The room was too quiet.
Not the peaceful kind of quiet—but the kind that pressed against your chest, making every breath feel heavier than the last.
I could still feel him.
His presence.
His warmth.
The way his eyes had looked at me earlier—like he could see everything.
"Why are you avoiding me?"
His voice came from behind me, low and calm, yet carrying a weight that made my fingers curl slightly at my sides.
I didn't turn.
"I'm not."
A lie.
A very obvious one.
Footsteps.
Slow. Measured.
Closing the distance between us.
"Look at me."
My heart skipped.
No—stumbled.
I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to stay still. "I said I'm fine."
Silence.
Then suddenly—
His hand wrapped around my wrist.
Not rough. Not gentle.
Just… firm enough to remind me I wasn't in control.
Before I could react, he turned me around.
And just like that—I was trapped.
His gaze locked onto mine, sharp and unreadable, yet burning with something dangerously close to intensity.
"You're thinking too loudly again."
My breath hitched.
Of course.
Of course he noticed.
This man… this impossible, frustrating man—
He could hear what I tried so hard to hide.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I muttered, trying to pull my hand away.
His grip tightened.
Not enough to hurt.
But enough to stop me.
"You do."
He stepped closer.
Too close.
The world seemed to shrink until it was just the two of us, the air thick with something unspoken… something electric.
"You're afraid of me."
I froze.
"No."
Another lie.
His eyes darkened slightly, like he was watching every thought flicker through my mind.
"You're not afraid of what I'll do to you," he continued, voice softer now… quieter.
"...You're afraid of what you'll do if you stay."
My chest tightened.
Because he was right.
And that scared me more than anything.
"I don't—"
"You felt it too."
His words cut through mine.
Sharp. Precise.
Unavoidable.
The memory flashed—his touch, the closeness, the way my body had betrayed me so easily.
Heat rushed to my face.
"Stop reading me," I whispered, my voice barely steady.
For the first time…
He hesitated.
Just for a second.
Something shifted in his expression—something almost human beneath that cold, controlled exterior.
"I'm not trying to."
"But you are."
My voice cracked slightly now.
And I hated it.
"I can't even think without you knowing. I can't even feel anything without you seeing it."
The words poured out before I could stop them.
"It's not fair."
Silence fell between us.
Heavy.
Then—
His hand slowly loosened around my wrist.
But he didn't step away.
"I don't read everything," he said quietly.
I blinked.
"What?"
His gaze softened—just slightly.
"Only the things that matter."
My heart skipped again.
And somehow… that made it worse.
Before I could respond—
The door suddenly burst open.
"Sir!"
We both turned.
The guard stood there, slightly out of breath, tension written all over his face.
"There's a situation."
His expression hardened instantly.
The softness—the hesitation—it vanished like it had never been there.
"What happened?"
"The woman from last night…"
My stomach dropped.
"…she's awake."
Silence.
Cold.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
His jaw tightened.
"Good."
The single word carried a promise that sent chills down my spine.
Not relief.
Not satisfaction.
Something darker.
Something dangerous.
He glanced at me briefly—just a second.
But it was enough.
Enough for me to realize one thing.
Whatever was about to happen next…
Nothing would be the same again.
To be continued…