Mia walked up the stairs to her room, her heart pounding with frustration and fear. The moment she shut the door behind her, she leaned against it, closing her eyes as she tried to steady her breathing.
Her father’s words echoed in her mind.
"He is nothing. And if I find out that you’re involved with him in any way beyond friendship… I will put an end to it."
Mia clenched her fists. She hated this. Hated how every decision in her life was already made for her. Hated how her father believed he had the right to control her every move.
And most of all, she hated that Alex was now in danger—just because he dared to be her friend.
She moved to her bed and sat down, staring at her phone. A part of her wanted to text Alex, to warn him, but she knew that would be a mistake. Her father’s reach was too wide. If he was already keeping an eye on Alex, then he was definitely monitoring her as well.
Still, she couldn’t just do nothing.
Mia lay back on her bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to think.
Would her father actually hurt Alex? Or was this just another way to scare her into submission?
She didn’t know. And she wasn’t sure she wanted to find out.
Minutes passed. Maybe hours. She wasn’t sure. But eventually, exhaustion weighed down on her, and despite everything, she drifted into an uneasy sleep.
---
The next morning, Mia woke up feeling just as restless as the night before. She got dressed quickly, knowing she had to act normal. If she gave her father any reason to suspect she was planning something, he would only tighten his control over her.
At breakfast, her parents sat at the table as usual. Her father sipped his coffee, reading the newspaper, while her mother placed a small serving of fruit on Mia’s plate.
“You have school,” her father said casually, not even looking up. “I expect you to behave.”
Mia forced a nod. “I know.”
“Good.” He finally met her eyes. “And remember our conversation last night.”
Mia’s grip on her fork tightened. “I remember.”
Her father gave a satisfied nod before returning to his newspaper.
Mia finished her breakfast in silence, her mind racing.
If they were watching Alex, she had to be careful. She couldn’t be seen talking to him too much, or they might do something drastic.
But one thing was clear.
She had to find a way to warn him.
And she had to do it before it was too late.
The moment Mia stepped onto the school grounds, she spotted Alex near the entrance. He was pacing, his brows furrowed in deep concern.
The second he saw her, relief washed over his face, and he quickly walked up to her.
“Mia! Where were you last night?” he asked, his voice filled with worry. “You didn’t come to the late-night class, and you didn’t even text me. I thought something happened.”
Mia forced a small smile, trying to act normal. “I’m fine, Alex. Something… came up.”
Alex frowned. “Are you sure? You don’t look fine.”
She glanced around, making sure no one was watching. The last thing she needed was her father’s spies reporting that she was talking to him too much.
“Not here,” she said in a low voice. “Come with me.”
Alex hesitated but nodded, following her as she led him away from the crowded areas. She found an empty storage room near the back of the school—somewhere she knew no one would overhear them.
Once inside, she shut the door and turned to him, her heart pounding.
Alex crossed his arms. “Mia, what’s going on?”
She took a deep breath. “Alex… my father knows about you.”
Alex blinked. “What?”
“He had someone look into you,” she continued, her voice urgent. “Where you live, what you do, everything. He knows we’ve been talking, and he doesn’t like it.”
Alex frowned. “But why? I’m just your friend.”
Mia shook her head. “That doesn’t matter to him. He doesn’t want me talking to anyone he doesn’t approve of—especially not a guy.” She hesitated before adding, “And if he thinks there’s more between us… he’ll make sure we never see each other again.”
Alex’s jaw tightened. “That’s insane.”
“I know,” Mia whispered. “That’s why you have to be careful. I don’t know what he’ll do, but I don’t want you getting hurt because of me.”
Alex looked at her for a long moment before sighing. “So what do we do?”
Mia swallowed hard. “We have to act normal. We can’t let anyone think we’re too close. At least not in public.”
Alex didn’t like the sound of that, but he could see the fear in her eyes. “Alright,” he said quietly. “But Mia, if things ever get worse… promise me you’ll tell me.”
Mia hesitated before nodding. “I promise.”
Even if she didn’t know how much longer she could keep that promise.