I didn't sleep.
Not even for a second.
The bed was too big.
The room too quiet.
The air too heavy with him.
Even after Kael left, his presence lingered like something invisible… something that refused to let me forget where I was.
Who I belonged to.
I turned on my side, staring at the ceiling as the reality settled deeper into my bones.
Six months.
Six months of this.
Six months of him.
I swallowed hard, my fingers curling into the sheets.
No.
I wouldn't break.
I couldn't afford to.
Not when everything depended on me staying strong.
"Miss Vance."
The knock came at exactly 6:00 a.m.
Sharp. Precise.
Like everything else in this house.
"I'm awake," I called, even though my voice sounded rough.
The door opened, and Elira stepped in, already dressed immaculately.
"Good morning," she said. "Mr. Draven expects you downstairs in ten minutes."
Ten minutes?
My brows furrowed. "For what?"
"Breakfast."
I blinked.
Breakfast?
After everything that happened last night… he expected me to sit down and eat with him like this was normal?
Like we were normal?
I let out a quiet, disbelieving laugh.
"Tell him I'm not hungry."
Elira didn't move.
Didn't blink.
"That's not an option."
Of course it wasn't.
I clenched my jaw.
"Why does he care if I eat or not?"
Her gaze held mine for a moment.
Then she said something that made my stomach tighten.
"Because he said you would try to refuse."
Silence.
"He said you would resist everything at first."
A chill slid down my spine.
"And?" I asked slowly.
Elira's voice softened just slightly.
"He doesn't like being defied."
My pulse quickened.
Of course he didn't.
I exhaled sharply and pushed myself off the bed.
"Fine. I'll be down."
Because apparently…
I didn't have a choice.
The dining room was just as intimidating as everything else.
Long table. High ceilings. Floor-to-ceiling windows letting in the early morning light.
Beautiful.
Cold.
Perfect.
And at the head of the table—
Kael.
Already seated.
Already composed.
Already in control.
He didn't look up when I walked in.
Didn't acknowledge me.
Just continued reading something on his tablet as if I didn't exist.
My steps slowed.
Then stopped.
Was I supposed to just… sit?
Wait?
Ask?
The silence stretched.
Uncomfortable.
Deliberate.
Then—
Without looking up, he spoke.
"You're late."
My jaw tightened.
"I came down in ten minutes."
"You took eleven."
I stared at him.
Seriously?
"You counted?"
Now he looked up.
Slowly.
And the moment his eyes met mine—
Something in my chest shifted.
Because that look—
That calm, controlled, unreadable look—
Felt like pressure.
Like he was measuring me.
Weighing me.
"Sit."
I hesitated.
Just for a second.
But it was enough.
His gaze darkened slightly.
And suddenly—
Sitting didn't feel like a simple action anymore.
It felt like submission.
Still…
I pulled out the chair and sat.
Because again—
What choice did I have?
A plate was placed in front of me immediately.
I hadn't even noticed the staff move.
Eggs. Toast. Fruit.
Perfect.
Carefully prepared.
Like everything in his world.
I didn't touch it.
Kael noticed.
Of course he did.
"You're not eating."
It wasn't a question.
"I'm not hungry."
His eyes didn't leave mine.
"Eat."
"I said I'm not—"
"Eat."
The word came sharper this time.
Colder.
A command.
Something in me snapped.
"I'm not a child, Kael," I said, my voice firm despite the tension building in my chest. "You don't get to tell me when to eat."
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
And just like that—
Everything changed.
Kael set his tablet down slowly.
Deliberately.
Then leaned back in his chair, studying me.
Really studying me now.
Like I had just done something… interesting.
Something risky.
"Stand up."
My breath caught.
"What?"
"Stand. Up."
My heart started to pound.
Hard.
Fast.
Why did that sound like punishment?
"I'm not—"
"Don't make me repeat myself."
The air shifted.
Again.
That same pressure.
That same invisible force tightening around me.
I swallowed hard.
Then—
Slowly—
I stood.
My legs felt unsteady, but I refused to show it.
Kael rose from his seat.
And suddenly—
The distance between us disappeared.
Too fast.
Too close.
My pulse spiked as he stopped right in front of me.
Towering.
Dominating.
His gaze dropped briefly to the untouched plate.
Then back to me.
"You think this is about food?" he asked quietly.
I didn't answer.
Didn't trust myself to.
"Sit down."
I hesitated.
Just for a second.
His jaw tightened.
"Now."
I sat.
Immediately.
My breath coming faster than before.
"Good," he murmured.
Then—
To my shock—
He reached for the fork.
Picked up a piece of fruit.
And held it out.
To me.
My heart skipped.
"What are you doing?"
"Fixing a problem."
My stomach twisted.
"I can feed myself."
"I'm aware."
"Then why—"
"Because you won't."
The words hit harder than they should have.
"And I don't tolerate defiance over something this simple."
My chest rose and fell quickly.
This wasn't about food.
It never was.
It was about control.
Always control.
"I'm not doing this," I said, shaking my head.
Something dark flickered in his eyes.
Then—
Without warning—
He stepped closer.
One hand gripping the back of my chair.
The other still holding the fork.
"Open your mouth."
My breath caught sharply.
"No."
His voice dropped.
Lower.
More dangerous.
"Don't test me."
"I'm not your property!"
The words exploded out of me before I could stop them.
And the moment they did—
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Kael didn't move.
Didn't blink.
But something in his expression shifted.
Something cold.
Something final.
Slowly…
He set the fork down.
Then leaned in.
Close enough that I could feel his breath against my skin.
"You're right."
My heart pounded painfully.
"I don't own you."
For a split second—
Relief flickered.
Then—
His hand came up.
Not to touch.
But to rest just beside my face.
Trapping me again.
"Not yet."
The words were soft.
Quiet.
Terrifying.
My stomach dropped.
"What does that mean?" I whispered.
His gaze held mine.
Unyielding.
"It means," he said slowly, "you still think this is temporary."
My pulse quickened.
"It is."
His lips curved slightly.
Dark amusement.
"Keep telling yourself that."
Fear crept in.
Sharp and cold.
"Kael—"
"You signed a contract," he interrupted. "But contracts…"
He leaned in closer.
"…can be extended."
My breath caught.
"That wasn't part of the deal."
"No," he agreed.
"It wasn't."
Something in my chest tightened painfully.
"Then why would you say that?"
His eyes darkened.
Because he was enjoying this.
Enjoying the fear.
The uncertainty.
The control.
"Because," he said quietly, "you should understand something now, before you get too comfortable."
My throat went dry.
"In my world…"
His fingers brushed lightly against the table beside me.
Slow.
Deliberate.
"…nothing ends unless I decide it does."
My heart slammed against my ribs.
Hard.
Painful.
This—
This wasn't just a warning.
It was a threat.
And suddenly—
For the first time since I signed that contract—
Real fear settled deep in my bones.
Because what if—
What if six months didn't mean anything?
What if—
There was no end?
I pushed my chair back abruptly, standing up.
"I need air."
Kael didn't stop me.
Didn't move.
But his gaze followed me.
Every step.
Every breath.
Until I reached the door.
My hand was just about to touch the handle—
When his voice stopped me.
Low.
Calm.
Deadly.
"Aurelia."
I froze.
Slowly turned.
His eyes were on me.
Sharp.
Unforgiving.
"Don't run from me."
My chest tightened.
"I'm not running."
"Good."
A pause.
Then—
"Because you won't get far."
A chill ran down my spine.
But I didn't respond.
Didn't trust myself to.
I just opened the door—
And stepped out.
The hallway felt too long.
Too quiet.
Too suffocating.
My breathing was uneven as I walked faster… then faster… until I didn't even realize I was almost running.
This was wrong.
All of it.
The contract.
The house.
Him.
Something wasn't right.
Something I couldn't explain.
Something I couldn't see yet—
But could feel.
And it scared me.
Because deep down…
I knew one thing.
Kael Draven didn't just want control.
He wanted something more.
Something personal.
Something intentional.
And I was starting to realize—
This wasn't random.
This wasn't coincidence.
This was planned.
From the very beginning.
I stopped abruptly at the end of the hallway.
My heart racing.
Because suddenly—
A thought hit me.
Sharp.
Clear.
Terrifying.
If this wasn't random…
Then—
Why me?
Cliffhanger Line:
And the more I thought about it—
The more I realized…
I might not have walked into his life by accident.
I might have been chosen.