Chapter 6

Dark glanced at his watch. He let out a deep sigh as he gazed at the young woman peacefully sleeping on the convenience store bench.

“She’s so beautiful… enchanting,” he whispered to himself, as though hypnotized by Roxane’s innocent and serene face.

But he suddenly flinched when the girl abruptly stood up—still with her eyes closed, as if she were walking in her sleep.

“Hey! You… I’m going home!” she mumbled hoarsely, her sleepy voice revealing that she wasn’t fully conscious and unaware of what she was doing.

Dark moved quickly, about to help her, but the girl suddenly sat back down and wrapped her arms around herself before falling right back to sleep.

He shook his head, though concern and a soft tenderness could be seen in his eyes. He approached quietly, as if afraid to disturb a child who’d simply worn herself out playing all day.

He gently lifted her into his arms—carefully, as if she were made of glass. Before leaving, he called his bodyguard.

“Bring the car here. Make sure no one sees us,” his voice was cold but laced with care.

Within minutes, the car stopped outside the door. The place was silent. His bodyguard moved efficiently—trained, obedient, unquestioning. Once Roxane was safely inside, Dark gave a brief nod and took the driver’s seat himself.

He left his man alone in the darkness as he drove away, carrying with him a feeling he still couldn’t fully explain.

They arrived at a luxurious hotel—elegant, quiet, and far from the world’s chaos. Dark carefully lifted Roxane out of the car and carried her inside. The lobby was empty, as if fate had reserved the moment for just the two of them.

They entered the elevator. The air was silent except for the soft hum of the air conditioner and the faint “ding” at every floor. Dark still held Roxane in his arms—tight, yet gentle, as if he couldn’t bear to let her go, even for a moment.

Suddenly—

BANG!

The elevator jolted violently to a stop. The lights flickered out, replaced by a low hum. Dark felt the floor tremble—and before he could regain balance, he fell hard to the ground.

“Sh*t!” he muttered under his breath, realizing—he had landed on top of Roxane.

The emergency lights flickered back on, dim but enough to reveal every detail between them—the soft curve of Roxane’s lips, her steady, delicate breathing, her peaceful face that seemed to invite warmth and tenderness.

Their faces were inches apart. Dark could feel the heat of her breath on his cheek. His heartbeat quickened—not from fear, but from a desire he’d long been suppressing.

“Future wife…” he murmured softly, his eyes fixed on her lips—so close, just a heartbeat away.

He braced his palms on the floor, intending to get up. But before he could move, a warm arm suddenly wrapped around his neck.

She hugged him.

He froze. And before he could react, her sudden tight embrace made him slip again—his lips brushed against hers.

He went still.

His eyes widened. His breath trembled.

He didn’t move.

Neither did Roxane.

Their lips remained pressed together—soft, warm, as if the moment itself was confessing a secret their hearts had been hiding. Inside the dim elevator, under the pale red light, the world seemed to stop.

For a heartbeat… Dark gave in.

He placed one hand gently on her cheek, the other around her waist. He couldn’t restrain the longing anymore.

He kissed her back.

It wasn’t just a kiss—it was heated, desperate, full of emotion.

He felt Roxane’s faint response—still seemingly half-asleep, her body moving on instinct, guided by a desire buried deep within.

The kiss deepened, grew bolder. Every movement was like waves of emotion neither could resist. Dark drew her closer, pressing her to him as if wanting to merge warmth with warmth, feeling and heartbeat as one.

“Future wife…” he whispered hoarsely against her neck. “If only you knew…”

Her clothes loosened slightly, and the air inside the elevator grew hotter. Their breaths came faster, heavier, mixing in the silence.

In that instant, fear and hesitation vanished. What remained were two souls lost in the dark—now burning in the light of their passion.

The next morning, Roxane woke up in their modest home. The air was stifling, sweat trickling down her neck. They had no air conditioning—only an old electric fan spinning lazily in the corner, barely offering relief from the heat.

She opened her eyes slowly, confused, her body feeling strangely heavy. She tried to sit up but—

“Ow…” she winced.

Her whole body ached—as if she’d gone through something exhausting. But what shocked her most was the soreness between her thighs.

“It hurts… God, it feels like I got crushed,” she muttered, gingerly touching herself.

Her head throbbed too, as though she hadn’t slept all night—but she couldn’t remember why.

Then she froze.

A hazy, yet vividly romantic memory began to surface in her mind—a passionate moment… a strong, masculine figure… kisses filled with longing… and a kiss—her first kiss—that led to a night she couldn’t quite understand.

“Oh my God!” she gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Was that… just a dream? Damn! Such a waste—I didn’t even see my prince charming’s face!”

She squeezed her eyes shut, recalling the scene that felt straight out of a movie. “His kisses were so warm… his touch… he even took my virginity! And it was all just a dream? Unbelievable!”

She flopped to her side with a sigh, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

“Was it really a dream?” she whispered to herself.

“Because it doesn’t feel like it… it feels real.”

Just then, Lyka’s loud voice startled her like boiling water poured on her skin. Her thoughts shattered—but not the soreness between her legs. She winced as she tried to get up, grimacing in pain.

“Ow… God, I feel like I got run over last night…” she muttered under her breath.

“ROXANE!!!” Lyka shouted again, shaking her shoulder. “Wake up, hey! We’re gonna be late! Today’s our first day at Vella, remember?!”

Roxane’s eyes flew open.

“H-huh? Vella?! Oh—right!” she said in a panic, holding her aching waist as she slowly got up.

“I still feel so heavy. Lyka, what the heck happened last night—and how did I get home alone?!”