"Miss Lane…" Elara Venn's lips trembled. Her voice cracked, tears tracing a path down her cheeks. "Did I do something wrong?"Was this… punishment?
She thought, Why not just get it over with? This slow torture's going to kill me before anything else does.
Still breathless from a suffocating kiss, her brain starved of oxygen, Elara stared at the ceiling dazed for a long moment before she regained composure.
Hazel didn't answer—just brushed a tear from Elara's cheek with her thumb.
Elara quietly lifted the blanket. There it was. The metallic glint of chains. Her lashes fluttered.
Gold? Is that real gold?!
"Keep dreaming," said the system.
Why not? Hazel Lane's rich enough.
"Do you even understand metal hardness? No one makes shackles out of pure gold."
Elara pouted, then asked in a low, falsely composed voice, "Why are you doing this to me?"
Hazel's fingers trailed across her cheek as she said with a faint smirk, "Can't you tell? I want you."
Then stop talking and start wanting, Elara thought.But aloud, she blinked innocently, "What… what did you say?"
Hazel's gaze darkened. "Every time I see you smiling softly at Nathan, speaking so gently… I want to make you cry."
She let a fingernail trail just beneath Elara's eye. "Such beautiful eyes… perfect for tears."
That's because I only smile when it feels good, Elara thought.But she was willing to cry, if that's what Hazel wanted to see.
As Hazel watched her retreat in panic, she caught her chin, leaned closer, and whispered, "From the first moment I saw you… I've been imagining how you'd look in my bed."
That—Elara had not expected.She instinctively checked if her kidneys were intact.
Then she froze, blinking like she'd just been turned to stone.
Hazel didn't rush. She let Elara process.
"I don't understand…" Elara murmured, her voice trembling, full of confusion and fear. She couldn't meet Hazel's gaze. Then, in a sudden burst, she threw off the blanket and tried to run—
Only to be yanked back violently by the same chain she'd once admired.
"You could've faked that escape a little better," the system said dryly.
I just don't want her to respect me, Elara shot back.
Hazel caught her easily.
Elara raised her hand to strike, but hesitated. Hazel's status, her power—far out of reach. Her hand dropped, powerless.
"You're joking, right?" she said, tears thick in her throat.
Hazel's smile was calm, but her eyes… terrifying.
"Joking?" Hazel echoed, voice flat. "Do I seem like someone who jokes?"
No, you seem like someone who monologues too long. If you wait any longer, this bed's gonna be a puddle and I'll drown before you get anything out of it.
Elara's patience was running thin. Either commit, or let her go back to her job.
Hazel leaned in. Elara's heart pounded. She swallowed hard, clenched her fists, then whispered:
"You're insane, Hazel Lane."
Hazel smiled, unbothered. "Maybe I am. But aren't you my little key? And I—your lock."
Rip—
Elara scrambled to protect herself, hands shielding her chest—only to leave her lower half defenseless. In the confusion, she accidentally slapped Hazel across the face.
Smack.
Elara froze. That wasn't part of the plan.She meant consensual roleplay, not assault.
She pulled her hand back in horror, muttering, "I-I didn't mean to…"
Hazel, remarkably unfazed, licked her lip and smiled. "You're adorable."
What are you, a masochist?! Elara panicked. This was supposed to be my first time, not a dungeon scenario!
Apparently unbothered, Hazel grabbed the robe's belt from the bed and tied Elara's hands to the headboard.
Elara struggled—but it was half-hearted. She couldn't risk hurting her.
A chill swept through the room. Elara shivered. Tears welled up again. "Why… why me?"
Her favorite anklet still clinked with each movement—slightly awkward since she was still in pants. Thankfully, Hazel didn't bother undressing her, just pinned her down.
"Cross method," she thought numbly.Suddenly remembering how her math teacher once praised its efficiency—who knew it'd have such… diverse applications.
She gazed at the white ceiling, blinking away tears.
Hazel mistook her look for despair and kissed her eyelids gently.
Her lips moved to Elara's cheeks, her nose, her jaw.
But in truth, Elara had only shut her eyes to prevent her expressions from giving away just how into this she really was.
Hazel, who always seemed so restrained, suddenly leaned down, voice low:"You're sweet to my brother but ignore me… Is it because you don't like me? Or because you like men more?"
Elara didn't answer—too busy controlling her breathing.
She turned away, avoiding Hazel's gaze. But Hazel took her silence for defiance.
Her nails scratched Elara's lip. Pain flared. Elara flinched.
Hazel laughed. "No matter what you say, your body clearly likes me."
It did.Cool to the touch, fair and smooth—Hazel Lane was the definition of exquisite.
Elara bit her lip, cheeks flushed. She dared not look up. If Hazel saw her expression, it would give everything away.
Hazel leaned close to her ear."You don't have another choice but to obey."
Her tone was commanding, but her movements gentle. Methodical. Almost tender.
Elara felt herself drifting—her stamina running low. Before the end, she was limp as a fish.
Hazel, misreading it as surrender, kissed her softly again. "Good girl," she murmured.
But being obedient was boring. The fun was in resisting. Hazel seemed to enjoy it more when Elara fought back.
Still, Elara was far too sleepy to keep up. Thankfully, Hazel took it easy on her, considering it her first time.
The soothing touches helped her fall asleep.
She woke up starving.
The moment her eyes opened, the system spoke.
"Finally awake? I was about to administer CPR."
"…Don't be dramatic."
Elara smiled faintly. Yes, it had been that good. Brain blank, body floating, nothing left but satisfaction.
But then guilt crept in.
"You didn't…"
"There's privacy protocol. I was locked in a data vault the whole time."
"Wow… Hazel Lane really went that hard?"
Silence.
Elara cleared her throat. "Window's still open. Can't even tell what time it is."
After a long pause, the system replied:"Nathan's cried looking for you… three or four times already."
"Oh please, what is he, a newborn?"
"…He fell asleep after Mrs. Lee consoled him."
Relieved, Elara sighed. She'd worked so hard to earn his trust. If that vanished, she'd hang herself in a toilet stall.
Her stomach growled. She lifted the blanket—completely naked. No pants. But the golden chain still shimmered on her ankle.
"This is how I die," she muttered. "Forced to streak through the mansion."