CHAPTER 10

HIROTO'S POV

The heavy click of Neven’s shoes on the hardwood floor made my skin crawl, but for the first time since this started, I didn't turn around in a panic. I stayed right where I was, staring down at the file that bore my name. I stared at the photos of myself—some from the lecture hall, some from the club, and some I didn't even recognize.

"Finding what you're looking for, Cinder?" Neven’s voice was smooth, but there was a sharp edge to it.

I slowly turned around, the file still clutched in my shaking hands. My heart was hammering against my ribs, but it wasn't just from fear. It was a hot, stinging anger that had been building up since I stepped into this house.

"What is this, Neven?" I asked, my voice cracking. “Why do you have files on so many people including me?”

Neven didn't look bothered. He leaned against the doorframe, his black silk robe hanging open just enough to show the hard lines of his chest. He looked like he was watching a movie he’d already seen.

"It’s called due diligence, Hiroto," he said, using my name as if he were explaining a basic math problem. "I don't leave things to chance. I like to know exactly what I’m working with—their strengths, their weaknesses, the things that make them move. It’s how I ensure my investments stay secure."

"Investments?" I stepped toward him, shoving the file onto the mahogany desk. "Is that all I am? A high-yield investment? You bought me for a hundred thousand dollars, you put a collar on me, and you keep a file on me like I’m a criminal or a science experiment."

I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes, and I hated myself for it. I didn't want to be the weak student crying in his office. I wanted to be more.

"I thought... I thought maybe this was different," I whispered, looking down at the floor. "I’m not an idiot. I know how this started. But sitting in that ramen shop with you, or being here in your house... I started to wonder if I actually meant something to you. Or am I just the next name you’re going to cross off your list?"

Neven stood up straight, his shadow stretching across the room until it swallowed me. He walked toward me slowly, and I didn't back away. He stopped inches from me, his scent filling my senses. He reached out and tilted my chin up, forcing me to look into those icy blue eyes.

For a long moment, he didn't say anything. He just searched my face, his expression unreadable. Then, he tilted his head slightly, a small frown touching his lips.

"You're a very troublesome piece of work, Hiroto," he murmured. "Normally, I'm done with people by now. I get what I want, I satisfy the itch, and I move on. But you..." He paused, his thumb tracing the line of my jaw. "I can't seem to get you out of my head. I find myself thinking about you during board meetings. I find myself wanting to see your face when I’m supposed to be working. It’s... irritating."

My heart skipped a beat. "So, I’m an irritation? That’s it?"

"It means you're more than a project," he growled, his grip on my chin tightening. "But don't mistake my curiosity for weakness."

I reached up, grabbing his wrist. I didn't pull his hand away; I held it there. "I don't want to be a curiosity, Neven. I want to be more. I know it’s crazy to ask for that. I know I’m just a student and you’re... you. But I can't keep doing this if I’m just a plaything to you."

Neven’s eyes darkened, turning almost black. He looked at me with a mix of hunger and something that looked almost like frustration.

"More?" he repeated, his voice dropping. "You're asking for a lot, Cinder. Most people would be happy with the money and the lifestyle. But you want the one thing I don't give away."

He stepped closer, his body heat radiating through the thin harness I was still wearing. He looked down at me, and for a second, the mask slipped. He looked obsessed.

"Perhaps I've been too lenient with you," he whispered against my lips. "I’ve given you an allowance, I’ve brought you to my home, and now you’re standing in my study demanding my heart. I think you need to be reminded of where you stand."