Chapter 4

Chapter 4

As soon as the sun began to rise, illuminating the mansion, Mark—or rather, Vlad—sent a short message to his lawyer, requesting that he meet him at the company. Today, his plans would finally be set in motion.

He went to the bedroom and opened the wardrobe. He selected one of his finest suits, impeccable and classic, custom-made, like everything in his life.

Standing before the mirror, he adjusted the jacket, arranged his white hair, and slipped on his polished shoes. Everything was flawless.

Lastly, he put on the ring inherited from his mentor, an ancient symbol of wisdom, power, and secrets that had endured for centuries.

“It’s time to begin,” he murmured.

Vlad left the bedroom, each step echoing softly down the shadowed corridor, then descended the stairs.

“Let’s go,” he said to the security guard waiting outside the house.

The moment he set foot inside the company, Vlad once again became Mark Darkmoor.

As he entered the secretaries’ office, his eyes found Elena, punctual as always—actually, early. She was organizing papers after sorting the correspondence.

Mark smiled and greeted her.

“Good morning, Miss Lancaster.”

His smile was polite, but his eyes—dark and deep—examined every detail of her with almost predatory attention.

Inside her mind, Elena heard a seductive whisper:

“Did you manage to satisfy yourself last night?”

She blushed, averting her gaze, as Mark headed into his office with the security guard.

He entered the office and, as he sat down, Elena called through.

“Yes.”

“Sir,” she said, her voice trembling. “Your lawyer is on line two.”

“Thank you.”

Elena hung up the phone, still feeling that strange sensation of being seduced by his voice. Heat climbed up her spine. She blushed faintly, trying to push the thoughts away, when the other secretary appeared, distracting her for a moment.

Meanwhile, Mark answered the call.

“Sir, I’m arriving on the street by the company… it’s chaos.”

Mark slowly turned his chair, his eyes scanning the street through the enormous office window. He watched a man step out of a car, holding a tire iron, about to attack a bus driver who, hands raised in a gesture of peace, was trying to talk.

Mark’s eyes turned red for an instant, and the man, amid the turmoil, was hurled against a parked car nearby. A strange silence fell over the street. The bus driver and a few pedestrians exchanged confused looks before quickly returning to their vehicles, avoiding the motionless body sprawled over the hood.

Mark watched as traffic gradually reorganized.

“I’ll wait as long as you need,” he said calmly.

---

Elena couldn’t stop thinking about her own mind. How far was she letting her thoughts go?

And even more disturbing was that strange sensation, as if he knew exactly what she felt, the silent whisper in her mind: Did you manage to satisfy yourself last night?

She shrank slightly in her chair, gripping the papers. She was embarrassed.

A short while later, she saw the lawyer arrive. Elena took a deep breath, straightened herself, and stood up to greet him.

“Good morning, sir.”

“Good morning, I’m Julian, Mr. Darkmoor’s lawyer.”

“This way, please,” she said, leading him to Mark’s office.

The lawyer thanked her and followed. She opened the office door, guided him to the entrance, and let him go in.

Before turning to leave, Elena felt Mark’s gaze cut through her like an electric current. She took a deep breath, trying to shake off the feeling, and left.

---

“Julian, you know I only trust you,” Mark said.

“Yes, sir. I’ll do everything to make it legal,” Julian replied.

“Excellent. You have twenty-four hours.”

“I’ll do it in less time, sir,” Julian answered confidently.

They exchanged a brief nod and parted ways. As soon as Julian left, Mark leaned back in his chair, watching the door close.

Shortly after, the security guard returned, resuming his post in the office like a shadow. Mark lifted his eyes and sighed.

The rest of the day passed monotonously. Elena went out to take care of medical exams and arranged the final documents needed for the hiring process.

As she walked through the clinic corridor and later through notary offices, Elena realized she couldn’t help wondering about the effect he had on her. A shiver ran along her arms just from remembering his gaze in the office, and for a few seconds, his presence seemed to follow her, invisible, with every step. At one point she looked back and sighed when she saw it wasn’t him, but strangers who didn’t even notice her.

---

Mark’s mind was distant, immersed in his own thoughts. Even so, he maintained an almost supernatural attention during the meeting.

The employees, however, felt the weight of his presence and stopped speaking, exchanging nervous glances among themselves.

“You may continue, I’m listening,” Mark said, lifting his gaze slowly and deliberately. His voice reverberated through the room, and the employees resumed their presentation.

At the end of the meeting, Mark stood and went to his office to get his jacket, calling it a day.

In the limousine, as the driver navigated the quiet city streets, his mind inevitably returned to Elena. An intense desire burned beneath the iron control he kept over himself. He wanted to tear down every barrier between them, draw close to her, dominate her, and possess her completely.

But he knew he had to wait. Patience was part of the game. He knew exactly when and how to act, keeping desire latent, ready to explode at the right moment.

Upon arriving home, the staff said goodbye and left the mansion in deep silence. He paid them generously, but he liked being alone when he returned, letting himself be enveloped only by his own presence and the thoughts that occupied him.

After a light dinner, he took a glass of wine and headed to the pool. He stayed there for several minutes.

Then, a soft click of heels caught his attention. Marking each step, the sound drew closer, and he lifted his gaze.

There stood Valkyrie, his twin sister, emerging from the shadows with the supernatural elegance that always accompanied her.

Mark smiled faintly.

“Valkyrie… it’s been a long time.”

She approached, every curve of her body moving provocatively beneath the minimal dress she wore. But Vlad didn’t notice. They were siblings, and there had always been respect between them, since the days when they were no different, before they embraced the eternity that set them apart from humans.

“Vlad, I missed you,” she said, stepping closer to kiss his cheek before sitting in a nearby chair. “When are you going to leave that old shell?” Her glance was filled with disgust and impatience.

“Soon. Very soon,” he replied, maintaining his calm demeanor, as always.

“Good. I want to invite you to my birthday party… oops, our party. It will be tomorrow night. There will be virgins, and you’ll be able to drink their blood and become who you once were again.”

Vlad raised an eyebrow, a faint smile curving his lips.

“I don’t mind being old, Valkyrie. I still know how to be seductive.”

“I know, my dear,” she said with an amused smile. “But we’re twins. We need to maintain a certain contrast.”