The door swung open abruptly, and Aaron appeared, casually leaning against the frame.
"Looking for something?" he asked, a teasing glint in his eyes.
Henzal blinked at him, caught off guard.
"You scared me," she said softly, trying to steady her racing heart.
He stepped closer, unfazed by her words.
"Aaron… don't mind me, but please… knock before coming in," she murmured, a hint of nervousness creeping into her tone.
Aaron chuckled, low and knowing, closing the distance.
"So, in my house… I need permission to enter?" His laughter made her pulse skip.
"H-Huh… Henzal?" he murmured, smirk playing on his lips.
She took an involuntary step back, licking her lips.
"Ahm… no, I… I don't mean that. It's just… you always enter my room, and I… I'm not used to it," she admitted, her voice trembling slightly.
Aaron moved closer, each step deliberate. Just as she stumbled toward her vanity, a firm, warm hand pressed against her waist, steadying her.
She froze, acutely aware of him, and the dangerous, thrilling closeness that made her heart race.
Her breath hitched as the closeness became overwhelming, her cheeks tinged with pink. Aaron's smirk lingered, unsettling yet intoxicating.
Suddenly, she shoved him gently away.
"I saved you from stumbling, and here you are pushing me? Not fair, Henzal… At least I deserve a kiss," he teased, his voice smooth and dangerously playful.
She shot him a sharp look. "I didn't tell you to save me," she said, trying to mask the flutter in her chest.
One eyebrow arched, and he stepped closer. The air between them grew charged.
"Aaron, I don't like the way you're stepping closer," she whispered, her nerves betraying her composure.
"Why is that? You can't resist me, can you?" His words dripped with teasing confidence.
She blinked, confusion and disbelief mixing in her eyes. "Resist?! You are my damn cousin," she stammered.
He closed the distance further, his hands finding her waist again. "What if I'm not your cousin?" he murmured, and the words struck her like a thunderbolt.
Shock froze her in place, her mind racing as her heart pounded erratically.
"W-What…?" Henzal stammered, her voice trembling with shock.
Aaron's face remained perfectly straight, almost unreadable.
"What are you saying… you're not Aaron?!" she exclaimed, her heart skipping a beat.
His grip on her waist tightened slightly. "Actually… I am Aaron. I was just joking," he said, a low laugh rumbling from his chest.
Henzal stared at him, disbelief etched across her features. She shoved him sharply. "You are such a… bad Aaron!"
He chuckled, amusement flickering in his eyes. "You… that's why I said you scared easily," he teased, his laughter light yet unnervingly intimate.
Frustrated, she pushed him again and hurried out of the room, needing space from his intoxicating presence.
Aaron's laughter slowly faded, leaving a chilling stillness behind. He whispered to himself, low and dangerous,
"You will be mine, whether you want it or not… because I can bleed for you, and I can make you bleed."
---
What does he think of himself? Henzal's thoughts burned with frustration as she strode down the corridor. Whenever he wants, he can hold me, scare me…
Her eyes flicked to the forbidden door—the one Aaron had warned her never to touch. If Igo in there again… that ghost will appear, catch me, and scold me—"Henzal, it's not your place!" she muttered, mimicking his voice with a frustrated scoff.
But then, that scent… that overwhelming presence… drifted toward her again, making her heart tighten.
Henzal POV: What could be inside that room that he's so desperate to keep me from? Curiosity tugged at her, and she found herself stepping closer to the door.
"Again, little lady…" a deep, teasing voice cut through her thoughts.
She froze, closing her eyes.
"Aaron," she whispered, turning slowly toward him.
"I was just passing by," she added quickly, hoping to sound casual.
Aaron's lips curved into a slow, knowing smile as he stepped closer, his presence pressing around her like a shadow she couldn't escape.
"Oh really?" he murmured, his voice low and dangerous. "Well, I see…"
Even from a few steps away, she could feel his dominance, his possessive energy wrapping around her, daring her to resist—but warning her she couldn't.
Aaron's gaze pinned her, sharp and unyielding.
"Why don't you listen to me?" he asked, his tone deceptively calm.
"I do," she replied, trying to mask the flutter in her chest.
His eyes darkened, the playful edge fading, replaced by something colder, more dangerous.
"I don't think so," he murmured, each word carrying weight. "Don't. Ever. Come. Near this room."
Henzal met his gaze, curiosity daring her to push back.
"What's so special about this room?" she asked, her voice steady despite the tension curling in her stomach.
Aaron's expression hardened, his jaw tight.
"It's… not your business," he said, and the possessive finality in his tone made her pulse race.
Even as he stepped back, the aura of his dominance lingered, suffocating and intoxicating all at once.
Henzal's eyes lingered on him, a flicker of unease in her chest. "My phone… it's still missing. I want to talk to Aunty."
He tilted his head, green eyes sharp, voice low and calm. "Didn't I tell you? I've informed her about you."
She hesitated, her voice trembling slightly. "But… I still want to talk. Give me your—"
"No." His tone cut through her insistence like a blade. "You can't talk to her. Or anyone."
Henzal blinked, confusion swirling inside her. Something in his presence tightened around her chest—a possessive weight she couldn't name.
"Why not?" she whispered.
He leaned closer, his husky voice deliberate, almost intoxicating. "She's… busy. She told me she won't be able to contact you for many days." He shrugged lightly, as if explaining the obvious. "So… that's why you can't talk."
Henzal's stomach twisted. Busy? The word sounded innocent enough, but the sharp edge in his eyes said otherwise. And yet, despite herself, she felt an unfamiliar shiver
of submission.
As Henzal turned to leave, a firm hand closed over hers.
"Not so fast," he murmured, his deep, husky voice sending a shiver down her spine.
She glanced at her hand, then up into his piercing green eyes. "What… do you want?" she asked cautiously, a flicker of unease in her chest.
"You," he said simply, as if the word carried the weight of inevitability.
"Huh?" Her heart skipped. The audacity of his claim left her breathless and confused.
He stepped closer, closing the space between them, his gaze unwavering. "I mean… we're cousins, yes, but we barely know each other. Isn't it unfair? I just want to spend some time with you."
Henzal felt a strange heat rise in her, a mix of confusion and something she couldn't name. Every nerve in her body tensed, alert and aware of the magnetic pull he had on her. She wanted to resist… but a part of her, inexplicably, didn't.