The apartment was quiet.
Too quiet.
Elena woke slowly.
Sunlight filtering through the curtains.
Soft.
Calm.
For a second—
She forgot where she was.
Then—
Reality came back.
His apartment.
His world.
Him.
She sat up.
Looked around.
Empty.
Her chest tightened.
That was… unexpected.
She got up.
Walked into the living room.
Still empty.
No movement.
No sound.
"You left," she murmured.
That shouldn't matter.
It didn't matter.
She walked to the kitchen.
Nothing.
For someone who controlled everything…
He disappeared quietly.
Her phone buzzed.
A message.
From him.
"Work. Don't leave the apartment."
Her jaw tightened.
Of course.
Back to control.
She typed quickly.
"You didn't even say goodbye."
Three dots.
Then—
Nothing.
She frowned.
That annoyed her more than it should.
She set the phone down.
"I don't care," she said.
Lie.
Minutes passed.
Then—
Her phone buzzed again.
"You were sleeping."
Her breath caught.
That was… different.
She stared at the message.
Then typed.
"So?"
A pause.
Then—
"I didn't want to wake you."
Silence.
Her chest tightened.
That didn't sound like him.
She put the phone down slowly.
"You're confusing," she whispered.
Time passed.
She tried to distract herself.
Walking.
Thinking.
Looking out the window.
But something was off.
She noticed it more now.
His absence.
That was new.
By noon—
She couldn't ignore it anymore.
The apartment felt too big.
Too empty.
She grabbed her phone.
Typed.
Paused.
Deleted.
Typed again.
"When are you coming back?"
She stared at the message.
Then sent it.
Seconds passed.
Then—
"Why?"
Her heart skipped.
She frowned.
Typed.
"I need something."
A pause.
Then—
"What?"
She hesitated.
Then typed:
"You."
Her breath caught.
She stared at it.
Too late.
Sent.
Silence.
Her heart started racing.
What did she just do?
Then—
Her phone buzzed.
"Don't say things you don't understand."
Her chest tightened.
She typed fast.
"I do."
Three dots.
Then—
"No, you don't."
Her jaw tightened.
"Then explain."
Silence.
Longer this time.
Then—
Nothing.
She dropped the phone on the table.
Frustrated.
"Fine," she muttered.
But ten minutes later—
The door opened.
She turned.
He was back.
Too fast.
Her heart skipped.
"You said you were working."
"I am."
He walked in.
Same control.
Same presence.
But something felt… different.
"Then why are you here?" she asked.
A pause.
Then—
"You said you needed me."
Silence.
Her breath caught.
That was not what she expected.
"I didn't mean—"
"You did."
A step closer.
Her heart started racing.
"You don't say things like that by accident."
Silence.
He stopped in front of her.
Not touching.
But close enough.
"What do you need?" he asked.
Her voice dropped.
"I don't know."
That was the truth.
A pause.
Then—
"Then don't ask for something you're not ready to understand."
Her chest tightened.
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
His gaze didn't move.
"It means…"
A step closer.
"…once you need me like that…"
Her breath caught.
"…you won't be able to walk away."
Silence.
That hit.
Hard.
Her heart raced.
But this time—
She didn't step back.
"I already can't," she said quietly.
That changed everything.
His eyes darkened.
Slowly.
And for the first time…
He didn't hide it.