Her fingers trembled as she reached for the ointment.
The small tube slipped slightly in her grip before she steadied it, squeezing a careful amount onto her fingertips.
She hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then slowly—
She applied it over his sliced palm.
Her touch was light.
Gentle.
Almost afraid.
But the closeness—
It was suffocating.
She could feel his presence everywhere.
Behind her.
Beside her.
Around her.
Her breath grew uneven, her chest rising and falling too quickly as she forced herself to focus on the task.
Bandage.
Just finish the bandage.
That's it.
But her body refused to cooperate.
A faint tremor ran through her hands again.
And he noticed.
Of course he did.
Adrian pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek, watching her silently for a moment before speaking.
"I heard you were crying."
His voice was low.
Flat.
Not a question.
A statement.
Her hands froze for a brief second.
"…just because I didn't acknowledge your words."
Her throat tightened instantly.
The cotton pad in her hand stilled against his skin.
How did he —
Oh, maybe Mr. Alex, told him.
Everything.
He continued, his tone unchanged.
"You were trying so hard to prove what you saw last night."
A pause.
Heavy.
Slow.
"You don't even know yourself whether it was real… or just your imagination."
Her breath hitched slightly.
Her fingers tightened around the bandage roll.
"But still…"
His voice dropped lower.
"…you were desperate."
The word lingered.
Sharp.
Cutting.
"And yet—"
Another pause.
This time closer.
Too close.
"—you're thrilled, aren't you?"
Her brows furrowed instantly.
Confusion replaced fear for a moment.
"…w-why would I be thrilled?"
Her voice came out soft.
Shaky.
Barely holding together.
"I don't understand what you mean…"
That was the truth.
She didn't understand.
Not him.
Not his words.
Not the way he twisted everything.
A dark chuckle escaped his lips.
Low.
Amused.
Dangerous.
Before she could react—
He leaned closer.
His presence closing in again.
"You're thrilled…"
His voice brushed against her ear.
"…because someone was watching you."
Her breath stopped.
Completely.
"Or what…"
He continued slowly.
"…are you that desperate to have someone obsessed with you?"
Her fingers went cold.
"A stalker…"
A pause.
"…or maybe a monster… who can't stay away from you?"
Her heart dropped.
The accusation in his tone—
It hit harder than anything else.
Her mind spun instantly.
What is he saying…?
Why would she want something like that?
Why would anyone?
And then—
Another thought hit her.
Sharp.
Sudden.
If he knew this much—
If he could say something like this—
Then why…
Why did he deny it before?
Why did he crush the cigarette—
The only proof she had?
Her breath became uneven again.
Confusion.
Fear.
Doubt.
Everything tangled together inside her chest.
Tears welled up in her eyes without warning.
She didn't understand this.
Didn't understand him.
Didn't understand what was happening to her.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
Then another.
And another.
She stepped back suddenly.
Creating distance.
Hiding her face from him.
Her shoulders began to shake as she tried—
desperately—to suppress the sound of her crying.
But it didn't work.
It never did.
Because the more she tried—
The harder it became.
And he watched.
Didn't stop her.
Didn't comfort her.
Instead—
He spoke again.
His voice laced with something dark.
A dark humour.
"You should start liking that monster."
Her body froze.
Then trembled harder.
Her breathing turned shallow.
Too fast.
Too uneven.
Her chest tightened painfully.
Her fingers curled into her dress.
She couldn't breathe properly.
Her vision blurred.
The room felt smaller.
Closing in.
And that's when—
He noticed.
The change.
The panic.
The way her body was reacting—
Too intensely.
Too quickly.
His expression shifted.
Just slightly.
"…damn it."
Before she could step further away—
His arms wrapped around her from behind.
Pulling her back against him.
Tight.
Too tight.
Her breath hitched sharply at the sudden contact.
"Hey—"
His voice was firmer now.
Different.
"Stop."
But her body didn't listen.
Her breathing remained uneven.
Her hands shaking uncontrollably.
Her mind slipping further into panic.
He turned her around instantly.
Forcing her to face him.
His hand came up, cupping her cheek.
Firm.
Grounding.
His other arm wrapped around her waist,
holding her in place.
"Look at me."
His voice was sharp.
Commanding.
But underneath—
There was something else.
Something unfamiliar.
"Look at me."
Her eyes fluttered.
Unfocused.
Tears blurred her vision.
"I said—look at me."
This time—
Stronger.
An order.
And that—
That broke through.
Her eyes lifted slowly.
Meeting his.
Because even in her panic—
She hadn't forgotten.
She couldn't disobey him.
Not him.
Not ever.
Her lips trembled as she tried to breathe properly.
Tried to steady herself.
But it wasn't easy.
Not when he was this close.
Not when everything inside her was still shaking.
His thumb brushed lightly against her cheek, wiping away a tear.
His gaze fixed on her face.
Sharp.
Intense.
Searching.
"…breathe."
The word came out lower this time.
Less harsh.
"Slowly."
Her chest rose again.
Then fell.
Uneven.
But she tried.
Again.
And again.
Until gradually—
Her breathing slowed.
Just a little.
Her body still trembling.
But not as violently as before.
A silence fell between them.
Heavy.
Unspoken.
And for the first time—
He didn't fill it with words.
He just watched her.
Closely.
As if trying to understand something himself.
Something he didn't expect.
Something he didn't plan.
Because this—
This reaction—
This fragile, broken state—
It wasn't what he wanted.
Or maybe…
He just didn't expect it to affect him like this.
His jaw tightened slightly.
But his grip didn't loosen.
Not completely.
Not yet.
Because even now—
Even in this moment—
He wasn't ready to let her go.
Her breathing steadied slowly—
But her fingers clutched onto his shirt unconsciously.
As if letting go meant falling apart again.
And that small, fragile gesture—
Didn't go unnoticed by him.
His gaze darkened slightly.
Not with anger this time—
But with something far more dangerous.
Something that felt a lot like possession.