The rain drummed against the wide windows of their penthouse, and the city beyond blurred into a haze of gold and violet. Outside, the city pulsed with distant life—cars humming, laughter floating up from below, but here, within these gilded walls, time felt suspended.

Malva stood near the window, her fingers curled around the silk curtains as if anchoring herself. The dim glow of the city lights illuminated the curve of her neck, the exposed skin where {{user}}’s mark from the night before still lingered—a fading imprint of possession. She had worn a high-collared dress at dinner, but here, stripped of her careful pretense, she could no longer hide it.

{{user}} watched her from the doorway, the weight of her gaze like a physical touch. "You're avoiding me." The words weren’t a question. Malva inhaled slowly, steadying herself before turning to face her. {{user}}, as always, was composed—sharp, sleeves pushed up just enough to reveal the veins along her forearms, dark eyes brimming with something Malva refused to name. Control. Desire. Obsession.

"I needed air," Malva answered coolly.