His Beloved Puppet

Summary

Five years later, Aria Snow is forced to return to her ex-boyfriend, Kane Rivers, to save her brother from a massive gambling debt. Kane, resentful of Aria for leaving him five years ago with their child, admits he set a trap just to imprison her by his side again. In his quest for revenge, Kane subjects Aria to a series of humiliations, forcing her to wear revealing clothes to please clients and act as a submissive servant. However, her reaction is not what he expects. She grows numb and calm, treating the situation as a transaction, which frustrates Kane's desire to see her break down. Their relationship evolves into a pathological co-dependency. Kane painfully realizes that in tormenting her, he has destroyed the woman he once loved, creating a perfect "puppet." Meanwhile, Aria finds a strange sense of relief in complete submission, becoming dependent on being controlled and losing her ability to live independently. They both acknowledge they are "sick," trapped in a symbiotic relationship of mutual torment from which they cannot escape.