"Is this where you live?" Ivan asked, his voice sounding as smooth as velvet, as he gazed out the car window at the towering iron gates that guarded the Salvador estate.
His gaze moved slowly over the grand mansion beyond, taking in the sprawling grounds, the polished iron fences, and the quiet opulence that radiated from every inch of it.
Everything about the place reeked of power, old money, and influence that the family has accumulated over time.
He shifted the gear into park with a casual flick of his wrist, the hum of the engine fading into silence as he killed the ignition. The sudden quiet snapped Hannah's attention back to the moment, taking her out of her haze.
"Yes," Hannah replied, her voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking too loudly might shatter the fragile grip she had on her emotions.
Her thoughts churned in endless circles, a storm of fear, disbelief, and unanswered questions. Beside her, Ivan had driven in silence, calm and composed, as if he were escorting a guest rather than returning a victim.
She stared out the windshield, her mind still spinning from everything that had happened in the past few hours. Her body sat in the car, but her thoughts hadn't yet returned from the nightmare he'd dragged her through.
The hour-long drive from the remote mountain mansion to her home had been a blur. Ivan hadn't spoken much, and Hannah hadn't dared to, so the entire ride passed by like that.
'So Daniel wasn't lying after all,' he mused, eyes narrowing as he took in the estate's grandeur. Ivan's gaze then flicked toward her, his lips curving into a thoughtful smirk. 'The Salvadors really do live like royalty,'
Before Hannah had a chance to feel uncomfortable under his gaze, he abruptly ended the silence between them.
"Now, before we part ways… my love," he started, his voice cutting through the air like silk over a blade—soft, seductive, but laced with danger.
Hearing him, Hannah couldn't help but flinch, startled. The affectionate term sent a chill down her spine, thick with mockery and something darker, possessive. She turned toward him slowly, eyes wide, heart pounding.
"Yes?" she asked, her tone wary, the hairs on her neck standing on end.
Ivan smiled, but Hannah couldn't feel any warmth from it. Ivan's smile was sharp. It's deliberate and dangerous. His gaze held hers, unwavering, filled with the same dark magnetism that had terrified her since the beginning.
With deliberate gentleness, he reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. His fingers brushed softly against the skin of her cheeks, sending a shiver down her body.
"I just wanted to remind you, my sweet," he murmured, his voice dropping into a low, intimate whisper, "that what happened today... was only the beginning. Tomorrow, I'll be picking you up from school."
Hannah's breath caught.
Her stomach twisted violently as dread sank its claws into her chest. Her expression, once guarded, turned to horror. He wasn't done. He had no intention of leaving her alone. This wasn't over—not even close.
The words hit her like a slap. Her expression crumpled into horror, lips parting in disbelief. But Ivan didn't blink. If anything, her fear seemed to please him.
Ivan leaned in, his face so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin. His lips brushed the shell of her ear, and when he spoke, his words coiled like smoke—soft, poisonous, inescapable.
"Don't forget our little agreement as well, sweetheart," he whispered.
"You remember what we talked about, don't you? In my world, silence is your armor… and discretion?" His breath caught slightly. "Discretion keeps you alive."
A chill swept over her skin.
Her pulse thundered in her ears as panic bubbled up in her throat. Every part of her wanted to scream, to bolt out of the car and run through the gates of her home—but she couldn't. She knew better.
"I swear I won't tell," she managed to say, her voice cracking under the pressure.
A wicked grin curled across Ivan's lips at her answer. There was no need to press her further. Not tonight at the very least. He'd already made his point—and she'd heard it loud and clear.
"Very good," he murmured, satisfaction dripping from every syllable. "I knew you were clever enough to understand the cost of disobedience."
He leaned back, letting the tension hang in the air like a storm cloud as he studied her face, fear-stricken, pale, and barely holding together.
Then, like a man simply ending a date, he straightened his shirt, adjusted his watch, and offered one last haunting farewell.
"Until we meet again, my love," he said smoothly, his tone deceptively charming, laced with a promise of return.
And just like that, the car door clicked open, and the night swallowed his silhouette, leaving Hannah in stunned silence, the echo of his voice still crawling across her skin.
***🦋***
(Special Monologue, Chibi Version)
Hannah: Author-nim! Please! Your male lead is a walking nightmare! He's glaring again—HELP! (˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )
Miss Pretty Author: Honestly? I'm hiding behind the keyboard right now… I'm scared too. ( •́ ‸ •̀ )
Hannah: I trusted you! I'm your heroine! And this is what I get? ╭∩╮( •̀_•́ )╭∩╮
Miss Pretty Author: But you're the female lead! You've got main character powers! You can totally handle him! (ง ◉ _ ◉)ง
Hannah: The main character's powers don't work on psychos!! He literally just said, "You belong to me now." Author-nim, am I a houseplant?! (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
Miss Pretty Author: A very pretty houseplant…? With plot armor? 🌱(・_・;)
Hannah: Plot armor won't save me when he corners me in the dark like a K-drama villain with daddy issues! Σ(°△°|||)
Miss Pretty Author: But think of the tension! The angst! The romantic slow burn!
Hannah: Romantic? HE HAS RED FLAGS IN NEON. I'm not falling in love, I'm filing a restraining order! (╬ Ò﹏Ó)
★★★★★
Author's Note
Well, well, well… what are your thoughts on Ivan so far? Come on, don't hold back—I know you're thinking it. The man is an absolute menace wrapped in a charming disguise, right? A certified Grade-A jerk with a PhD in Emotional Chaos. Seriously, who gave him the audacity?! Poor Hannah didn't stand a chance against his twisted mind games. One second she's standing her ground, and the next—bam! —tears, drama, and emotional damage.
Are you just as nosy—I mean, curious—about how things will unfold between these two disasters-in-progress? If you're clutching your device with a mixture of rage and obsession (like I am while writing this), you're definitely in the right place.
So go ahead, flip that virtual page, my sweet drama gremlins. I solemnly swear I might only slightly disappoint you. Pinky promise.