(𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐝 - 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝)
The drive to their new home was silent, the hum of the engine, the only sound the car cut through the darkness. Kai stared out of the window, watching as the city lights faded into the distance, replaced by sprawling estates and manicured lawns. Malik sat beside him, fidgeting with the hem of his jacket.
The mansion wasn't just a house it was a beast, a hulking shadow against the sky, draped in luxury as much as it dazzled. It was everything you'd imagine from a storybook nightmare —a grand castle that was beautiful on the outside, but twisted and hollow on the inside. The mansion, perched on a hill like it owned the world wasn't just big; it was colossal. Tall, white pillars held up the roof so high, it seemed like it could touch the sky, and the whole thing seemed to glow under the light of a chandelier that looked like it was stolen from the palace of some long - dead king.
Paintings, the kind you'd only ever see in museums, lined the walls, their frames dripping with gold. The floor was marble, cold underfoot, and polished to a blinding shine. Everywhere you looked, there were a sign of wealth— velvet curtains, Persian rugs, crystal glasses. The grand staircase with its sweeping curves and intricate designs, commanded attention, leading the way to halls and corridors arrayed with antiques worth more than most could imagine.
For Malik, it was an endless playground — corridors that twisted into secret nooks, rooms that opened into spaces larger than he'd ever seen. Every corner of the mansion seemed to promise another adventure, another discovery. The women had created a sanctuary, where malik could run, laugh and explore without fear.
But as soon as she left, returning to her work at university, the mansions perfection took on a different hue. The man, who had always been a shadow in the background stepped forward. His charm turned cold and his smile calculated. He began Kai's lessons in the library a place — a space meant for learning, now twisted into a chamber of secrets and sins.
Rows of ancient books lined the wall, their spines cracked and faded, but what mattered wasn't the knowledge they held, it was the silence they witnessed. The silence that was shattered by the man's voice, sharp as broken glass.
It started of innocent enough, basic coding, cyber security. But the man's true nature revealed itself as lessons grew darker. Illegal hacks, systems to breach and consequence of failure. Thought not with patience, but with a heavy hand.
"Again" he ordered, his voice slicing through air, while Kai's fingers fumbled on the keyboard.
Kai's breath hitched as he felt the man's gaze boring into the back of his head. The screen flashed red, another failed attempt. There was no room for forgiveness in this place. The man's patience was razor- thin, and Kai knew what came next.
A hard slap against the back of his head sent him reeling forward. His vision blurred for a moment the man's hand gripped his shoulder, dragging him with his feet.
"You think this is a game?" The man's voice was low, controlled, as he pushed Kai into the hidden room behind a false bookshelf.
The dim light barely illuminated the small, windowless space, but Kai knew it all too well. The cold metal of the desk, the worn leather straps, the smell of sweat and fear clung on to the air.
The man slammed Kai against the wall, his grip tightening around Kai's jaw. "You're going to learn one way or another. You either get it right, or I'll make sure Malik pays for your mistakes."
Kai's breath slightly stuttered at the mention of Malik. He wouldn't let that happen. Couldn't. But the man's fist didn't wait for an answer.
The first punch landed hard against Kai's ribs, driving the air from his lungs. Another to the gut, and Kai doubled over, gasping for breath. He refused to cry out. Refuse to give the man that satisfaction.
