SLMO: Pyramid Love (Girl X Girl - Actually? Intersex :))

Alexander De Mevius

Reality hung over me like an unwanted guest, refusing to let go. This place—the hidden haven Kim had spent time with me—felt like a page torn from one of our old dreams, an untouched piece of paradise just for us. A quiet, unguarded paradise where, for once, we could simply breathe.

The breeze whispered through the trees, carrying the faintest hint of salt and lavender. Birds chirped lazily, as if they, too, knew this was a place for secrets and soft touches. Every detail felt perfect, crafted with care, like Kim had etched our dream into stone. It was the kind of place where I could almost pretend. Almost.

I'd let myself believe this was our "ever after." The kind of place Kim would escape to when the world felt too much, a sanctuary she might seek solace in.

Her mansion had been grand, sure, but it was wrapped in all the bindings of her life: the guards, the cold formality, the invisible walls she'd put up even with her own staff. Here, it was different. Just us.

But that fragile illusion crumbled the second I stepped beyond the gates.

"Ms. Alexis," a familiar voice called, halting me. Gary, my driver, stood there with my father's men, their stances rigid, forming an unyielding wall. "I'm sorry, but this is by your father's orders."

"No," I breathed, shaking my head as if I could deny what was happening. "Please... don't do this." I tugged against their grip, a desperate, futile attempt.

Cold metal clamped around my wrists, the cuffs biting into my skin as tears stung my eyes. I glanced back, a lump forming in my throat as I whispered, "Kim... I'm so sorry."

And just like that, the dream vanished. I was only Alexis again, twenty-six years old, held captive by a name that felt more like a prison than a family.

It wasn't always like this. Back when I was younger, Dad barely looked twice at my life, let alone tried to steer it. I had friends, freedom, and weekends that didn't feel like a series of negotiations. But all that changed when I turned twenty-four. Suddenly, I wasn't just Alexis—I was "Alexis Anderson De Mevius," his only daughter, his precious bargaining chip, his ticket into the most exclusive circles. And the price? Parading me in front of heirs and tycoons like some rare prize up for grabs.

My mom would've hated this. But she was gone, claimed by a loveless marriage and the cruel twists of fate. Liver cancer ate away at her piece by piece, as if her body had finally had enough. My only real family left was my grandmother, across the ocean in Cambridge, with her steely determination and a spine Dad couldn't break. She was the last flicker of hope I held on to—my only chance of help if this nightmare ever became too much.

"Gary! What's the meaning of this? Untie me!" My voice cracked, raw with a mix of anger and a creeping sense of helplessness.

Gary's face didn't flinch. "Ma'am, I'm sorry. These are Sir Alexander's orders." There was a glimmer of sympathy in his eyes, but it meant nothing. He was just another hand in my father's long reach, another piece of machinery in this trap.

The car pulled away from Kim's villa, and something broke inside me, sharp and jagged. "Shit... Kim, I'm so sorry." I whispered the words into the air, feeling them scrape my throat. Leaving her there, with no warning, no goodbye—like tearing away a piece of myself and leaving it behind. I could still feel her warmth, still smell the faint traces of the intimacy we shared, and now it felt like a betrayal, like I'd failed her.

I turned to the man beside me, swallowing back the panic rising in my chest. "Can I at least call someone? Please." My voice shook as I looked at his blank face, hoping for some scrap of humanity.

"Apologies, Ms. Alexis, but contacting anyone is not permitted at this time." He delivered the words flatly, as though he hadn't just crushed my last bit of hope.