Episode 6: The Line Between Us

[Scene: Zavier’s Safehouse – A Night That Changes Everything]

The car ride was silent. Elia sat beside Zavier, her fingers gripping the edge of her coat. She had no idea where they were going, but she knew this was a bad idea.

Yet, she had said yes.

The city blurred past, streetlights casting golden streaks across the sleek black car. Zavier’s presence was overwhelming, his gaze fixed on the road, his hands steady on the wheel.

Finally, he pulled into a secluded driveway. The house before them was modern, all glass and steel, overlooking the Thames. It didn’t fit the image of a man like him—too quiet, too peaceful.

Elia (whispering): "This is where you live?"

Zavier shut off the engine but didn’t answer immediately.

Zavier: "It’s where no one can reach me."

Elia frowned at his choice of words but followed him inside.

[Scene: Inside the Safehouse – A Glimpse of the Man Beneath the Mask]

The inside was nothing like she expected. It wasn’t cold and impersonal—it felt… lived in.

Bookshelves lined one wall, filled with worn leather-bound books. A fireplace flickered in the corner. There was even an unfinished sketch on a desk—a charcoal drawing of the city skyline.

Elia’s eyes widened.

Elia: "You draw?"

Zavier, who had been pouring himself a drink, glanced at her.

Zavier: "Not anymore."

Elia stepped closer, running her fingers over the sketch’s rough edges.

Elia: "It’s good. Why did you stop?"

He exhaled, setting his glass down.

Zavier: "Because in my world, art is a distraction. And distractions get you killed."

His words sent a chill down her spine.

Elia: "So you just gave it up? Something you loved?"

Zavier: "I didn’t have a choice."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them was thick, charged with something unspoken.

Then, Elia did something reckless.

She picked up a piece of charcoal from his desk and handed it to him.

Elia: "Show me."

Zavier stared at her, his expression unreadable. Then, after what felt like forever, he took the charcoal.

And in that moment, Elia saw something she had never seen before.

Not the cold, dangerous Zavier Khan.

But the boy he used to be.

[Scene: The Unspoken Tension]

Zavier moved the charcoal across the page, sketching without thought. Elia watched, mesmerized. He was good—too good for someone who had abandoned art.

The silence between them shifted. It wasn’t uncomfortable. It was… intimate.

When he finally looked up, their eyes locked.

Zavier: "Why are you really here, Elia?"

Her breath hitched.

Elia: "Because I want to understand you."

A muscle in his jaw tightened.

Zavier: "There’s nothing to understand."

Elia: "I don’t believe that."

For the first time, she saw something crack in his expression. It was only for a second, but it was there—a flicker of vulnerability.

And that second was enough.

Because suddenly, Zavier was standing too close. She could feel the warmth of his skin, see the way his chest rose and fell.

Zavier (low voice): "You think I’m something I’m not, Elia."