"Stay right there, Liz," he commanded, his voice cold and controlled, slicing through the quiet empty room. I froze, my heart pounding, knowing resistance would cost me. But something inside me snapped. "I won't," I said, my voice trembling but defiant, barely loud enough to reach him. The words felt foreign, like they belonged to someone braver. He turned, his eyes darkening as he closed the distance between us. "What makes you think you get a choice?" His tone was venomous, and my fleeting courage crumbled, leaving me at the mercy of this monster. Before I could back away or beg, his hand cracked across my face, the sharp sting of the slap forcing me to stumble against the wall. His voice was a venomous hiss: "You are mine to break and mend, Liz. Don't make me prove it again." I'm Lucious Bane, and Liz Wilson is mine-her every step, her every thought, I shape. My control keeps her close, but her defiance stirs a darkness I can't tame, reminding me of my mother's whispering truths. But one thought drives me through the chaos, the only thing that keeps me grounded: CONTROL.