Monts later, the bathroom door opened, and Klaus erged, a towel in hand as he ran it through his damp hair. A loose bathrobe clung to his fra, barely concealing the sculpted lines of his body. Droplets of water trailed down his neck, disappearing beneath the fabric, and the faint scent of his cologne lingered in the air, teasing Mira’s senses. Mira peeked out from beneath the bedding, her gaze drinking him in. He had his back to her, his muscles flexing slightly as he dried himself off with a nonchalance that only fueled her frustration. How could soone look so effortlessly perfect and yet be so infuriating?
When he finally turned to face her, his expression unreadable, he asked, "When am I getting out of here?"
Mira’s frown was instant, her heart sinking at the stark contrast between the man who had just been wrapped around her and the one now speaking so distantly. The warmth of their earlier intimacy felt like a distant mory, replaced by the cold edge in his voice.
She pushed herself up on her elbows, narrowing her eyes at him. "Seriously? That’s the first thing you say after — after everything?"
Klaus simply arched a brow, unconcerned. "You knew I’m sick and tired of staying locked in this forsaken place, Mira. Didn’t you promise to settle everything?"
Her stomach twisted. Heat rushed to her face, from anger and hurt. "Settle everything? You think it’s easy for ? You ssed with the wrong person, Klaus. You shouldn’t have gotten involved with Joanna, let alone provoking Arec Weston."
Klaus tilted his head slightly, a smirk playing on his lips. "Oh, stop it, Mira. I thought your uncle was the wealthiest man in the country. Who’s Mr. Weston that you can’t handle, hmm? Just say you want locked in here to satisfy your urges."
Mira’s breath caught, mortification flaring in her chest. How could soone be this ungrateful? If not for the love she had for him, she would have thrown him out of their safe house long ago. She had risked everything to keep him safe, and this was how he repaid her?
Throwing the blanket off her, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She grabbed the nearest piece of clothing, slipping it on with jerky movents. "You are unbelievable, Klaus. Truly unbelievable."
Klaus didn’t respond right away. Instead, he crossed the room with slow, deliberate steps, his presence still carrying the sa magnetic pull, despite how much she wanted to resist it. He stopped right in front of her, reaching out to tip her chin up with two fingers. His touch was gentle, but it burned like fire against her skin.
His voice was smoother now, almost coaxing. "Co on, Mira. Don’t act like this is all one-sided. You know as well as I do that there’s sothing between us — sothing neither of us can walk away from. You’re the one who keeps here. And if you really wanted gone, I’d be out that door already."
She smacked his hand away, eyes flashing. "Get out."
His smirk widened, but he stepped back, lifting his hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. But do you really want that?"
She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she glared at him. Exhaling and inhaling slowly, she forced herself to stay calm, to not let him get under her skin any further. Her mind raced with a thousand retorts, but none seed sharp enough to pierce his armor of arrogance.
Klaus moved toward the door, his steps unhurried. He reached for the handle, then stopped, turning slightly. His eyes glinted with a challenge. "Don’t make regret leaving Ella for you."
Mira’s world tilted. Fury surged through her like wildfire, consuming every rational thought. The mont the door clicked shut behind him, she let out a frustrated scream, grabbing a pillow and hurling it at the door with all her might. Then another. And another. Yelling "bastard" repeatedly, her chest heaved with each breath, frustration pouring out of her in ways she couldn’t contain.
On the other side of the door, Klaus paused. He could hear every word, every sharp intake of breath as Mira unleashed her fury. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, and he shook his head in amusent. "Still as dramatic as ever," he muttered under his breath. With a chuckle, he turned away, strolling lazily toward the sitting room.
Sinking into the plush leather couch, he grabbed the remote from the coffee table and switched on the television, letting out a slow exhale as he settled in. The flickering screen filled the dimly lit room, displaying the latest headlines — until a particular segnt caught his eye.
Arec Weston. Wedding announcent.
Klaus clenched his jaw, his entire body rigid as he stared at the screen, the pre-wedding pictures of Arec Weston and Ella Davis plastered across the news. The golden-hued photos of them smiling, standing hand-in-hand against a breathtaking sunset, felt like a knife twisting in his gut. The announcer’s voice droned on about their upcoming wedding—"a union of power and prestige"—but Klaus could barely hear it past the roaring in his ears.
His hand tightened around the remote before he launched it across the room, the plastic casing shattering against the television screen. The sharp crack echoed through the room as the screen flickered, distorting the image of the happy couple before cutting to black. Klaus sat there, breathing heavily, his hands curled into fists.
He ran a hand through his damp hair, his breath coming in short, controlled bursts. Of all things, this was what he had to see right now? He should have known Ella would flaunt her so-called happiness, rubbing salt into the wound. After everything, after all the chaos and the damn sacrifices, Ella still ended up on top.
He leaned back against the couch, exhaling sharply. The bedroom door flung open, and Mira stord into the living room, her hair wild, her cheeks flushed from either anger or exertion. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the broken remote, her gaze flickering toward the television where Arec and Ella’s faces still lingered on the damaged screen.
Her expression hardened. "You’re still obsessed with them, aren’t you?"
Klaus scoffed, shaking his head. "Spare the lecture, Mira. I didn’t ask to be force-fed their fairytale."
Mira crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. "No, but you sure as hell are acting like a jealous ex who can’t move on."
He pushed himself up from the couch, taking slow, deliberate steps toward her. "And what about you?" he countered, his voice low and dangerous. "Still trying to play the hero? Thinking you can fix everything, keep caged here like so pet?"
Mira flinched but held her ground. "I kept you here to keep you alive, Klaus."
His lips twisted into a smirk, but there was no humor behind it. "Alive? Or under your control?"
Mira’s hands curled into fists at her sides. "If I wanted control, I wouldn’t be the one constantly cleaning up after you. I would’ve let Arec tear you apart."
Klaus stared at her for a mont before exhaling sharply, so of the fire in his gaze flickering. "So, what now?" he asked, his voice quieter but still laced with defiance.
Mira hesitated, her expression wavering between frustration and sothing softer. "Now, we figure out how to end this before it consus us both."
Klaus held her gaze for a long mont before nodding.
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