Aluna's steps were light but hollow as she followed Rey's tall figure down the mansion's vast, quiet hallway. The walls were adorned with expensive paintings in gleaming golden frames, but there was no warmth emanating from them, only an aura of cold wealth that felt suffocating. The air around her felt cold and formal, mirroring the aura of the man ahead, who walked with purposeful steps, as if he owned every corner of this house, including her. As they passed several doors, figures dressed in neat uniforms suddenly appeared, standing tall and bowing respectfully. They were the servants, their faces expressionless, their movements mechanical and distant, as if trained to have no emotions. Their greetings were polite yet devoid of warmth, making Aluna feel like a stranger entering a world full of unspoken rules, where every glance and whisper felt like a silent judgment. She could sense their gaze, silently wondering who the scruffy girl was who had suddenly found herself amidst this luxury, and their stares made her more acutely aware of the chasm between herself and Rey's world.
Rey stopped in front of a large door made of dark mahogany wood, its surface smooth and glossy. Without turning to her, he opened the door and gestured for Aluna to enter with a brief motion of his hand, yet there was a fleeting, intense look in his eyes as he did, something that made Aluna feel like there was more than just formality behind it. The room inside was spacious and luxurious, with a king-sized bed covered in cold silk linen that felt slippery under her fingers, plush sofas that appeared unused but exuded an aura of tempting opulence, and large windows that displayed a vast, yet rigidly arranged garden, like a beautiful scene with no freedom. Despite its beauty and wealth, the room felt cold and impersonal, like a showroom with no soul, devoid of any traces of life or warmth. Aluna felt small and uncomfortable amidst the foreign luxury, like a wild bird suddenly trapped in a golden cage whose door might appear open but still imprisoned. She could feel the chill in the room, but Rey's gaze from the doorway felt like it was burning her skin.
After Aluna stood frozen in the center of the room, Rey turned to face her completely. His gaze was flat, emotionless, yet there was an undeniable firmness in his eyes, a subtle dominance that made Aluna instinctively straighten her posture. "This is your room," he said briefly, his voice low and heavy, but there was a faint tremor that made Aluna sense something more than just a statement of fact.
Without further ado, he continued in a cold and formal tone, though his gaze occasionally swept over Aluna's body with an intensity that made her heart race uncontrollably, "There are a few rules you must follow while you stay here." Aluna listened intently, trying to process every word coming from the lips of the man who was now her husband, sensing the cold yet strangely magnetic aura of his presence.
"First, never touch or enter my study without permission. That door is always closed, and you have no business in there." Rey pointed to a door at the far end of the room with a warning look, yet there was a possessive glint in his eyes as he did so, as if he were guarding something precious. "Second, never ask about my personal affairs or my work. That's none of your business, and I won't answer it." His voice grew colder as he spoke these words, yet his gaze lingered on Aluna's lips for a brief moment, a fleeting glance that left a mark.
"Third, as my wife, even if only in contract, you must always be prepared to accompany me to public events. You must learn to behave gracefully and uphold the Adrasta family image." The emphasis on the word 'must' made Aluna feel like a doll to be displayed, yet Rey's gaze, which studied her from head to toe, made her feel something more than just a formal demand. She felt his eyes roam over her body through her simple clothes, a gaze that made her feel naked, yet also evoked a strange curiosity.
Hearing all these rules, Aluna felt increasingly trapped. This luxurious room felt like a golden cage, beautiful yet confining, and Rey's gaze that occasionally swept over her body made her feel like a pet being appraised. She had no freedom to explore this house, no right to know about the man who had become her husband, and was expected to play the role of a perfect wife in public, a role that felt so foreign and incompatible with who she was. She felt like a prisoner surrounded by walls of ice, cold and impenetrable, but beneath that coldness, she sensed a hidden flame that might one day ignite. The warmth she had briefly felt when Rey held her hand amidst the storm now seemed like an illusion, but the intensity of his gaze sometimes made her wonder if it was really only coldness she was feeling.
This man had built a high wall between them, a wall made of rules and secrets, yet his gaze sometimes hinted at something more, something dangerous yet captivating, an attraction buried beneath his cold facade. Aluna felt a strange pull between them, a magnetism that was opposing yet strong.
Rey stared at Aluna with an intensity that made the hairs on her neck stand up. There was something dark and mysterious behind his gaze, something threatening that made Aluna feel uncomfortable, yet there was also a powerful attraction that was difficult to resist. She felt his eyes tracing every inch of her face, as if searching for something hidden.
"And the last rule," Rey said with a coldness that pierced down to her bones, but his eyes briefly fixed on Aluna's lips, as if imagining a touch that had yet to happen, "never, ever, try to learn about my past. You won't like what you find."
The words were like a dagger that pierced Aluna's heart, creating a mixture of fear and curiosity, yet Rey's gaze, which locked onto hers, felt like both a warning and a challenge, a prohibition that only sparked a burning desire to know more.
What dark secret did this man hide? What danger lurked in his past? And why did he warn her so fiercely, in such a cold tone, yet with such burning intensity in his eyes, as though there was pain buried deep behind his icy mask, a vulnerability wrapped in power? Aluna sensed a mystery emanating from him, a puzzle she somehow wanted to solve, even though she knew the answer might be painful.