Isla pov Little rose, I’m sorry for scaring you like that. I was just a little upset you met with another man at the club today. I hope you weren’t injured and don’t worry, I’ll deal with that bastard for touching you earlier. Have a good night! The words from last night kept echoing in my head, and I couldn't help but grip the fork in my hand tighter as I stared blankly at the plate in front of me. My mind was a mess, desperately trying to process everything. ’Little rose.’ That was Alaric’s nickname for me. He was the only one who ever called me that. The only one I’d ever heard say it and I liked it when he did. But last night, for the first time, the word made me feel uneasy. It left a sick feeling in my stomach, and I hadn’t been able to sleep properly since. And the picture, it was truly terrifying, especially knowing it had been taken just a week ago. It made me wonder how long this person had been following me to capture such a moment. Was this some kind of sick
Isla pov As soon as I stepped into my office, I placed my bag on the desk and pulled out the bank card, a small smile tugging at my lips as I shook my head, remembering the scene from earlier. Suhyeon and Esther had always been there for me, ever since the day we met. Through thick and thin, they made sure I was okay— even back in college. Suhyeon had taken on the role of the mother I never had, something my stepmother never even attempted. And Esther… she was like the troublesome sister I had always wished for. And I wasn’t talking about the Isolde kind of troublesome. That thought made me pause, I wondered how they were all doing back home. Not that it mattered anymore. I’d run away, blocked them all, cut every tie. I didn’t want to see them or hear from them again. “Time to get to work,” I muttered under my breath with a small smile, slipping the bank card back into my bag and reaching to turn on the laptop. But before I could, a knock at the door froze me in place.
Isla pov What just happened? One second I was about to fall, and the next, I was perched on Alaric's lap, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist as he held me close— so close that for a moment, I froze, inhaling sharply. My entire body went rigid as Alaric leaned in, resting his head against my shoulder, keeping me there like he had no intention of letting go. I could hear my heartbeat, its echoes pounding in my ears like drums as Alaric's hands tightened around my waist. And for some reason, despite him not even doing anything— just his touch, just this position, was enough to make heat pool between my legs. I bit down on my bottom lip, my face turning a deep shade of red as I tried to think straight. “A-Alaric, what are you doing—” I began, but my words caught in my throat as he leaned in, his nose brushing the crook of my neck and then... He sniffed me. Yes. He sniffed my neck, taking in a deep breath before his body visibly relaxed. His breathing, which had been un
Alaric pov Lust— use it to mask your pain. Laughter— use it to hide your emotions. Always smile to conceal your nightmares. Let no one see the scars on your wrists, the demons you carry inside. Let them never know how weak you really are. Because weakness is a disease. “But how do you feel about wrapping those pretty lips around my dick instead?” I murmured, a slow smirk curving my lips as I felt her stiffen, my breath grazing her ear. Her skin flushed a deep shade of red in an instant. She gasped softly when my hand moved to her neck, gently brushing her hair back, while the other hand trailed down to her shirt, swiftly undoing the first button, then the second. Without hesitation, I tugged the shirt back slightly, revealing just her shoulder to me. The moment I saw it, I ran my tongue over my teeth, the urge to sink them into her flesh and leave my mark there nearly overwhelming but instead, I leaned in and whispered under my breath. “Hm? Do you want to, little rose?” I mu
Isla pov “It will be fun.” That was what Alaric had said back in his office, and now, as I walked behind him, I couldn’t help but stare at his back, my brows slightly furrowed in confusion. Why exactly did he want me to come with him to this meeting? I mean, it wasn’t like it was unheard of for me to attend— after all, I was his secretary. But still, Liam had told me when I started last week that he usually accompanied Alaric to all his meetings, and that since I was new, I should focus on paperwork instead. I shook my head and drew in a sharp breath, trying not to think about the wicked glint in his eyes when he’d said it. As soon as I looked up, I noticed the staff instantly bowing their heads the moment they saw Alaric. They quickly scurried away like the devil himself was hot on their heels. Another thing I couldn’t ignore, none of them, especially the women, dared to look Alaric in the face, and if they did, they never held his gaze for long. It was as though doing so
Isla pov I couldn’t move. My eyes were glued to the three people in front of me, and instinctively, my hands clenched into fists as I took in their expressions. As usual, my father looked at me with that same empty gaze— cold and unreadable. But I still caught the slight disapproving frown that formed the second he saw me and a second later, he looked away, as if I were nothing more than a stranger. Kieran, on the other hand, stood there with a bright smile plastered on his face, waving enthusiastically at me. His other hand rested casually in his pocket, his posture relaxed, like this was just another normal day. And then there was Isolde. She stood beside him, dressed in a short pink skirt and a white blouse with the top few buttons undone. Her brown hair cascaded down her waist, and her makeup— flawless, perfectly highlighted her already striking features. She looked beautiful. The corner of her lips curled into a smirk as our eyes met. I caught the glint in her eyes just b
Isla pov “You make me want to rip your eyes out.” That was what Alaric had said and just like that, the entire room turned tense within seconds. I could feel it in the air, see it on everyone’s faces, the shock, the disbelief. All eyes were on Alaric, who stared coldly at Isolde with that same emotionless gaze, and Isolde… she looked like she couldn’t breathe. Fear flickered in her eyes as she stared back at him in both shock and confusion. D–Did he really just say that? Did I hear him right? No one moved or said a word in that moment, and I blinked, glancing around to make sure I hadn’t misheard but the expressions on everyone’s faces confirmed I hadn’t imagined it. James and my father had deep frowns etched into their faces as they stared at Alaric. Kieran looked equally stunned, his mouth hanging open, while Liam— well, Liam was just Liam. His face remained unreadable, blank as ever. Either he was used to hearing such things from Alaric, or he was simply someone who n
Isla pov The ringing. It was all I could hear. It drowned everything else out, made my vision blur— made me nauseous. I’ll deal with that bastard for touching you earlier. That was what had been written on the back of the picture I found yesterday after coming back from the club. And the man who had died... was the same man from that night, the owner of the car who had demanded compensation. The video- was from the club that night, the one Isolde had used to threaten me, he had it. No, something told me he was the one who had taken it. But what truly sent a shiver down my spine was the word ‘little rose’. It was what Alaric always called me, but never in public. So, seeing someone else use that name… it made me wonder just how long this person had been watching me. What was going on? Was this a stalker? It couldn't be my family, something deep inside me told me it wasn’t. A shaky breath escaped my lips as I shut my eyes, unable to look at the photo on the TV any longer.
Isla pov The ringing. It was all I could hear. It drowned everything else out, made my vision blur— made me nauseous. I’ll deal with that bastard for touching you earlier. That was what had been written on the back of the picture I found yesterday after coming back from the club. And the man who had died... was the same man from that night, the owner of the car who had demanded compensation. The video- was from the club that night, the one Isolde had used to threaten me, he had it. No, something told me he was the one who had taken it. But what truly sent a shiver down my spine was the word ‘little rose’. It was what Alaric always called me, but never in public. So, seeing someone else use that name… it made me wonder just how long this person had been watching me. What was going on? Was this a stalker? It couldn't be my family, something deep inside me told me it wasn’t. A shaky breath escaped my lips as I shut my eyes, unable to look at the photo on the TV any longer.
Isla pov “You make me want to rip your eyes out.” That was what Alaric had said and just like that, the entire room turned tense within seconds. I could feel it in the air, see it on everyone’s faces, the shock, the disbelief. All eyes were on Alaric, who stared coldly at Isolde with that same emotionless gaze, and Isolde… she looked like she couldn’t breathe. Fear flickered in her eyes as she stared back at him in both shock and confusion. D–Did he really just say that? Did I hear him right? No one moved or said a word in that moment, and I blinked, glancing around to make sure I hadn’t misheard but the expressions on everyone’s faces confirmed I hadn’t imagined it. James and my father had deep frowns etched into their faces as they stared at Alaric. Kieran looked equally stunned, his mouth hanging open, while Liam— well, Liam was just Liam. His face remained unreadable, blank as ever. Either he was used to hearing such things from Alaric, or he was simply someone who n
Isla pov I couldn’t move. My eyes were glued to the three people in front of me, and instinctively, my hands clenched into fists as I took in their expressions. As usual, my father looked at me with that same empty gaze— cold and unreadable. But I still caught the slight disapproving frown that formed the second he saw me and a second later, he looked away, as if I were nothing more than a stranger. Kieran, on the other hand, stood there with a bright smile plastered on his face, waving enthusiastically at me. His other hand rested casually in his pocket, his posture relaxed, like this was just another normal day. And then there was Isolde. She stood beside him, dressed in a short pink skirt and a white blouse with the top few buttons undone. Her brown hair cascaded down her waist, and her makeup— flawless, perfectly highlighted her already striking features. She looked beautiful. The corner of her lips curled into a smirk as our eyes met. I caught the glint in her eyes just b
Isla pov “It will be fun.” That was what Alaric had said back in his office, and now, as I walked behind him, I couldn’t help but stare at his back, my brows slightly furrowed in confusion. Why exactly did he want me to come with him to this meeting? I mean, it wasn’t like it was unheard of for me to attend— after all, I was his secretary. But still, Liam had told me when I started last week that he usually accompanied Alaric to all his meetings, and that since I was new, I should focus on paperwork instead. I shook my head and drew in a sharp breath, trying not to think about the wicked glint in his eyes when he’d said it. As soon as I looked up, I noticed the staff instantly bowing their heads the moment they saw Alaric. They quickly scurried away like the devil himself was hot on their heels. Another thing I couldn’t ignore, none of them, especially the women, dared to look Alaric in the face, and if they did, they never held his gaze for long. It was as though doing so
Alaric pov Lust— use it to mask your pain. Laughter— use it to hide your emotions. Always smile to conceal your nightmares. Let no one see the scars on your wrists, the demons you carry inside. Let them never know how weak you really are. Because weakness is a disease. “But how do you feel about wrapping those pretty lips around my dick instead?” I murmured, a slow smirk curving my lips as I felt her stiffen, my breath grazing her ear. Her skin flushed a deep shade of red in an instant. She gasped softly when my hand moved to her neck, gently brushing her hair back, while the other hand trailed down to her shirt, swiftly undoing the first button, then the second. Without hesitation, I tugged the shirt back slightly, revealing just her shoulder to me. The moment I saw it, I ran my tongue over my teeth, the urge to sink them into her flesh and leave my mark there nearly overwhelming but instead, I leaned in and whispered under my breath. “Hm? Do you want to, little rose?” I mu
Isla pov What just happened? One second I was about to fall, and the next, I was perched on Alaric's lap, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist as he held me close— so close that for a moment, I froze, inhaling sharply. My entire body went rigid as Alaric leaned in, resting his head against my shoulder, keeping me there like he had no intention of letting go. I could hear my heartbeat, its echoes pounding in my ears like drums as Alaric's hands tightened around my waist. And for some reason, despite him not even doing anything— just his touch, just this position, was enough to make heat pool between my legs. I bit down on my bottom lip, my face turning a deep shade of red as I tried to think straight. “A-Alaric, what are you doing—” I began, but my words caught in my throat as he leaned in, his nose brushing the crook of my neck and then... He sniffed me. Yes. He sniffed my neck, taking in a deep breath before his body visibly relaxed. His breathing, which had been un
Isla pov As soon as I stepped into my office, I placed my bag on the desk and pulled out the bank card, a small smile tugging at my lips as I shook my head, remembering the scene from earlier. Suhyeon and Esther had always been there for me, ever since the day we met. Through thick and thin, they made sure I was okay— even back in college. Suhyeon had taken on the role of the mother I never had, something my stepmother never even attempted. And Esther… she was like the troublesome sister I had always wished for. And I wasn’t talking about the Isolde kind of troublesome. That thought made me pause, I wondered how they were all doing back home. Not that it mattered anymore. I’d run away, blocked them all, cut every tie. I didn’t want to see them or hear from them again. “Time to get to work,” I muttered under my breath with a small smile, slipping the bank card back into my bag and reaching to turn on the laptop. But before I could, a knock at the door froze me in place.
Isla pov Little rose, I’m sorry for scaring you like that. I was just a little upset you met with another man at the club today. I hope you weren’t injured and don’t worry, I’ll deal with that bastard for touching you earlier. Have a good night! The words from last night kept echoing in my head, and I couldn't help but grip the fork in my hand tighter as I stared blankly at the plate in front of me. My mind was a mess, desperately trying to process everything. ’Little rose.’ That was Alaric’s nickname for me. He was the only one who ever called me that. The only one I’d ever heard say it and I liked it when he did. But last night, for the first time, the word made me feel uneasy. It left a sick feeling in my stomach, and I hadn’t been able to sleep properly since. And the picture, it was truly terrifying, especially knowing it had been taken just a week ago. It made me wonder how long this person had been following me to capture such a moment. Was this some kind of sick
Isla pov I was all just in my head. I was just imagining it. Yet my entire body trembled as I watched the van disappear into the distance. I didn’t know what compelled me, but I quickly read out the plate number, trying hard to memorize it. “7LXG295,” I whispered under my breath and shakily reached for my phone to type it down in case I forgot. But before I could, a loud knock on the window made me jump. My head snapped to the side in fright, only to see a man furiously banging on the glass, his other hand clutching the back of his neck in pain. “Come out, you bitch! Look at what you did to my car! Are you blind?! Can’t you see where you’re going?!” he yelled, his voice thunderous. I flinched, glancing at the car I had crashed into earlier. “Fuck,” I muttered under my breath, my eyes widening as I glanced back at the furious man still yelling and banging on the window. My gaze quickly took in his appearance, tattoos covering his arms, rough clothes, and a deep scar runn