Cheryl POV

That's when my breath started faltering again, my body trembling uncontrollably. The fear clawed at me, unbearable, and I began to weep, the tears blurring my vision.

What was happening to me wasn't healthy. I felt myself unraveling, piece by piece, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I had nothing left. He had drained every last bit of me. I was hollow, an empty shell.

Whenever Finn appeared in the dead of night, I was certain he'd come straight from executing something wicked, as the criminal he was. His presence reeked of evil, of the sinister he carried with him.

There was no way I could run. He was so close to me on the bed, and even though his hands stayed to himself, his mere proximity was suffocating me. It felt like it was killing me more slowly than any blade ever could.

The soft glow from the bedside lamp cast shadows over his face, emphasizing the exhaustion in his frown. His disheveled hair fell messily over his forehead, and he wore his usual black, casual outfit. "I won't hurt you, Cheryl. Can't you see that?" His voice was gentle, but I didn't know what to believe.

All I knew was the cold, remorseless look in his eyes. Finn, the most merciless monster, had left a trail of over a hundred innocent bodies for years, making him the deadliest known serial killer in the country. And yet, there was a strange truth to his words, I knew he never lied.

"You almost raped me," I managed to say, my voice raw, my throat tight with dread. My gaze didn't leave him as I was alarmed at his every move, even as little as his breathing.

He glanced down at his interlocked fingers, exhaling softly. "You've killed my principal, my neighbors, innocent people I knew. I saw you shoot someone right in front of me. You had your men execute Amelia and her boyfriend because they tried to help me." I sniffled, my voice breaking. "I know you're a man of your word, but how am I supposed to trust you now? You said you'd kill me, and then you pointed a gun at my head. Now you're telling me you won't hurt me."

I shook my head, disbelief flooding me.
"You're the same ruthless murderer who keeps my entire town living in fear. Children, women, and men, all lie awake at night, terrified, hoping they'll live to see the morning because they think you control their fate, hoping they won't wake up to being orphans or widows. And you expect me to believe you won't harm me? I'm the only person alive who knows what you look like. What, are you going to let me walk free with your identity in my hands?" I laughed bitterly through my tears.

Finn stayed silent for a long time, his gaze still fixated on his hands. Even with his head bowed, I saw his eyes narrow, turning inward. When he finally spoke, his voice was quieter, almost distant. "When I found you in that bathroom... it was the highlight of my life. I hadn't felt that kind of thrill in a long time, it was like getting a surprise gift on Christmas Eve. When I had you in my grasp, I thought everything had come together. Revenge, retribution, it was all I could think about. I imagined all the ways I could torture and kill you."

His words, though calm, dripped with darkness. I watched him, repulsed, every ounce of disgust for this man building inside me.

"I took you to the car," he continued, "you were unconscious, completely out. That was the first time I really saw you. It was strange like you didn't even fight back. You were just... sleeping there, peaceful. And for some reason, it brought me a sense of calm." He paused, smiling faintly to his memories. "That's when I realized I couldn't hurt you. And with that, I knew I would never get my revenge. It was the most painful realization I've ever had." He swallowed.

I blinked, struggling to make sense of his words.
"What... what are you saying?" I croaked.

"You were innocent. Lying there, asleep, with a little frown on your face... It was the most beautiful thing I'd seen in a long time," His voice dropped to a whisper like he was recalling something, and then as though it dawned on him, he shook his head. "I won't kill you, Cheryl." When he looked up briefly, his eyes were clouded.

My mind raced to understand, as my stomach twisted with confusion. "Then why did you kidnap me? Why not let me go if you weren't going to hurt me?"

He sighed heavily, as I sat up sitting back against the headboard, searching desperately for answers in his eyes.

"I don't know," he muttered, a sad smile playing on his lips. "Maybe I was jealous. Your life seemed so easy—partying, sleeping without a care in the world."

I inhaled deeply, trying to steady my furious emotions. "So you decided to torture me because of that?" My voice cracked with confusion.

He shook his head. "No. I could never torture you, Cheryl. I told you, the plan was ruined. You ruined it."

I stared at him, my thoughts spiraled as I tried to grasp his words, but everything felt like a maze."Then let me go. Please. I promise I won't tell anyone. We can come up with a story, anything you want. I'll tell the police I didn't see you. Just let me go, Finn. Please."

His gaze was still soft, but he shook his head again and looked away. "I can't."

"Why?" I pleaded, tears welling up. "You said you won't torture me. You don't want to kill me. Why won't you let me go then? I am useless to you." I demanded, my voice rising with desperation.

"Because..." His eyes met mine, burning with intensity. "Because I'm in love with you."

Those words hit me harder than anything I had ever experienced. They held a power so immense, that it was as though the world stopped spinning in a single heartbeat. The air around me froze, time stood still, and my body became paralyzed. They deprived me of hope, of the possibility of ever leaving here. I couldn't breathe, the words had knocked the air from my lungs. I was completely dumbfounded, bound by the raw, unguarded emotions from those pleading doe-brown eyes. They flickered with anxiety—no, fear, if I was reading them correctly.

It brought me to a dead stop, every part of me locking in place as I saw the truth shimmering in his gaze. I would've been stunned by his reaction if what he said hadn't already taken something vital from me.

I heard him say something, but the words didn't register. I was no longer in my body, detached, floating above the moment. The shock was overwhelming.

Why did it have to be this complicated?

I didn't know what was happening anymore. I couldn't process my reality. Once again, I was a coward, reduced to nothing but breathing and blinking.

Finn must have left when he realized I wasn't going to respond. The tears that had threatened to spill were now dry, leaving my eyes hollow and vacant.

That was how I saw daylight that day. Just sitting there, staring at nothing, simply breathing. And that was all I could do.

***

"So, I made your favorite." Steph's voice broke through as she entered the room, her usual energy on display. "With broccoli and onions."

I was the same as I had been all night, like a zombie, but not the kind that wanted to infect others. No, I was a disconnected zombie without an appetite for life itself. I was broken, shattered, and yet Finn had found the one last piece of me and bruised it in ways I couldn't comprehend. He had burrowed into my very soul, leaving nothing untouched, nothing unscathed, and having me incapable of understanding my own existence.

I knew I wouldn't recover from the wave of destruction he'd unleashed. What he'd said to me last night, those words had become the darkest part of my life.

He might not kill me physically, but emotionally, he was pulling the life out of me. The pain kept building, and it felt like just a matter of time before my heart gave out entirely.

"Cheryl?" Steph rushed to me like we hadn't fought the day before. If Finn hadn't wrecked me so completely, I might have been surprised she showed up at all. I'd assumed she wouldn't come back.

She gently stroked my forehead and hair as she spoke, "I'm sorry, Cheryl." Her voice was soft and worried, but the only soothing thing I'd felt in a while.

She was the only one in that house who made me feel remotely safe. Despite her friendship with my kidnapper, she was the only option I had.

Her touch reassuring. "I'm not going anywhere today. I've cleared my schedule. We can binge The Vampire Diaries and eat all day. I'm so sorry I wasn't here yesterday." She apologized again.

I remained silent, watching her as she rambled on.

"He didn't hurt you, did he? Please tell me he didn't," she asked, her tone shifting to anger, her concern deepening at my unresponsiveness.

She shook me and I felt a flicker of life returning, my soul slowly reconnecting with my body, bringing back all the sorrow, fear, and anxiety that had been buried deep. I exhaled shakily, on the verge of tears.

I nodded, and the words came out, almost in disbelief. "He is in love with me."