Rima’s POV
With my things packed in two suitcases in the trunk of Mr. Snow’s car, we headed to his home. We didn’t exchange a lot of words because he was busy on his phone concentrating on whatever was displayed on it.After a few minutes, my phone rang inside my bag. I took it out and looked at the name displayed on the screen, ‘Tony’. It was the person I owed my new life to, the only person I could trust to keep me safe. I glanced up at Mr. Snow, asking cautiously “Can I answer?”He waved his hand and said casually "Of course” before he looked away, granting me permission.I knew I could talk freely with Mr. Snow and Travis listening in the car because the whole content of my conversation was going to be spoken completely in Arabic; my native language, which they wouldn’t understand a word of.Tony’s deep voice sounded from my phone, his tone soothing and fatherly; momentarily making me think of the real cruel father I have, the one who was the main reason I ended up here to begin with struggling and suffering on my own to erase what he made me go through “I missed you, girl. It’s been a while since you called. Is everything okay?”I smiled, feeling a sense of security wash over me as I replied in my native tongue “Hi, Tony. No, everything is fine, it’s great actually. I got a job at last. How are you? I miss you too”His laughter filled my ears, momentarily easing my tension “Not as much as I do, believe me. The house is empty without you, but it’s okay. I know you’ll be safer and happier there. Congratulations, I’m so proud of you. If your boss causes you trouble, you know I have eyes and ears in Toronto. I can teach him a lesson”I chuckled, grateful for his unwavering support and not doubting his words for a second because I knew what he was capable of “I know you can, but I don’t want any special treatment. He seems fine”“Well, I’m glad you found something to focus on. I was worried about you all alone there”“Don’t worry about me, Tony. I’ll be okay…speaking of,” I dropped my voice down as I asked dreadfully “Is there any news on him?”My heart started beating erratically when he said in a firm tone “That’s actually the main reason I called you. George is applying for bail through his attorney”My chest tightened, and my voice became hoarse “What?”“Look, I don’t want you to be scared, sweetie” His tone was calm.“B… But he was arrested in the middle of a drug deal! He was caught red-handed! How is there any room for bail? What judge would grant him bail?” I began to panic.“Powerful people like him can always find a judge they can buy. But listen…”I cut him off “Tony, if that man gets out, he will come after me. He won’t stop until he finds me. You think my death will stop him? It won’t. He will go into the afterworld just to get me back. You have to do something. You have to stop him from bribing any judge!”“Rima, stop panicking. There is no way he will find you. Maria is dead, and there’s nothing he can do to ever bring her back. So calm down”I became aware of Mr. Snow and Travis staring strangely at me. I cursed myself for letting my voice betray my conversation even though they had no idea what was being said. I relaxed unwillingly and lowered my voice “Okay, just keep me in touch, Tony. Please. Just because I panicked, don’t hide anything from me, especially about him. I want to know everything”“Sure, sweetie. Take care of yourself and don’t be scared. You have me, even if I am far away… I will do my best to stop him from bribing any judge”“Thank you, Tony. Goodbye” I hung up the phone, my heart still erratic. George was supposed to be locked up for a long time. I never anticipated he would get out this soon.“Are you okay?” Mr. Snow asked, worry in his tone.My chest tightened even more as my breaths grew rapid and shallow. The world spun around me, and I felt dizzy and lightheaded. Mr. Snow’s worried face came into focus as he said “You’re having a panic attack. Try to take deep breaths”He took my hand in his, gently squeezing, providing an anchor of comfort. The warmth of his skin soothed me.“Travis, pull over” Mr. Snow ordered. The car slowed to a stop as Mr. Snow turned to fully face me “Rima, look at me and breathe. In…and out. You’re safe. Just listen to my voice and breathe”I tried to breathe but couldn’t seem to get enough air. My heart raced as my vision blurred, consumed by fear of the past catching up to me.Mr. Snow grasped both of my hands, locking his gaze on mine. His brown eyes were deep and intense, yet filled with compassion.“Focus on me, Rima. Breathe slowly. You’re having a panic attack, but it will pass. I’m here with you” His voice was calm and steady, helping ground me.I stared into his eyes and felt something inside me unlock. The warmth of his hands holding mine spread throughout my body, filling me with an awareness of the present moment. My breath caught again, but for an entirely different reason.Gradually, my breathing eased, the dizziness fading, but I couldn’t look away from his gaze. I was anchored not by his words alone but by a connection I could feel forming between us – unseen but undeniable.He smiled. "There you go. Feeling better?”I nodded, speechless. No words were needed to convey what had passed silently between us. I had revealed a vulnerability, and he had been there without question or judgement. An impossible bond of trust was forming considering we barely knew anything about each other, and in this new city where I knew no one, I had found a person; a man, who was able to stop my fear of another man from taking control of me while also making me feel something not entirely bad when he touched me. I never thought another man’s touch can ever feel comforting after George ruined me.Mr. Snow gave my hands a final squeeze before releasing them. But his touch remained, imprinted on my skin, etched into my memory.“Thank you” I said in a small voice as I wiped my tears away consciously.“Do you get them often?” he asked gently.I stuttered, my lie caught in my throat as I began to hyperventilate again. I didn’t want to lie to him but couldn’t tell the truth. He couldn’t know about my past. I didn’t want anyone to know and judge me on it. Or look at me differently.He sensed my panic returning and calmed me “It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me. The important thing is that you’re feeling okay now. Do you want to step out for some fresh air?”Feeling embarrassed at his tender care, I shook my head “I’m fine now. Let’s just go”He nodded “Alright, if you’re sure you’re okay”I looked out the window, focusing on keeping my breathing steady like he’d shown me. My heart swelled at his kindness.I sighed. I couldn’t lose control every time I heard that bastard’s name.Like Tony said, Maria was dead and she would stay dead. But something still burned inside me. The Maria who burned down in her husband’s house weeks ago was still inside me, still scared, still terrified that even though she had burned and Rima had risen from her ashes—hiding her inside, shielding her, protecting her—she feared that somehow, George would be able to yank her out of there and bring her back to life again, back to his hell again.Jacob's POVI stood by the window of my office, gazing at the bustling cityscape of Toronto. For some reason, I couldn't shake the memories of my first meeting with my new assistant Rima yesterday and the bustling café filled with strangers. It was strange – I never paid much attention to the women around me, having built a fortress around my heart. I have always preferred fleeting one night stands over relationships, knowing that no woman would ever put up with my relentless work schedule and inability to take a day off, even on weekends.That fateful day, I was supposed to be working. But, frustrated by the lack of an assistant, I decided to take a break at the café for a change of scenery. I planned to return home and continue working, but as soon as I saw her, my focus shifted. I couldn't help but observe every little detail about her. Her delicate beauty stood out to me, and although she might not meet the standards of the modeling world, there was an allure to her that surpass
Jacob's POVWe were working late tonight; Rima was at my home office, and we had been at it for three hours now, preparing for a new campaign. I could have asked one of my marketing team to work on it, but it was a charitable event that I wanted to oversee for myself. This client was the first I ever landed when I started the company, and for some reason, I wanted Rima to be the one working with me on it and not any of the marketing team members.Despite not having much knowledge yet, I was determined to hear her inputs and ask her questions. At first, she was a little hesitant to say what was on her mind. I could understand that she knew she was out of her element and was afraid to say something that would make me feel like I made a mistake by hiring her. She didn't have the depth of knowledge I was looking for, but I encouraged her anyway. I knew she would get there because she had determination, and it was clear as crystal in her eyes. That's also part of the reason why I was inv
Jacob’s POVA wave of unease washed over me the next morning when Rima didn't answer her phone. Yesterday, she had been eager to meet up and head to the firm together for her first day. She had picked up the phone almost immediately, but now, after two disconnected calls, there was no response.I wondered if she had forgotten to take her phone off silent and overslept. I was already preparing a lecture for her on punctuality when I left my apartment with a tense expression. As usual, Travis was by the door, ready to take my laptop bag "Good morning, Mr. Snow" he greeted cheerfully.I gave a terse nod, opening my front door before he could reach it and headed straight to Rima's apartment; which was directly on the right side of mine. Sensing my foul mood, Travis hesitantly asked "Is everything okay, Mr. Snow?"My frustration grew when Rima didn't answer her doorbell after a full minute "No, most certainly not" I muttered, pulling out my phone to call her again. I could faintly hear
Rima’s POVA war. There was a raging war between my head and my heart.They never got along to begin with; they always fought each other. And I was always determined to go with my heart until my heart literally led me to my death. That’s when I decided to never ever ever listen to it again.He was being kind and warm despite my rudeness, my shouting, my refusal to share and my lies; which he so obviously saw right through. He was still wiping away my tear. I had fought so hard not to let it fall in front of him. His face was so gentle, so understanding.My heart was screaming at me to open up to him and telling me I can completely trust this man and that I wouldn’t regret it like the last time. It gave me the exact same advice when it was George standing in front of me and look what happened to me because of it!He said we share a connection, an impossible one that shouldn’t even exist because logically we only j
Rima’s POV*The Night Before*A vivid flashback of one of my most harrowing memories infiltrated my sleep last night, taking me back to a month ago.I found myself holding my breath in the cramped space that served as my temporary refuge. I was hidden in the car trunk of one of George’s bodyguards, a man named Dominic. He was the only kind soul in the villa where George held me captive, forbidding me from ever leaving his mansion or, more critically, escaping his grasp. Dominic was the lone beacon of light who could see my suffering during the months I spent married to George. Every person in the villa knew I was there against my will, subjected to abuse, beatings, humiliation, and pain in all its forms, but no one dared to help me… except Dominic.Whenever George left for work, Dominic would check on me. He tried to keep me company and comfort me when he could. His kindness was my lifeline in the darkness that had consumed me. After a
Rima’s POVHe walked over to the wall to my right, filled with whips, canes, chains, and every torture device imaginable. My heart dropped as he picked up a bullwhip I had never seen him use before, one that looked capable of causing a lot of damage, irreparable damage.He tore my shirt in half from behind and unhooked my bra before taking a few steps backward."I want you to know that you brought this upon yourself. I'm only using this because my previous lessons didn't stick. But I'll make sure this one does" he said darkly before swinging the whip towards me.A scream filled with pain echoed around the basement as I felt a slash open up on my back. It was the most painful thing I had ever experienced at his hands, and he didn't give me any time to recover as he swung again and again.I begged, pleaded, and swore never to do it again, but he only seemed to enjoy my pain and suffering as he continued to add more cuts to my back without mercy
Jacob’s POVRather than navigating the intricate networks of my professional realm, I found myself inexplicably drawn to Rima’s image on my monitor. There she was, every subtle movement spellbindingly captured by the subtle security camera nestled above my office door. My fixation, bordering on obsession, strayed into the territory of a voyeuristic stalker.Under normal circumstances, my surveillance of personal assistants was a strictly professional exercise, a bulwark against time wasted on frivolous smartphone activities or any suspicious undertakings that could become a looming threat. This vigilance was born from a bitter experience, a system devised and implemented a year after the birth of my firm.Back then, despite our small but dedicated team, we were steadily eclipsing our major competitors, pulling in the big fish from the corporate ocean of Toronto. Our surge in popularity was largely driven by a series of groundbreaking marketing campai
Jacob’s POVWith an icy stare, she tilted her head and gazed at him. Her spine straightened, her posture emanating a firm and unyielding resolve “Appreciate the suggestion, Thomas,” she said, her voice steady and assertive “However, I doubt I’ll find much leisure time for hanging out in the foreseeable future”He parted his lips, eager to interject, but she continued. Her smile was tight, her words sharp “If you’ll excuse me, I have a mountain of work to complete for Mr. Snow. As you pointed out, he’s quite stringent about focusing solely on business”The hint landed with precision. Thomas ceased his casual slouch against her desk, straightening up with a casual shrug “Fair enough. Just remember, I’m always around if you change your mind. Don’t hesitate to ring me… or text, whatever suits your fancy”With a wink, he fished out a small card from his shirt pocket, sli