Aryan's POV
I thought I'd seen wealth before. Power. Prestige.
But nothing—nothing—prepared me for this.
The moment the iron gates creaked open, it was like crossing into a different universe.
The world behind us faded. Time slowed. Silence deepened.
And there it stood.
Her home.
No.
Her kingdom.
A hauntingly beautiful mansion, half drenched in moonlight, half swallowed by shadows—like it couldn't decide whether it belonged to heaven or hell. Three sprawling floors of carved white stone and obsidian black marble, flanked by tall pillars that reached into the sky like they were holding up the stars.
The air smelled of roses. And secrets.
Stained glass windows glowed like jewels. Balconies dripped with ivy. A glass-domed observatory sat at the edge of the rooftop like a watching eye.
And in front of it all—a lake of cars.
Not parked.
Displayed.
Rolls Royces shimmered under the garden lights. Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and a ghostly silver Phantom that looked like it could drive straight into another dimension. Bikes were lined like weapons in an armory—sleek, brutal, fast.
It was the kind of house people built in stories.
The kind with secret halls. Locked doors.
And truths that should've stayed buried.
I stared, struck silent.
"This," Aarohi said beside me, voice almost teasing, "is where I hide."
I turned. She was watching me now, not the house.
That smirk.
That bruised lip.
That quiet pain behind her eyes, wrapped in sarcasm.
"If you want one," she added, nodding toward the cars, "take it. No one will even know it's missing."
She laughed softly.
And my world shifted.
Because that laugh—it wasn't carefree.
It was trained.
Practiced.
A veil for the bruises, the silence, the father she feared more than any monster outside these gates.
"You think this is impressive?" I said quietly. "All I see is a golden cage."
She looked at me—really looked at me—and her smile faded just a little. "Maybe."
A breeze caught her hair, and for a second, she looked like something pulled out of a dream.
Or a nightmare begging to be freed.
She stepped out of the car.
I followed, unable to tear my eyes from her as the massive double doors opened without her even touching them.
Guards bowed.
Lights shifted.
And for a second, it felt like the entire mansion was alive—watching us.
She turned to me before crossing the threshold.
That smile again—this time a little sad. A little real.
"You shouldn't have followed me into this world, Aryan," she whispered.
"I already did," I said. "And I'm not leaving without you."
Her eyes flickered. Something broke inside them.
Then the door closed.
And I was left outside—alone, angry, and burning with one thought:
I'll protect her.
From this house.
From her father.
From whatever truth Reyza is hiding.
Even if I have to burn this entire world down to do it.