In the darkness of the night, the road ahead stretched endlessly, illuminated only by the faint glow of streetlights casting dim light onto the pavement. The silence was so profound that even the rustling of the wind through the trees could be heard. Yet, amidst that quiet, hurried footsteps echoed.
Aaron's breath was ragged, his heartbeat pounding violently as if it were about to shatter his chest. Still, he didn't stop running.
He didn't dare look back.
He didn't dare stop.
His legs trembled, aching as if they were about to give out at any moment, but Aaron refused to collapse. An invisible fear clung to him, urging him to run faster. If he stopped—just for a second—Lucian could appear at any moment and drag him back into that dark cage.
He didn't know how long he had been running. Time seemed to blur between panic and the desperate resolve to break free from his chains. But then, through the exhaustion weighing him down, the road ahead suddenly became familiar. His tear-filled eyes brightened as he recognized this place.
He could see it—light.
A faint smile curled on his lips.
A smile of freedom.
He had escaped from Lucian.
Aaron kept running, but his pace gradually slowed until he finally stopped in front of a small house. Compared to Lucian's luxurious mansion, this place was its complete opposite. No grand parking lots, no expansive pools, no endless hallways. Only a small garden in front of the porch, its flowers wilted and lifeless, as if they hadn't been cared for in a long time.
Aaron didn't care.
His eyes were fixed on the window, where a soft golden light spilled out, casting warmth into the night. That warmth seeped into his heart, making his chest tighten.
He had made it back. He had truly escaped that darkness.
The overwhelming loneliness, fear, and despair that had consumed him for so long—all of it was gone.
All he felt now was happiness.
If he just opened this door, he would see the person he loved. Raihan.
Aaron reached out, his fingers trembling with emotion as he pushed the door open. The moment he stepped inside, his gaze fell upon a familiar figure sitting silently on the sofa.
Raihan hadn't noticed him yet. His expression was quiet, his eyes filled with a distant sorrow, lost in thought. That face, that silhouette—it was all just as Aaron remembered. But there was a deep sadness in Raihan's gaze that Aaron had never seen before.
Unlike Lucian, Raihan didn't have an intimidating aura of dominance or an appearance that struck fear into others. He was softer, more approachable. But to Aaron, Raihan was the only guiding star he had ever reached for.
The person he longed to return to.
Tears spilled down his cheeks uncontrollably.
His voice trembled as he called out:
—"Raihan…"
The man looked up, his eyes widening in shock at the sight before him.
—"Aaron…?"
Before he could react, Aaron had already thrown himself into his arms, his small shoulders trembling violently.
He clung to Raihan tightly, sobbing like a child.
—"Raihan… I missed you… I missed you so much…"
Raihan froze for a moment, but then, without hesitation, his arms wrapped firmly around Aaron, as if afraid that the moment he let go, Aaron would disappear again.
—"Aaron… It's really you… You're back…"
His voice shook, filled with raw emotion. But alongside the joy, there was also hesitation—an unshakable sense of unease lurking within him.
Gently, he lifted Aaron's tear-streaked face, his eyes searching.
—"Aaron… How did you escape from him?"
Aaron choked on his sobs, his voice still quivering:
—"He… he let me go…"
—"Lucian let you go?" Raihan frowned in disbelief. "Did he really just let you leave?"
—"I don't know… But I'm free now. I'm here, Raihan… We can go back to how things were before…"
But before Aaron could say another word, his body suddenly went limp in Raihan's arms, his breathing weak and unsteady.
Raihan's heart clenched in panic.
—"Aaron!"
But one glance was enough to tell him—Aaron was completely exhausted. The fear, the running, the overwhelming emotions had drained every last bit of his strength.
With careful movements, Raihan adjusted his grip, holding Aaron securely in his arms before gently lifting him up.
He leaned down, whispering softly into Aaron's ear:
—"You've been through so much… Rest now, Aaron."
And with that, he carried Aaron into the room, laying him down on the bed.
Finally, after all those endless days trapped in hell, Aaron could have a peaceful night's sleep.
————————————————
The next morning, in Lucian's mansion, everything remained as quiet as if nothing had ever happened. It was as if Aaron's presence—or absence—made no difference to this place. The walls remained cold, the air still, and everything upheld the same strict order as always.
But… there was one difference.
Today, instead of entering Aaron's room at night as he usually did, Lucian appeared there early in the morning. This was strange—because Aaron was no longer here, so why did he come?
Lucian stood in the empty room, his sharp gaze sweeping across every corner. No warmth. No trace of life. Everything was so neatly arranged that, had one not known, they would never have thought someone had once lived here. But did warmth matter?
A man like him—who had never known what warmth, what emotions felt like—what right did he have to seek them?
Only one thing remained to prove Aaron had ever been here—the little cat he loved.
The cat was still there, quietly roaming around the room as if searching for its owner. It wandered, pressing its nose into familiar corners, yet found no trace of the warmth it had once known. No one to cuddle against, no gentle hands to stroke its fur.
Its round eyes reflected confusion as it looked at Lucian. But then, as if recognizing him as the only familiar presence left in this cold mansion, it suddenly darted forward, curling around his legs.
An annoyance.
Normally, with Lucian's temperament, anything that irritated him would be discarded without hesitation. And yet, this time, instead of coldly kicking the cat aside or ordering its removal, he did something unexpected.
One hand in his pocket, the other reached down and picked it up.
His movements were slow but deliberate. His face remained expressionless, his eyes as deep and unreadable as ever—no one could tell what he was thinking. Without a word, he turned and left the room, letting the cat nuzzle against his chest, its soft purring the only sound in the silent corridor.
Descending to the grand hall, the mansion's staff immediately lowered their heads in respect. No one dared to look directly at him. But what shocked them more was what happened next.
Lucian handed the cat to the butler, his voice calm and indifferent, as always:
—"Take good care of it."
No one spoke. The entire mansion fell into an eerie silence, with only the distant ticking of the wall clock breaking the stillness.
The servants exchanged glances, confusion evident in their eyes.
Lucian had never cared about anything that wasn't his. So why, today, did he personally entrust this cat to the butler?
But no one dared to ask.
Lucian paid no attention to their silent bewilderment. Without another word, he walked straight to the door, got into his car, and drove away—as if everything that had just happened meant nothing at all.
And so, the mansion returned to its usual silence.
But what no one knew was that the moment Aaron's door opened that morning, something had changed.
Whether Lucian realized it or not, Aaron's absence… had left a void.
————————————————
Back in the small house, Aaron sat on the bed, leaning against the pillows while Raihan tended to him with gentle care. With each spoonful of porridge, Raihan carefully blew on it to cool it down before feeding it to him.
Aaron still looked a little tired, but there was warmth in his eyes—happiness. He smiled, a soft, genuine smile—a smile that had never once appeared when he was with Lucian.
Raihan watched Aaron intently, his gaze full of affection. Noticing how Aaron kept staring at him, Raihan chuckled and tilted his head slightly.
—"What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Aaron blinked, his voice carrying a hint of emotion.
—"I was so worried… I was scared something might have happened to you…"
His words were light, yet they held so much weight. He couldn't hide the concern in his eyes, gazing at Raihan as if to reassure himself that he was truly here, safe and sound.
Raihan laughed softly and reached out to pinch Aaron's cheek lightly, as if to comfort him.
—"I'm fine. Don't worry, what matters is that you're back now. Let's not think about those things anymore, alright?"
Aaron nodded, his smile blooming even brighter.
His wishes were simple—just a peaceful life, a gentle love, and a bit of sincere care. This house might be small, it might not have much, but here, he could feel warmth. A warmth that Lucian had never given him. Not cold indifference, not cruelty, not suffocating fear.
—"You're still tired, aren't you? Then rest, okay? Be good." Raihan's fingers gently combed through Aaron's hair, his voice as tender as ever.
Aaron let out a soft chuckle, slowly closing his eyes.
—"Mm…"
And just like that, he drifted into sleep, safe and at peace in Raihan's arms.
————————————————
And Lucian…
He still lived in his own world—a world filled with darkness, blood, and cruelty. But there was something different now—somehow, the image of Aaron lingered in his mind.
He remembered those clear, innocent eyes. He remembered the small figure curled up quietly under the blankets while sleeping. He remembered that slightly trembling voice whenever Aaron faced him.
Why did he feel so attached to Aaron?
Lucian had never cared about anything before. He had no concept of attachment, much less concern for anyone's feelings. But with Aaron, he…
Didn't want to see him cry.
Didn't want to hurt him too much.
And no matter how cruel he was, there was always a trace of gentleness toward him.
Could it be… that he loved Aaron?
A man like him, knowing love?
How ridiculous.
He lived in darkness, in a world ruled by power and violence. He had no need for meaningless things like love.
Yet now, Aaron's presence haunted his thoughts, little by little, like a carving on stone—no matter how much he wanted to erase it, it wouldn't fade.
A man who lived in a gilded castle…
Had no place for an ordinary love.
EndofChapter4.