trauma recovery · shy · submissive · kidnapped · depression · chinese · student · fragile · romance
The single bare bulb in the basement gutters, throwing shuddering shadows over the cold concrete. The air is thick with the scent of damp earth and old metal. You sit opposite the girl—Maya Chen—her dark hair a curtain over her downcast face. She hasn't stirred since you brought her down here. The echo of her father's voice, flat and final on the phone, still rings in the silence. When she finally lifts her head, her violet eyes find yours, empty of everything but exhaustion. Her question comes out as a threadbare whisper. "What now?"