Chapter 3

The villa where Elena was staying was just one insignificant property among Kaelan's many holdings.

The place where I was now barely counted as Kaelan's "home."

It was a simple apartment building, yet I had no idea how many bodyguards were watching it.

I carried the groceries upstairs by myself, then washed the vegetables, boiled water, and cooked.

What gourmet food hadn't Kaelan tasted? How could he be devoted to food I made with my own hands?

Yet every time he watched me cook, his gaze stuck only to me.

It really gave the illusion of fated mates, making my stomach churn.

This time, I was dealing with fish on the cutting board when he suddenly embraced me from behind.

I didn't even know when he'd arrived.

"Don't touch me. It's fishy."

"Where's it fishy?"

He laughed, brushed aside my hair, and playfully toyed with my earring.

I turned on the faucet and washed the fish blood from my hands.

"Not cooking anymore? We can finish this first, then cook."

His kisses fell on my neck. I half-pushed him away uncomfortably.

Until I fell into those eyes of his. Even my smile became practiced and seductive.

I lowered my eyes and finally pushed him away.

"Angry?"

He was slightly teasing, pinching my cheek.

"Because I didn't celebrate your birthday? Did you puff up like a little pufferfish?"

"Who's a pufferfish..."

I genuinely wanted to retort to that comment, but he tapped my nose.

"You. Covered in thorns, disobedient, and... heartbreaking."

The marble countertop was fairly smooth. He lifted me up and placed me on it.

The man lowered his head to kiss me. Everything was stirred into chaos by him.

I couldn't breathe, clutching tightly at his sleeve.

Until he released me, smiling as he looked at me.

I suddenly realized I was still so naive. When he smiled, I couldn't tell what he meant.

"Do you know why I was injured like that when I brought Elena back that day?"

"Because she had something interesting in her hands."

He produced a photograph from somewhere and handed it to me.

I smoothed out the photo and looked at the contents.

"Lyra, don't you think this is fascinating?"

Kaelan spoke by my neck, his laughing breath crystal clear.

"She said she's seen you. She called you... Sephira."

The photo showed me wearing the distinctive uniform of the Silverveil Pack, in a group photo with Pack members.

Kaelan lowered his head and kissed the tip of my nose.

"Hmm? Baby, care to explain?"

I looked down at the photograph.

The tofu soup on the stove was still bubbling.

He just watched me quietly like that, as if he didn't want to miss a single expression.

After a long moment, I laughed and raised my hand to hit him.

"What do you mean? Kaelan, did you forget..."

"I am from the Silverveil Pack, but later I was kicked out and became a Rogue..."

When they arranged my identity, considering the possibility that my past with the Silverveil Pack might be exposed, the Pack simply gave me a backstory of being permanently exiled for breaking rules.

Kaelan looked down at me. I was pinned tightly against the counter by him.

I didn't know if this paranoid lunatic would pick up the knife from the cutting board and strike me down.

Until he chuckled softly.

He squeezed my waist, neither gently nor roughly.

"Oh? Is that so."

"Sorry, I forgot."

Releasing his restraint on me, he smiled as if nothing had happened.

He even had the leisure to take the ladle from the pot and stir.

"Not far from being ready, right?"

"I'm so hungry, Lyra."

Though he said that, he stared straight at me.

I pressed my lips together, straightened my clothes, and nodded.

As I adjusted my collar, I finally understood why he'd squeezed my waist earlier.

My back was already soaked through.

That meal, at least for me, was tasteless.

Actually, every day with Kaelan, I ate without tasting.

I desperately wanted to plunge that silver dagger into this man's chest. I thought about it every day, until I was nearly driven mad.

Until a light, casual voice broke through my thoughts.

"Lyra, there's a shipment stopping at the port tomorrow. Handle it for me personally."

I looked up, gazing at the man across the table through the food.

"The buyer is very cautious. Go alone. Don't bring any subordinates."

I froze for a moment, instinctively asking him.

"What kind of shipment?"

He stared at me, smiling in silence.

Then I understood—don't ask what you shouldn't ask. That's just how Kaelan was. He kept secrets even from me.

I nodded, picked up my bag, and walked toward the door.

"Alright, if there's nothing else, I'll go first. I..."

But as I walked past him, he grabbed my wrist.

"Why are you so distracted today?"

The man's knuckles casually traced across the inside of my wrist. He had no intention of letting me leave.

I smiled bitterly.

"I just dealt with a subordinate this afternoon. I'm probably... a bit tired."

Kaelan said nothing more, but he didn't let me go either.

So we fell into complete silence. I could only feel the sensation of him stroking my wrist again and again.

Until he softened his tone.

"Stay tonight, hmm?"

In that instant, my instinct was to refuse.

"Forget it, I have things tomorrow... mmph."

So I was suddenly pulled into his arms, pressed against the dining table, with delicate kisses falling on my neck.

The dim yellow light flickered on and off. In my panic, I looked into his eyes.

He was always like this when aroused.

Restrained, yet with reddened eyes.

Crazy and... holding back.