~PROLOGUE~

So, you were fooling me all along?" he said with a disappointed smile, his voice laced with sarcasm.

She raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a teasing smile. "Where did you find that victim card? I want one too," she replied, her tone deliberately playful, trying to embarrass him.

He let out a long sigh, his expression darkening. "You’ve been brainwashed, love..."

"Don’t you dare call me that," she snapped, her eyes narrowing. Her gaze flickered briefly to the boy standing across the room, then back to him. "Do you see the boy over there? He’s my..."

"My what?" He took a deliberate step toward her, his eyes gleaming with challenge.

She stood her ground, her pulse quickening as she met his gaze. She was fearless, but the tension between them stirred something inside her, something she couldn’t fully control. "M-my boyfriend," she stammered, her voice faltering but still defiant.

He smirked, leaning in closer, his breath warm against her skin. "Still, you can't call anyone else your love, my love," he said, his voice low and husky, a touch of possessiveness seeping through.

Her finger hovered in the air, pointed at him, as if she could somehow ward him off. But before she could speak, she felt a rush of heat at her ear. Her breath caught as his lips brushed just behind it, sending a shiver down her spine. "My love," he murmured softly, "You’re not in a state to understand this... but we’ll talk later." He paused, his hand gripping her wrist with a firm, almost comforting touch. "For now, come with me."

He didn’t give her a chance to argue. Before she could react, he was already pulling her along, his grip possessive but not unkind. She followed, her mind spinning. His touch still lingered on her skin, leaving her numb and confused. The way he could bend her so easily, making her feel both weak and alive, unsettled her. Was this submission? Or something else?

As they walked, the weight of his presence pressed in on her, and despite every instinct telling her to pull away, she found herself unable to resist. She was helpless, caught between defiance and desire.

He led her into the room without a word, the soft click of the door closing behind them echoing in her ears. The air was thick, charged with an unspoken tension. She halted just a few steps in, her arms crossing defensively.

“Why did you bring me here?” she demanded, her voice steady but her eyes betraying a mix of defiance and unease.

His lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile as he turned to face her. “To give you exactly what you want,” he said, his voice low, almost teasing. Slowly, he began closing the distance between them.

Her eyes narrowed. “Woaah, so you’re back to this game again? Faking personalities? Twisting truths? You’re pretty good at it, aren’t you?” Her tone was confident, but the slight tremor betrayed the war between her fear and determination.

He didn’t respond, his gaze locked on her with an intensity that made her pulse quicken. For every step he took forward, she instinctively took one back, her heels clicking softly against the floor.

“You think you know me so well,” he murmured, his voice almost hypnotic.

Her back hit the edge of the bed, the impact stealing her balance. She gasped as she fell backward, but before she could fully hit the mattress, his hand shot out, grabbing her wrist. The sudden motion sent them both tumbling onto the bed, his weight pressing down on her as they landed in a tangled heap.

For a moment, the world seemed to freeze. Her breath hitched, her heart hammering against her ribs as she found herself staring up into his eyes—closer than she’d ever been before. His expression was unreadable, his gaze flickering between her eyes and lips, a storm of emotions roiling beneath his calm exterior.

“You should really stop pretending you don’t feel it,” he whispered, his voice barely audible, a mixture of challenge and something deeper.

She swallowed hard, trying to muster a retort, but her words failed her. The air between them was heavy, charged with something she couldn’t quite name—a pull, an undeniable force.

And in that moment, she wasn’t sure whether she wanted to fight him or herself more.

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