Chapter 3

The dance floor pulsed with energy.

Multicolored lights sliced through the darkness, strobes flashing in rhythmic patterns as bodies moved in synchronized abandon. The bass vibrated through the soles of Elena’s heels, traveling upward until it settled deep in her chest. For the first time that night, she allowed herself to forget everything—the pressure, the expectations, the future waiting for her beyond the club doors.

Jessica spun beside her, laughing wildly.

Elena smiled. She felt light and free.

Unaware that she was being watched.

From the moment Kaiser stepped onto the edge of the dance floor, the air around him subtly shifted. Conversations faltered. Movements slowed. Some instinctive part of the crowd sensed danger—an unspoken authority that demanded space.

He moved with deliberate calm, tall and imposing, dressed in dark elegance that contrasted sharply with the chaos around him. His presence didn’t blend in; it dominated the atmosphere.

Elena felt it before she saw him.

A strange sensation crept up her spine, the unmistakable feeling of being observed. She turned instinctively, her brows knitting slightly as her gaze scanned the crowd.

Elena stiffened instinctively and turned around, her breath catching in her throat. Standing before her was a man so strikingly handsome that for a split second, her thoughts scattered. His features were sharp and commanding, his presence overwhelming. Dark eyes—intense and unreadable—locked onto hers with unwavering focus.

For a fraction of a second, the world fell silent.

Kaiser stopped and Elena’s breath caught.

He stood just a few steps away, his sharp features illuminated briefly by a flash of light—dark eyes intense, unreadable, fixed entirely on her. There was no smile on his lips, no playful charm, no hesitation. Only raw focus.

It unsettled her.

Yet, inexplicably, she couldn’t look away from his captivating gaze.

Kaiser felt it too—that connection, sudden and electric. Seeing her up close was far more devastating than observing her from afar. Her eyes were brighter than he imagined, filled with life and warmth. 

He stepped closer.

Kaiser stopped directly in front of Elena, close enough that she could sense the subtle scent of his cologne—something dark, expensive, intoxicating. He didn’t touch her and didn’t invade her space any further.

He simply looked at her.

“You dance beautifully,” he said finally, his voice deep, controlled, carrying effortlessly through the noise.

Elena blinked, startled by how calm he sounded—how confident.

“Thank you,” she replied cautiously. “I didn’t realize I had an audience.”

The corner of his lips lifted—not quite a smile. “You tend to command one without trying.”

Her heartbeat quickened.

There was something about the way he spoke. It was measured, precise, as though every word had been chosen carefully. Not flirtatious. Not playful, but very intentional.

“I’m Kaiser,” he added after a brief pause.

Elena hesitated, instinct warning her to keep her distance—yet politeness prevailed. “Elena.”

Her name sounded different when he repeated it. He rolled it off his tongue slowly, as though tasting it.

“Elena,” he murmured. “Would you dance with me?”

Jessica opened her mouth to object, but Elena raised a hand slightly, stopping her.

She didn’t understand why.

Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was the pull she couldn’t explain. Or maybe it was the way Kaiser looked at her—as though the entire club, the world itself, had narrowed down to this single moment.

“Alright,” Elena said carefully. “One dance.”

Kaiser extended his hand.

When she placed her fingers in his, a jolt ran through both of them.

The music shifted—slower now, heavier.

He drew her closer, his hand resting firmly yet respectfully at her waist. Elena stiffened for a brief second before forcing herself to relax. His grip was steady, protective… possessive.

Yet she found herself moving with him, their bodies swaying in an unsettling harmony.

“You seem different from the others here,” Kaiser said quietly.

Elena laughed softly. “Is it because I'm underdressed for the occasion?”

“No, I bet you look beautiful in any outfit just like the way you are now..” Kaiser replied.

Elena laughed again but she suddenly stopped seeing the serious look on Kaiser’s face.

Kaiser was mesmerized by the sound of her laughter that he wished he could freeze time and rewind it to listen to it every single time. As a result, his desire to own Elena became even more uncontrollable.

“I like you. Would you Marry me.”

The words were delivered calmly, almost casually, yet carried an undeniable authority.

“What?!” Elena blurted out, her shock evident.

“Is this man insane?” she wondered incredulously.

“I said marry me,” Kaiser repeated, his tone firm, as though he were stating an unquestionable fact.

“I’m sorry,” Elena said quickly, forcing politeness into her voice. “But you are taking the joke too far. We've only shared a few polite compliments.”

“I’m not joking and my words are sincere” Kaiser replied evenly. “I want us to get married. And you’re coming with me.”

“Could you please let go of my arm?” Elena let out a small, awkward laugh, her irritation beginning to surface. She tugged at her arm, but his grip didn’t loosen. It wasn’t painful—just unyielding.

“Let go,” she warned quietly. “Or I’ll scream.”

“No,” Kaiser answered curtly.

Elena studied him closely, her initial assumption that he was drunk quickly dissolving. His posture was steady, his eyes clear. There was no slur in his speech, no imbalance in his stance.

“If this is your way of picking up women in a club,” she said sharply, “then you’re wasting your time. I’m not as easy as those girls you think you can intimidate.”

A faint smile curved Kaiser’s lips.

Annoyingly, dangerously, it made him even more attractive.

Elena hated herself for the flutter in her chest. If circumstances were different—if he wasn’t acting like a lunatic—she might have willingly entertained him.

“Indeed,” Kaiser murmured, stepping closer. “You’re nothing like the others.”

He leaned in, his breath brushing her ear as he whispered, his voice low and deliberate, “That’s precisely why I intend to make you mine.”

He moved away from Elena’s face. She tilted her head away, breaking eye contact, refusing to let him see the effect his words had on her.