Vella's phone vibrated. A message appeared from an unknown number:

“You're in danger. Stay away from him. Before you truly lose everything.”

“He's not who you think he is. He... destroyed other people's lives before you.”

Her eyes widened. Her hands trembled.

And behind her, Victor pulled her into an embrace.

"Who is it?" whispered Victor, his voice sharp yet soft. "Is someone bothering you, darling?"

The mysterious message kept echoing in Vella's head. But before she could reread it, Victor took her phone. His movements were calm—too calm, making Vella's heart beat even faster.

"I'm just worried about you," he said, spinning the phone with two fingers, his eyes never leaving Vella's face. "Who would dare send a message like this, hmm?"

"Give it back to me, Victor." Vella tried to grab her phone, but the man pulled her into a hug before she could reach it.

Victor's hand landed on her back, tracing the line of her spine gently but firmly. His breath fanned her neck, warm and heavy.

"I know you're still afraid of me," he whispered. "But... isn't a part of you still wanting me?"

"Victor—"

"Shh..." His hand touched her chin, tilting her face up. "You can deny it with your mouth, but your body has always been honest with me."

Victor's gaze pierced like a knife. Deep and intense. Then his lips touched Vella's cheek—not softly, but demanding. Leaving a hot mark on her skin.

"You remember, don't you?" he whispered. "That night, before you decided to leave, I wanted to propose to you in the town square. But you... chose to run away. You were more afraid of this love, than of feeling it."

"Because your love is frightening," Vella murmured. "You want to control everything, including me."

Victor let out a long sigh, then slowly pressed Vella's body down onto the bed. But this time, something was different. The aura around him had changed. His eyes were darker, colder.

"I'm not controlling you, Vella. I... own you. It's different." His lips were now near hers. "Because you are mine. From the very beginning. Even when you decided to leave... I could still smell your perfume on the pillow."

His fingers slipped into her hair, then down to her nape, forcing her eyes to meet his gaze.

"Don't run away again, Vella," he said quietly. "Because this time, I won't let you go."

Then he kissed her. Deeply. All-encompassing. As if pouring out all the pent-up emotions from the past three years.

And even though her mind rejected it, Vella's body trembled, accepting every touch. There was fear, but also longing. There was a part of her that yearned for this embrace—the scent of Victor's skin, his breath, the gaze that once made her feel special… before everything turned into a prison.

But before the kiss could deepen, another phone notification sounded.

Victor pulled away, his eyes still red with passion and something else… something dark. He picked up the phone, reading it in silence. But the look in his eyes instantly turned threatening.

"You should stop receiving messages from people you don't know, darling. Otherwise, they might make you lose sleep..."

Vella swallowed. There was something in his tone that made her hair stand on end.

"What do you mean?"

Victor stroked her hair gently, then kissed her forehead.

"Don't worry. I'll find out who this nuisance is. And once I do... I'll make sure he can never touch you again. Not even with words."

---

Morning seeped softly through the bedroom curtains, leaving a golden hue on the walls. Vella opened her eyes slowly. The air still carried traces of Victor's cologne—a scent that was both calming and suffocating. The space beside her was empty.His pillow was still warm.

"Victor?" her voice was hoarse, hesitant. No answer. She sat up,the blanket slipping to her lap. Shadows from the previous night surfaced: Victor's tight embrace, his gaze that felt threatening yet also like real protection. Vella bit her lip, holding back a strange feeling in her chest—a mix of longing and fear.

Her footsteps led her to the living room. The house was silent, too silent. There was only a cup of still-steaming coffee on the table. Under the cup, a small, neatly folded note with Victor's handwriting: "I'll be out for a while. Don't leave the house. —V."

Vella frowned. Something felt wrong. She didn't know where Victor had gone, or why she had to stay home.

As she turned, her phone vibrated on the dining table. One new message from an unnamed number.

"Do you know who he really is?"

Her heart beat fast. She stared at the phone screen for a few seconds before typing a reply.

Who do you mean?

The reply came quickly: "Victor is not who you think he is. Look under the piano in the living room. You'll find out."

Vella swallowed. Her hands trembled as she walked to the living room. The white piano in the corner looked clean, unsuspicious. But when she bent down, there was something under it—a small black box.

The box felt cold in her hands. She opened it slowly.

Inside was a silver flash drive with the initials "V.H."

Instantly, her heart beat faster. She knew it belonged to Victor. But why was it hidden in his house? She stared at the lit laptop on the table,hesitating. Then she took a deep breath and plugged in the flash drive.

A single folder appeared on the screen, titled: Velentine. Her fingers trembled as she clicked it.Inside the folder were dozens of photos of her—candid shots, taken secretly from various places: the photo studio, her old apartment, even one at the airport when she had just returned to this city.

Vella's breath hitched. "What is this…?"

The screen suddenly changed. A single video file opened automatically. The CCTV recording showed Victor talking with an older man in a luxurious office.

"She must not know anything," Victor's voice was clear. "If she finds out, it will all be over."

Vella stared at the screen, her body trembling. "Must not know… what?" she whispered.

The front door creaked.

Vella quickly closed the laptop. Heavy footsteps approached. Her breath quickened. She knew those steps.

Victor appeared in the doorway in a dark suit, his hair slightly disheveled. His eyes immediately fixed on Vella standing in the living room, her face pale.

"Vella." His voice was flat, almost devoid of emotion. "So you're awake already."

Vella tried to smile, but her voice trembled. "You... where were you?"

Victor walked slowly, glancing around the room as if inspecting for something out of place. "A small matter at the office." He stopped right in front of Vella. "Are you okay?"

"I…" But her voice vanished when Victor's eyes landed on the laptop, where she hadn't had time to remove the flash drive.

A sudden thick silence fell between them. Victor stepped closer,close enough for Vella to hear his breath. "You… opened something that wasn't yours?" he asked softly.

His tone was calm, but its coldness was biting. Vella took a step back."I—I just found—"

Victor touched her cheek gently, but his gaze was sharp as a knife. "Sometimes curiosity is dangerous, darling."

"Victor, what does all this mean?"

A thin smile appeared on the man's lips. "Mean?" He leaned down slightly, his voice whispering in her ear. "Perhaps you aren't ready to know… who the man who has been holding you really is." Suddenly,the lights in the living room flickered, and the laptop turned off with a soft pop.

Vella flinched. Victor stared at the blackened screen, then at Vella, his expression unreadable. "You shouldn't have opened that box,"he said quietly.

"Now… everything has changed."

And before Vella could ask anything else, her phone rang on the table. The unnamed number appeared again, but this time the contact name had changed: "I know who he is."

Vella stared at the phone screen, her body trembling, while Victor only gave a faint smile, as if he had been waiting for that message all along.