Prologue: "For the first time, someone wasn't in his control—and it stayed in his mind."
After the day passed, Zaden returned home, only to find his cousins gathered there for a family function happening that week. He didn't feel like welcoming anyone and walked straight to his room without a word.
Mr. James noticed his expression and asked what was wrong, why he looked so frustrated and lost in thought, but Zaden responded with an angry stare and shut the door harshly.
Soon, his cousins entered the room, trying to calm him down and asking what had happened, but since Jeylin was there, Zaden remained silent.
After a while, Jeylin left the room.
Only then did Zaden speak.
He told them about Lara—how she shouted back at him, showed attitude, almost refused his offer, and still didn't care about his decision.
The cousins were shocked.
Conrad burst into laughter, as usual, finding humor in everything.
Simon, calm and observant as always, spoke thoughtfully, saying that she didn't seem like most women.
Zaden frowned and asked what he meant, questioning if she was a psycho.
Simon laughed and replied that not every woman seeks attention from men or gets attracted to someone just because they are handsome. He explained that she must have had a hard life, which made her focus only on surviving and building her future, not on people like him, and that was probably why she didn't look at him the way other women did.
Zaden got irritated and argued that she was ill-mannered, while Simon was talking about attraction.
Conrad and the others laughed again.
Simon continued, explaining that not everyone who stays silent in front of Zaden does so out of fear. He said everyone has anger and ego, but they choose not to show it to someone dominant like him, not because they are afraid, but because they like him and don't want conflict.
Zaden immediately dismissed it, calling it nonsense and insisting that people stay quiet because they fear him, adding that he didn't care whether women were attracted to him or not.
Just then, Jeylin entered the room again and asked what was going on, but Conrad, without noticing her presence properly, joked that maybe this Lara didn't fear Zaden and that she might be the perfect match for him.
Jeylin froze and asked who Lara was.
Zaden didn't answer. Instead, he told her to leave the room and knock before entering, his tone harsh and eyes filled with anger.
Jeylin looked at him for a few seconds, hurt visible in her eyes, before silently walking away.
Simon watched this and calmly pointed out that Jeylin had feelings for him since childhood, which was why she stayed quiet and obeyed him. He added that if it had been someone else, her reaction would have been very different, considering her own anger.
He then said something that made the room fall silent—Zaden's face and presence were irresistible, and that was why women behaved the way they did around him.
Conrad immediately clapped and cheered at Simon's words.
Zaden stood still, saying nothing.
Simon continued, saying that Lara was different, that she neither feared him nor found him attractive, and that women like her would always be bold enough to speak their minds.
Zaden's expression darkened.
His ego was triggered—both by the fact that she didn't fear him and that she might not even find him attractive.
Michael and Richard, who had been quietly observing, exchanged glances. Richard then casually asked if Zaden had a picture of her.
Conrad got excited and asked the same.
Zaden looked at all of them, his face unreadable, then suddenly turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him.
In the hall, everyone was gathered for dinner, but Zaden ignored them all and walked past with visible anger. He opened the main door and went straight to the garden.
As he left, Jeylin watched him, her eyes filled with both love and pain. His mother noticed and asked her what was going on, but Jeylin remained silent.
Outside, Zaden sat in a chair in the garden, the cool air brushing against him as he lost himself in thoughts of Lara.
Inside, the cousins joined the dining table, still discussing everything, laughing and talking about how a girl named Lara had actually gotten into Zaden's head.
Jeylin sat there quietly, her emotions stirred by the constant mention of Lara.
Mr. James and his wife were both surprised - hearing a new girl's name and noticing Zaden's unusual behavior because of her.
Mr. James immediately called the manager and asked for details. After hearing everything, he understood something important.
For the first time,
Someone had taken control over his son's mind.
A small smirk appeared on his face at the thought.
Night fell.
And slowly, the house grew silent as everyone drifted into sleep... except Zaden.