A Michelin-star French restaurant.
Perched elegantly on the rooftop of a luxury hotel overlooking the glittering Ethel River.
The ambiance was serene.
The only sound was a grand piano playing softly, its melody drifting over the river in the warm afternoon sun.
But for me, the meal was already physically impossible to swallow before the first course had even arrived.
I sat rigidly, shrinking into the corner of the VIP table.
I had been deliberately seated lower than Ren, facing the empty chair directly across from him. My hands were locked together in my lap, knuckles white.
I was trying to mask my trembling, constantly attempting to hike the collar of my shirt higher to hide the humiliating leather band around my throat.
"Fix your damn face." Ren hissed through his teeth.
He didn't even bother to look in my direction. One hand casually feigned adjusting his tie...
While his predatory eyes remained locked onto the entrance.
"This client is important. Do not act like a cursed omen."
"Yes, sir..." I whispered weakly.
Click!
The heavy mahogany doors swung open. The hostess elegantly gestured, ushering the gentleman inside.
"Right this way, Mr. Zen."
In that second, time seemed to grind to a halt. A tall, beautifully proportioned man stepped into the room.
He was dressed in an impeccable, light grey bespoke suit, offering a visually soothing contrast to Ren's suffocating, pitch-black attire.
His face was flawlessly handsome, his skin pale and refined. His eyes were a stunning shade of warm, golden-brown that exuded an inviting friendliness.
His lips were curved into a soft, gentle smile that seemed to illuminate the oppressive atmosphere of the room.
'Zen'. That was his name.
Ren stood up to welcome his guest.
The murderous scowl vanished, replaced by the charismatic smile of a seasoned CEO.
"Welcome back to Velas City, Mr. Zen."
"It is a pleasure, Mr. Ren."
Zen extended a hand in greeting.
His voice was a deep, velvety baritone—incredibly smooth and soothing to the ear. It was a staggering contrast to the harsh, gravelly edge of Ren's tone.
"It has been quite a while, hasn't it? Not since the last banquet."
"Indeed, it has," Ren replied politely, smoothly gesturing toward the empty chair.
"Please, have a seat."
Zen pulled the chair out. But suddenly, his golden eyes flicked over, landing directly on me.
His eyes widened just a fraction. Before narrowing with undeniable intrigue.
He visually dissected me from head to toe. His gaze wasn't overtly invasive or predatory like Ren's
Yet, there was an unfathomable depth to his stare that caused every hair on my body to stand on end for absolutely no logical reason.
"And who might this be...?" Zen inquired, flashing a brilliant smile.
"Aren't you going to introduce us?"
Ren shot a lethal glare at me. His aura instantly spiked with possessive hostility.
"Ah. My apologies. This is 'Yurin'."
He emphasized my name with heavy, territorial weight.
"My new personal secretary."
"A secretary, you say?"
Zen arched an elegant brow.
His gaze dropped, locking directly onto the silver padlock 'choker' binding my throat. He stared at it in silence for so long that I unconsciously raised a hand to cover it.
"Mr. Ren's tastes are... certainly intriguing."
Zen remarked with a soft chuckle.
Before stepping around the table and extending his hand toward me.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Yurin."
I froze. No one had treated me with an ounce of genuine respect in years. Especially not while knowing I was essentially Ren's subjugated property.
I fearfully looked up at Ren, silently begging for permission.
Ren's face remained a mask of stone, but his dark eyes screamed, 'Do not dare touch him.'
But Zen simply held his hand out, unmoving. That warm, gentle smile never once wavered.
Gathering my courage, I slowly extended my trembling hand to meet his.
Grab! The second our skin made contact, an electrical current jolted through my nervous system.
It wasn't the spark of love at first sight. It was a powerful sense of familiarity. His palm was... incredibly warm.
But the way his long fingers wrapped around my hand carried an unyielding firmness that made me feel suffocated.
And his scent...
A crisp, cool, refreshing cologne heavily laced with the faint, biting scent of high-grade tobacco.
It yanked at a locked memory buried deep within my mind.
This scent... Where have I smelled this before?
"Your hands are like ice." Zen murmured softly.
His thumb deliberately caressed the back of my hand. The touch was incredibly light. So feather-light that anyone watching would never have noticed it.
But the sensation burned vividly into my skin.
"Are you feeling unwell?"
"N... No, sir. I am perfectly fine, thank you."
I retracted my hand, snatching it back to my chest. My heart hammered with a primal warning regarding that seemingly innocent touch.
"Please, sit down, Mr. Zen. The food will go cold."
Ren cut in, his voice resembling a sharpened blade.
He glared at the hand Zen had just used to touch me, his territorial fury fully unmasked.
The lunch meeting officially commenced.
Ren and Zen engaged in high-level discussions regarding corporate investments and multi-billion-dollar joint ventures.
As for me... I sat with my head bowed, aimlessly pushing the exquisite food around my plate.
I listened to them converse, desperately trying to fade into the background like a ghost.
"I heard a rumor that you are getting engaged soon, Mr. Ren. Is that true?"
Zen suddenly shifted the trajectory of the conversation.
"Yes. To Ms. Hana," Ren replied curtly.
"My congratulations. You two make a highly suitable match," Zen smiled warmly, taking a slow, deliberate sip of his wine.
His golden eyes slid sideways, locking onto me once more.
"And... what about your lovely secretary?"
"Pardon?" I flinched, startled by the sudden inclusion.
"Do you have a partner?"
That single question caused the atmosphere in the room to plummet to zero.
Ren violently dropped his silver cutlery onto the porcelain plate.
Clank!
"Yurin does not possess the luxury of time for such useless trivialities."
Ren answered on my behalf, his voice radiating a sub-zero chill.
"His exclusive duty is to serve me. That alone consumes the entirety of his existence."
"Isn't that right, Yurin?" Ren turned his head to look at me.
His eyes were black holes of intimidation, silently forcing the correct answer from my throat.
"Y... Yes, sir." I whispered, barely audible.
"What a pity."
Zen gently placed his wine glass onto the table. The soft smile playing on his lips suddenly seemed to take on a darker, far more enigmatic quality.
"Someone as lovely as you. If I were your superior, I would never force you to work so tirelessly."
"I would ensure... You were cherished."
The word 'cherished' sounded warm and protective.
Yet, for some inexplicable reason, a wave of goosebumps erupted across my skin.
Beneath the table, Ren's fist clenched. I could clearly see the thick veins bulging against the back of his hand.
It was glaringly obvious that Ren's possessive jealousy had been triggered. Not because he harbored genuine love for me.
But because another man dared to show interest in his personal 'toy'.
"Yurin." Ren snapped, his voice a low growl.
"Yes, Mr. President."
"Mr. Zen's glass is empty. Pour the guest more wine."
"Yes, sir."
I jumped out of my seat, grabbing the expensive bottle of red wine. I walked around the table, approaching Zen's side. My hands were shaking.
The closer I got to Zen... the more intensely my anxiety seemed to spike.
As I nervously began to pour the dark crimson liquid into his glass...
"Careful now."
Zen reached up, his large hand gently stabilizing the base of the crystal glass. And in that fraction of a second... his fingertips deliberately brushed against my waist
Swoosh...
The contact was agonizingly light. And it happened with such blinding speed that Ren could not possibly have seen it.
But it was horrifyingly intentional to me.
His long fingers trailed slowly over the fabric of my shirt. Pressing exactly over the deep bruise Ren had carved into my hip just last night.
I jumped. I nearly dropped the entire bottle of wine onto the table.
"I apologize!"
"It is perfectly fine. You are quite easily startled, aren't you, Mr. Yurin?"
Zen tilted his head back, looking up at me.
Those golden-brown eyes were sparkling with a dark amusement—exactly like a child who had just discovered a fascinating new toy to break.
"Perhaps next time..."
He whispered, his voice so low that only I could hear it.
"We can continue this conversation. Privately."
...
The second the lunch concluded, and Zen had departed...
Ren stormed out of the restaurant, his footsteps echoing with murderous rage. He dragged me directly back to the limousine.
His temper was boiling over like an active volcano.
Slam!
The second the heavy car doors sealed us inside...
Ren lunged at me.
"What the fuck did he say to you?!"
He roared, his hands viciously grabbing my shoulders and slamming me back against the seat.
"N... Nothing! He didn't say anything! He just said goodbye—"
"Liar!"
"You were throwing yourself at him, weren't you?! You saw how handsome he was! You saw his money, and you were practically begging to spread your legs and leave with him!"
"No! I wasn't! I swear!"
"Do not even think about it, Yurin..."
Ren crushed my body deeper into the leather upholstery. His face was contorted into a mask of pure wrath.
"Do not ever think you can escape me by running to someone else."
"Especially not that bastard Zen..."
"I can smell it... The stench of a two-faced liar radiates off him."
Without warning, Ren sank his teeth into the sensitive crook of my neck. He bit hard into the hollow of my throat, right over the old mark, drawing blood.
"Burn this into your pathetic skull... You are mine."
"And if I ever catch you smiling at him again... I will physically rip your mouth apart."
I lay trembling beneath his crushing weight.
Silent tears streamed down my face, born from blinding pain and absolute terror.
Deep within my heart...
I was paralyzed by Ren's violent threats. Yet, the unsettling memory of 'Zen' continued to cycle through my mind.
That warm touch... those deceptively gentle eyes...
He appeared to be the single flickering beacon of light in this suffocating, endless darkness.
Completely unaware of the horrifying truth...
What kind of monstrous answer was truly hiding beneath that gentle, perfect smile?