Chapter 28
Jinman kept his gaze fixed on her, searching for even a flicker of a reaction, but Jian fought her own instincts and hid her gasp behind a mask of cold indifference. With a tired sigh, he began pulling her toward the heavy entrance of their new reality.
As they reached the door, Jian's eyes widened slightly when she saw the glowing digital interface. This wasn't a home; it was a fortress secured by PIN security. Jinman's fingers danced across the keypad with practiced ease, and with a smooth, mechanical whir, the door slid open. Jian stood frozen for a moment, utterly fazed by the high-tech barrier.
'Why does he need such high security? Oh, yeah! He is a criminal! What did you expect, Jian? A lock and key?' she scolded herself internally.
Jinman caught her surprised expression and leaned in, his voice a low vibration near her ear. "A PIN number is required for entering as well as exiting the house," he elaborated.
The words hit her like a physical blow. 'There goes my plan of escaping!' she thought, her heart sinking.
"And I will tell you the code when you gain my trust," he added with a small, knowing smile.
They entered the house, and for a moment, Jian's resolve nearly crumbled. The interior was breathtakingly beautiful—a level of luxury she had only ever dreamed of. But suddenly, her momentary wonder crashed as she recalled her family. 'How can I enjoy such riches when my Omma and Onna are not happy! I hate myself and more than that, I hate him,' she thought bitterly.
"It's late now, almost 11 pm," Jinman stated, checking his watch. "So let's just freshen up, and then we will have supper and sleep. Okay?".
He led her upstairs, his boots thudding rhythmically as he pointed out the rooms. "I will tell you everything about this house tomorrow, coz I know we both are tired," he said. "But, three rooms are important for you to know".
He stopped at the first door. "This is my room, well not exclusively. You can visit in whenever you want". He moved to the next one. "And this is your room. You can do anything in here. Your luggage will be brought here tomorrow. Okay?".
Jian felt a sudden surge of relief. 'Wow! We are staying in two different rooms. "Thank God. At least there is one thing that happened well today,' she thought.
But her celebration didn't last long. Jinman continued walking, and she followed in confusion. Finally, he stopped at a third door and pulled her in. "And... this is our room. Okay?".
Realization hit her like ice. 'And there I thought I had some privacy! Stupid Jian!' she scolded herself. The other two rooms were merely their individual studies. The master bedroom was cream-painted with ceiling LEDs, a plasma TV, and a mini-refrigerator.
"The right door leads to the washroom. The left one is the closet," Jinman explained. He commanded her to sit on the king-sized bed and she obeyed. He grabbed a t-shirt and trousers he had already prepared for her—he had planned for everything.
"I'll bring food here, okay! I am too tired to eat in the kitchen," he said as she headed to the bathroom. Inside, she stood stunned.
As soon as Jinman's footsteps faded down the hallway to fetch the food, Jian bolted toward the door, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. She moved with a desperate, silent grace, stepping out into the corridor and away from the "shared" room that felt like a prison cell.
Instead of a staircase or an exit, she turned a corner and found herself standing at the edge of another colossal hall. This space was even more vast than the foyer downstairs, with soaring ceilings that disappeared into the gloom.
END OF FLASHBACK