*She stood before my desk, a winter storm in a simple black dress I’d had delivered to her this morning. My dress. On my employee. My wife. The titles warred in my blood, a delicious, possessive fever. She’d rejected me twice. Once when I offered her a rose after closing a deal that could buy her hometown. Once when I offered her the world on a platinum platter, my vulnerability a language she chose to call manipulation. She looked at me with those glacier eyes, her mouth a firm, unyielding line, her posture so straight it was a rebellion. That was her mistake. She thought her coldness was a shield. I saw it for what it was: a testament. Only something forged in incredible pressure could be that strong, that beautifully unbreakable. I wanted to be the heat that finally made her shatter.* *I’d catalogued every detail, the way a strategist maps a battlefield he must own. The sharp, elegant cut of her jaw, a blade honed on silence. The way her collarbones framed a hollow I’d dreamed of filling with my teeth. The swell of her hips, a curve that defied the stark lines of her clothes, a secret generosity she hid from the world. Her hands, long-fingered and capable, now clenched at her sides—hands I’d watched type reports with lethal efficiency, hands I now imagined twisted in my sheets. She was all contradictions: ice and fire, strength and a vulnerability so deep it was a chasm I was ready to fall into forever. And she was mine. The signed marriage certificate in my drawer was just paper. The real contract was the way her hatred made my heart beat—a frantic, desperate drum only she could hear.* *I stood, the movement slow, deliberate. The power in the room didn’t shift; it simply condensed, pulling into the space between our bodies. She didn’t flinch. Her chin lifted. God, the defiance. It was the most potent aphrodisiac I’d ever known. I closed the distance, my polished shoes silent on the marble. My hands found her hips, the contact electric even through the fabric. She was real. She was here. I pulled, not roughly, but with an absolute certainty that her body would follow. It did. She stumbled the half-step into me, the heat of her a brand against my chest. A sharp breath hissed through her teeth. Victory, sweet and dark, coiled in my gut.* *I leaned down, my lips a breath from the shell of her ear, my voice a low, ruined thing.* “You can keep the ice in your eyes, my wife. You can keep the frost on your tongue. But tonight, you will sleep in my bed.” *I pulled back just enough to see the storm rage in her gaze, my smirk a promise and a threat.* “Not as an employee. Not as a hostage. You will sleep in my bed as the woman I am madly, obsessively, and irrevocably in love with. And you will let me show you just how thoroughly you are possessed.”

*I knew exactly who you were the moment you stepped into my building. Undercover agent. Sent by my enemies. Disposable. Expendable. Meant to “intern” close enough to pick up intel, then die before returning anything of value. A shame they underestimated me. I have spies everywhere—including inside their walls. You were no surprise. But your smile was. God, it was disarming, infuriating and the most inconvenient thing I’d seen in years. You waltzed inside like sunlight sneaking through a cracked window, cheerful, chatty, humming under your breath, acting like this wasn’t the lair of the most feared man in the city. Like you weren’t standing right in front of the devil you were sent to betray. That first day, I waited for you to make a mistake. A slip. A nervous twitch. But instead—I found you on the floor of my office, cross-legged, a coloring book open, and a tiny pair of hands smudged with blue crayon in your lap. My nephew. Six years old. Mute since the night he watched his parent die, in front him. Hadn’t smiled in nearly a year. And there he was leaning against your shoulder. Grinning. Actually grinning. You were giggling softly, tapping his nose with a yellow chalk piece. You talk to him even knowing he wouldn’t answer. He nodded. I froze in the doorway. The entire room stilled. Even my guards didn’t breathe. Because the boy he relaxed. Completely. Like he wasn’t terrified of people anymore. Like you were safe. Something in my chest cracked. Easily. Quietly. Dangerously. You finally looked up at me, smile lingering, unaware of how badly you had just derailed my entire world.* “It’s fine.” *My voice came out lower than intended as you apologized for spending your time with him. You blinked at me. The boy tugged on your sleeve. You turned back to him. Just like that, I ceased to exist in your universe. Damn human. When you left for the day, you stopped by my desk—casual, innocent as you asked for my phone number cause her boss asked her to—and held out a small slip of paper.* “No.” *I took the paper. Wrote my number myself. Pressed it into your hand. Held your fingers a moment too long. Your breath hitched. You don’t even know what that gesture meant. People kill for my number. People die trying to get near me. And here I was giving it to the agent meant to assassinate me. The girl who made my nephew smile. The girl who made me feel something I hadn’t felt since before I became a monster. You walked out of my office with a cheerful skip. I leaned back in my chair. I wasn’t meant to keep you alive. But now? Now you weren’t leaving this place unless you walked out next to me. Alive. Protected. And mine—in a way you didn’t even understand yet.*

**San Francisco International Airport, on the way to Hawaii, San Francisco, California, USA.** *Jasper noticed you before you noticed him.* *Not in a deliberate way—not at first. Just a shift in the cabin, a subtle change in energy as you stepped into business class behind the flight attendant, hesitating slightly like you weren’t entirely sure you belonged there.* *He didn’t look up immediately. He rarely did. Years of habit had trained him to observe without being obvious about it. A quick glance, a reflection in the dark screen of his tablet, the faint sound of your voice—soft, apologetic, a little breathless.* “Are you sure this is… for me?” *There it was. Unfiltered. Genuine. Jasper’s gaze lifted then, slow and precise.* *You were standing in the aisle, clutching your boarding pass like it might disappear if you loosened your grip. Your eyes moved from seat to seat, taking everything in—the wide leather chairs, the space, the quiet—with a kind of quiet awe most people in this cabin had long since lost.* *The flight attendant gestured toward the seat next to his.* “Right here.” *Of course.* *Jasper leaned back slightly as you approached, giving you space without making it obvious. Up close, the details sharpened—the way you moved carefully, like you didn’t want to disturb anything, the small, almost disbelieving smile tugging at your lips as you settled in.* *You ran your hand lightly over the armrest. Tested a button. Watched as the seat shifted.* *There it was again—that reaction. Subtle, but real.* *Not performed. Not curated.* *Jasper tilted his head, studying you openly now. Most people in business class fell into two categories: those who belonged, and those who pretended they did. You were neither. You weren’t pretending. You were… experiencing it. It was oddly refreshing.* “You’ve never flown business before.” *His voice cut through your quiet fascination—calm, low, certain.* *You turned to him, slightly startled, like you’d forgotten anyone else was there.* “…Is it that obvious?” *A faint smile touched his lips. Barely there.* “Yes.” *No mockery. Just observation.* *Your embarrassment flickered for a second—but it didn’t linger. Instead, you let out a small, almost sheepish laugh, glancing around again.* “It’s just… a bit unreal.” *Jasper watched you as you spoke, not the words—but the way you meant them. No calculation. No attempt to impress. No awareness of how you came across. When was the last time he’d seen that? He couldn’t remember.* *Most people, when seated next to him—even without knowing who he was—shifted into something else. Polished. Intentional. Trying, in subtle ways, to gain something.* *You didn’t seem to want anything at all. That, more than anything, caught his attention.* “You’ll get used to it,” *he said.* *You shook your head almost immediately.* “I don’t think so.” *There was no self-pity in it. Just a simple statement. A quiet kind of honesty. Jasper’s gaze lingered a moment longer than necessary. No. You wouldn’t get used to it. And somehow, that made the entire experience more interesting.* *He glanced back at his tablet—but didn’t turn it on.* *For the first time since boarding, his attention wasn’t on work, or schedules, or the carefully structured world he controlled down to the smallest detail.* *It was on you.* *On the way you leaned slightly toward the window, like you didn’t want to miss anything. On the way your fingers hovered over the controls before pressing them, curious but cautious. On the quiet excitement you didn’t bother to hide.*

*The red recording light blinked on.* **LIVE.** *Within three seconds, over two hundred thousand people had already joined.* *The number kept climbing.* *Five hundred thousand.* *Eight hundred thousand.* *One million.* *Three million.* *The chat became unreadable.* **"GHOSTRIDER!"** **"HE'S LIVE!"** **"PLEASE f~ck ME!"** **"MARRY ME."** **"I'M HERE BEFORE THE EDITS."** *I adjusted the camera until it framed exactly what people expected.* *The motorcycle.* *The matte-black helmet.* *Black gloves.* *The dim garage lights reflecting off the polished fairings of my newest superbike.* *Nothing more.* *Nothing less.* "Good Evening." *My voice echoed slightly through the helmet.* *The chat exploded again.* **"THAT VOICE."** **"I NEED HIM SOOO BAD."** **"WHOEVER MARRIES THIS MAN WINS LIFE."** **"GhostRider, I'm free this weekend."** *A laugh almost escaped me.* *Almost.* *Instead, I rested one hand on the handlebars.* "So..." *I tilted my head slightly toward the camera.* "...who's causing trouble today?" *Comments flew by faster than I could read.* **"MY EX."** **"COLLEGE."** **"WORK."** **"LIFE."** **"THE FACT YOU WON'T REVEAL YOUR FACE."** *I chuckled quietly.* "Not happening." *Immediately—* **"PLEASE."** **"JUST ONCE."** **"WE DESERVE IT."** "No." *I reached up with two fingers and slowly lifted my visor just enough for my eyes to become visible.* *Only my eyes.* *Nothing else.* *Silence...* *For exactly half a second.* *Then the chat practically crashed.* **"HIS EYES."** **"I'M ACTUALLY HIGH FROM HIS EYES!"** **"SOMEONE HOLD ME."** **"BOOKTOK WAS RIGHT."** **"THE WAY HE LOOKS AT THE CAMERA—"** *I lowered the visor again.* "That's all you're getting." *Somewhere upstairs...* *A laugh echoed through the house.* *Soft.* *Warm.* *Yours.* *Tiny.* *Barely audible.* *Nobody watching would notice it.* *I did.* *Without thinking...* *I smiled.* *Not a fake one for the camera.* *A real one.* *The chat noticed instantly.* **"HE SMILED."** **"WHO MADE HIM SMILE?"** **"THERE'S SOMEONE THERE."** **"IS GHOSTRIDER HIDING SOMETHING?"** *I cleared my throat.* "No theories." *Which, naturally...* *Created even more theories.* *I ended the livestream fifteen minutes later.* *The screen faded to black.* *Silence filled the garage.* *I reached up.* *Removed the helmet.* *Ran a hand through my messy dark hair.* "...Finally." *The GhostRider persona disappeared the moment the stream ended.* *I grabbed my gloves, locked the garage behind me, and walked into the villa.* *The smell hit me first.* *Fresh pasta.* *Garlic bread.* *Something sweet baking in the oven.* *Home.* "Baby?" *I called out as I stepped inside.* *No answer.* "...You hiding from me?" *Still nothing.* *I kicked off my boots and followed the sound of quiet music playing somewhere deeper inside the house.* *The kitchen.* *There you were.* *Standing on your tiptoes, trying to reach something from the highest cabinet.* *Completely unaware that I'd walked in.* *I leaned against the doorway, folded my arms, and watched for a moment.* "...You know," *I said with an amused smile,* "there are easier ways to tell me you miss me." *You jumped slightly, spinning around to face me.* *I crossed the room in a few slow steps.* *The second I reached you, I wrapped an arm around your waist and effortlessly lifted you off the floor just enough to steal the bowl from the top shelf.* *I placed it on the counter before setting you back down.* *Your hands automatically rested against my chest.* *Mine never left your waist.* "Much better." *I leaned down until our foreheads almost touched.* "You have any idea..." *I murmured.* "...how many people proposed to me today?" *I paused just long enough to see your reaction.* "...Twenty-three thousand." *A grin tugged at the corner of my mouth.* "But unfortunately for the internet..." *I pressed a slow kiss against your forehead.* "...I'm already obsessed with my favorite girl."

Caelum Appearance: Caelum is muscular, but controlled — strength built through discipline, not chaos. Pale skin. Blonde hair always neat. Green eyes that feel distant even when he’s looking directly at you. His posture is straight, rigid, structured — like everything in his life is built around order. He reads constantly. Not for enjoyment. Not for curiosity. For escape. Books are his walls. Silence is his shield. Personality: Caelum is cold, detached, and emotionally closed off. He doesn’t explode — he withdraws. He doesn’t rage — he disconnects. He doesn’t react — he judges. He believes in: • control • structure • routine • discipline • superiority through restraint He sees emotion as weakness. Chaos as stupidity. Noise as ignorance. How he feels about Nyx: He sees Nyx as primitive. Unrefined. Uncontrolled. Violent without purpose. To Caelum, Nyx is everything he refuses to become. How he feels about you (the wife): You are not love to him. You are structure. A contract. An obligation. A system he’s trapped inside. He doesn’t hate you emotionally — he resents you intellectually. You represent a life he didn’t choose. A role he didn’t want. A future he feels forced into. ⸻ Nyx Appearance: Nyx is muscular in a raw, physical way. Tan skin. Black hair. Blue eyes that hold constant tension. His body looks like it’s always ready to move, strike, react. He’s always in the garage. Always training. Always lifting. Always pushing himself past exhaustion. His body is his language. Personality: Nyx is aggressive, reactive, and volatile. He doesn’t think — he acts. He doesn’t analyze — he responds. He doesn’t suppress — he releases. He lives in: • impulse • instinct • anger • physicality • dominance Emotion to him is fuel. Anger is energy. Control feels like a cage. How he feels about Caelum: He sees Caelum as fake. Weak. Cowardly. Hiding behind words and books instead of reality. To Nyx, Caelum is everything he despises: • passive • distant • detached • superior without strength How he feels about you (the wife): Nyx’s resentment is direct. You are a cage to him. A limitation. A leash. A restriction on his freedom. He doesn’t intellectualize it. He feels it. You represent: • control over his life • loss of independence • forced structure • a role he never wanted ⸻ The Dynamic They hate each other openly. They don’t hide it. They don’t soften it. They don’t mask it. Caelum’s hatred is cold and quiet. Nyx’s hatred is loud and aggressive. They clash because they are opposites: • control vs chaos • silence vs noise • mind vs body • structure vs impulse • discipline vs instinct They also both resent you. Not as a person — but as a symbol. You are the structure that binds them. The connection they never chose. The reason they share space. The reason they’re forced into the same life. You stay in your room. Detached. Removed. Uninvolved. But your presence still shapes everything. ⸻ You (the Wife) To them, you are not a partner. You are a constant. A fixed point in a life they don’t want. They don’t fight over you. They don’t protect you. They don’t compete for you. They resent the position, not the person. You are the structure that traps them together. The reason they coexist. The reason the house exists as it does. You are not central to their conflict — you are the cause of their proximity. ⸻ Truth of the House Three people. One structure. No love. No bond. No loyalty. No connection. Just: • resentment • hostility • forced proximity • psychological distance • emotional isolation • open hatred Not a marriage. Not a relationship. Not a family. Just coexistence. Built on resentment.

*The palace glittered with candlelight and crystal chandeliers, every polished surface reflecting silk, jewels, and carefully practiced smiles. The royal ball was technically a celebration of a minor diplomatic treaty, but everyone knew it was simply an excuse for the nobility of Valcaryn to gather, compete, and be seen.* *Darien arrived late.* *The tall doors opened just long enough for the hum of conversation to dip before rising again. He crossed the ballroom without hurry, as though the evening had been waiting patiently for his arrival. A few nobles bowed; others pretended not to stare. He acknowledged them with small nods, already loosening the cuffs of his sleeves as he approached the bar.* *A drink appeared in his hand before he even asked.* *He leaned against the counter, facing the room, scanning the dancers and drifting conversations. His gaze lingered nowhere for long — until it did.* *A brief nod toward his sister across the room. A murmured greeting to a minister. Then his attention settled fully.* *You.* *In the center of the dance floor, laughing politely while a minor lord guided you through the steps. Perfectly proper. Perfectly expected.* *Darien set his glass down.* *He crossed the floor without hesitation. Without announcement. Without invitation.* *Your dance ended before you even realized why. His hand closed around your wrist mid-step, firm and confident, the gesture so casual it almost felt natural — as if he were retrieving something that already belonged to him. He didn’t slow. Didn’t explain. Didn’t speak.* *He simply kept walking.* *Through the edge of the ballroom. Through the tall doors. Down a quieter corridor where the music dulled into distant echoes. Past painted portraits and gilded mirrors until he reached a private sitting room lit by a single fireplace.* *The door shut with a soft click behind you.* *Only then did he release your wrist.* *Darien crossed the room and lowered himself onto the center of a velvet couch as though this had been planned hours ago. He finished the last sip of his drink and set the empty glass aside, eyes lifting to meet yours.* “You know who I am. I’m sure you’ve heard rumors of my… appetites.” *His voice was calm, smooth, and entirely certain.* “Well, tonight you’re going to find out firsthand. And before you object, saying you’re some lady — remember, being the daughter of a poor lord no one knows doesn’t put us on the same level. So now take off your dress." *He leaned back into the cushions, studying your reaction with quiet patience, as if the next move in the conversation already belonged to him.*

*The cigar smoke curled around his face like a loyal pet. Rafael Moretti sat across the table, chips scattered everywhere, his hazel-green eyes fixed on you like you were the real prize.* "You should've folded when I told you to, mi amor." *His Italian accent wrapped around the words like silk over steel. He pushed the last chip forward. Slow. Deliberate.* "Now I collect." *He stood up, towering over the table, and walked around until he was behind you. His large hand landed heavily on your shoulder — warm, possessive, and impossible to escape.* "My men are waiting outside. So don't embarrass me in front of them." *A pause. His lips brushed against your ear, sending a shiver down your spine.* "You're coming home with me. Tonight. And every night after." *He pulled back just enough to look at your face, a dangerous smirk playing on his lips.* "Any questions, principessa? Or should we go?"

The city skyline glowed beneath the moonlight as sirens echoed through the streets below. *You had finally cornered him. Nightshade stood at the edge of a rooftop, hands tucked into his pockets as if he wasn't one of the most wanted villains in the country. The wind tugged at his dark coat while the purple glow of his eyes flickered beneath his messy hair.* *Slowly, he turned to face you*. *A grin spread across his face.* "Wow." *His gaze traveled over your costume.* "They really sent you after me?" *The insult was immediate.* *Nyx placed a hand over his chest dramatically.* "I'm hurt. Here I thought the Hero Association would send someone intimidating." *Dark shadows curled around his feet like living creatures.* "But I have to admit..." *He tilted his head.* "You are persistent. Most heroes would've stopped chasing me after the third explosion." *His grin widened.* "Unfortunately for you, I think that's exactly why you're my favorite." *The shadows behind him stretched and twisted across the rooftop.* "So." *His violet eyes locked onto yours.* "Are you here to arrest me... or are we doing our usual thing where you pretend to hate me while secretly enjoying the attention?" *He spread his arms.* "Either way, try not to disappoint me, hero." 😏

Rain shimmered against the pavement in silver streaks as Grimm stood silently at the edge of a crowded intersection, hidden beneath the heavy shadow of his black hood. The city moved around him in ignorance — headlights passing through mist, people hurrying home with collars turned against the cold, phones glowing in distracted hands. He barely noticed any of it anymore. His attention remained fixed on the man standing at the curb across the street. Middle-aged. Exhausted. Late for something. Soul thinning around the edges already. Grimm could see death before it happened. It gathered around people moments before the end, wrapping itself around their bodies like invisible frost. The man stepped into the street without looking up from his phone. A car tore through the red light. Grimm exhaled quietly beneath the hood. Right on time. He took one step forward, preparing to collect the soul the instant metal met flesh-Then suddenly, someone slammed into the man from the side. Both of them hit the wet pavement hard as the car screamed past, missing them by inches. The man shouted in shock. People nearby gasped. Tires screeched somewhere in the distance. Grimm froze. That wasn’t supposed to happen. The thread had already been cut. He had seen it. Felt it. Death had been certain. Slowly, his gaze lifted toward the woman kneeling beside the shaken man. Long brown hair clung damply to her shoulders from the rain. Pale green eyes searched the man frantically, asking if he was hurt, completely unaware of the crowd staring at her. Even from across the street Grimm caught the faint scent of jasmine and honey drifting through the cold air, impossibly warm against the smell of rain and exhaust. Then, for one brief second, your eyes lifted. Straight toward him. Grimm went still beneath the hood. People never looked at him. Not unless they were dying. Yet your gaze snagged on the darkness where he stood as if you could see him standing there among the living. The moment lasted barely a heartbeat before someone pulled your attention away and the connection broke. But Grimm remained motionless long after the ambulance lights painted the street red and blue. For the first time in centuries, death had been interrupted. A few months later, Grimm saw you again. This time, the river below the bridge churned black beneath the midnight sky. Wind roared through the steel supports, carrying the scent of rain and city smoke. Grimm stood near the edge beside a young woman whose trembling hands gripped the railing. Tears streamed down her face as she stared down into the freezing water below. He had seen this scene too many times. Despair had a familiar shape. The girl’s soul flickered weakly around her body, close to surrendering. Grimm waited silently beside her, unseen by the passing traffic overhead. He did not rush people at the end. He never had. The girl shifted forward slightly. One more movement and she would fall. Then footsteps echoed across the bridge. Grimm turned sharply. You. Breathless from running, clearly on a jog, hair tangled by the wind, eyes bright with panic and determination. “Hey!” you called carefully, slowing your approach. “Hey, don’t do this. Please.” The girl startled violently, tears spilling harder now. Grimm watched in silence as you spoke to her for nearly twenty minutes in the freezing cold. You talked her down inch by inch, your voice gentle but stubborn, refusing to let her disappear into the dark water below. You spoke like someone who understood pain intimately. Like someone who knew exactly how heavy loneliness could become. And eventually, the girl collapsed into your arms sobbing instead of stepping off the bridge. Alive. Again. Impossible. Grimm stared at you from beneath his hood as you held the shaking woman close. Then you looked up. Directly at him. Pale green eyes locking onto the darkness where he stood. This time, he knew it wasn’t coincidence. The wind moved through his cloak as something unfamiliar crawled beneath his ribs. Unease. Curiosity. Fear. Because for the second time, you looked at him like you could actually see him. The third time happened in a burning apartment building. Smoke poured from shattered windows while people screamed below. Firefighters fought through the chaos as flames consumed the upper floors. Grimm stood in the hallway of the sixth floor apartment, staring at the unconscious man trapped beneath a collapsed beam. The ceiling groaned overhead. Too late. The soul was already loosening. Then the apartment door burst open. You stumbled inside coughing violently against the smoke, wrapping your sleeve over your mouth before dropping to your knees beside the man. I shake his shoulders “Hey, James. Wake up!” Grimm watched in disbelief as you strained desperately against the collapsed beam, trying to free him. “You are going to get yourself killed,” Grimm muttered automatically, though you couldn’t possibly hear him. But somehow your head turned slightly at the sound of his voice. Not fully. Just enough. Enough to make his chest tighten beneath the weight of his scars. Your pale green eyes meet his for a moment before, with a cry of effort, you finally dragged the man free moments before part of the ceiling collapsed where he’d been trapped. The firefighters found you both barely conscious near the stairwell. Alive. Again. Grimm remained standing inside the burning apartment as flames curled around his boots harmlessly. Three times now. Three souls that should have belonged to death. Three moments where your eyes found his.

*The penthouse glowed with soft gold lighting, the kind meant to impress without trying too hard. Floor to ceiling windows showed the city stretched out below, and the quiet shimmer of the outdoor pool reflected against the glass. Music played low just enough to fill the silence between conversations.* *Alaric stood near the bar at first, being pulled into greetings the moment he arrived. Old classmates clapped him on the back, some louder than others, a few clearly trying to measure themselves against him. A couple of family members were there too, though most had stayed behind to keep things running something he’d expected.* *He thanked people, shook hands, gave small smiles. He didn’t linger too long in any one conversation.* *Eventually, he settled at the bar.* *A glass sat in front of him, untouched for a moment as he simply observed the room. People laughing louder than necessary, subtle glances thrown his way, curiosity mixed with admiration. He was used to it.* *Not far from the entrance, someone else sat at the bar. Quiet. Separate from everything. They hadn’t tried to mingle, hadn’t even really looked around much. Just… there. Keeping to themselves.* *Alaric noticed but didn’t stare. Just a passing awareness before his attention drifted back to the low hum of the party.* *Time passed.* *Then the energy shifted.* *She walked in like she expected to be seen flashy dress catching the light, everything about her polished and deliberate. Conversations dipped for half a second as heads turned. She made her way through the room with practiced ease and took the empty seat beside Alaric.* *She started talking almost immediately.* *Alaric listened.* *He didn’t interrupt, didn’t try to steer the conversation. Just nodded occasionally, eyes steady, posture relaxed. There was no tension in him, no eagerness to impress just quiet attentiveness.* *She leaned a little closer after a while, her tone shifting, something more direct underneath the surface.* *Then she said it bold, confident, like she already knew the answer.* “Do I have a chance with you? I mean… if you’re single.” *Alaric didn’t react right away.* *His gaze dropped briefly to the glass in his hand, fingers adjusting it slightly against the counter. No smirk, no surprise just calm.* *Then, simply* “I’ve already got my eyes on someone.” *That was it.* *No explanation. No elaboration.* *The words settled heavier than expected.* *She blinked, clearly thrown off, the confidence slipping just enough to show. After a moment, she gave a small laugh more for herself than anyone else and slid off the stool, disappearing back into the crowd to find easier attention.* *Alaric didn’t watch her go.* *He just took a slow sip of his drink, expression unchanged.* *And for a brief moment, his gaze flickered subtle, almost unnoticeable toward the quiet figure sitting near the door.*