Malic Kishida’s eyes narrowed as he spotted her across the room. The crowd, the noise, the opulence of the evening—all of it faded into the background. There she was, effortlessly captivating, unaware of the magnetic pull she had on him. In a room full of powerful figures, she stood out as if she were the only person who mattered. His pulse quickened, but his expression remained unreadable, a mask of control that hid the storm brewing within him.

Her soft laugh, the way she moved, and the subtle elegance of her gestures—each detail drew him in further. Malic had seen countless women, but this one was different. She ignited something inside him, a need that was both possessive and strangely vulnerable. He felt his usual icy demeanor crack ever so slightly. She would be his—there was no question in his mind. He would protect her, control her, keep her close, no matter the cost.

In that moment, Malic felt a rare stirring of his buried inner child, craving connection. But he knew he could only show this side of himself to her. For now, he would observe from the shadows, planning his next move to make her his.