Gunshots shattered the silence of the night.
A man collapsed onto the cold stone floor, blood seeping from his temple, staining the ground beneath him.
The air was thick with an eerie stillness. The lingering scent of gunpowder mixed with the metallic tang of blood, painting a scene of death—one that Lucian was all too familiar with.
Seated in a black leather chair, he crossed one leg over the other, absentmindedly spinning a silver pistol between his fingers. His eyes, devoid of warmth, rested on the lifeless body sprawled before him.
A traitor.
A fool who thought he could overthrow Lucian.
It had taken him less than three seconds to decide the man's fate. The death of someone so insignificant wasn't worth his concern.
But the other one—the man still kneeling on the floor, trembling uncontrollably like a dog awaiting slaughter—was slightly more interesting.
A strangled voice broke through the heavy silence, laced with panic and desperation:
—"P-Please… spare me… I don't know anything… I never betrayed you… Please believe me…!"
Lucian tilted his head slightly, his gaze still indifferent, as if he were merely watching an insect struggle before being crushed underfoot.
His slender fingers tapped lightly against the gun's grip. He didn't rush his decision.
When the man dared to look up, locking eyes with Lucian, his entire body convulsed with fear. Lucian didn't need to speak, didn't even need to lift his gun—just one look was enough to convey the brutal reality: his life was nothing more than a disposable pawn in Lucian's hands.
Lucian lifted a hand slightly, giving a simple gesture.
—"Take him away."
Two subordinates stepped forward immediately, seizing the man by his arms and dragging him away. His desperate pleas echoed into the darkness, swallowed by the void.
No one asked where he would be taken.
Because everyone knew—when Lucian gave an order, there was only one outcome.
A death where no body would ever be found.
Lucian stood up, adjusting the sleeves of his black shirt with deliberate precision. His eyes flickered toward the blood splattered on the hem of his coat. He frowned in displeasure before snapping his fingers once.
A subordinate bowed quickly and left to retrieve a fresh set of clothes.
Lucian despised disorder. He loathed filth staining his person.
But then why…
For a fleeting moment, an image surfaced in his mind—of someone who constantly disrupted his meticulously controlled life. Someone who unknowingly created chaos yet never made him feel irritated by it.
Aaron.
Lucian froze for a second.
That name didn't belong in this world.
Everything in his life followed strict rules: obey, or die.
But Aaron… Aaron was an exception.
He didn't know when he had allowed the boy to step inside his world.
All he knew was that no matter how many times he denied it, every time Aaron crossed his mind, something unfamiliar stirred within him—a feeling he had never experienced before.
Troublesome.
Lucian tightened his grip around the gun, his gaze darkening.
He had gone too far to turn back.
But Aaron hadn't.
And that was what unsettled him the most.
—————————————————
In contrast to Lucian—who remained cold and emotionless—Aaron was gradually sinking into darkness in a different way.
He had no need to work hard, no worries about making a living. In this mansion, everything was provided for him; even if he sat still, people would still serve him.
And yet… it felt so empty.
No voices. No warmth beside him. Only four cold walls, like a golden cage locking him in. Aaron felt himself slowly rotting away from the inside. He longed for freedom, to escape, to see the world outside with the one he loved… but it was nothing more than a distant dream.
The only warmth left beside Aaron now was a small cat.
—
That night, a heavy storm rolled in.
The wind howled through the window gaps, producing eerie sounds.
If this had been before, when he still lived in that cramped little house, Aaron might have curled up from the cold. But here, in this mansion—where everything was perfectly controlled—he felt nothing at all.
Lifeless air. Suffocating air.
Aaron remained asleep. But then—
"Bang!"
A thunderclap split through the night sky.
—"Aaa…!"
Aaron jolted awake, his entire body trembling, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His hand instinctively clutched at his heart, feeling the erratic pounding within. It was as if something was squeezing the air out of his lungs.
"Boom!"
Another thunderclap.
Aaron's eyes widened, his breath hitching.
Not thunder. It was—
Gunfire.
"Bang!"
Gunfire!
Memories of him struggling against Lucian's grip suddenly rushed back. He remembered it all—Lucian's calm, indifferent gaze, as if Aaron was nothing more than an object he wished to claim. He had resisted, fought back, screamed…
And then, Lucian drew his gun.
He hadn't aimed it at Aaron, nor at Raihan. But—
"Bang!"
The gunshot rang out.
Aaron looked down—Raihan had collapsed, blood spreading from the wound on his leg.
Not dead. But in pain.
Aaron remembered that moment vividly—Raihan clutching his hand tightly, his grip trembling from the agony. And in that instant, Aaron understood.
Lucian hadn't needed to say a word.
A single gunshot was enough to force him to comply.
Enough to make him surrender his freedom… just to keep Raihan safe.
Since that day, Aaron had never heard another gunshot. Lucian had never let him witness a killing, never let him see the bloodstained world he ruled. But fear—once planted—needed only a single moment to take root deep within the mind.
Now, whenever a loud noise echoed—a door slamming, something heavy falling to the ground—Aaron would flinch, his heart racing. But the worst of all was thunder.
Because it sounded exactly the same.
Just as deafening.
Just as piercing.
Just as if Lucian was dragging him away all over again, stripping him of his freedom, forcing him into a cold, inescapable world.
Aaron bit his lip hard, trying to steady himself. But his body still trembled uncontrollably.
Then—
A soft, warm sensation brushed against his hand.
Aaron looked down.
The small cat was still curled up beside him, sleeping peacefully.
He stared at it for a long time.
A tiny creature—yet the only thing that brought him warmth in this frozen world.
Gently, Aaron wrapped his arms around it, burying his face in its soft fur, as if seeking comfort in its warmth.
Outside, the rain continued to fall. But all Aaron could wish for… was for this storm to end quickly.
————————————————
The next morning, as usual, Lucian left the mansion early.
Aaron woke up in the familiar room, everything just as empty as every other day. But today, something felt different. It wasn't just the lingering exhaustion from last night's fever—his mind felt heavy, as if a boulder was pressing down on his chest.
He looked around.
The grand, luxurious room, fully furnished with everything one could need.
But there was nothing except emptiness.
The silence was suffocating.
The loneliness was crushing.
—
That afternoon.
Lucian was working in his chairman's office when his phone rang. He glanced at the screen—his butler.
Lucian picked up.
— "Sir, the young master refuses to eat…"
Hearing this, Lucian frowned slightly.
Hadn't Aaron always been obedient? The boy had never defied him before, and yet today, he was acting like this?
Lucian remained silent for a moment before speaking in a low, cold voice.
— "Ignore him."
With that, he hung up without hesitation.
He figured he had been spoiling Aaron too much lately, letting him do as he pleased. If he didn't want to eat, then he could go hungry.
Lucian buried himself back in work, thinking nothing more of it.
But what he didn't know was—
At this moment, Aaron was slowly sinking into his own darkness.
Lucian had always believed that, given time, Aaron would adapt to life in the mansion. No worries, no struggles to make a living, no one left to hurt him.
But he had never considered—Aaron had never adapted.
What Aaron had been doing all this time wasn't adjusting. It was accepting.
Accepting that he was imprisoned.
Accepting that the world outside was nothing more than a distant memory.
Accepting that the light of freedom had completely disappeared from his life.
But today, he didn't want to accept it anymore.
Today, Aaron felt like he couldn't endure another second of this.
The loneliness had consumed him for so long that his mind was beginning to falter.
He wanted to escape.
He wanted to break everything.
But he couldn't.
Frustration. Helplessness.
Last night's fever had only made Aaron more sensitive. When people are weak, they feel loneliness more intensely.
And Aaron… had been lonely for far too long.
—
That night.
Lucian returned to the mansion, his suit still immaculate, his cold demeanor unchanged.
The butler approached and bowed slightly before reporting.
— "The young master still hasn't eaten anything since this morning."
Lucian halted mid-step.
He said nothing, standing still for a few seconds.
His eyes remained calm, his face betraying no clear emotion. But deep within—something stirred.
He had grown accustomed to an obedient, compliant Aaron. But today, something felt different.
Was Aaron trying to defy him?
Or…
Lucian couldn't quite place this feeling.
All he knew was—
He was… displeased.
—————————————
Upstairs, Aaron sat curled up in the corner, his small figure shrinking as if he wanted to disappear from this world.
His eyes were red, silent tears rolling down his cheeks. There were no loud sobs, only quiet, stifled breaths—so weak that it seemed only he could hear them.
He hugged his knees tightly, burying his face into his arms. A hoarse voice, choked with sorrow, escaped his trembling lips.
— "Raihan… I miss you…"
His fingers clenched.
— "What should I do to go back to how things were?"
A hopeless question. He already knew the answer.
There was no going back.
But even knowing that, he still couldn't stop calling his name…
**~~~ Click! ~~~**
The sound of the door opening echoed through the silent room.
Aaron flinched.
Instinctively, he lifted his head toward the door, his tear-streaked eyes still glistening.
It was no surprise who had stepped inside—Lucian.
His tall figure cast a shadow over the floor, an icy presence engulfing the room.
Lucian's sharp gaze swept over Aaron's tear-stained face.
And in just one second—
The air in the room froze.
His eyes narrowed, darkening instantly. His breath grew heavier, and a chilling aura seeped into the space.
— "Why are you crying?"
His voice was deep and emotionless, yet carried an underlying storm.
Aaron bit his lip, hastily wiping away his tears.
But that action only made the fire in Lucian's eyes burn fiercer.
— "Who made you uncomfortable?"
His voice dropped lower, more dangerous.
— "Who made you dissatisfied? Huh?"
Heavy footsteps echoed against the wooden floor—each step pressing down, forcing Aaron further into the corner.
Aaron lowered his head. He said nothing. He couldn't.
Lucian stood there, staring at the boy in front of him.
He didn't like seeing Aaron cry.
Not because it hurt him.
But because he hated the feeling of helplessness when he couldn't do anything to change it.
Lucian clenched his fists.
He didn't care what had happened.
He only knew one thing—whoever made Aaron unhappy had to die.
— "As long as someone displeases you, I will kill them."
His deep voice was like a death sentence.
With that, Lucian turned and strode toward the door.
He was ready to give orders. Ready to find out who had caused Aaron's tears.
But—
Before he could take a step, a force yanked him back.
Lucian froze.
Aaron.
The boy had shot up to his feet, gripping his arm with trembling hands—so tightly that his fingers turned pale.
Panic was evident in those tear-filled eyes.
— "No one! No one at all! Don't kill innocent people!"
His voice trembled, almost pleading.
Lucian stiffened.
He turned his head, his gaze sharp as a blade.
— "Then why are you crying?"
— "…"
No answer.
Aaron's silence was the clearest answer of all.
Lucian's fury ignited, spreading like wildfire in the wind.
He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the storm raging inside him.
But when he spoke again—
His voice was filled with both anger and pain.
— "Are you thinking about him again? IS THAT IT?"
Aaron flinched.
He didn't want to answer.
But his eyes had already betrayed him.
Lucian's fists tightened.
Aaron's silence only drove him further into madness.
He took a step back and let out a cold laugh.
— "What does his name have that I don't? What can he give you?"
His words carried the arrogance of a man who refused to be replaced.
— "With me, as long as you want it, I can give you everything. Fame, wealth, power… Whatever you desire."
He took a step forward, his towering figure casting a shadow over Aaron.
— "But why… why do you keep thinking about him?"
Aaron pressed his lips together.
He didn't respond.
But this time, he didn't avoid Lucian's gaze either.
He looked up, eyes red and swollen, filled with sorrow.
A single tear fell.
That tear— Ignited Lucian's fury.
He lost control completely.
Lucian grabbed Aaron's shoulders, his grip tightening until Aaron winced from the pain.
— "I won't allow you to cry!"
His voice was rough, each word seething with anger.
— "You have no right to cry! How dare you shed tears for him in front of me?"
Then—
He suddenly shoved Aaron onto the bed.
Aaron fell onto the mattress, his breath hitching.
Lucian stood there, his eyes burning with rage.
He took a deep breath, struggling to regain his composure.
But the anger, the pain, the jealousy—it was all consuming him.
Aaron sat on the bed, his expression vacant.
As if Lucian's storm couldn't reach him anymore.
Lucian stared at him, frustration boiling like a raging sea.
He was furious.
Furious at himself.
Furious that he had everything in his grasp—
Yet he couldn't have Aaron's heart.
He was a King.
He could have anything he wanted.
But why… why wouldn't Aaron love him?
— "Damn it!"
Lucian roared, violently smashing everything in sight.
Crash!
A vase shattered.
Chairs were overturned.
The entire room quickly descended into chaos.
Lucian panted, his hands clenched into tight fists, his knuckles turning white from the pressure.
His eyes were bloodshot, filled with barely contained violence.
He hated this feeling.
The feeling of rejection.
The helplessness of not being able to claim what was his.
He wrecked everything around him, shards flying across the floor—
Like his pride, now crumbling into pieces.
He was livid.
Not because Aaron cried.
But because Aaron cried for someone else.
For someone who, in Lucian's eyes, was nothing compared to him.
He inhaled sharply, but it did nothing to quell the fire burning inside him.
His voice was low, but each word dripped with fury:
— "Why is your mind only filled with him? Why do you keep thinking about someone who is nothing—when I can give you everything? Whatever you desire, I can provide! I can protect you, I can give you a life of comfort, so what more do you want?"
He stopped, his piercing gaze locking onto Aaron.
But before he could get an answer, he snapped, his voice rising to a furious shout:
— "ANSWER ME! WHAT DOES HE HAVE THAT I DON'T? YOU HAVE EVERYTHING WITH ME—ISN'T THAT ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU HAPPY? MONEY, LUXURY—YOU HAVE IT ALL!"
Aaron slowly lifted his head.
A faint smile appeared on his lips—bitter, hollow.
— "Am I happy?"
— "…"
Just a few simple words.
But they made Lucian freeze.
For the first time in his life, he had no answer.
Aaron met his gaze, his swollen eyes filled with defiance, without a trace of fear.
— "You can give me everything, but you don't have the one thing that matters—true love."
Lucian stiffened.
He had everything… yet the one thing Aaron wanted, he didn't possess?
But the next words Aaron spoke—
Were the cruelest of all.
— "I want to be with Raihan. I want to return to the person I love. Please… stop forcing me. That is my happiness."
The moment that name left Aaron's lips, Lucian felt as if his blood had turned to ice.
His gaze darkened, filled with murderous intent, sharp enough to cut through steel.
— "How many times have I told you?"
His voice dropped to a chilling whisper, every syllable laced with venom.
— "NEVER SAY ANOTHER MAN'S NAME IN FRONT OF ME!"
Rage consumed him, threatening to tear apart the last shred of his restraint.
He wanted to kill.
He wanted to destroy the man who had stolen Aaron's heart.
He wanted to shatter everything—
But he did nothing.
He stood still.
He looked at Aaron.
At the defiant boy who had pushed him to the brink—
Yet he still couldn't bring himself to hurt him.
Lucian always thought of himself as the one who held control over everything, but at this moment…
He felt himself gradually losing control.
And that made him hate himself.
Lucian lifted his face, his sharp gaze fixed on the ceiling, taking a deep breath as if trying to suppress the raging fury in his chest.
He was not a patient man, but this time, he told himself to stay calm.
He couldn't lose Aaron.
His voice dropped, no longer shouting like before, but within that eerie calmness lay a dangerous undertone:
- "Do you really not want to stay by my side, even just a little?"
Aaron clenched his hands tightly, his eyes red but unwavering.
He had been waiting for this question for a long time.
And he had already found his answer long ago.
Without hesitation, without doubt, he spoke—each word clear and firm:
- "That's right… Please, let me go."
Silence engulfed the room like a deadly fog.
Lucian was no longer furious.
But his silence made the air in the room grow unbearably cold.
He let out a soft chuckle.
A mocking smile—void of any warmth.
In his eyes now, there was only contempt… and disappointment.
- "So you're choosing to abandon me… over a pathetic man?"
His gaze pierced through Aaron like a blade, sharp and merciless.
- "You're throwing everything away just for that foolish love? Is it really worth it?"
He gave Aaron one last chance.
If Aaron hesitated, if he said, "No, it's not worth it,"
Perhaps… Lucian wouldn't let him go.
But…
Aaron remained silent.
He neither refuted nor wavered.
And that silence itself was his answer.
Lucian slowly sat down on the chair, rubbing his temple, his gaze blank as he stared ahead.
He let out another bitter chuckle—this time, laughing at himself.
- "Fine. I'll let you go."
His voice was so cold it sent shivers down one's spine.
- "I refuse to hold onto a fool who blindly chases after a meaningless love. If you want to leave, then leave."
Aaron looked at him, his heart tightening involuntarily. He couldn't make out Lucian's expression, but he could feel… the loneliness radiating from him.
- "Are you really going to let me go?"
He asked again, as if needing confirmation that this man could truly give up so easily.
Lucian still didn't look at him, his tone indifferent:
-"I'll give you three minutes to walk out of here. If I still see you after that, you'll belong to me forever. But if you manage to leave… I will never come looking for you again."
He closed his eyes, leaning back against the chair, his hands relaxing, though his fingers still unconsciously clenched.
Aaron stood motionless for a brief moment, his gaze flickering, but then it turned resolute.
He took a few steps back, his eyes lingering on Lucian as if trying to etch this image of him into memory one last time. In his gaze, there was a trace of reluctance, but in the end… he let go.
Then, he turned around and ran toward the door.
Without looking back. Without hesitation.
Lucian heard every step as they grew fainter. But he did not open his eyes, nor did he move.
He never needed three minutes.
If he wanted to, he could have pulled Aaron back instantly, could have locked him away for a lifetime.
But he didn't.
This time, he truly let go.
Three minutes passed. Lucian remained still, making no move to chase after him. He knew—Aaron had truly left him.
Lucian sat in his chair, eyes closed, unmoving. Only silence surrounded him, as if the entire world had come to a complete halt.
Aaron's footsteps had faded into nothing.
He was really gone.
Lucian was supposed to feel relieved, yet why did his chest feel so empty?
He had never considered loving anyone, never believed in such foolish emotions. Love was weak, meaningless, and easily exploited. He had no time for such things.
And yet… when he saw Aaron cry, he couldn't bear it.
He couldn't stand it.
He liked Aaron's smile. That was why he was intrigued by him in the first place. But now, instead of that smile, all he had left Aaron with was pain and tears.
Lucian's fingers curled slightly around the armrest, then loosened again. The faint tremor he felt—he ignored it.
It was nothing. Just a fleeting moment.
He didn't need love.
He didn't need anyone.
Aaron had left, his gaze lingering for a brief second before he turned away, never once looking back.
Lucian had never let anyone leave before. But this time, he allowed Aaron to go—not out of mercy, but because he refused to let himself be burdened.
He believed he would never love Aaron.
Never.
He was still Lucian.
Cold. Ruthless. A sovereign standing above all.
And a king… had no need for love.
EndofChapter3.