E4
– Tomorrow Morning
The hard door of the basement opens with an annoying creak.
Selene lying in the same spot.
The guards pointed the lights at her.
"Is she dead?"
"Well, better not."
"I'll check her pulse. You get a maid or someone."
"Got it."
"Sheesh… she sure has lost some blood."
---
MPE CENTRAL COMPANY – 2 PM
Leo: "What…? She needs to be hospitalized now? Are you f**king kidding me? You know the boss is in the middle of an important meeting… Just hang up. I'll try to handle it."
Leo sighs slowly, walking to the meeting room, knowing this won't end well. But it was urgent.
He finds Damian. He goes to his side and whispers:
"Sir… we have an urgent condition."
Damian sits up after a few moments and leaves. Leo follows behind him.
"What is it?"
"The guards went to check the basement as you commanded. Byte Queen… she had lost a lot of blood yesterday. She was shot only in the arm, and now they called. They say she needs to be hospitalized ASAP."
Damian's expression does not change.
"Do whatever is necessary.
And, find out who shot her."
---
7 PM – At the Mansion
I opened my eyes just to see the ceiling of a strange room, an IV drip already attached to my hand.
The room was warm. I was laying on a soft bed, not the cold floor of the dark room.
I looked around the room. It was super luxurious.
She slowly remembers everything from last night.
"I was shot… I was dragged to the dark basement and locked… What did I do? Why did they do that to me? What the hell am I doing here…?"
She sighed.
My whole body was in pain. I felt thirsty.
As I was slowly getting up, I heard footsteps.
I stood up, unattached the IV, winced from the sharp pain, then hid immediately.
The door opened.
A maid peeked into the room. Her eyes widened as she saw the bed empty. She immediately ran outside shouting:
"Guardians! Guardians!"
Selene stood there holding her breath, trembling slightly.
What the hell…? Why is she shouting? Did she think I ran away?
After a few moments, Selene slowly started walking outside.
It was empty there now.
They left…? Never mind. I just need water.
I still remembered where the kitchen was.
Inside the kitchen was so big. I poured a glass of water.
I finished drinking just to see the little girl in front of me looking at me with wide eyes.
The glass dropped from my hands, shattering on the ground.
I curse under my breath.
"F***… what do I do…"
As I was about to pick up the broken glass, the little girl shouts:
"NO, LADY HELPER! DON'T!"
Selene flinched violently.
"Th-That scared me… please don't shout…"
"…Do you not love me anymore?… Are you gonna leave…?"
With her Her doeish glossy eyes
Selene had no idea why she was crying or what she was talking about. Her expression softened.
"No… no, little girl. I don't hate you—ah!"
arm pain hits me
"Are you hurt? Hic… Did you fall?"
"Y-yeah… I did."
"Then you should rest with me… I'm sick too."
"Oh… yeah good idea ."
I couldn't run away again. I might die if I did.
So at least I went to the same bed and rested.
The little girl laid next to me and cuddled up against me.
I slowly fell asleep.
---
Outside the Mansion
Mr. Moretti gets off the car, his footsteps heavy and loud enough to make all the staff nervous.
The door of the mansion opens for him. Maids bow carefully, no one daring to look up.
He sensed something was wrong.
"Is she done being hospitalized?"
"U-um… yes, sir."
He went upstairs slowly.
---
The door creaks open slowly.
Damian stands in the doorway, sharp eyes scanning the room.
Silence.
Then—movement.
He sees her.
Selene.
Lying in bed.
Pale.
Fragile.
Breathing slow.
And beside her—Mira, curled up like she's found something precious.
His jaw tightens.
He steps inside, boots clicking against polished wood, quiet but heavy—like a storm walking on two legs.
The maid had told him:
She refused sedatives…
kept asking for water…
wouldn't stay still even with a fever.
And yet here she is now—sleeping. Not in fear, but with Mira clinging to her arm like she's afraid she'll disappear.
Damian stops one feet away from the bed.
Cold eyes soften—for half a second.
Then he pulls out his phone and texts one order:
"No guards near this room tonight."
A pause.
Another text:
"Send warm blankets and food. Light meal."
He doesn't explain why.
He just turns and closing the door without a sound, he stays and won't take his eyes away from them
---
An hour later
Selene stirs awake—groggy, dry mouthed—but alive.
She looks down at Mira still asleep on her chest… then toward the window…
…and freezes.
There—at the edge of the curtains—
a black suit sleeve disappears into shadow.
Her breath hitches.
Oh shit…
This little girl was still here.
What if it's someone trying to harm them—an enemy or a thief. Every think is possible in this mansion
She gently puts the little girl on the bed and gets up.
Slowly she takes out the knife she secretly had in her pocket (in past chapters it's mentioned ) and moves toward the shadow.
"I know someone is there"
She whispered.
Before she knew it, she attacked—
His strong hand wrapped around her arm and threw the knife away.
CLACK.
Damian Moretti.
She couldn't believe what she was seeing.
It was him.
"Do you have a death wish or something, Byte Queen?"
His voice low. Dangerous. Yet soft.
"Hmph—my arm!"
He lets go of her injured arm and wipes his hand with his handkerchief.
His eyes were narrow and sharp, looking right into her eyes with a very serious expression.
"Listen. I didn't order anyone to shoot. And the person who did will pay for it."
...
"So what I'm saying is… you are still guilty for getting near my daughter."
"And on top of that, now she's getting near to you."
"I. Don't. Like. That."
"If you listen to me and do as I tell you, things will go smoothly and you will get rewards."
"If you don't… well, I don't think it's necessary to finish the sentence."
He looked at her for a moment before selene tried to speak up for herself
"Daddy…?"
Moretti freezes.
He turns slowly.
"Yes, sunshine?"
"Y-you came back.. Are you busy ?"
"…No. No, sweetie. I'm not. Of course I will stay with you. Anything you want."
Mira smiles and giggles softly, gets up from the bed and runs toward him with her small short legs.
Damian picks her up, and now she is in his arms.
Seeing that moment made Selene dazed in her thoughts.
First, she had never seen this side of him.
Second… she had never felt this moment with her father.
So she was envious.
But she was also happy, because at least Mira wouldn't grow up like her.
Selene turned, feeling uncomfortable.
"S.. Selene? " said the little girl, like it was a name she had just learned.
"…Yeah?"
"I wanna play with you. Would you like to play with me… please?"
I looked at him.
He was emotionless, blank. But anger was obvious in his eyes.
"Nah, I'd pass. Thanks though. Maybe another time."
"…N-No? B-but why?"
"I mean, little girl, your dad stays for you. You must be with him. And I'm a little sick, so no, okay? I'll go for a walk."
I said.
I felt so much anger—or maybe it was just envy. I didn't care which one it was.
I walked through the big hall of the mansion.
I was so hungry.
I was about to sneak into the kitchen, but then the bodyguard—Leo. I still remembered him from the first day.
"What are you doing down here? You shouldn't be up."
"I-I needed something to eat… T-the boss is upstairs with his daughter."
"You still shouldn't be walking here. Sigh. Go sit on the couch. I'll bring something."
He slowly left the hall and went to the kitchen.
I sat on the couch.
It was raining outside.
My arm was still hurting, but there was nothing to do.
So I waited.
Then I realized my clothes had been changed. I was wearing a large pajama, but it still fit perfectly.
I was clean.
I wondered what happened when I collapsed back there.
The candlelight was hitting me. It was warm and beautiful.
Then suddenly Leo came back holding a tray of food.
"O-oh… thank you."
He puts down the tray on the table and was about to leave.
I wanted to call out and stop him because I didn't want to be alone.
But I was already alone.
After eating, the sound of those footsteps came again.
And he was coming nearer now.
"Get up."
"What is it?"
"I said. get. Up."
I sighed and stood up.
I was so tired I couldn't even feel fear.
I followed him through the darkness upstairs.
---
In His Office
The room was big enough to fit hundreds of people.
High ceiling. Big windows.
He was rich and could have done anything he wanted.
He takes his suit jacket off and raises his sleeves.
"Now I know you've been curious about the pay."
Pay?
What was he talking about?
Was there something I didn't know?
Don't tell me I had to pay for the car I used for my escape.
"What money? W-What happened?"
He looks at her coldly, a blank stare.
"I-I swear I didn't do anything this time—"
"I know."
"And I'm talking about your salary, Byte Queen."
I froze.
So he is half human. He does get it that I need to be paid for what I do.and I will get paid..?
I'm so stupid. Why hadn't it even crossed my mind?
They scared me too much. I just wanted to live.
"Oh… yes. How much is the pay, sir?"
"Here."
He threw a bag of money.
"five thousand dollars. $5,000. That's it for now."
Great lord…
I couldn't believe what I just heard.
I knew I should be grateful but what the hell?
This much money?
For me?
"Woah…"
…
"You're dismissed."
My mind was going through shockwaves, but my feet moved on their own.
I turned to leave.
The moment I turned, a really strong thunder hit, making the window shake with its loud noise.
Suddenly, the little girl appeared in my mind.
Before I even moved—
he already had.