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I stared at him in disbelief, my hands trembling at my sides. "Why are you doing this to me?" My voice cracked as I spoke, barely above a whisper.
He stood up slowly, walking toward me with an unreadable expression. His eyes—red with anger—bore into mine, making me shudder.
Mr. Annoying sat on the edge of the desk, leaning forward slightly, his presence suffocating.
"Just sign the fucking papers," he growled, his voice laced with irritation.
I flinched at his tone but refused to back down. Swallowing my fear, I forced myself to meet his gaze. "At least tell me why. I have a right to know the reason behind this." My voice wavered, but I stood my ground.
His hand shot out suddenly, gripping my shoulders tightly. I gasped at the contact, my heart pounding in my chest.
"Well, let's just say it's your fate…" He smirked, his grip tightening. "And I need just one year of your life."
I frowned, confusion swirling inside me. "I don't understand."
He leaned in, his breath ghosting over my face. "Just sign the papers, or I'll post our photos."
I stiffened. "Then post them. I don't give a damn." My voice was defiant, but my body betrayed me—I was shaking. "I want answers because I know you're hiding something from me."
His smirk widened as he released my shoulders, only to wrap his arm around my waist. I gasped, trying to push him away, but he was too strong.
"You made a terrible mistake, Y/N…" His voice dropped to a menacing whisper. His jaw clenched, his teeth grinding together as his anger flared. "You have to pay for what you did to her."
My heart skipped a beat. "Her? Who are you talking about?" I demanded, my mind spinning with confusion.
His eyes darkened. "Just sign the papers, or I'll do something you won't want to see when Kayden comes."
My breath hitched. He was serious. Dead serious.
I shook my head, panic rising.
"Sign it. Now." His hand shot up, gripping my jaw painfully.
Tears pricked my eyes as I nodded, unable to fight against his strength. With trembling fingers, I picked up the pen and signed the papers, my vision blurring.
The moment I finished, he snatched the papers from my hands.
"Get ready for karma, Y/N." His voice dripped with venom as he turned to leave.
Just before he stepped out, he paused. "And be ready tomorrow. 10 AM sharp." With that, he walked out without a backward glance.
I stood frozen, my body trembling. What had I just done?
I wiped my face, trying to compose myself, when I suddenly felt a presence. I turned toward the door—and there stood Kayden.
His eyes were sharp, filled with concern.
I quickly looked down, avoiding his gaze.
"So…" His voice was calm but firm. "Are you going to tell me what's going on or not?"
I nodded hesitantly.
Without another word, he stepped inside, grabbed my hand, and led me to the couch.
"Sit." His voice was softer this time.
I obeyed like a child, my heart still racing.
Kayden walked to the desk, grabbed a glass of water, and returned, sitting beside me.
"Here, drink this." He held out the glass.
I took it with shaky hands and sipped the water. He gently took the glass from me and placed it on the table before taking my hand in his.
"Are you okay?" His thumb brushed over my knuckles.
I nodded, though I wasn't sure if it was true.
Kayden's eyes narrowed. "Why did you agree to him, Y/N? Is he blackmailing you?"
I hesitated before speaking. "H-he… You remember when he first came to me? He forced me to go on a date with him. He threatened to leak fake news that I was his girlfriend, saying it would ruin my life."
Kayden's jaw clenched. "So that's why you said yes?"
"No…" I whispered, gripping my own fingers tightly. "He said he'd leave me alone after the date… but…"
Kayden's gaze bore into me. "But what?"
I swallowed the lump in my throat. "He… he kissed me. Forcefully. And then he took pictures." My voice broke slightly. "He said if I made a deal with him, he wouldn't upload them."
Kayden inhaled sharply, his grip on my hand tightening. "And what's the deal?"
I let out a shaky breath. "He gave me two options. Be his girlfriend for one year… or marry him for the rest of my life."
Kayden's hands balled into fists. "That bastard…" He muttered under his breath. "And you chose the one-year option?"
I nodded, looking away.
Kayden sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "Y/N, what did you do?"
I blinked at him in confusion. "What?"
His expression was serious. "Don't hide anything from me. Did you do something in your past?"
His words sent a chill down my spine. "My past?"
Kayden nodded. "Yes. He told me the other day that you did something terrible in your past, and now he wants revenge."
I felt my stomach drop.
"I-I swear, I've never met him before. Trust me."
Kayden studied me for a moment before nodding. "I believe you. But we need to find out what he's talking about."
I nodded slowly. "K-Kayden… he said I made a terrible mistake… and that I have to pay for what I did to 'her'…"
Kayden's eyes darkened. "Her?"
I nodded again, my confusion evident. "I don't know who he's talking about."
Kayden exhaled. "Okay, don't worry. I'll get to the bottom of this." He reached out, patting my head gently. "For now, go back to work and don't think about him, alright?"
I sighed and stood up.
Just as I was about to walk away, Kayden's voice stopped me.
"Y/N…"
I turned back to him.
"You have to stay away from him, okay?" His voice was firm, almost pleading.
I nodded. But deep down, I knew—this was far from over.
*M-my p-past...I need to find it *
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