The bass from the club throbbed through the walls like a heartbeat.
Too loud.
Too heavy.
Too suffocating.
Sophia wiped her sweaty palms on her uniform as she pushed her mop across the glossy floor. Her body ached from hours of work, her feet screaming with every step but she couldn't stop.
She wouldn't stop.
Not when her mother was lying in a hospital bed.
Not when ten million dollars stood between life and death.
"Hey," the manager's voice snapped, making her flinch. "Stay out of the restricted areas. You hear me?"
Sophia nodded quickly. "Yes, sir."
"Good. Some doors aren't meant to be opened."
He walked away.
But his words stayed.
Some doors aren't meant to be opened.
She tried to ignore it.
She really did.
But as she cleaned deeper into the club, the noise faded… the lights dimmed… and the atmosphere changed.
The hallway ahead was quiet.
Too quiet.
No music.
No laughter.
Just silence that pressed against her ears.
And at the end of it
A door.
Black.
Plain.
Closed.
Her grip tightened around the mop.
Don't.
Her mother's voice echoed in her head.
Stay away from trouble, Sophia.
She swallowed.
Then took a step forward.
Another.
And another.
"I'll just take a look…" she whispered to herself. "Just one second."
Her fingers trembled as she reached for the handle.
Click.
The door creaked open.
And everything inside her froze.
A man was on his knees.
Bleeding.
His face swollen, unrecognizable.
Three men stood around him.
Guns pointed at his head.
Sophia's breath got stuck in her throat.
Her heart slammed painfully against her chest.
"No…" she whispered.
This wasn't real.
It couldn't be.
She stepped back slowly, shaking.
"I didn't see anything… I didn't see anything…"
She tried to close the door.
Carefully.
Quietly.
But...
Creaaaaak.
The sound cut through the room like a scream.
Silence fell.
Then...
"Who's there?"
Her blood ran cold.
Their heads turned.
Their eyes locked on her.
And in that moment—
Sophia knew.
She had made a mistake she couldn't undo.
She ran.
Or tried to.
A hand grabbed her before she could take two steps.
She screamed as they dragged her inside, the door slamming shut behind her.
"Please! Please, I'm sorry—I didn't mean to—I didn't see anything!" she cried, struggling.
They didn't listen.
They forced her to her knees beside the bleeding man.
Up close, the smell of blood hit her hard.
Her stomach twisted violently.
"I said I didn't see anything!" she sobbed.
A gun was shoved into her hand.
Cold.
Heavy.
Deadly.
Her fingers shook so badly she almost dropped it.
"N-no… I can't…"
"Shoot him," one of them said flatly.
Her world stopped.
"What…?"
"Shoot him," he repeated. "Or you die."
Her ears rang.
Her vision blurred.
"I've never… I can't… please…" she begged, tears streaming down her face.
A gun clicked behind her.
Loud.
Final.
"Then die with him."
Sophia broke.
"I don't want to die…" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Please… I don't want to die…"
Her hands shook violently, the gun slipping.
"I'm sorry…" she cried. "I'm so sorry…"
Then—
Someone stepped behind her.
She didn't see him.
But she felt him.
The air changed.
Colder.
Darker.
He didn't speak at first.
Didn't rush.
A hand slowly wrapped around hers.
Steady.
Unshaking.
Terrifying.
Her breath hitched.
"Don't miss."
His voice was low.
Calm.
Deadly.
Before she could react—
He pulled the trigger with her.
BANG.
The sound exploded in her ears.
The man dropped.
Lifeless.
Gone.
Sophia screamed.
The gun fell from her hands as she scrambled backward, shaking uncontrollably.
"No… no… no… I didn't… I didn't…"
Her chest tightened.
She couldn't breathe.
"I didn't kill him… I didn't…" she sobbed, clutching her head.
A soft chuckle echoed in the room Cold Amused Cruel "Too late."
Sophia slowly looked up.
And saw him,Dark eyes Sharp features
Power in every inch of him.Not human.
Not safe.
The devil.
"You saw what you weren't supposed to see," he said calmly.
Her lips trembled. "Please… I won't tell anyone… I swear…"
He stepped closer.
Slow.
Controlled.
Like he had all the time in the world.
"And now," he continued, his gaze locking onto hers, "you belong to me."
Her heart stopped.
"No…"
"Take her."
Hands grabbed her again.
She screamed, kicking, fighting.
"No! Please! My momshe's sick I need to go home! Please!"
No one listened.
No one cared.
They dragged her out.
The music returned like nothing happened.
Like no one had just died.
Like her world hadn't just ended.
Outside, a black car waited.
She was thrown inside.
The door slammed.
Locked.
Her body shook violently as tears streamed down her face.
"I'm sorry, Mom…" she sobbed. "I'm so sorry…"
If only she had listened.
If only she had walked away.
If only she hadn't opened that door.
But it was too late.
The devil had chosen her.
And there was no escape.