After a bit, Zarri and Kashi excused themselves, deciding to go shopping to shake off the remnants of last night's party. As they stepped into the store, the boutique was high-end, the kind where crystal chandeliers glittered overhead and racks of designer pieces gleamed like treasures on display. The moment Kashi and Zarri stepped inside, the attendants practically tripped over themselves to greet them.
"Miss Saints, Miss Mathias, welcome!" one chirped, ushering them both toward the private section of the store.
Zarri clapped her hands together, already buzzing with excitement. "Alright, mi encanto, today we heal with retail. Last night is buried, gone, poof," she said, making a dramatic wave of her hand.
They immediately got immersed in a world of vibrant colors and stylish displays. They dove right into choosing clothes, their eyes scanning the racks and picking out outfits that caught their fancy.
"Ooh, Zarri, look at this!" Kashi exclaimed, holding up a stunning dress, eager to get her opinion
"Loveee it!!" Zarri exclaimed, and Kashi tossed it over to Frank, who came with them as an escort, grandfather's order.
Zarri dove into the racks with a sparkle in her eyes, pulling out dresses like a general preparing an army, silk, sequins, and velvet flying into the hands of a panicked store attendant trying to keep up.
"Try this one!" she tossed Kashi a crimson dress. "No, no, this one will make Chaos faint," she smirked, tossing Kashi a black slip dress next, and Kashi rolled her eyes at her remark.
Frank trailed behind with his usual patient expression, though when Kashi caught his eye, she could have sworn she saw the corner of his mouth twitch. He carried bag after bag without complaint, shaking his head when Zarri shoved yet another piece his way.
Kashi was in the changing room, trying on another outfit, when she heard Zarri's laughter… and a deep, unfamiliar voice… a man's voice. Was she flirting with a sales attendant again? She's going to get the poor lad fired. Kashi sighed and pushed aside the curtain, ready to intervene.
But as she emerged, she was met with a surprise.
Zarri was seated on a plush couch, a guy Kashi didn't know leaning in, talking animatedly to her. Zarri was rolling her eyes, clearly unimpressed. Kashi froze, her gaze clashing with Chaos's, who was seated on the other couch, and suddenly, she was aware of why she'd frozen.
What is he doing here? Why do they keep running into each other?
"Zarri," Kashi called out, her voice a little louder than intended, drawing everyone's attention to her.
Zarri's head snapped up at her voice, relief flashing across her face like she'd just been saved from drowning.
"Kashi!" she exclaimed dramatically, practically leaping from her chair and grabbing her arm. She tugged her close like a lifeline, whispering under her breath, "Finally, mi encanto, save me before this man talks me into marriage."
The "man" in question was leaning back lazily in his chair, long legs crossed, a glass of champagne in hand despite it being barely noon. His grin was wolfish, carefree the kind of smile that screamed trouble.
"Don't be so cold, princesa," he chuckled, his accent smooth and teasing. "You were enjoying yourself."
Zarri scoffed, rolling her eyes so hard Kashi thought they might get stuck. "Enjoying? Please. You've been talking about yourself for twenty minutes."
The man only laughed harder, unbothered.
And opposite him, seated like a shadow carved in ice, was Chaos. Arms folded, expression unreadable, his piercing eyes still locked on Kashi. He hadn't looked away once.
The air shifted instantly, heavier, as though even the store's glittering chandeliers couldn't brighten the tension settling between them.
"Who is he?" Kashi asked Zarri without sparing the stranger a glance.
Zarri's lips curled into a smirk the moment Kashi asked, though her eyes flicked mischievously toward the man sprawled out in the chair.
"This... " she gestured with a dramatic wave of her hand, "....is Alex Sergeyev. The infamous party boy himself. Chaos's best friend and, apparently, my new shadow."
Alex tipped his glass in Kashi's direction, his grin widening. "Infamous, huh? I'll take that as a compliment." His gaze slid over Kashi once, slow and deliberate, before he leaned back with an approving whistle.
"Ah… so this must be the legendary Kashi Saints I've been hearing so much about."
Zarri folded her arms with a roll of her eyes. "Don't listen to him, mi encanto. He's already insufferable."
Alex chuckled, clearly amused by her irritation, but he didn't press further.
Kashi finally turned to look at Chaos, even though she knew his eyes had never left her since she stepped out.
"Do you like the dress, Mr. X?" Kashi said, tilting her head a little. "You've been staring," she teased him further.
The corner of Chaos's mouth twitched, His gaze swept down the dress slowly, deliberately, hungrily, before returning to her eyes with unnerving precision.
"I wasn't staring at the dress," he said flatly, his voice low enough that only Kashi could truly catch it over Alex's chuckle.
Alex barked out a laugh, clearly enjoying the tension. "Ah, there it is. I was wondering how long it would take before my icy friend thawed enough to speak. Saints, you should feel honored, he usually just stares at people until they crumble."
Zarri smacked Alex's arm with the back of her hand. "Ugh, don't encourage him. He's already impossible."
But Chaos didn't even glance at Alex or Zarri. His eyes were still locked on Kashi, his posture deceptively calm, his words carrying that quiet weight only he could manage.
"You shouldn't tease me, Kashi," he said, his tone even, but there was an edge beneath it that made the air feel heavier. "Not unless you're ready for what comes next."
Kashi didn't say anything further and just asked, "Why are you here… of all places?"
Chaos leaned back slightly in his seat, folding his arms across his chest. His gaze never wavered, still pinned on Kashi like he had no intention of letting her escape the weight of it.
"This isn't your territory alone, Saints," he said coolly. "My company has a stake in this district. I came to check on a few things."
Alex, lounging beside him, smirked and lifted his glass. "And by 'a few things,' he means me. I dragged him here. The man's been buried in work for months. I told him to live a little, see some color outside those damn black suits."He winked at Kashi and Zarri. "And what do we find? Two beautiful women, shopping like queens. Fate, no?"
Zarri rolled her eyes so hard it was practically audible. "Fate my ass. You're just noisy and like to meddle."
Chaos ignored the banter, his eyes still locked on Kashi. "Why does it bother you, Kashi?" he asked evenly. "Do you think I'm following you?"
There was no smirk, no teasing in his voice this time, just that direct, cold question hanging between them, daring her to answer.
"Not particularly. Just, out of all the dressing rooms to be in… you came into this one." Kashi crossed her arms.
Alex nearly choked on his champagne, grinning wide as he leaned forward. "It was me… couldn't resist Zarri's charm the moment I sniffed her scent."
Zarri smirked, clearly entertained. "Tsk. You're a cockroach."
Chaos didn't so much as flinch. He uncrossed his arms slowly, resting one elbow on the chair's armrest, his icy eyes still locked on Kashi.
Kashi stared at him for a few more seconds and then turned to Zarri. "We're leaving," she said, grabbing her bag.
Zarri, ever the dramatic one, practically leapt to her feet, clutching her purse with exaggerated flair. "Finally! I thought we were going to rot in this place with these two wolves circling us," she muttered, shooting Alex a sharp glare as he smirked and lifted his glass in farewell.
Alex leaned back, clearly entertained. "Leaving already, princesa? And here I thought the party was just getting interesting."
"Keep dreaming," Zarri snapped, looping her arm through Kashi's protectively as if she were shielding her.
But Chaos didn't move. He remained seated, his gaze following Kashi. Not a word passed his lips, but the weight of his stare clung to her skin, heavy, unshakable. It was the kind of silence that said everything he didn't need to voice: that this wasn't over.
As Kashi and Zarri turned toward the exit, Frank appeared at the doorway, arms already full with more bags than any one man should be carrying. He gave the two men a polite but stiff nod, then quickly ushered them both out, eager to put distance between them and the dangerous duo.
Still, as the boutique doors swung shut behind them, Kashi couldn't shake the way Chaos's eyes had burned into hers until the very last second.
As the door shut behind her, the echo of her heels fading into silence, Chaos sat perfectly still, one hand resting on the arm of his chair, the other tapping once against his knee. His gaze lingered on the spot where she'd stood, her defiance still humming in the air like static.
"She didn't even flinch," Alex drawled beside him, breaking the quiet. He swirled his champagne lazily, eyes sharp with amusement. "Most women trip over themselves to get your attention. But her? She walks away."
Chaos didn't look at him. His jaw tightened, eyes still fixed forward. "She was trembling," he murmured, almost to himself.
Alex chuckled. "Oh, you caught that, huh? Interesting. So, what's the verdict, old friend? Are you chasing her because she's different, or because she's Saint's granddaughter, and you've got a taste for fire?"
Finally, Chaos turned his head, pinning Alex with a cold stare that could have frozen the room. "Watch your words."
But Alex only grinned wider, unfazed. "Relax. I'm not judging. I'm enjoying this. It's not every day I see you rattled."
Chaos leaned back in his chair, reaching for his gloves and sliding them back on with deliberate precision. His voice dropped, almost dangerous in its calm.
"She'll learn soon enough… I don't let go of what's mine."