Mr. Bryon stood by the window, gripping his phone tightly as he spoke in a low, urgent tone.
"Shaw Lilith, it's time. Everything has unraveled. Nathaira crossed the line. Asher was hurt. Nora… she knows too much now."
On the other end of the line, a deep voice responded calmly, "I'll be in that mansion in the next few days. Make sure no one interferes until I arrive."
Back at the estate, Nathaira was angrily packing her belongings. Her fury boiled beneath her skin as she spotted Nora standing by the hallway. With venom in her eyes, she hissed, "This isn't over, Nora. I will—"
But before she could finish, Nora cut her off coldly. "It's better for you not to do anything, Nathaira. You might lose your life in the process."
Those words struck like daggers. Nathaira clenched her fists and stormed off, her father's disappointed eyes watching her retreat. He said nothing—his silence spoke volumes.
Later that evening, Nora arrived at the hospital. The sterile air made her chest tighten, but everything else faded the moment she saw him—Asher. His eyes were open. Weakened, but alive. When he saw her, his fingers stretched toward her.
"N…n… Nora…" he whispered. "I'm here, baby… shhhh… okay?"
His hand found hers. He smiled faintly, then drifted back into sleep, exhaustion overtaking him. She sat beside him and gently patted his hand, whispering to herself:
"I need to repay him… for everything."
But another thought gnawed at her.
But what does he truly want?
She sighed. "I guess… I'll have to clear my debt to him."
Unbeknownst to her, Zayan was also in the room—hidden behind the hospital curtain. He heard everything. A smirk formed on his lips as he thought, It's not a debt, my dear. You're mine. Only mine.
Later that night, back at the mansion, Zayan stood in his room, shirtless, staring into the dim light as thoughts of Nora swirled in his mind. The door creaked open.
She walked in, holding a cleaning cloth. "I came to clean the room, master," she said softly.
Zayan said nothing. He walked past her, leaving her inside. As she began dusting, she heard the soft click of the door locking behind her. Her heart skipped.
He stepped forward slowly, the air between them thick with tension.
"I want to repay you now," she said in a whisper. "To clear my debt…"
But Zayan's voice was deep, husky, as he moved closer. "It's not a debt, beautiful."
Desire surged in his eyes. The fire in him ignited as he pulled her close, kissing her—slowly, deeply. The kiss burned like fire, and within him, something darker stirred.
The monster was waking.