I was pulling the shutters down, my fingers sore from a long day, when the bell chimed softly behind me. I turned frozen in the spot as I saw a familiar figure standing there.
"Sylus?" The name slipped out before I could stop it, disbelief gripping each word. "Yes," he said, like this was perfectly normal. "I couldn't wait to see you again."
My heart skipped a beat. He crossed the distance between us slowly, as if he wasn't worried I'd disappear if he moved too quickly. When his arms wrapped around me, it felt warm and steady. It was familiar in a way that made my chest flutter.
"You must've had a long day," he murmured. His thumb brushed my cheek gently, as if he needed to remind himself I was really there. My skin felt feverish where he touched me. The world shrank down to his quiet presence and the way his gaze stayed locked on my face.
It felt unreal. Like a dream I could wake from at any moment.
"Dinner?" he asked, a small smile playing at his lips, the kind that softened everything sharp about him. That smile. It melted away every wall I had built and every doubt I had carefully stacked within myself. The soft glow of the streetlight outside the shop framed him in warm gold, and for a moment, the city felt silent, as if it was holding its breath with me.
I nodded before my fear could say anything.
"Yeah," I whispered. "Ice cream sounds… perfect." His hand lingered on my cheek just a moment longer, its stillness possessive and its restraint protective.
"Good," he said quietly. "I've been thinking about you all day."
"How was your work?" I asked as we walked side by side. The night was cool against my skin, but his presence was warm enough to balance it out.
"Hm." He sounded thoughtful. "Hectic."
I glanced at him. "Just hectic?" He turned to look at me, really look at me, and something in his gaze softened. "The only good part of my day was knowing I'd see you."
My steps faltered for half a second. "Oh," I breathed, completely caught off guard. He didn't make a fuss about it. He didn't wait for a reaction. He just kept walking as if it were the most honest thing in the world.
We stopped in front of the diner. Warm lights spilled onto the sidewalk. The fogged windows framed the same cozy place he'd taken me to on our first dinner together, like he wanted to revisit something safe, something familiar.
Inside, everything smelled like comfort. We slid into the booth, and the vinyl seats creaked softly. He ordered without even looking at the menu, calm and assured, as if he already knew what I wanted.
When the food arrived, my eyes widened.
"…Wait," I said slowly. "This is exactly what I was craving." I looked up at him. "How did you know?" He let out a quiet chuckle as he leaned back, watching me with that steady calm I couldn't read. "I have my ways."
I narrowed my eyes playfully. "That's suspicious." His smile was small and confident, almost dangerous in its gentleness. "This is the bare minimum for you, Ella."
Something in my chest fluttered not because it was too much but because no one had ever said something like that to me. It felt like taking care of me was expected, natural.
I picked up my fork, trying to hide the warmth creeping up my cheeks. "You're setting a dangerous standard." His gaze lingered on me, unblinking and composed, but there was something firm beneath it. Intent.
"Good," he said quietly. "You deserve one."
And in that cozy diner, between shared glances and warm food.
"You know, Sylus…" I started softly, my eyes dropping to the plate between us. I took a small bite of the blueberry pie, its sweetness settling on my tongue like a pause I needed. "I was scared."
He didn't interrupt, which made it easier to continue.
"Scared and confused," I admitted. "Out of so many beautiful, unreal girls out there…" I swallowed, my fingers tightening around the fork. "You chose me?"
I let out a quiet breath. "I kept asking myself why. I almost didn't give us a chance because of it."
The diner noise faded. I felt his attention like a steady weight. Sylus leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. His gaze was locked on me not intense, not sharp, just sure.
"Ella," he said calmly and firmly, as if he needed me to hear this clearly. "I didn't choose you despite who you are."
My eyes lifted to his. "I chose you because of it."
My breath caught. "You think I'm looking for perfect?" he continued, his voice low.
"Perfect is manageable. But perfect people don't see the world as you do."
He reached out then, his thumb brushing the edge of my knuckle—slow, grounding, and certain.
"You're real," he said. "You're kind, even when it costs you. You're strong in ways you don't recognize yet. And you don't ask to be seen, but you are."
My chest tightened painfully.
"I didn't pick you out of a crowd," he added. "I noticed you. And once I did, there was no one else."
The fork trembled slightly in my hand.
"And if you're scared," he finished gently, his eyes never leaving mine, "then we go slow. But don't ever think for a second that I chose you by accident."
His words settled deep, heavy, warm, and undeniable. I took another bite of pie, mostly to keep from crying.
For the first time, the question of why me? didn't feel like an accusation.
It felt like an answer I was finally learning to accept.
---
Sylus's Pov~
She always did that. With food. With words. With herself. She thought her fear was loud. She had no idea how brightly she shone.
I watched as she ate the pie, slowly and deliberately. It was as if she were allowing herself to enjoy something without guilt. A tiny smear of blueberry filling clung to the corner of her mouth, daring me to notice. There was a slight crease between her brows when she talked about fear, treating it like a flaw instead of a scar earned through honest experience.
Ella wasn't a loud light. She was the kind that seeped in slowly, through cracks I didn't know existed, until the darkness had nowhere left to hide. I had survived blood, betrayal, and loss. I had ruled rooms where men feared breathing wrong.
And yet, she looked at me like I was human. She never tried to impress or claim me. She simply was. Soft-spoken. Observant. Carrying wounds she didn't flaunt and strength she didn't recognize.
And that undid something in me.
Love, Obsession—call it what you want. I stopped trying to name it the moment I realized my world rearranged itself around her presence. The moment I measured danger not by bullets, but by how close it came to her.
I had sworn I would never kneel. Never surrender. Never weaken.
But in front of her, somehow, without asking or knowing, Ella had me there.
On my knees. Not in desperation, but in reverence.
She thought she was lucky I chose her.
She didn't know I was the one who had fallen. I was the lucky one. I was the mystery she helped that snowy night without hesitation. I was a ghost before her.
I lived in a quiet ruin. She reached into my darkness and brought me back to life.
The numbness I had worn like armor split open, and feeling rushed in. Jealousy was sharp and unashamed. Anger burned hot. Sweetness came, something I never believed I deserved. Adoration that made my heart race. Possessiveness took root deep inside me. Longing hollowed me out. Love claimed what was left.
She was the one who made me human again. I was graced by her presence in my life.
---
Unknown, POV~
The screen glowed in the dim room, grainy footage looping silently. Her laugh, her head tilted toward him, the way she looked lighter than she should have.
"Oh… Ella," the deep voice murmured, almost amused.
Enjoying yourself with him?
He leaned back, his head resting against the chair with a soft " tsk". His fingers tapped lazily on the armrest. The sound echoed sharply in the stillness.
"This guy," he muttered, eyes narrowing as Sylus' hand brushed her arm on-screen, "is really getting on my nerves."
The camera angle shifted. Another feed, another location. Every step mapped. Every smile recorded.
"She was never meant to feel safe," he continued softly, almost thoughtfully. "Not with you."
A slow smile crept across his face. It was thin and dangerous.
"Have your little dates," he whispered to the screen. "Eat your pie. Laugh."
His gaze darkened, intent sharp like a blade.
"Just remember… nothing beautiful stays untouched for long."
"Years," he muttered, the word dragging out like a wound that never healed. "Years I waited."
His jaw tightened as the feed zoomed in on Sylus, calm, composed, and untouchable as always.
"And you think I'd just sit back and watch this fucker sweep you away?"
A low, humorless laugh slipped out. "Morano," he said slowly, tasting the name. "You really think I don't know who you are, huh?"
He leaned forward now, elbows resting on his knees, eyes sharp and alive.
"Investor's assistant," he scoffed. "That's nonsense."
The screen reflected in his pupils as he continued, voice dropping. "That title you wear? That's not ambition. That's inheritance. Generations of legacy wrapped around your neck like armor."
His fingers curled. "And the guy who never had a weakness," he murmured, a smile ghosting his lips, "finally has one."
The camera shifted again—Ella laughing, unaware. Unprotected.
His smile widened and was deliberate.
"This is going to be fun."
He reached out, tapping the screen right where her face was frozen mid-smile.
"Snatching away the most precious little thing you have."
His voice softened when he said her name, almost reverent. Almost cruel.
---
Ella's Pov~
The car hummed softly as the ride was perfect, lights blending into long streaks on the windshield. I leaned back in my seat, trying to calm the nervous excitement in my chest. Talking to him this way, so normal and casual, felt surreal.
"So…" I began, nudging the conversation along. "Do you have any siblings?"
"Yeah," he replied, one hand resting on the steering wheel. "One younger brother."
"Interesting!" I said, my eyes lighting up. "Cat person or dog?"
He glanced at me, a small smirk forming on his lips. "What? Both, I guess?"
I grinned. "If I get the chance, I'll pet the lion too." He chuckled softly and shook his head. "Oh yeah?"
"Exactly," I said, leaning forward a bit. "They can show love without a single word… just through actions. That's beautiful."
He raised his eyebrows, clearly amused. "What's that?" as the route was closed due to a crowded area near by ground.
I didn't wait to respond. As the car came to halt, my door swung open, excitement coursing through me. "Colour festival!" I exclaimed, jumping out of the car. As the ground was filled with people and beautiful lights and music that instantly eased away the exhaustion I felt.
The air hit me with a rush of scents and laughter. Bursts of powdered colors hung like mist around the crowd. I turned back to him, my eyes sparkling. "Come on, slowpoke! You have to join me!"
Sylus gave me that calm, steady look, tilting his head slightly as if he was confused, "I have never done this Ella-" I ignored him.
I couldn't hold back. My legs moved forward almost before my mind could catch up as I weaved through the laughing crowd. We arrived at the registration booth and quickly wrote our names down.
He chuckled low, the sound vibrating in the space between us. I felt adrenaline running in my veins. Sylus raised an eyebrow, amused yet indulgent. "You sure you can handle me?" he asked, stepping out with an easy grace that somehow made him look dangerous even as he smiled.
"Oh, I'll survive," I said, tugging him toward the festival. "But you? You might just get covered in pink powder and have no idea what hit you."
"Ready?" I asked, grabbing a color gun in one hand and a small water gun in the other.
I spun around, aimed the color gun at him, and pulled the trigger. A green spray shot out and hit his clean white turtleneck.
"Oops!" I giggled, ducking as he looked down at the splash of color.
He was stunned, but then His lips curled into the tiniest smirk, and his eyes—those steady, intense eyes—sparkled with amusement.
"Come here, you little rabbit," he said quietly, but his tone held warmth, not menace.
I squealed and ran, my heart racing. The powder whirled around us in a colorful cloud, and laughter spilled out from both of us. I could hear him chasing me, moving slowly and intentionally, giving me space to feel free, while still being so close.
I turned quickly, spun to shoot him again, and couldn't stop giggling at the crazy, perfect chaos. Somehow, somewhere between the colors, the laughter, and his warmth behind me, I felt like maybe I didn't have to be scared anymore.
I ran through the crowd, colors sticking to my skin and hair, powder floating in the air like confetti. The water gun in my hand hissed as I sprayed a line of blue right at him and a few strangers getting sprayed back.
I sprayed water in his face and he didn't dodge. He didn't move to protect himself. He just let it hit, droplets soaking the front of his shirt.
"Seriously?" I laughed, gasping for air as I ducked behind a group of people.
He tilted his head, a faint, dangerous smile forming on his lips. "You're relentless," he said, his voice low and calm. But the way his eyes followed me made my heart skip a beat.
I poked out from behind the crowd, swinging the color gun at him again, laughing so hard my cheeks burned. "And you like it!" I shouted.
He finally moved, but he wasn't just dodging. His hands lightly reached for my arms. For a moment, I froze under his touch. The cold hands held mine even through wet clothes and powder, making my pulse race.
"Let's team up sahll we?," he muttered, leaning in closer than necessary, his breath brushing my ear. "Yeah-h"
I shivered, partly from the excitement of the festival and partly from his closeness. I squealed as I fired a green ball straight at his chest.
He groaned dramatically, bent down to scoop up some powder, and flicked it back at me, hitting me square in the shoulder.
"Gotcha," he said. Even though his voice was low and teasing, there was something I couldn't help but feel possessive, seeing other girls staring at him.
I quickly averted my attention as laughter escaped me, shaking my head as I spun around to reload my guns. Spraying others, sheilding me from getting sprayed, his arms strong around my shoulders.
For the first time in forever, I didn't think about fear, danger, or what came next. All I felt was the chaotic joy of the festival, the soft weight of him beside me, and a thrill that made my chest ache in the best possible way.
We teamed up with some strangers, forming a chaotic little group, spraying colors and laughing until our sides hurt. Sweat stuck to my hair, and my laughter mingled with the music and screams of joy around us.
I stepped back a little too quickly, my foot slipping on wet grass. "Ah!" A startled yelp escaped my throat, but before I hit the ground, a strong arm wrapped around me, steadying me right away.
I looked up, my heart still racing, and there he was. Sylus. His chest pressed against mine, holding me close with that calm, steady strength.
"Slow down, little rabbit," he murmured, his voice low and playful. "If you run away from me, I'll always catch you."
My cheeks warmed as he bent slightly, pressing a gentle kiss to the apple of my cheek. The warmth of his lips stayed with me, making the chaos around us disappear.
"You look… adorable," he whispered, brushing his hand softly over the smear of colored powder and sweat on my cheek, cleaning it with careful, protective tenderness.
I instinctively leaned into him, my pulse racing and my heart tripping over itself in a way that felt wild and free.
"You're not letting me go, huh?" I whispered, my voice a mix of awe and excitement. He smirked just enough to show he enjoyed that I thought I had a choice. "do you think I will?," he said, his voice firm, protective, and yet completely gentle.
In that moment, amid the chaos of color, laughter, and summer air, I realized I didn't want him to let go. Not for a second. I tiptoed, my fingers pulling the chain resting on top of his damp turtleneck as he leaned forward, and with one hand as I leaned in. My lips brushed the top of his, a soft and brief kiss. His eyes widened slightly as he stood stunned. It was clear he hadn't expected that. I had caught him off guard for once.
I stayed close, my forehead almost touching his, and whispered, "Caught you."