Chapter 5

                                                                              Sera Kaine

If the universe had a sense of humor, it clearly loved using me as its favorite punchline.

Because after days of trying (and failing) to stop thinking about him, Amanda had the audacity to text:

"Rooftop bar. 8 p.m. No excuses. We're getting you drunk enough to forget whatever demon is haunting your brain."

Spoiler: that demon had a name. And it was Aaran Russo.

By 8:05, I was standing in front of Luna Verve, one of those ridiculously fancy rooftop bars that smelled like money, ambition, and heartbreak dressed in designer shoes. My heels clicked against the marble floor as I walked in, my black satin dress hugging me like sin itself, because if I was going to spiral emotionally, I might as well look hot doing it.

The city lights stretched endlessly below us, and the sky was painted in the last shades of gold melting into violet. The faint hum of jazz mixed with laughter and the clinking of glasses. The air had that warm, electric quality that made you feel like anything could happen tonight — preferably something illegal or emotionally catastrophic.

"Finally!" Amanda's voice cut through the noise, loud enough to make a few heads turn. She waved from a corner booth, her copper hair glowing under the soft lights. She looked like she had walked straight out of a Vogue cover and into chaos.

Beside her, Jeevika Rayne sat in her usual graceful composure — neat bun, pearl earrings, and that calm energy of someone who could run a country while sipping champagne.

I slid into the seat opposite them with a dramatic sigh. "I deserve an award for being on time. A crown. A cake. A parade, maybe."

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Sweetheart, being five minutes late in Sera time means you're early in everyone else's universe."

"Wow, I love that my punctuality is a multiverse phenomenon now." I smirked, waving for the waiter. "Three margaritas. Strong ones. I need my soul disinfected."

Jeevika chuckled. "Rough week?"

I leaned back, swirling the napkin between my fingers. "You could say that. My mother's been on her matchmaking marathon again. And this time, she took me to Cassandra Russo's mansion."

Amanda blinked. "Wait—Cassandra Russo? As in the Russo family?"

"The very same." I arched an eyebrow. "Apparently, she's Mom's new best friend. You know, classy luncheons, spa days, exchanging passive-aggressive compliments about their kids' careers."

"Oh no," Jeevika murmured with mock horror. "Please tell me you didn't get dragged into tea parties with socialites again."

"Worse," I deadpanned. "I got dragged into destiny."

Amanda leaned forward instantly. "Okay, stop. Explain. What happened?"

The margaritas arrived — chilled, perfectly salted, dangerously inviting. I took a sip, savoring the taste before I confessed.

"So," I began, "I was at the Russo mansion, pretending to care about whatever porcelain collection Cassandra was bragging about. And then, I saw him."

Amanda's eyes lit up. "Him? Oh my God. Don't tell me—"

"Oh yes," I interrupted, tapping my glass. "Aaran Russo."

The name hung in the air like forbidden magic. Even Jeevika's composed smile faltered.

Amanda whistled. "Well, well. The Devil himself."

"Correction," I said with a slow grin. "The gorgeous, infuriating, unreasonably perfect Devil himself."

They both leaned in. I could practically feel their curiosity vibrating through the table.

"Was he there?" Jeevika asked softly.

I shook my head. "Not at first. I just saw his photo. In Cassandra's hall. And—God—it felt like someone sucker-punched me with nostalgia. Because I've seen him before."

Amanda nearly choked on her drink. "You've what?!"

"Years ago," I said, my tone softening. "At a gala. He was married then. I barely saw him for a moment, but... it stuck. His eyes—dark, like onyx. You know the kind of gaze that feels like it could strip you of all logic and leave you willingly stupid?"

Amanda fanned herself. "Honey, I think we all know that gaze."

"Yeah," I murmured. "Except his wasn't flirtatious. It was cold. Detached. Like he carried an entire storm behind his calm."

Jeevika studied me, her brow raised. "And you remembered him, all these years later?"

"Unfortunately." I took another sip. "Like a song that gets stuck in your head and ruins your entire playlist."

Amanda smirked. "So what happened this time? Did you see him again?"

I hesitated for a second. "I did. He came out of the pool."

Their jaws dropped in unison.

I let the suspense hang before adding dramatically, "And no, before you ask, I didn't plan that. I was wandering around and—bam—Greek god rising from water, sunlight doing unspeakable things on his skin, and me, standing there like an idiot about to forget how to breathe."

Amanda squealed. "Oh my GOD, this is cinematic gold."

Jeevika hid a laugh behind her glass. "And what did you do, Sera?"

"What do you think I did?" I said, feigning offense. "I stared. Like any respectable woman facing divine temptation. And then I smirked after he left because I decided he's going to be mine."

Amanda slammed her glass down. "Okay, I need popcorn. You can't just drop that line and act normal!"

I grinned, leaning forward. "I mean it. I want him. And I don't care if the universe thinks I shouldn't. He looked at me once, and that's enough for me to make it my mission."

Jeevika sighed. "You're going to burn down the world one day, Sera Kaine."

"Maybe," I said, sipping my drink with mock elegance. "But at least I'll look good doing it."

The laughter that followed was loud enough to earn a few glances from nearby tables. I didn't care. For the first time in days, the weight in my chest felt a little lighter — replaced by the thrill of possibility and tequila.

Amanda was practically vibrating with excitement. "Okay, okay, hold on—so you saw him half-naked, water dripping, sunlight glinting off his—"

"Face," I cut in, deadpan.

She gave me a look. "Sure, babe. Let's go with face."

Jeevika rolled her eyes, though she was smiling. "Don't encourage her."

Amanda leaned back in her seat, swirling her martini like it was a weapon. "No, I'm absolutely encouraging this. Because, honestly, it's been years since Sera Kaine looked this unhinged over someone. And you," she pointed at me dramatically, "look like you're two bad decisions away from writing poetry."

I gasped. "Excuse you. I would never—" I paused. "Okay, fine, maybe a haiku."

Jeevika laughed, soft but genuine. "You really like him, don't you?"

Like him? Like him? That word didn't even scratch the surface.

I played with the rim of my glass, pretending to be casual. "He's... different. Not in the cliché way. It's not just his looks—though, God help me, those eyes are illegal—it's the way he carries himself. Like he owns the silence around him."

Amanda hummed. "Mysterious, brooding, emotionally unavailable billionaire with perfect jawline? Groundbreaking."

I threw a lemon slice at her. "Shut up. I'm serious."

She caught it mid-air and dropped it into her drink with a grin. "Oh, I know you are, sweetheart. That's what makes it fun."

Jeevika tilted her head. "Didn't he... lose his wife?"

The air shifted just slightly. The city hum around us dimmed beneath that one question.

I nodded slowly. "Yeah. Cassandra mentioned it. She said his wife—Aarohi—took her own life. When she was pregnant."

Amanda blinked, her tone sobering. "Wow."

"She didn't say much," I continued quietly, tracing the condensation on my glass. "Just that it happened years ago. That it broke him. And since then, he's... different. Cold. Hard to reach."

Jeevika's voice softened. "That kind of grief changes people."

"I know," I murmured. "But still, when I saw him, I couldn't see tragedy. I saw something else. Like there's a part of him that's still alive underneath all that armor."

Amanda gave me a knowing look. "And you want to be the one to wake it up."

I met her gaze, smiling slightly. "Maybe I do."

She leaned forward, chin resting on her palm. "Sera, I love you, but that man looks like he chews people for breakfast and flosses with their feelings."

"Exactly," I said with a grin. "Finally, someone who speaks my love language."

Jeevika sighed. "You're hopeless."

"I prefer delightfully chaotic," I corrected.

Amanda snorted. "Obsessed is the word, darling. Obsessed and dangerous."

I raised my glass in mock salute. "To dangerous obsessions, then."

They clinked their glasses against mine, laughter bubbling again.

For a while, we talked about everything—old college memories, ridiculous dates, Amanda's new fashion disaster of a coworker. The music pulsed softly beneath us, the city gleamed, and the stars above looked like they were gossiping too.

But somewhere in between the laughter, my mind kept circling back to him. Aaran Russo.

The way his eyes had met mine for just a second, and how that second had burned itself into my veins. The way he moved—controlled, precise, but with that underlying power that made everyone around him seem smaller.

I didn't just want him. I craved him. In the way one craves danger when life feels too safe. In the way curiosity becomes addiction.

"Earth to Sera," Amanda's voice snapped me back. "You're zoning out again. Don't tell me you're daydreaming about your poolside phantom."

I smirked. "Maybe."

She threw a napkin at me. "Oh my God, she's gone."

Jeevika laughed, shaking her head. "You're unbelievable."

"What can I say?" I said with a shrug. "I'm committed to the plot twist that is my life."

Amanda leaned back, amused. "You know, most people would see a man like Aaran Russo and think red flag. You see him and think challenge accepted."

"Exactly!" I said, pointing at her. "He's not a red flag—he's an aesthetic."

Jeevika groaned into her drink. "This is why I drink wine."

Amanda laughed so hard she nearly spilled her martini. "You're insane."

"Maybe," I admitted, smiling into my glass. "But I think he's the kind of insane that makes sense to my chaos."

There it was—the truth, sitting quietly beneath all the jokes. The reason why my pulse still stuttered when I thought of him.

And then, out of nowhere, Amanda asked, "How's Vivianne doing?"

Her voice softened the edges of the night.

I exhaled softly, tracing the rim of my glass with a finger. "She's... the same. Still in the coma. But the doctors said her vitals are improving."

Jeevika's grin softened. "That's good news, babe."

"Yeah," I said, smiling faintly. "Her fingers twitched the other day. Mom cried for an hour straight, and Dad tried to act all strong but ended up crying in the bathroom like a dramatic movie dad."

They both chuckled, and I felt a tiny laugh slip past my throat too. "It's weird, you know? Seeing her like that but also hoping every day she'll just—wake up. Sometimes I sit next to her and talk about the dumbest things. Like how Amanda forgot to wear heels to the gala last month."

Amanda groaned. "I told you I tripped down the stairs once!"

I smirked. "Once was enough to traumatize the entire photographer crew, babe."

We all laughed again, but behind my smile, there was that familiar tug in my chest — the kind that whispered hope and heartbreak in the same breath. Vivianne was my baby sister — the calm to my chaos, the quiet to my storm. And I needed her to come back.

I stared down at the golden liquid in my glass, watching it swirl. "She's strong," I murmured softly. "She'll wake up. I know she will."

Amanda's hand brushed mine across the table, warm and grounding. "She will, Sera. She's a Kaine — stubborn runs in the bloodline."

I huffed a small laugh. "Oh, absolutely. We could trademark it."

Then, as if the universe refused to let me stay emotional for too long, Jeevika leaned forward dramatically. "Okay, now that we've cried like a sentimental TV episode — back to hot men and obsession confessions. Spill, Kaine."

I groaned. "You're seriously going to make me sound like some deranged fangirl, aren't you?"

"Darling, you've already declared that man your Roman Empire," Amanda said dryly, flicking her hair.

I rolled my eyes, trying not to grin. "Maybe. He just has that thing, you know? The quiet, intimidating aura. The eyes."

Amanda raised a brow. "The eyes?"

"Dark onyx," I said, my voice dropping almost unconsciously. "Not just black, but deep — like he's seen too much, lived too long. There's something dangerous about them... something that doesn't ask for attention but demands it."

Jeevika blinked. "Okay, you're either in love or in the middle of writing poetry for your Wattpad readers."

"Both," I deadpanned.

They burst out laughing, and I couldn't help but grin, even as my pulse fluttered thinking of him. Aaran Russo. Just saying his name in my head made something stir — not the sweet kind of attraction, but something sharper, hungrier.

It wasn't love. Not yet. It was an obsession wearing the disguise of fascination.

"I swear," Amanda teased, "if you end up dating him, I want credit for letting you vent about him for hours."

"Sweetheart," I said, taking a slow sip of my drink, "if I end up dating him, you'll be my maid of honor. You can wear whatever you want, as long as you don't outshine me."

"Impossible," she shot back.

We all laughed again, and for a few precious moments, the night felt light. The music, the laughter, the air buzzing around us — it was like life paused just long enough to let me breathe.

But deep inside, where my thoughts turned darker, a voice whispered —

You're not just curious about him, Sera.

You want him.

You'll make him yours.

And when I smiled, my reflection in the rim of the glass looked like a girl who already had a plan.

The night had melted into gold and laughter.

The rooftop bar glowed like a chandelier suspended over the city — soft light, smooth jazz, the quiet clink of glasses. The kind of night you didn't want to end because it made you forget how heavy the real world could be.

Amanda was still laughing at something Jeevika said about her dating life ("It's basically a graveyard of red flags," Amanda had admitted proudly), and I couldn't stop giggling either. My cheeks hurt, my throat buzzed from the cocktails, and for once, my thoughts weren't weighed down by white hospital walls and machines beeping in steady rhythm.

But then, as the laughter softened and our drinks ran low, reality slipped back in — like a cold whisper brushing my ear.

Vivianne.

"Guys, I should probably go soon," I said, glancing at my phone. "Mom's probably wondering if I've drowned in a margarita."

Amanda snorted. "If you did, you'd look fabulous doing it."

I laughed and tossed back the rest of my drink. "I'll take that as a compliment."

We stood, wobbling slightly as the city lights stretched around us. The air was cool, teasing the hem of my dress and the edges of my thoughts. As we waited for the elevator, Jeevika looped her arm through mine. "You okay?"

I smiled faintly. "Yeah. Just thinking."

"About Russo?" she teased.

I smirked. "About life."

"Same thing, apparently."

We laughed, and the elevator doors opened, swallowing us into mirrored silence. When we reached the lobby, Amanda hugged me tight, perfume clinging to my hair. "Text when you get home, okay?"

"Always," I promised.

The city felt different when I stepped outside — quieter, almost tender. The air hummed with late-night stillness, streetlights painting everything in shades of amber. My driver pulled up, and I slid into the back seat, the world outside blurring into streaks of light as we drove.

That's when my phone buzzed.

Mom 💌: Viv moved her hand again today. The doctor said it's a good sign. Come see her tomorrow, sweetheart.

My heart fluttered. My throat tightened. I stared at the message until the screen dimmed.

She moved her hand.

Again.

Hope bloomed — fragile, but real.

I leaned my head back, closing my eyes as the car hummed through the sleeping streets. A small smile touched my lips. "You're fighting, Viv," I whispered. "Good girl."

The city slipped by — all marble and glass, glinting like secrets. And somewhere in that glittering maze lived him.

Aaran Russo.

His name felt dangerous even in silence. Like an invitation and a warning wrapped in one.

I could still see him — the water sliding down his skin, the low shadows cutting across his face, those eyes... dark as midnight and twice as merciless. That single glance had done something to me. Something I couldn't undo.

Maybe it was madness. Maybe it was fate.

But I wanted him.

No — I needed him.

And tonight, after too much laughter, too much wine, and too many thoughts I shouldn't be having, that need didn't feel like weakness.

It felt like a challenge.

When I reached home, the Kaine mansion was dark and silent. I slipped off my heels, padding quietly up the marble stairs. Every step echoed faintly — a reminder that no matter how much I laughed, the house was still too big, too quiet, too empty without Viv's chatter filling it.

I peeked into her room. Machines blinked softly in the dim light, the faint hiss of oxygen breaking the silence. I walked closer, brushing a strand of her hair away from her face.

"Hey, baby girl," I whispered. "Mom said you moved your hand today. That's amazing. You're showing off now, huh?"

My voice cracked, just a little. "Keep fighting, okay? I'll handle everything else. I promise."

I stood there a minute longer — long enough to steady my breath — then kissed her forehead lightly and left the room.

When I finally collapsed onto my bed, the city still glowed faintly beyond the window. My phone was still in my hand. My pulse still hadn't slowed.

I thought of him again.

Of those eyes.

Of that quiet, unreadable face.

And I smiled to myself — slow, dangerous, certain.

He didn't know it yet, but the universe had already started spinning our story.

Maybe I didn't know where it would lead. Maybe it was chaos waiting to happen.

But something in me whispered that he was meant to cross my path — like gravity pulling two planets on a collision course.

I rolled onto my side, the silk sheets cool against my skin, and closed my eyes.

For a moment, all I saw was water glinting under sunlight. His back turning. The quiet curve of his jaw.

And that one impossible thought repeating like a secret prayer—

You'll be mine, Aaran Russo.

One way or another... you'll be mine.

________________________________

Author's Note 💌

Hey my loveliesss 💫

First off— I know, I know! This update took a hot minute to arrive 😭 Blame my exams for kidnapping me and holding me hostage with textbooks and caffeine. I swear, I was this close to filing a missing person's report for my sleep schedule.

But here we are — finally serving you a long, drama-filled, obsession-simmering chapter to make up for the wait 🖤 I hope you enjoyed every drop of Sera's sass, chaos, and those dangerously steamy thoughts of Aaran Russo 👀

Now it's your turn, my favorite humans — tell me everything!

What did you think of this chapter? The rooftop night? That little twist of emotion at the end? I'm living for your theories and reactions, so drop them in the comments below 🥰

Oh — and don't forget to vote if you liked the chapter (pretty please with extra sass on top). It helps more than you think 💋

I love you all to bits. Thank you for being so patient and supportive — you make every word worth it.

Until next time,

— ARFIYA (your overly dramatic author in exam survival mode) 📚✨

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