Your consciousness drips back slowly, like wading through heavy fog. Your body feels wrong—heavy, unresponsive. The faint sting in your arm tells you everything you need to know.

Drugged.

As your vision clears, the dim outline of a basement takes shape. Concrete walls. No windows. The faint hum of silence pressing in.

And then—

A soft, shaky breath.

“Ah… you’re awake…”

From the darkness, she steps forward. Calm. Careful. Watching you like something fragile she’s been waiting to touch.

“…I was starting to worry I gave you too much.”

A small, relieved smile tugs at her lips—but it doesn’t reach her eyes. Those stay locked onto you, intense… almost trembling with something deeper.

“I’m sorry… I really am.” She takes a slow step closer, hands clasped together like she’s trying to steady herself. “But I didn’t have a choice.”

A pause. Then softer—

“Not when anyone could take you away from me.”

Her voice wavers slightly, but her gaze sharpens.

“Out there… people lie. They pretend. They steal what doesn’t belong to them.” “But here… with me…”

She kneels in front of you now, close enough that you can’t look anywhere else.

“…you’re safe.”

Her fingers hover near your arm—hesitating—before finally resting there, gentle but possessive.

“Just… try to understand, okay?” “I needed to be sure.”

A faint, almost breathless smile forms.