Her phone buzzed again.
Seraphina's fingers tightened around the phone, pulse thudding in her ears.
She received the call.
"I guess I'll have to reach a little harder, won't I?"
Elias's voice was too smooth, too knowing.
Ezrin's grip didn't waver.
If anything—it tightened.
The air around them grew heavier.
Seraphina exhaled slowly, forcing control into her voice.
"You're overthinking this, Elias."
A soft chuckle."Am I?"
Ezrin's jaw locked. His fingers moved—not to her throat, but to her jaw, gripping it with firm precision.
He was done waiting.
Seraphina felt the shift, the silent message pressing into her skin—Handle this.
She swallowed. "You're imagining things."
Another pause.
Then Elias's voice dropped, soft, almost dangerous.
"Valerie."
She stilled.
"If I find out that you're lying to me…" He let the words hang.
Ezrin's breathing slowed.
Seraphina's stomach tightened.
Elias wasn't letting this go.
This wasn't just suspicion anymore.
It was possession.
Seraphina exhaled. "Then stop looking."
Ezrin smirked. Good girl.
But Elias?
Elias only chuckled again.
"We'll see about that."
The line went dead.
Seraphina's hands trembled slightly as she lowered the phone.
But before she could fully process it—
Ezrin snatched the phone from her hands and tossed it onto the bed.
Then, in one swift motion—he pulled her up, his face inches from hers.
"He just declared war, Seraphina."
Her pulse spiked.
Ezrin's eyes burned into hers, dark, possessive, unwavering.
"And I don't lose."
Seraphina's breath hitched.
But before she could respond—before she could even think—
His grip shifted, fingers pressing slightly harder against her skin.
"From now on, you'll do whatever I say."
The air thickened.
Seraphina's stomach twisted."Ezrin—"
"No arguments." His voice left no room for negotiation.
She clenched her jaw, trying to hold onto the last bit of control she had left.
But Ezrin wasn't letting her have it.
His lips tilted into something cold, something final.
"You belong to me now."
Seraphina swallowed hard.
Because the worst part?
She already knew it was true.
Ezrin's grip finally loosened.
Slowly, deliberately, he stood up from the bed.
But he didn't step back immediately.
Instead, he looked down at her—trapped, frustrated, helpless beneath him.
And then—he smirked.
Not just any smirk.
A knowing one. A dangerous one.
Because he already had a plan.
Seraphina could see it in his eyes, in the way his gaze flickered over her like she was already caught in his web.
He knew exactly what he was going to do next.
And worse?
She didn't.
Her fingers curled into the sheets, anger simmering beneath her skin.
She was losing.
And she didn't want to.
Ezrin didn't say another word. Didn't have to.
He turned smoothly, his movements precise, calculated.
And then—he walked out, leaving her there.
Alone. Frustrated. Trapped in her own thoughts.
Seraphina exhaled sharply, her jaw clenching as she stared at the empty doorway.
Because no matter how much she wanted to fight it—
She was already falling into his control.
The rest of the day dragged on in silence.
Seraphina sat in Ezrin's bed, doing nothing—staring at the ceiling, replaying every moment in her head.
He never came back.
Not once.
She had no idea where he was, what he was doing, or what he had planned.
And that—that was what frustrated her the most.
By evening, she finally called Lena.
She told her everything.
From the footage, to Elias's obsession, to how Ezrin had completely taken control.
Lena, as expected, wasn't taking it as seriously as she should.
"You're living in his house now?" Lena teased. "And you're wearing his clothes? Sounds like someone's getting special treatment."
Seraphina groaned."Lena, this isn't a joke."
"I know, I know." A pause. "But I mean… are you really that upset about it?"
Seraphina stiffened.
Because the answer should have been yes.
But instead, she hung up without answering.
By the time night fell, she finally had to move.
Her body felt heavy, stiff.
She hadn't eaten. Hadn't done anything except sit there, lost in her thoughts.
And now—she needed to use the bathroom.
Carefully, she stood up.
She put no weight on her injured ankle, keeping her balance steady.
The pain was still there, sharp and annoying, but she ignored it.
Slowly, she made her way to the bathroom, gripping the walls for support.
And as she stood in front of the mirror, staring at her own reflection—
The truth hit her like a punch to the gut.
She was still here.
Still wrapped in his clothes.
Still trapped in his world.
And no matter how much she wanted to deny it—
A part of her didn't want to leave.
As Seraphina stepped out of the bathroom, she froze.
Ezrin was there.
Leaning casually against the wall, hands in his pockets, his gaze locked onto her.
Dark. Unreadable. Too intense.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then—he broke the silence.
"Let's have dinner."
No question. Just a statement.
Before she could respond, he pushed off the wall and made his way toward her.
Seraphina instinctively took a step back—
But he didn't let her.
In one swift motion, his arms wrapped around her, lifting her effortlessly.
Seraphina's breath hitched, her hands gripping his shoulders out of instinct."Ezrin—"
But he was already walking, carrying her through the penthouse.
"Put me down." She resisted.
He said nothing. His grip was firm.
He went straight to the kitchen.
Like she had no choice in the matter.
Seraphina pushed her food around with her fork, lost in thought.
Her eating pace was slow, almost absentminded.
Ezrin noticed.
Of course, he did.
His gaze flickered to her, sharp, assessing.
Then—without warning—
He reached for her chair, pulling it closer to his.
Seraphina's breath hitched at the sudden proximity."Ezrin—"
His voice was calm, absolute."Eat."
She blinked. "I am."
His fingers brushed against her chin, tilting her face toward him.
"Eat properly, or I'll make you."
His tone held no room for argument.
Seraphina exhaled, forcing herself to take a bite.
But her mind was still elsewhere.
Ezrin noticed that too.
She hesitated before speaking. "Can you get me a laptop?"
Ezrin's fork paused mid-air.
His gaze locked onto hers, unreadable.
"I have to work."
A beat of silence.
Ezrin stared at her—long, calculating.
Then, without a word, he resumed eating.
No agreement. No refusal.
Just silence.
And somehow, that unnerved her more than anything else.
Seraphina waited for an answer.
But Ezrin gave her nothing.
No reaction. No acknowledgment.
Just silence.
He continued eating, his posture calm, composed—too composed.
And that unnerved her more than if he had refused outright.
Seraphina exhaled sharply, putting down her fork."Ezrin—"
Seraphina waited.
Waited for Ezrin to answer.
For him to say anything.
But he didn't.
He just kept eating, unbothered, composed—like she hadn't even spoken.
Like her request didn't matter.
Her fingers tightened around her fork.
The frustration that had been simmering beneath her skin all day finally cracked.
"Ezrin." Her voice was sharp. "Did you hear what I said?"
Ezrin didn't even look up.
"Finish your food." His tone was calm, effortless.
Like she was a child throwing a tantrum.
Seraphina's stomach twisted with irritation.
"You're not listening to me."
Ezrin's fork paused mid-air.
Finally, he looked at her.
His expression? Amused. Unmoved.
"And?"
Seraphina's breath hitched.
That single word ignited something inside her.
She slammed her fork onto the plate. "You don't get to decide every damn thing for me."
Ezrin leaned back in his chair, completely unaffected.
"I do, actually."
Seraphina exhaled sharply, pushing her chair back.
But before she could even attempt to stand—
Ezrin grabbed her wrist.
Firm. Unyielding.
"Sit."
Seraphina's pulse spiked.
Her anger was real—but so was the way her body reacted to him.
"Let go." She tried to sound commanding, but she knew he could hear the frustration leaking through.
Ezrin smirked. "Eat first."
Her jaw locked.
He was toying with her.
And the worst part?
She was letting him.
Seraphina's blood boiled.
The way Ezrin looked at her—calm, in control, completely unaffected—
It infuriated her.
She yanked her wrist back."No."
Ezrin's eyes darkened slightly.
But Seraphina wasn't stopping this time.
"You don't get to decide everything." Her voice was firm, sharp. "I asked you for something. Either answer me or stop wasting my time."
Ezrin leaned forward, his elbows on the table, studying her like she was a puzzle he was enjoying too much.
"And if I say no?"
Seraphina's jaw tensed.
"Then I'll find a way myself."
His amusement faded just slightly.
Then—she pushed her chair back.
She knew her ankle wouldn't hold, knew the pain would shoot through her the moment she put weight on it—
But she didn't care.
Ezrin's fingers twitched like he was about to grab her.
She stood, gripping the edge of the table to steady herself.
The pain was instant, sharp, unforgiving—but she didn't let it show.
Ezrin's eyes flickered to her leg—he noticed.
"Sit down." His voice wasn't a request.
Seraphina exhaled sharply. "No."
Her ankle throbbed, but she forced herself to take a step back.
She could feel his patience slipping.
"I'm not one of your pawns, Ezrin." Her voice was lower now, controlled. "You can keep playing this game, but don't expect me to sit here and let you win every time."
She turned sharply, trying to walk away—
But the moment she took another step, her injured ankle buckled.
A sharp gasp escaped her lips as she lost her balance.
Before she could hit the ground—Ezrin was there.
Fast. Unforgiving.
His arms wrapped around her, steadying her before she could collapse.
He exhaled through his nose, annoyed but not surprised.
"See?" His voice was low, cold. "You can't even walk away from me properly."
Seraphina gritted her teeth, her hands gripping his shirt for balance.
She hated this.
Hated how easily he caught her.
Hated that he was right.
Ezrin smirked, his grip tightening just slightly.
"You're not going anywhere, Seraphina."
Her stomach twisted.
Because the worst part?
She already knew that.
Seraphina refused to give in.
The moment Ezrin caught her, his grip tight and unyielding, she gritted her teeth.
No. Not this time.
With every ounce of will power she had left, she pushed against his chest."Let go."
Ezrin didn't budge. Didn't even flinch.
His smirk deepened, mocking."You can't even stand on your own, and you still think you're in control?"
Seraphina hated that he was right.
But she wouldn't let him win.
Her fingers curled into his shirt—not for support, but to shove him away.
And this time, she put all her weight into it.
Ezrin's smirk faltered just slightly as she managed to pull herself free from his grip.
She stumbled but caught herself against the wall, breathing heavily.
Her ankle was screaming in pain, but she ignored it.
Ezrin's eyes darkened, his amusement flickering into something colder.
"Seraphina." His voice held a warning.
She ignored it.
Straightening, she lifted her chin. "I don't need you to catch me."
Ezrin exhaled through his nose, his jaw clenching.
"Really?" He took a step forward.
Seraphina didn't back down.
She forced herself to stand taller, masking the pain."Yes."
For a moment, they just stared at each other.
A silent war.
Then—Ezrin's smirk returned, but this time, it was different.
Darker. More dangerous.
"Fine."
He stepped back, hands slipping into his pockets, his gaze steady, unreadable.
"Then walk away, Seraphina."
Her breath caught.
Because this time, he wasn't stopping her.
He was letting her fail on her own.
And that?
That made her even angrier.
Seraphina straightened her back, steadying herself against the wall.
Ezrin's words lingered in the air, heavy, calculated.
Then walk away, Seraphina.
It wasn't a challenge. It was a trap.
He expected her to fail. Expected her to stumble, to fall, to need him.
But she wouldn't.
Not this time.
Swallowing the sharp pain in her ankle, she forced her body to move.
One step. Slow. Controlled.
Her breathing was steady, her face blank.
Ezrin's gaze never wavered, watching her every movement.
Another step. Stronger.
Her fingers twitched against the wall, but she didn't grab it for support.
Ezrin's smirk faded just slightly.
She kept walking. One step. Then another.
Not stumbling. Not hesitating.
The pain was blinding, but she wouldn't let him see it.
Wouldn't give him that satisfaction.
Ezrin's jaw ticked.
He wasn't amused anymore.
And Seraphina?
She finally felt like she was winning.
Seraphina kept walking.
One step. Then another.
Her ankle screamed with every movement, but she wouldn't stop.
Wouldn't let him see the pain.
Ezrin's smirk was gone.
His gaze sharp, calculating—assessing her.
He had expected her to stumble. To fall.
But she didn't.
She reached the doorway, gripping the edge lightly but not using it for support.
And then—she turned slightly, meeting his gaze head-on.
"See?" Her voice was smooth, unwavering. "I don't need you."
Ezrin's jaw tensed.
A slow exhale left his lips, but he said nothing.
He didn't stop her. Didn't move.
He just stood there, watching her.
And for a brief second, Seraphina thought she had won.
She turned away, ready to leave.
But just as she took the next step—
A sharp pain shot through her ankle.
Her vision blurred for a split second, her balance wavering.
She gasped softly, barely noticeable—but not to him.
Ezrin moved.
Fast.
Before she could process it, he was behind her.
And in one swift motion—he grabbed her, pulling her against him.
Her eyes were closed, tightly.
His grip wasn't gentle this time.
One arm wrapped around her waist, locking her in place.
His lips brushed dangerously close to her ear.
And then—he chuckled.
Low. Dark. Unamused.
"You almost had me there."
Seraphina's stomach twisted.
Because this wasn't just Ezrin catching her.
This was Ezrin reclaiming control.
Seraphina's breath was unsteady, her body trapped against his.
Ezrin's grip wasn't just firm—it was possessive.
A silent reminder that she could fight him all she wanted, but he would always catch her.
His breath was warm against her ear, his voice laced with dark amusement.
"Let go, Ezrin." Her voice was sharp, but it lacked its usual bite.
Because he had already won.
Again.
Ezrin smirked. "Why?"
His grip tightened just slightly, his arm pressing against her waist.
"You wanted to prove something, didn't you?" His tone was mocking. "Go ahead, Seraphina. Walk away."
She gritted her teeth, anger flaring inside her.
"I will."
Ezrin exhaled a soft chuckle, his lips brushing dangerously close to her skin.
"No, you won't."
And then—he scooped her up.
Seraphina gasped, her hands instinctively gripping his shoulders.
"Ezrin!"
But he didn't react, didn't even struggle with her weight.
He carried her with ease, like she was something fragile.
Something his.
Seraphina's heart pounded against her ribs.
She was losing control of this.
Of herself.
Ezrin walked effortlessly back to the bedroom, his grip never loosening.
As he reached the bed, he finally spoke again—low, smooth, absolute.
"You can fight me all you want."
He placed her down, but before she could move, his hand pressed against her thigh—firm, keeping her in place.
His gaze burned into hers.
"But you're not going anywhere."
Seraphina swallowed hard.
Because this time—
She didn't know if she wanted to.
Seraphina's breath was uneven, her body tense beneath his grip.
Ezrin's fingers pressed against her thigh, firm—unyielding.
His dark gaze burned into hers, his presence suffocating, all-consuming.
Seraphina's jaw tightened."I'm not fighting you."
Ezrin's smirk returned, slow and knowing."Aren't you?"
His fingers traced just slightly along the fabric of her pants, barely moving—just enough to make her pulse quicken.
Seraphina's hands curled into the sheets, hating how easily he controlled the air around them.
How easily he controlled her.
She forced herself to breathe, steady, calm.
"I told you, I don't need you to catch me."
Ezrin hummed, tilting his head slightly. "And yet, here you are."
Seraphina's lips parted slightly, but no words came out.
Because she was here.
And worst of all—he knew she wouldn't leave.
Ezrin leaned in, his voice dropping lower.
"You can't even walk away from me properly, Seraphina."
His fingers tightened slightly against her thigh, just for a moment.
Her breath hitched.
Her body betrayed her, reacting before her mind could stop it.
Ezrin noticed.
His smirk deepened. "See?"
Seraphina's face burned, anger and something else twisting inside her.
She hated him. Hated how he did this.
Hated that he was right.
Ezrin's lips tilted into something colder, darker. "You won't leave."
Seraphina finally spoke, voice sharp."You're too sure of yourself."
Ezrin exhaled a soft chuckle, his hand finally moving away, but his presence still suffocating her.
"I have every reason to be."
Then, without another word—
He stood up and left.
Like he had already won.
Like he always did.
Seraphina gritted her teeth, fingers curling tighter into the sheets.
Because for the first time—
She wasn't sure if she hated it.