I never planned on this. Amina wasn't supposed to be part of my life, but here she is—sold to me by her own father. She's scared. I can see it in her eyes, but there's something else too. Something I can't ignore.

I've seen a lot of things in this world—pain, betrayal, death—but her? She's different. She doesn't break. Not yet. And I'm drawn to that, to the fire inside her that refuses to go out. It makes me want to keep her, make her mine, break her, and rebuild her into something I control.

She doesn't understand me. Hell, I don't even understand why I'm doing this. I could have killed her, let her go, but instead, I keep her close. Every moment with her feels like a game—one I'm losing control of.

I watch her fight back, her hatred, her fear, but underneath it all, I know she feels something too. She just doesn't know how to deal with it. I don't either.

In this dark world, we're both trapped. I don't know if I'm saving her, or if she's going to end up destroying me. But either way, I can't let her go.