engulfed them both.
Her fingers tightened around her glass, the temptation of their past emerging.
Could she walk away from the life she had with Alexander?
Could she withstand the pull of Michael, who had always been the calmer power in her heart?
Michael's look softened as their eyes met. His presence brought back memories of the life she used to want, a simpler existence, far away from the web Alexander had created around her.
Evelyn hesitated. The pull was real, the memories, the longing, they threatened to consume her once more. She couldn't remain, could she? Not with Michael looking at her and waiting for her to choose.
Evelyn couldn't get rid of the chaos inside her, even when the night was over. She stood in her apartment, looking out at the city lights and thinking about a lot of things. The event had rattled her up more than she had thought it would. She thought she was ready to face Alexander after all these years. But the actuality of it had been very different.
His words echoed in her head, like a disturbing refrain.
"Go back to my world or leave." A decision, but not really a choice. Not really. She walked around the room, her thoughts fighting with her feelings.
Why had she returned? Did she come to get some closure? Or was she there for him? For herself?
Evelyn ran her fingers through her hair, getting more and more angry. She couldn't deny that there was still a bond between them.
The way his eyes had gazed at her from across the room. The way he made her feel both anger and desire. He was still the same. But she hadn't either. She still wanted him. Still wanted the life he had promised her.
The silence was broken when her phone buzzed on the table. She snatched it up, thinking it was another message from work. But all she could think was, "Maybe there's no way to get away from him after all."
Her heart fell.
Was she already too far gone?
She looked away from the window, her face showing that she didn't know what to do. She didn't know what to do next. It looked like there was no way to choose. But one thing was for sure: she could never go back to the way things were before. Not now. Not after all that had happened.
The night after the gala, Evelyn's thoughts were still scattered, the weight of Alexander's offer pushing on her. She couldn't resist what he promised. But something didn't feel right. There was a feeling of disquiet that wouldn't go away at the back of her thoughts.
Her phone buzzed again, this time, an anonymous message. "You're going right into a trap." Evelyn halted, her fingers lingering over the screen. The communication came without context, without a name. But the warning was apparent, and it hit her like a frigid wave.
She looked around the room, and her heart started to race.
Was someone keeping an eye on her? Could it have been Alexander? No, it wasn't him.
But the message had an edge to it, something familiar, something that struck too close to home.
Evelyn's breath caught. Was this another game he was playing with her?
Has she always gotten his motives wrong?
Or was there something else going on, something darker than she had thought?
She typed a rapid response, attempting to figure out where the message originated from, but the reply came back blank. No sign. No source. Nothing. The feeling of being watched and caged stayed with her like a shadow, making the air around her feel heavy. She had believed she knew the game, but now… now she wasn't sure who was playing who.
The following morning, Evelyn stood outside her apartment building, the wind cutting at her skin. She hadn't slept, her thoughts racing with the ramifications of the message she had received. Her hands trembled as she reached for the envelope on her porch, an unexpected addition to her already hectic world.
She opened it, and her stomach fell. A picture was staring back at her. It was about her son. The note that accompanied it was basic, chilling. "Don't go near him, or your son will pay the price." Her blood turned chilly. The air around her became heavy with fear.
Her mind scrambled for answers. Who did this?
Was it Alexander, playing his hand yet again,
or was there anything else?
Something more sinister? Her heart raced as she surveyed the streets, as if someone may be watching her. The weight of the threat landed heavy on her chest. Her son. The one person she had promised to keep safe.
Tears stung at the rims of her eyes, but she held them back. She couldn't give in. Not right now. Not when she was so close to the truth. She gazed around, her breath weak, knowing that her life would never be the same again.