The apartment was too quiet. The kind of silence that crept under your skin and reminded you just how alone you really were.

Aira wandered aimlessly, touching nothing, her fingers hovering over the polished furniture like she'd leave behind a trace he could use against her.

The door to his study was still locked.

She stared at it for a long second, pulse tapping against her skin like a warning. What was behind there? Evidence? Weapons? Skeletons, literal or emotional? Her curiosity scratched like claws against her reason, but she walked away.

Hours passed. No call. No message. Nothing.

When the door clicked open around evening, it startled her.

Karan stepped out, fresh from a shower, his shirt unbuttoned at the collar, sleeves rolled up, looking more dangerous in casual than he did in tailored suits.

“Dinner. Dining room. Ten minutes.”
No ‘please.’ No glance. Just an order.

She could’ve refused.

She didn’t.

At dinner

The dining table stretched long and elegant, but Karan had chosen the seat right next to hers - too close, too calculated. The aroma of rich Italian cuisine didn’t ease the knot in her stomach.

He poured her wine without asking. “I hope you didn’t try to open the study.”
His voice was soft. Too soft.

She set the wine down, untouched. “Would you have punished me if I did?”

A smirk ghosted his lips. “Do you want to test me already?”

She met his gaze, steady but guarded. “I’m not scared of you.”

Karan leaned in slightly, his voice a seductive threat. “You should be.”

The tension between them pulsed like a live wire.

Then, just as she picked up her fork, he said casually, “Tomorrow, we start phase two.”

She blinked. “Phase two?”

“Your job here,” he said, cutting his steak. “Obedience. Presence. Availability.”

She froze mid-bite. “Availability?”

“For everything I need.” His tone was deadly calm. “Physically. Emotionally. Publicly. Starting with tomorrow night’s event.”

Her stomach sank. “Event?”

He sipped his wine. “Charity gala. You’ll play the doting… arrangement. Wear something red. I’ll have it sent.”

She pushed her plate away. “You really think you can control every inch of my life, don’t you?”

Karan stood then, slowly, towering above her.

“Aira,” he said, voice low, “you signed up for my world. And in my world, control isn’t optional. It’s the air you breathe.”

Before she could answer, he bent slightly, eyes locking with hers. “I don’t need you to like it. I just need you to remember who you belong to - for now.”

He walked away without another word, leaving her seated, seething.

But beneath her fury, something darker stirred - a reckless heat, a dangerous thrill.

And she hated herself for it.

Author :- Liked it ?

Today's chapter was little short. 🤗