The elevator doors closed.
Silence filled the space immediately.
Heavy silence.
Dangerous silence.
Aryan stood beside Nithya with coldness radiating from him naturally. His jaw remained tight while his dark eyes stayed fixed ahead.
Lucien's final words still echoed in the air.
"I'll take her away myself."
Bad mistake.
Very bad mistake.
Rohan quietly stood near the elevator controls pretending not to notice the terrifying atmosphere.
Even the guards avoided speaking.
Because everyone understood something important.
Eagle was furious.
Not normal anger.
Possessive anger.
The dangerous kind.
The moment they reached the underground parking area, Aryan suddenly stopped walking.
Nithya turned toward him calmly.
"What?"
Aryan looked directly into her eyes.
"Did he ever touch you?"
Straight question.
Sharp.
Unexpected.
Nithya blinked once.
"What kind of question is that?"
Aryan stepped closer slightly.
"Answer it."
His voice stayed calm.
Too calm.
Which meant he was truly angry.
Nithya sighed softly.
"No."
Instant relief flashed briefly through Aryan's eyes before disappearing again.
But Devil noticed.
Interesting.
"He proposed alliance marriage," Aryan muttered coldly.
"And I rejected him."
"He still came here."
"Because Lucien hates losing."
Aryan's expression darkened further.
"He already lost."
Nithya almost smiled slightly hearing that confidence.
Impossible man.
Inside the car back to the mansion, the atmosphere remained tense.
Finally Nithya spoke softly,
"You were jealous."
Aryan answered immediately.
"Yes."
That honesty surprised her again.
"You admit it so easily?"
Aryan looked at her calmly.
"I don't see reason to lie about you."
Silence.
Dangerous silence.
Because every honest sentence from him affected her more than expected.
Back at the mansion, Aryan walked straight into his office while removing his coat sharply.
Nithya followed behind him quietly.
The moment the door closed, Aryan turned toward her.
"I don't trust Lucien."
"I know."
"He's still obsessed."
"I know."
Aryan walked closer slowly.
"And I really hate the way he looks at you."
That sentence made Nithya's heartbeat shift slightly.
Dangerous.
Again.
She crossed her arms lightly.
"You sound possessive."
Aryan stopped directly in front of her.
"I am possessive."
His eyes stayed locked onto hers.
"Especially when it comes to you."
For a few seconds, neither moved.
The tension between them felt different now.
Not violent.
Not hostile.
Something warmer.
Something dangerous.
Then suddenly Aryan gently held her wrist and pulled her slightly closer.
Nithya looked up at him calmly.
"What now?"
Aryan's voice lowered quietly.
"Tell me something honestly."
"Depends."
"Did you ever consider accepting Lucien?"
Straight question again.
Nithya stared at him for one second before answering.
"No."
Aryan's expression softened slightly.
"Never?"
"Never."
Silence.
Then softly she added,
"He never felt like home."
That answer hit harder than expected.
Aryan's fingers tightened slightly around her wrist.
"And I do?"
Nithya looked directly into his eyes.
"Yes."
For one brief moment…
Eagle forgot the world outside.
No wars.
No enemies.
No mafia empires.
Only her.
Without thinking further, Aryan slowly touched her face gently.
This time Nithya didn't freeze.
Didn't pull away.
Instead she stepped slightly closer herself.
Aryan noticed immediately.
Dangerous woman.
His voice became softer now.
"You trust me."
"Yes."
"Even knowing who I really am?"
Nithya's lips curved faintly.
"Aryan."
Her fingers lightly touched the bandaged side under his shirt.
"You took a bullet for me."
Silence.
Then quietly she whispered,
"I trust you more than anyone."
Something inside Eagle softened completely hearing that.
Suddenly the office phone rang sharply.
Both immediately returned to reality.
Aryan sighed softly before answering.
"What?"
Rohan's voice came urgently.
"Sir. Lucien's men moved near the harbor routes."
Aryan's expression turned cold again instantly.
"What are they doing?"
"We don't know yet."
Nithya's eyes sharpened beside him.
Lucien never moved without purpose.
Never.
Aryan ended the call slowly.
Then he looked toward Nithya.
"This isn't over."
Nithya nodded once.
"No."
Because both of them understood now.
Lucien Moreau did not come to Seoul just for a meeting.
He came with intentions.
Dangerous intentions.
And somewhere deep inside…
Eagle's possessiveness toward Devil was becoming far more personal than either of them expected.