William's voice cut through the tense air of the study like a blade, his greenish-blue eyes—still lingering from his nocturnal vigil—locked onto Julian with unyielding intensity. The darkness of the night filtered through heavy drapes, casting long shadows that mirrored the brothers' fractured brotherhood. Julian stood rigid, his red eyes flashing with defensive fury, but William gave him no quarter to retort, barreling forward with accusations honed by years of buried resentments and the fresh sting of Payal's tearful confession."What is happening with you?" William demanded, his tone laced with controlled venom. "In the morning, you were more normal, accepting—almost like human. The bond between Asra and Payal was strengthening, a quiet peace we all felt glimpses of it. But now, suddenly what changed? You're suddenly unleashing this different side in front of her—cold, distant, explosive. One moment you're pulling Asra away from her embrace like a jealous rival; and the next moment, you're commanding her to stay away from him, shattering her without explanation."Julian opened his mouth, fists clenching at his sides, but William pressed on relentlessly, circling him like a predator cornering prey. The atmosphere pulsed with the chatters of night undercurrents—William a faint laughter echoing ,
Asra's absence a palpable void after his precognitive warnings, and the inexorable threads tightening like nooses.
"I already know—I mean, Asra and I both know—your sadistic, evil side," William continued, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "That darkness you've hidden behind flirty smiles and lover's charm from the very start. You stayed glued to her, all playful touches and sweet words, weaving her into your web. But what happens when she sees through it? When Payal learns the truth about the monster lurking beneath—that ruthless edge sharpened by Father's manipulations, the obsessions that doomed our past conquests?"He stepped closer, green-blue gaze boring into Julian's bloodshot reds, evoking memories of childhood betrayals: stolen inheritances, forced alliances, and the brothers' shared wife tradition twisted into a cage of possession. "What if she starts to hate you?" William challenged, After sensing shift in his emotions his words a calculated strike at Julian's core vulnerability—the fear of genuine rejection amid their polyamorous tangle. "Will you lash out, isolate her further, or let your rage consume everything like it nearly did last night at her door? We've all danced this edge— I know Yuri's arrival lit the fuse, but your jealousy over Asra's visions and Payal's growing trust in us is the spark. She's not just property; she's the one thread holding our empire from total ruin. Push her away, and you don't just lose her—you hand Father the victory he's schemed for."Julian's face twisted in a storm of denial and pain, the air crackling with supernatural tension—hints of his own latent powers simmering, perhaps speed or illusion, clashing against William's intuitive warnings.
The confrontation wasn't mere sibling spat; it was a reckoning, laced with the foreshadowed obsessions, William's stance radiated protectiveness for Payal.
William's voice dropped to a lethal calm, his greenish-blue eyes blazing with finality as he loomed over Julian in the dark , the moonlight doing little to dispel the chill of their confrontation. The air thrummed with unresolved fury—, a mocking reminder of their father's calculated intrusion, and the forest seeming to lean in, absorbing every barbed word like secrets primed for betrayal.
"Remember this, Julian," William said, each syllable deliberate and cutting. "If Payal leaves us behind—walks away from this tangled mess we've made of our lives—you are the only reason for that. Your explosive rage, your cold commands, your sadistic shadows pushing her further into isolation. You've already driven a wedge with Asra; don't pretend you can't see how your jealousy fractures everything."He paused, letting the accusation sink in, his stance unyielding amid the cluttered shelves of ancient tomes and family relics that whispered of their cursed legacy—generations of power-hungry men binding wives as property, obsessions dooming empires. Julian's red eyes flickered with a storm of denial and raw hurt, his fists trembling at his sides, but William pressed on mercilessly. "I like to mind my own business, keep to the shadows where my powers warn me of threats unseen. But this? This is about Payal, so it's my business—our business. All three of us bound to her, whether by ritual, affection, or the destiny inexorabl the senses we have but we ignoring it . You've have known why Father sent Yuri here: not just a 'responsibility,' but a weapon. Her innocent beauty to ignite your obsessions, splinter our unity, hand him leverage over our wealth and powers. She's the forbidden temptation from the dreads, the spark to our downfall—and you're fanning it with your paranoia over Asra's visions."William stepped back slightly, his expression hardening into contemptuous challenge, green-blue gaze piercing like a seer's judgment.
"If you still had Yuri in your heart—if there's any shred of the , love left beneath that evil facade—just take her away with you. Sweep her off to some distant haven, shield her from this chaos.
Asra and I—William—will take care of our wife. We'll nurture the bonds she's had with her, the quiet trust she's placed in us despite your walls. But keep poisoning it, and you'll lose her to the very freedom you once demanded for yourself. Father's game thrives on our division; don't be the villain who hands him victory."The words landed like blows, William leave him alone and got back to meet Payal.
Julian's face paling then flushing with volcanic rage, his supernatural aura crackling faintly—hints of speed-blurred motion or illusionary shadows stirring in response. Flashbacks haunted the tension:
Julian's past insistence that Asra avoid marriage for "freedom," now twisted against him; stolen moments of Payal's laughter with all three brothers before Yuri's arrival shattered the fragile polyamory; whispers of their father's ulterior motives, perhaps forging Yuri as a spy or magical pawn to seize their empire. The study felt like a battlefield, sibling rivalry escalating into existential threat, with Payal's fragile heart—and the tragic endgame—at its epicenter. Julian staggered back a step, breath ragged, torn between explosive rebuttal and soul-deep regret, while William stood resolute, his powers humming with fresh warnings of encroaching danger from beyond the mansion's wards.
Payal stirred slowly, a gentle weight pressing against her body pulling her from the depths of sleep. Her eyelids fluttered open, and the first sight that greeted her was Julian—curled around her, sleeping peacefully with his arms wrapped securely around her waist. His face, usually etched with sharp edges of rage or mischief, now held an innocent softness, lashes fanned against his cheeks, lips parted in quiet breaths. It felt surreal, like a dream woven from yesterday's pain; the bloodshot fury, the cold rejection, the slammed door—all seemed like a cruel illusion now, washed away by this tender reality. She glanced around, heart skipping— this wasn't her room. The unfamiliar space was bathed in soft morning light filtering through gauzy curtains, a masculine study with scattered books, a half-empty decanter on the desk, and the faint scent of aged leather and Julian's cologne clinging to the air. How had she ended up here, entwined with him through the night?Seeing him sleep like a contented child, so vulnerable and unguarded, melted her resolve. She didn't dare wake him, her fingers itching to trace the line of his jaw but holding back, afraid to shatter the fragile peace. Memories flooded her: William's comforting lap, his vanishing act, the brothers' unseen war in the study—had Julian sought her out in regret, carrying her here under cover of night? Yet this moment felt defiantly real, a stolen interlude amid the chaos.Before she could untangle her thoughts or savor the warmth, the door unlocked with a soft click. Asra stepped in, fresh from the kitchen—an apron tied loosely around his waist, a smudge of flour dusting his cheek like playful stardust, his cool blue hair tousled and weaving gently in the draft from the hall. He looked every bit the domestic vision, carrying a tray of steaming tea and pastries, his dark eyes lighting up at the sight of her. Payal was utterly mesmerized, lost in the contrast of his calm strength against Julian's wild intensity, her heart swelling with unspoken longing.Suddenly, a strong arm pulled her back into a tight embrace from behind. Julian's husky, deep voice rumbled against her ear, laced with sleepy amusement: "Give some attention to this poor person, won't you?" He cracked one red eye open, peering at her with a roguish glint, the innocence of sleep giving way to his familiar charm. Payal's cheeks flushed, caught between them. Taking a pause
"I am sorry for yesterday, Payal," he murmured, voice turning sincere, his hold loosening just enough to let her breathe. "I wasn't in my right mind—rage blinded me. Forgive my behavior; it was unworthy of you."Her brown eyes widened with innocent surprise, silently asking permission as she glanced between them. Julian nodded, a soft smile tugging his lips, releasing her fully. Payal slipped from the bed, crossing to Asra in two quick steps and wrapping her arms around him tightly, burying her face in his flour-dusted apron. Asra hugged her back without hesitation, his free hand cradling her head, the tray balanced precariously but steady. The air hummed with tentative reconciliation—Julian propping himself on an elbow to watch, Julian pouted I also want hug Payal looked at him innocently .