They were best friends for years, sharing every secret except one. When Felix finally confesses his feelings, Josephine lets him down with a gentle lie: she's not interested in men. Heartbroken but determined to keep their friendship, Felix tries to...
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This chapter has STRONG trigger warnings. Readers discretion is advised. ⚠️⚠️⚠️‼️
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Josephine had lost track of time. The days blended into each other, an unrelenting blur of darkness, silence, and the suffocating presence of Felix. The ropes binding her wrists and ankles were a constant, numbing reminder of her captivity. Her body ached from sitting in the same position for hours on end, and though Felix would occasionally untie her for bathroom breaks or to eat, the brief moments of freedom were never enough to shake the creeping despair that threatened to consume her. She was still in her funeral outfit, and both her shoes have fallen off somewhere in the house.
Felix had made a routine of his visits. He would come downstairs with his laptop, setting it on the workbench and playing movies as though they were simply hanging out as usual, as if the ropes binding her to the pole on the floor weren't there at all. He would talk incessantly, ranting about everything from the news to his dreams for the future—the future he believed they would share. Josephine never responded, staring blankly at the floor or closing her eyes to shut him out. Her silence infuriated him at first, but he had begun to accept it, muttering things like, "You'll come around eventually," or "I love you even if you don't talk."
This morning, like the others, began with Felix descending the stairs holding a tray of food. He was humming again, that same irritatingly cheerful tune that had been stuck in his head for days. Josephine looked up as he approached, her arms tingling from the poor circulation caused by the ropes.
"Good morning, sweetheart," Felix said, setting the tray on the workbench. He crouched in front of her, his eyes scanning her face as though searching for some sign of affection. "I made you eggs and toast today. You must be hungry."
Josephine licked her dry lips, her voice hoarse as she whispered, "Felix, please... can you let me go? My arms are numb. They're losing circulation." She hesitated, trying to mask the trembling in her voice. "I won't... I won't run. I just need some relief."
For a moment, something akin to pity flickered in Felix's eyes. He reached out, brushing a strand of her messy hair from her face. "I wish I could, Jo," he murmured, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. She flinched at the touch, but he didn't seem to notice. "But I can't trust you yet. Not after the stunt you pulled the other day."
Josephine closed her eyes, her head hanging low. She had tried to appeal to his humanity, but it was clear Felix's delusions ran too deep. Before he could say anything else, the sharp, frantic sound of the doorbell echoed through the house.
Felix froze, his head snapping toward the sound. "Stay quiet," he ordered, pulling a roll of duct tape from his pocket. He tore a piece off and pressed it firmly over her mouth. "I'll be right back." No one has come to visit Felix in days, so Felix had no idea of who it could be. He's blocked Samantha from his phone and thankfully she wasn't crazy to try and find out where he lives and things.
