Chapter 4 THE ACCEPTANCE

Evelyn's POV 

I continued to stare at the documents in front of me. My gaze was blurry, probably from the improper meal I was being served on a daily basis. I could feel Adrian's gaze on me, he was waiting. Patiently.

If I sign this, I get to leave this hellhole with my dignity intact, I get to find out who the real murderer is and I get to make sure I'm vindicated. 

I was still thinking when I heard booted feet next to me. “You've got ten minutes Jonas.” The warden said and immediately,I rolled my eyes. Adrian continued to stare at me, watching calmly. 

“Time’s up.”

The prison warden’s gruff voice snapped me out of my thoughts and my fingers tightened around the edge of the metal table as I slowly lifted my head. The documents were still sitting in front of me, untouched, waiting for my signature like they already knew I would eventually break.

I swallowed hard.

Across from me, Adrian remained calm, too calm, waiting for my response. 

“Two minutes, Jonas,” the warden repeated impatiently.

I pushed my chair back and stood up immediately. Adrian rose too, towering over the table effortlessly. His eyes flickered toward the unsigned documents,then back at me. 

“You don’t have to decide now,” he said quietly and I frowned slightly. “But you will need to decide soon,” he added.

The air between us felt heavy and I hated that he was right. If I sign those papers, I'll be walking out of this jail like a free bird.

But nothing came free in this world, especially not from a stranger “What if I say no?” I asked.

His expression didn’t change. “Then you stay here.”

The warden cleared her throat loudly. “Let’s move.”

Adrian reached into the inner pocket of his coat and pulled out a black card. Minimal design. Expensive texture.

He extended it toward me.

“Think about it,” he said. “When you’ve made your decision, call me.”

I hesitated before taking it. Our fingers brushed for barely a second, but somehow it felt strange. Warm. Real.

Not like this place. I quickly shoved the card into the pocket of my prison uniform before anyone could notice.

“I’ll be back,” Adrian said softly.

Then he turned and walked away without another glance. The heavy prison doors slammed shut behind him.

That night, I laid on the narrow prison bed staring at the cracked ceiling while the sounds of distant yelling echoed through the cell block.

A woman somewhere down the hall was crying,someone else was laughing while I kept thinking about Adrian and his offer.

Even his name looked powerful printed in silver lettering. I hated how tempting hope felt.

“Jonas!”

I quickly hid the card under my pillow as a guard banged against the bars. “Night cleaning duty. Move it.”

Great.

I climbed off the bed with a sigh and followed the other inmates through the hallway. The prison floors were freezing beneath my thin shoes while fluorescent lights buzzed overhead.

A mop bucket was shoved into my hands. “South corridor,” the guard ordered before walking away.

I muttered under my breath and dragged the bucket behind me.

The south corridor was quieter than the rest of the prison. Most inmates avoided it because it led toward solitary confinement. Lucky me.

I dipped the mop into the dirty water and started cleaning mechanically, trying not to think too much.

The silence was creepy and just then, a tall female inmate stood near the end of the corridor. I recognized her instantly.

Raina. Nobody messed with Raina, not unless they had a death wish. She smiled at me, but there was nothing friendly about it.

“Well, well,” she mocked. “Look who’s all alone.”

My stomach dropped. “What do you want?” I asked carefully. She began walking toward me slowly.

“You’ve been making people nervous, sweetheart.” I frowned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Really?” she laughed darkly. “Funny. Because people are saying you’re trying to reopen your case.” Cold fear crawled up my spine.

How the hell did she know that?.I took a step back instinctively, and Raina’s smile widened.

“That’s dangerous.”

Before I could react, another inmate appeared behind me. My heart slammed violently against my ribs and in that moment,I realized that I was trapped.

The mop slipped from my fingers. “You should’ve stayed quiet,” Raina hissed and then everything happened at once.

Pain exploded across my face as someone punched me hard enough to send me crashing against the wall. I gasped.

A hand grabbed my hair violently and slammed my head into the concrete. Stars burst across my vision.

“Stop—!”

A kick landed directly into my stomach and I collapsed onto the floor choking for air, while their voices sounded distant now.

“You think you’re innocent?” Kick.

“Do you think anyone cares?” Kick. I curled into myself desperately, trying to protect my ribs while pain tore through my entire body.

Blood filled my mouth.One of them grabbed my throat suddenly and I panicked instantly. I couldn’t breathe.

“Oh, she’s fighting now,” Raina sneered.

Her fingers tightened harder around my neck and my vision blurred.

No.No no no, I wasn’t going to die here. Not like this.

Somewhere inside me, survival instincts grew instantly and immediately,I reached blindly until my fingers touched the metal mop bucket beside me.

Without thinking, I swung it with every ounce of strength I had left.

CRACK. Raina screamed.

The grip around my throat loosened immediately. I shoved her backward and scrambled to my feet while the second inmate cursed loudly.

“Grab her!”

Adrenaline exploded through me, I ran faster, refusing to look backwards. My legs burned violently as I sprinted through the corridor, slipping slightly on the wet floor behind me.

“HELP!” I screamed desperately. Footsteps thundered after me, tears blurred my vision and I could barely breathe.

I turned sharply around the corner and nearly crashed into a prison guard.

“What the hell—”

“They tried to kill me!” I gasped.

The guard looked up just in time to see Raina and the other inmate running toward us.

I backed against the wall trembling uncontrollably while officers restrained the inmates.

Raina glared at me murderously as they dragged her away.

“This isn’t over!” she screamed. My knees nearly gave out. A familiar voice spoke beside me gently.

“Easy there.”

I looked up and saw Warden Brooks.

The only decent person in this entire prison.

Her expression softened slightly when she noticed the blood running down my face.

“Jesus,” she muttered. “Come with me.”

An hour later, I sat inside the infirmary holding an ice pack against my bruised jaw. Everything hurt, even breathing felt painful.

Warden Brooks leaned against the doorway quietly. “You’re lucky,” she said finally.

I gave a weak laugh. “Doesn’t feel like it.” Her face darkened slightly.

“That attack wasn’t random.” I looked up sharply.

“I know.”

Silence stretched between us, then she sighed heavily. “You got enemies outside these walls, Evelyn?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly.

She studied me for a long moment before speaking again. “You wanna tell me why inmates suddenly think you’re reopening your case?”

“Rumor.” I replied calmly. “Can I borrow your phone? It's urgent, please.” I said the last part in a whisper and for a while she looked at me. 

“There’s a phone in my office.” she replied finally. 

I looked up immediately. “You’re giving me a call?”

“Five minutes,” she warned. “That’s all.” Relief hit me so hard I almost cried.

“Thank you.”

My hands shook as I held the phone to my ear, listening to it as it rang for a few seconds. 

“Hello,?” His voice was smooth and calm like he’d been expecting my call.

I closed my eyes briefly and for a second, I almost backed out but then I remembered Raina’s hands around my throat.

I remembered the kick,and suddenly staying silent didn’t feel safe anymore. “I thought about your offer,” I said quietly.

Adrian didn’t interrupt. I tightened my grip on the phone.

I took a shaky breath,then finally said the words that changed everything.

“I accept.”