The golden morning sun shimmered on the blue water of the swimming pool. Alia was floating in the cool water, trying to wash away the traces of last night's horror. Beside the pool, Maria was meticulously combing and styling Alia's wet hair. Although there was deep exhaustion in Alia's eyes, a sense of cold elegance had returned to her face.
At that moment, Anashia entered the scene. He was wearing only a loose white shirt, with the top buttons left open. He held something in his handcperhaps a drink or some important documents.
Anashia stopped by the edge of the pool. His messy hair and the way he wore the white shirt suggested that his night hadn't been very peaceful either. He looked at Alia with a strangely charming yet sinister smile.
Anashia: "Good morning, Alia. You look quite refreshed after last night's storm. I thought perhaps you wouldn't even be able to get out of bed today."
Alia lifted her head from the water and looked at Anashia. Maria stopped styling the hair and moved slightly to the side.
Alia: "To survive in the Dark Lord's kingdom, one must make both body and mind as hard as stone, Anashia. My body may be tired, but my brain is still sharp."
Taking a sip from his glass, Anashia stepped closer to Alia. Rolling up the sleeves of his white shirt, he leaned down and whispered near Alia's ear
Anashia: "I know Viktor better than you do. He will try to break you, but if you join forces with me, the two of us can bring this Dark Lord to his knees. What do you say?"
Alia didn't answer; she just stared into the blue water. Behind the tranquility of the morning, the threads of a new conspiracy were beginning to weave together. Alia slowly stepped out of the pool, water dripping from her body as Maria rushed to wrap a towel around her. Seeing Anashia's audacity and the way he stood there in that loose white shirt, Alia's face contorted with pure disgust. She looked him straight in the eye and spoke in a bitter tone
Alia: "Don't you feel any shame, Anashia? Viktor is your best friend, like a brother to you! And you come into his inner sanctum to speak such filthy words to his wife?"
Anashia didn't flinch. He placed his glass on the table and let out a sinister chuckle. Stepping closer, he adjusted his sleeves and said—
Anashia: "Shame? There's no such thing as shame in this dark world, Alia. And as for Viktor? Yes, he is my friend, and I'm not harming him. I am simply carrying out an order."
Alia's brow furrowed, a sense of dread washing over her. Anashia leaned in and whispered his horrific condition
Anashia: "You have to share a bed with me for the next 10 days. You understand what that means, right? Day and night, you will be under my control. And this isn't a request it's Viktor's direct command. He wants you to go through this ultimate humiliation. He handed you over to me himself."
Alia felt the ground slip from beneath her feet. She stared in utter disbelief. Could Viktor really be such a beast that he would hand his own wife over to his friend just to punish her?
Anashia: (With a crooked smile) "10 days, Alia. Just 10 days. Let's see how long your pride and your dreams of being a Godmother last."
Maria stood nearby, her hands trembling with fear. Alia stood as still as a statue, the last shred of mercy she had for the Dark Lord instantly turning into burning coals of hatred. A mocking smile played on Alia's lips. She wrapped the towel tighter and stood tall. Neither Anashia's filthy proposal nor Viktor's so-called 'order' could surprise her anymore. In a steady, scathing tone, she said
Alia: "I knew you two were nothing but low-life thugs Even the poorest people on the streets have more dignity than you. Viktor fancies himself a 'Dark Lord,' and you think you're something big standing in his shadow but in reality, you're both just low-class beasts."
Anashia's smile vanished for a moment. Hearing the word 'tokai' from Alia's mouth made his jaw tighten. Alia didn't stop; she took a step forward and continued
Alia: "Handing over one's wife to a friend, or eyeing a friend's wife only low-lives like you are capable of such things. You think you can break me with this humiliation? Remember, to fight a beast, one must become a beast. You've just shown me the way."
Alia gestured to Maria to follow her inside. Before leaving, she turned back to Anashia one last time
Alia: "10 days? You won't be able to look me in the eye for even 10 minutes, Anashia. Because you thugs are only brave in the dark; in the light, you are spineless."
Alia walked away with firm strides. Standing by the pool, Anashia realized that the fire they had started was now turning back toward them. Alia was no longer the same woman; she was now a living volcano of vengeance. Anashia let out a demonic and confident laugh. He leaned back in the poolside chair, savoring the situation. As Alia walked away, he shouted out that dark and filthy truth—
Anashia: "Alia! Don't walk away so easily. You seem to have forgotten how well we know each other since childhood. The Viktor you call a 'low-life' and I have no curtains between us. Do you know? From our childhood days until now, we have shared a bed at least 100 times!"
Alia froze near the door. A shiver ran down her spine. Anashia didn't stop; he continued even more crudely—
Anashia: "There are no secrets between us. We've eaten from the same plate, slept in the same bed, and eliminated enemies together. When Viktor handed you over to me for 10 days, he was simply sharing a part of our old friendship. To us, you are nothing more than a 'prize.' What we have shared is beyond your imagination."
Alia slowly turned around, her eyes blood-red with fury. This shameless confession revealed the depth of the twisted bond between Viktor and Anashia.
Alia: "So, you aren't just beasts; you're perverts. Whether it's 100 times or a thousand just because you've warmed each other's beds doesn't mean you'll make me a part of your filth. Viktor sent you because he's a coward, and you came because you're used to consuming his leftovers."
Anashia burst into laughter. He stood up, adjusting the buttons of his white shirt, and said
Anashia: "Enough talk, Alia. The 10-day countdown begins tonight. Be ready, because whatever Viktor has done, I'll give you an even bigger surprise. As the Dark Lord's friend, I will surely claim my due."
Alia didn't stay a second longer. she felt a deep self-loathing for ever being part of this demonic circle. But a terrifying resolve settled in her mind if she had to die, she would take these two 'low-lifes' down with her.It was 1 AM. The mansion was shrouded in silence, save for the faint footsteps of the guards in the corridor. Alia crept toward Anashia's private room, her heart hammering against her ribs. She pushed the door open and found it empty—the massive bed lay untouched.
She walked slowly toward the washroom. Stepping through the glass door, her breath hitched. Anashia was lying in the bathtub, eyes closed. That soaked white shirt clung to his frame, making his muscular build even more prominent. The wet fabric had turned almost translucent.
Anashia remained still, as if lost in deep meditation or agony. Alia stared at him for a moment. The resentment and intense desire bottled up inside her merged into one. Without hesitation, she let her night dress slip from her body.
Alia stepped into the tub and sat directly on his chest. The splashing water broke Anashia's trance, but he didn't open his eyes yet. Alia wrapped her hands around Anashia's throat and choked him. Her fingers tightened around his neck.
Alia: (In a muffled voice, a mix of lust and fury) "You wanted to possess me for 10 days, didn't you? Then look at me! Why are your eyes closed? Do you truly have the power to destroy me?"
Anashia finally opened his eyes. That reddish tint and the familiar, demonic smirk returned to his lips. He didn't resist; instead, he grabbed her waist and back with his powerful arms. He seemed to savor the pressure on his throat.
Anashia: (In an incredibly low voice) "I knew you would come, Alia. Viktor's order was just an excuse the real pull was always inside you. Kill me... choke me harder, so that I can remember your touch for the rest of my life."
Beneath the water, their bodies merged. A strange game of hatred and love began in the blue water of the bathtub, where on one side was the fear of death, and on the other, a forbidden addiction. A terrifyingly beautiful and demonic scene unfolded in the blue water of the bathtub. Alia held Anashia's throat with one hand, a light pressure that was less about killing and more about a suppressed sense of possession. Anashia didn't move an inch; instead, he basked in the situation.
As they became intimate, the water in the tub splashed over the edges. Anashia was still laughing a laugh of triumph and raw intensity. His eyes were wide open, the pupils glowing red with a primal urge or some dark intoxication. He was panting heavily, and with every breath, the rise and fall of his chest sent electric jolts through Alia's body.
Under Anashia's demonic gaze and the touch of his hot breath, Alia's fair skin turned a deep shade of red from both shame and the peak of desire. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, merging with the water from the tub. Alia tried to pull her hand away, but Anashia's crimson eyes seemed to have her hypnotized.
Anashia: (Panting, in a broken voice) "What do you see, Alia? This red in my eyes is the proof of my hunger for you. Viktor wanted to punish you with hatred, but I want to destroy you and make you mine. Where will you run?"
Alia couldn't speak. Her entire body felt numb yet alive. She leaned further onto Anashia's chest. Anashia gripped the back of her neck with one hand, pulling her even closer. The water in the tub felt as if it were boiling from their combined body heat.
In the dead of night, within the isolation of the washroom, a forbidden epic of love and hate was being written, where Alia lost herself in the spell of Anashia's red eyes.