The grey sky wept a fine drizzle, misting over the classroom windows in silence. At the end of the class, a calm-faced girl stared blankly at the whiteboard, her expression unreadable. Nina, 19, was the brilliant student teachers always praised. Quiet, reserved, but her eyes held something deeper – a burden, perhaps a secret.

"Nina, you're seriously good at studying. How do you even stay that focused?" a classmate teased with a smile.

Nina offered a faint smile. "Sometimes… when you've got a lot going on, studying becomes an escape."

No one knew that her home was far from peaceful. At school, she was the role model. At home, she was just the eldest daughter shouldering a life far too heavy for her age. The moment the front door closed behind her, reality struck hard.

“I have to be strong… for Mom, for my little sister… they can’t know I’m breaking,” she whispered to herself every night before sleep.

A few months ago, her father, Mr. Freed, had vanished without a trace. Caught in a high-risk investment promising quick returns, he disappeared, leaving only empty promises and mounting despair. Sometimes the phone rang with his name displayed – but there was never a voice on the other end.

“Dad, where are you? How could you leave us like this?” Nina’s voice cracked in the silence.

Even worse, her mother, Madam Selena, seemed to be in denial. She clung to their old lifestyle – luxurious items still decorated the house, masking a happiness now paid for with debt.

"Mom, it’s okay to live simply… as long as we’re at peace," Nina said gently one afternoon.

But her mother shot her a sharp look. "We can’t look poor, Nina. People are watching."

Nina knew all those luxuries came with a price – credit card debts piling up, overdue loans. But whenever she spoke up, she was silenced.

“You’re just a kid! Don’t meddle in adult matters!” her mother snapped. Nina fell quiet, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Night after night, only her pillow knew her cries. Her bedroom became a sanctuary from a world far too cruel for someone her age.

“Please… give me strength. I can’t take this much longer.”

One rainy night, a loud knock echoed through the house. Both Nina and her mother froze. It wasn't a normal knock – it came with a warning.

A tall man dressed in black stood at their door. His gaze was sharp, his voice cold.

"I'm here to discuss Mr. Freed's debt."

"D-debt? What do you mean?" Madam Selena's voice trembled.

The man introduced himself as Rayyan, a representative from a moneylending syndicate. His tone was calm but carried the weight of something dangerous. He showed them documents – Mr. Freed's signature, the loan details – all clear.

"Mr. Fred's borrowed a large sum from us… and now he’s gone," Rayyan said quietly, firmly.

“If he can’t repay, the responsibility falls to the family,” he added, handing a paper to Nina.

Nina froze. Time seemed to halt.

“What happens if we don’t pay?” her voice barely a whisper.

“You have seven days to make the first payment. If not…” Rayyan let the threat hang in the air.

After he left, Madam Selena tried to brush it off.

"Don’t worry, Nina. Maybe they’re just trying to scare us."

"But Dad’s gone… and we have nothing,” Nina replied, her fear finally breaking through.

That night, Nina stood on the balcony, watching the rain ease into a mist. But her heart was still storming.

“My world has changed… I have to be strong. But I’m scared…”

In the darkness, she remembered happier days – when their family was whole. Laughter at the dinner table, her father’s hugs, her mother’s jokes, and her sister’s giggles.

“I want my family back… I won’t let this debt destroy us.”

Nina gripped the balcony railing tight.

“I won’t let them ruin us. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Across the street, in the cold stillness of the night, Rayyan stood watching. A faint smile played on his lips, unreadable.

“This is just the beginning… Nina, you have no idea what’s coming.”

Morning light crept in through the worn-out curtains. The small house remained quiet after a night filled with sobs and restlessness. But that peace was only temporary.

A knock sounded at the door—soft but firm. Standing at the threshold was Rayyan—the same man who had brought a storm into their lives just the night before. His face was calm, but there was something threatening in his eyes. Power. Control. And something even more terrifying: unwavering confidence.

“I came with an offer,” he said coldly.

Nina froze. Her breath caught in her throat. Beside her, Madam Selena clutched her daughter’s hand tightly, as if trying to transfer strength through her grip. But nothing could calm the storm inside them.

Rayyan stepped inside without being invited. He moved like he owned the place. Sitting down, he pulled out a document and slowly unfolded it.

“This is a contract,” he said, handing it to Nina. “Read it carefully. You have two choices—pay the debt or work for me.”

Nina took the paper with trembling hands. The black letters on the white page felt like they were writing her destiny.

“Work?” her voice wavered. “What kind of work?”

Rayyan gave a small smile—a smile that chilled Nina to the bone.

“You’ll find out soon.”

The amount printed in bold stopped her breath. RM198,540. It was an impossible amount for them, even if they were given a year.

Madam Selena covered her mouth. Tears flowed uncontrollably. “How are we supposed to pay this much?” her voice cracked.

Rayyan said nothing. He simply stared, waiting for an answer he knew wouldn’t come.

“Please,” Madam Selena begged, now on her knees. “Give us more time. We’ll try!”

Rayyan stood. “You have 24 hours. After that... I make no promises.”

“She’s my daughter, Rayyan! Don’t be heartless!” Madam Selena screamed, her voice shaking.

Still, his face remained emotionless. No pity. No hesitation. He stared at Nina as if expecting an answer she hadn’t given yet.

“If I agree to follow you,” Nina finally spoke, voice firm despite the fear in her eyes, “what kind of job is it really?”

Rayyan leaned in, his voice low and chilling. “It’s not a normal job. You follow my rules. That’s all.”

That tone—steady and dangerous—made Nina realize just how serious this was.

“You have 24 hours,” he repeated before walking toward the door. “If you don’t agree... I’ll come back with another way.”

Another way?

Nina didn’t dare imagine what he meant.

“Nina,” her mother whispered, “do this for the family. You have to sacrifice.”

“Mom... this isn’t a sacrifice. It’s surrender.”

“We have no other choice!” Madam Selena's voice rose, desperate. “If you don’t agree, we’re all doomed!”

Nina went quiet. Her heart burned.

“Just think of it as saving all of us,” her mother’s voice softened. “Be strong.”

Nina turned away. Her tears fell freely now. “I’m more than just a sacrifice,” she whispered.

That night, she sat by the window, staring out into the dark sky. Questions swirled in her mind.

“Why did Dad do this to us?”

“Why is Mom forcing me?”

She reached under her pillow and pulled out a small savings book. The balance: RM478.50. Embarrassingly small when their lives were at stake.

“It’s not enough... But it’s all I’ve got,” she whispered.

And yet, in that hopelessness, a spark ignited inside her. She would not go down without a fight.

The next morning, Nina walked into a luxurious restaurant that sparkled in every corner. All eyes turned to her, but she only looked at one man—Rayyan.

He sat there, as if the world belonged to him. On the table in front of him was a thick, blue file.

“Read and understand,” he said, sliding it toward her.

Nina opened the file. The job contract was detailed, but some parts were vague—almost as if they were hiding something.

“This isn’t a joke, Nina.”

“I know,” she muttered.

Her hand trembled as she signed. With the final stroke of the pen, she sealed her fate.

Rayyan smiled, satisfied. “Good.”

He opened the door of his black luxury car for her. Inside, it smelled of expensive cologne—intoxicating and intimidating.

“You belong to me now,” he said quietly.

The drive was silent. Rayyan seemed relaxed. But every word he spoke felt like a knife.

“You do as I say.”

“No questions.”

Nina sat still, hands clenched tight in her lap. Her heart was breaking, but she forced herself to stay calm.

The car stopped in front of a tall building guarded by surveillance cameras and security systems. It looked like a fortress. Or a prison.

Rayyan looked at her. “Welcome to your new life.”

Nina swallowed hard. Her chest tightened. Her heart was racing.

The building door opened slowly. She stepped inside, leaving everything she knew behind.

Clutched in her hand was the contract—not just a document, but the symbol of her new reality.

Darkness waited inside. But somewhere deep in her heart, one voice refused to die:

“I won’t fall that easily.”

But... would she survive?

The luxury car came to a smooth stop in front of a modern mansion, surrounded by a high fence and dozens of CCTV cameras watching silently from every corner.

Nina glanced out the window as the automatic gate slowly opened, revealing a three-story house glowing faintly in the twilight.

“What kind of place is this?” she whispered, but Rayyan, who was driving calmly, didn’t answer.

The CCTV cameras swiveled as if welcoming their arrival. A security guard bowed respectfully without a word as the car rolled past the gate.

“Don’t look back,” Rayyan said sharply before stepping out of the car, his voice a clear warning.

The house looked expensive but cold and silent—as if it were uninhabited, a prison wrapped in luxury. The spotless glass walls gleamed, yet no laughter echoed through the halls, no signs of life stirred.

“Why does this house… feel like a museum?” Nina murmured to herself.

The marble floor reflected their shadows, swallowing Nina’s anxious footsteps. Rayyan led the way ahead, refusing to answer her questions. Every door was tightly shut, hiding secrets behind their heavy panels.

Rayyan escorted Nina inside with few words, only signaling for her to follow closely and quietly. He moved slowly, motioning for silence.

“Can you tell me what’s happening?” Nina asked, voice trembling.

He said nothing, only glanced back at her with sharp eyes. She followed, trying to memorize every detail of their passage. Her heart pounded—she walked in step with a man whose motives remained a mystery.

The house staff, dressed in uniforms, were silent and obedient to Rayyan’s every command, creating an atmosphere thick with tension. Two women greeted them at the door with deep bows.

“Show her to guest room A5,” Rayyan ordered, and they moved without a word.

Nina tried to say hello to one of them, “Hi… can I—” but the woman passed by without a glance.

“They won’t answer if I’m around,” Rayyan said dismissively. The silence weighed heavily, as if everyone feared saying the wrong thing.

Nina was led to a spacious room, furnished with basic necessities but without any lock on the inside. The room was neat and pretty, yet an unsettling feeling crawled along the walls.

“Can this door be locked from inside?” Nina asked, twisting the handle. Rayyan looked at her without emotion.

“No need. No one will bother you.”

She didn’t believe him. Slowly closing the door, the luxury around her felt like a beautifully decorated trap.

On the table lay a small note, handwritten in neat sharp letters. It listed three simple rules: Don’t resist.

Don’t run.

Don’t lie.

Nina read it over and over, trying to grasp the hidden meaning behind these harsh commands.

“Only three rules? But all of them… are prohibitions,” she whispered.

She hesitated to tear it up, but fear held her back. “If this is a warning, what happens if I break even one?” her mind whispered anxiously.

Minutes later, Rayyan appeared, settling into a chair with an air of quiet authority.

“You’re safe… as long as you follow the rules,” he said calmly.

He hadn’t knocked before entering, his face calm like a master claiming his domain. Nina stood stiffly, clutching the note behind her back.

“What rules? I don’t understand…” her voice quivered.

Rayyan smiled faintly, “Understand it or not, you will obey.” The chill in his voice made Nina feel as if she had signed an unwilling contract.

There were no physical threats, no rough touches—yet Rayyan’s words cut deep, precise and calculated. Each sentence was measured, but beneath it lay a sharp, hidden meaning.

“People like you learn fast when they’re handled well,” he said, locking eyes with her.

 Nina bit her lip, struggling to keep the growing fear from showing. “Why me? Why not someone else?” she asked, daring to speak.

“Because you don’t know your own worth yet,” Rayyan replied quietly.

Nina asked, “Why am I here?” but Rayyan only smiled cynically, “Because I chose you.”

Her eyes widened in disbelief at the simplicity of his reason.

“What do you mean ‘chosen’? I’m not an object,” Nina snapped angrily.

Rayyan chuckled softly. “But you’ve become part of my game.”

“I’m not a toy,” she insisted firmly.

“We’ll see who plays who,” he answered, then stood and left her alone.

The first days passed in confusion. Nina was given no specific tasks, only told to remain there. Time crawled, each ticking second mocking her patience. She paced the room, sometimes sitting by the window counting birds.

“I feel like a prisoner, but in a golden cage,” she muttered. No activities, no distractions—only swirling, tangled thoughts. She began keeping small notes in a diary she found tucked in a drawer.

She was not allowed outside, had no phone, and was served only by an old housemaid. Every meal was silently delivered; the old woman bowed her head and said nothing.

“Can I talk to you for a moment?” Nina asked once. The woman shook her head gently, placed the tray down, and walked away.

“You’re scared of him too, aren’t you?” Nina whispered, but received no answer. Now her only company was her own inner voice.

Rayyan appeared at unpredictable times—sometimes to eat with her, sometimes just to watch silently from afar. Nina never knew his schedule.

“Can I eat by myself?” she asked when he sat across the table.

“I like watching you eat. You look calm. But not for long,” he replied. Sometimes he only stood by the door, watching without a word. His presence was like a shadow—silent but suffocating.

Nina felt watched every minute, as if every step was measured and recorded. She noticed tiny dots near the ceiling—hidden cameras.

“Eyes everywhere,” she whispered, covering her mouth with a pillow. Whenever she talked to herself, she wondered if Rayyan was listening.

“How can I run if every move is tracked?” she thought, starting to write notes instead of speaking aloud to avoid being overheard.

Gradually, she realized this was not merely punishment for debt—it was a power game, and she was a pawn. Rayyan never touched her, but controlled every breath she took.

“He’s not just a debt addict. He’s addicted to control,” Nina wrote in her diary. Everything felt orchestrated, as if she were stuck in a pre-written script. She began to suspect it was connected to her father’s past.

“I need to find a way out, not just survive,” she whispered to herself.

When Nina tried to rebel by refusing food, Rayyan came himself with a meal, sitting quietly and waiting.

“Trying to starve yourself?” his voice broke the silence. Nina didn’t answer, staring out the window instead. He placed a hot plate on the table.

“Eat. If you get sick, I’m the one who suffers too,” he said calmly. She finally gave in, chewing slowly,

“I’m not hungry. But I don’t want to lose.”

“Don’t waste your time being stubborn. I’ve tamed wilder humans,” he said with quiet confidence. Rayyan leaned back in his chair, calm as ever.

“I’m not a wild animal,” Nina shot back, sarcastic.

“Humans can be tamed too. The question is… how long do you want to fight?” Nina stared, refusing to show weakness.

“I’ll stay myself, no matter how long you hold me.”

Nina felt trapped—not by iron chains, but in a psychological snare that slowly drained her spirit. Her voice softened, her movements grew cautious.

“I don’t want to become a puppet he shapes,” she wrote in her diary. But she admitted her mind was more confused each day, fear tightening its grip. Nightmares plagued her—Rayyan’s voice screaming her name in the dark.

“He doesn’t lock my body. He locks my mind,” Nina whispered.

On the third night, she heard faint screams from a room below—a rare moment when Rayyan’s composed facade cracked. The screams were short but sharp—a man’s voice. Nina stood by the door, heart pounding as she eavesdropped.

“Who’s hurt? Who else is in this house besides him and me?” Glass shattered, Rayyan shouted angrily at someone—his calm replaced by fury. She wrote quickly in her diary,

“There’s something darker here than I imagined.”

The next day, Rayyan appeared as usual, acting like nothing had happened. His face was calm, his smile polite, dressed impeccably.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked as if the screams never echoed.

“You… aren’t angry about last night?” Nina tried.

“Probably just your nightmares,” Rayyan replied, raising an eyebrow. Nina dared not ask more, but suspicion burned stronger than ever.

That night, Nina wrote quietly in her secret diary:

“He doesn’t touch me… but he’s starting to touch my soul in ways I hate.” Her hand trembled slightly, less steady than before.

“He knows how to make me feel weak without even touching me.” She hid the diary inside a crooked empty picture frame hanging on the wall. Turning off the light, she stared at the ceiling, hoping her dreams would carry her far away—even if just for a moment.