Episode 5

The rain tapped against the glass windows like a steady rhythm of fate. Zera lay on the giant bed, the silk sheets brushing against her skin like whispers she didn’t want to hear. Sleep wouldn’t come. Not with Ares King just a wall away… and certainly not with the chaos inside her heart. 💔

Since the night he whispered "You should be afraid," something inside her had shifted. She was no longer sure who she feared more—the devil she married, or herself for being drawn to him.

🖤 “Can I trust my own heart in a world built on lies?” she thought.

Suddenly, a soft knock echoed on the bedroom door. Before she could respond, Ares entered—dressed in black, every inch the dark king he was. His hair was slightly damp from the rain, and his eyes, stormier than the night itself, locked onto hers.

“You didn’t eat dinner,” he said calmly, but his voice carried a quiet warning.

Zera sat up, her tone firm. “I’m not hungry.”

Ares walked over and placed a tray on the bedside table. 🍲🥄

“You will be. This world doesn’t wait for the weak.”

His words stung, but Zera didn’t let it show. “Then maybe I’m stronger than you think.”

Their eyes clashed—hers blazing with defiance, his smoldering with something deeper.

“You think I don’t see your fear,” Ares said softly. “But fear isn’t weakness, Zera. It’s fuel.”

Zera’s heart pounded. Why did he speak like he knew her so well? Like he could see the scars she never showed anyone?

He sat at the edge of the bed, just close enough to make her heart race.

“Tell me,” he said. “Why did you run from your old life?”

Zera looked away. “That life broke me. This one might kill me. But at least I get to choose my battles here.”

Ares tilted his head, intrigued. “You really are something else.”

🌧️ Silence fell again, but it wasn’t cold anymore. It was heavy with unsaid things.

After a moment, he stood up. “You’ve got fight in you. That’s rare.”

Zera’s voice was barely a whisper. “Will that be enough to survive you?”

Ares paused at the door, turning his head slightly.

“We’ll find out soon enough, Mrs. King.” He smirked and left.

🌌 The door clicked shut, but Zera remained frozen. Her hands trembled slightly, and her mind screamed with questions. Was he trying to break her? Or protect her? Or both?

She laid back down, pulling the blanket over her chest, staring at the ceiling.

Her thoughts wandered—back to the day she signed the contract. The pen had trembled in her hand, her signature nothing more than a whisper on red-stained paper. But the moment their fates intertwined, something awakened inside her. A force stronger than fear.

🌹**"This isn't love\,"** she whispered to the dark. "But maybe it's something close."

The storm outside roared louder, almost like it was listening.

💭 Somewhere in the mansion, Ares stood on his balcony, looking at the rain. He lit a cigarette, took a drag, and exhaled slowly. In his mind, the girl with fire in her eyes had left a mark no bullet ever could.

“I’ll protect her…” he muttered to himself. “Even if it’s from me.”

To be continued...

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