Chapter 72

Ella POV

The elevator doors slid open, and David scooped me up in one swift motion. I struggled, pushing against him with all my strength, but it did nothing to break his grip. His hold was unyielding as he stepped out into the hallway.

Then he started running. The jarring motion of his sprint sent shockwaves through my body, making me feel like a rag doll in his arms. The world around me became a blur—impossible to make sense of anything.

When we finally stopped, the sudden halt made my stomach lurch, and nausea hit me hard. David pushed open a door and carried me inside. It was a dingy, bare hotel room—just a bed, a chair, and a desk. Nothing more.

Without warning, he dropped me onto the bed. I bounced, pain shooting through my pounding head as the impact reverberated through my body.

I lay there, desperately trying to steady myself, but the room spun relentlessly. I had to get up. I had to run. But I couldn't get my bearings.

David strode over to a chair where a backpack sat. The sound of metallic clinking filled the silence as he rummaged through it.

Summoning all the strength I could, I pushed myself up onto my forearms, just enough to see what he was doing. Cold dread washed over me as I watched him set up a tripod.

He was serious. He was really going to film me. Tears stung my eyes as the terrifying reality of the situation settled in.

David glanced at me as he attached the camera to the tripod. “There’s no reason to cry; it’s not even on yet,” he scolded. “You brought this on yourself anyway. I tried so many times to talk some sense into you.”

“You don’t have to do this,” I cried softly.

“I do though,” David said. He walked over to the bed and leaned over me. “I have to do something to make you do the right thing and take me back. I understand that I hurt your feelings, but that’s no reason to throw everything we have away.” He grabbed the front of my shirt with both hands and yanked on the fabric, sending the buttons holding my shirt closed flying around the room.

Embarrassment flooded through me, but the sensation of the cold air on my hot skin made me gasp.

“That drug really does the trick, doesn’t it?” David asked with a smirk.

“Please don’t do this,” I pleaded.

An angry expression suddenly crossed David’s face as he gripped my arms tightly. "Marrying Alexander just to hurt me back is messed up, Ella. You know that, right?"

I shook my head, squeezing my eyes shut, trying to stop the tears from spilling over. "You don’t understand anything," I whispered.

"Then tell me!" David demanded, his voice rising. "What are you trying to do with a guy like that? I warned you about him, didn’t I? I told you to stay away from him!" Each word grew more laced with anger.

Fear surged through me, freezing my thoughts. I couldn’t find the words, trapped by the weight of his accusations.

I was trying to hurt him. I wanted him to pay for everything he’d done to me in the original timeline. But I never imagined it would lead to this—never thought he’d become this kind of man.

"You can’t even deny it!" David spat, his voice filled with disgust. "Tell me—have you slept with him?"

My eyes widened, and I stared at him in shock, unable to comprehend how far he had spiraled.

David suddenly smirked. “You haven’t,” he said with satisfaction. “Good, maybe I’ll send a copy of the tape to him, too.”

I tried to protest, but David grabbed the hem of my skirt suddenly and yanked it down my legs.

I was left in nothing but my undergarments and shoes. David stepped away from the bed, looking at me appraisingly. He suddenly pulled his phone out and held it up. I heard the familiar shutter sound as he started taking pictures of me.

I turned my head away, tears falling down my cheeks.

“I wonder what’s more valuable,” David mused. “I could blackmail you and get the wealth your pack has to offer.” He moved to the foot of the bed and grabbed my ankle, pulling me towards him. “Or, I could make you a movie star and make a fortune selling copies.”

“Don’t do this,” I begged.

“Give me a good reason not to,” he replied coldly.

My mind was still foggy, but beneath the layers of fear and embarrassment, another emotion began to rise—anger. David had already put me through so much, and now this? The heat that had been overwhelming me seemed to intensify, fueled by my growing rage.

“You can’t do this,” I said, my voice trembling slightly but filled with determination. “If you do, I promise—I’ll make you pay.”

David laughed, a bitter, low sound that sent a chill down my spine.

“I don’t know what’s happened to change you from the sweet innocent girl you were, but let me tell you something, Ella. You don’t frighten me. You have no power to stop me, and the sooner you accept that, the easier things will be for you.”

He walked to the other end of the room and stood behind the camera. I struggled to sit up, but it was difficult. It felt like my limbs were made of lead.

David was looking through the camera, adjusting something on the display.

“The drugs in your system will only grow stronger,” David explained as he watched me through the camera. “The heat will be unbearable soon, and there’s only one way to make it stop.”

I shook my head, but I knew that he was telling me the truth. I could feel the sweat on my body and my breath was becoming more labored as the heat became harder to manage.

“You know that video your friends took of Amanda and me?” David asked, standing up straight and pulling his shirt over his head. “Let’s see if this one gets as much attention.”

A red light on the camera came on, and David walked towards me.

I shook my head and forced my body to move. I crawled backwards up the bed, trying to get away from him. David just smirked as he grabbed me by the ankle and pulled me back towards him.

I managed to kick him in the face, but I was so weakened by the drug that the blow didn’t even phase him.

He loomed over me, grabbing my flailing arms in his hand and pinning them above my head.

“Stop making everything so damn difficult!” he ordered.

I glared at him, hatred burning in my chest. “No,” I said shakily.

David looked back with just as much anger in his expression. He grabbed my hair with his free hand and pulled hard, forcing my head to the side and exposing my neck to him.

My heart raced with fear as David’s lips brushed my neck. The contact was pleasurable, but disgust overrode it. I struggled to pull my arms free, but I couldn’t move.

There was a banging sound in the hallway that made David freeze. He lifted his head away from me, looking towards the door.

Knowing that someone was nearby, I did my best to make my voice work.

“Help,” I said weakly. I tried again, my voice louder and more panicked this time.

David pressed his lips against mine, forcing his tongue into my mouth to silence me. I fought against him frantically, but I couldn’t pry him away.

But then everything stopped. All the panic, all the fear...it froze in my chest at the sound of a familiar voice coming from the other side of the door.

"ELLA!"

It was Alexander screaming my name.