📖 Chapter 3 – The Cage with Velvet Walls
The grand iron doors of the mansion creaked open, a sound that echoed into the still night like the growl of a beast waking. Seo-jin's feet faltered as the marble steps gave way to a glittering hall inside.
It was breathtaking at first glance—crystal chandeliers spilled golden light across polished floors, their reflections multiplying in towering mirrors. Oil paintings lined the walls, each depicting scenes of power, war, or suffering. It was beauty sharpened into a weapon, and it made her skin crawl.
Raven stepped past her, his long coat sweeping the floor. He walked with the confidence of a king surveying his empire. His voice, smooth yet edged with steel, broke the silence.
"Do you like it?"
Seo-jin's gaze lingered on the lavish interior, then returned to him with defiance."This isn't a home. It's a prison."
His lips curved into a smirk, as if amused rather than insulted."A prison can still be beautiful. Some cages are made of velvet… and people still remain trapped inside."
Seo-jin's heart hammered in her chest, anger mixing with fear. "You can't just take me like this. I don't belong here. Someone will come for me."
Raven's eyes darkened, a shadow sweeping across his chiseled features. He leaned in close, so close she caught the faint scent of smoke and cedar clinging to him."And when they do…" his voice lowered, a threat wrapped in silk, "I'll make them vanish. I don't share what's mine."
The words hit Seo-jin like ice water. Mine? She clenched her fists, summoning courage from the pit of her stomach."I'll never belong to you."
For a heartbeat, silence fell. Then Raven chuckled, low and dangerous, as though her defiance entertained him."You say that now. But fire burns brightest when it's trapped."
His hand lifted, brushing her cheek with maddening gentleness. She wanted to recoil, to slap him, but her body betrayed her—her skin tingled under his touch, her heart skipping against her will.
"Why me?" The question slipped from her lips before she could stop it, fragile and trembling.
Raven's gaze softened in a way she didn't expect, the weight of his obsidian eyes locking onto hers. For a moment, the mask of the mafia king cracked, revealing something raw, something broken."Because, Seo-jin… from the moment I saw you, I knew. You were the only light bright enough to blind me. And I'd rather burn in your fire than wander in the dark."
Her breath caught. For the smallest fraction of time, she glimpsed a man—not the monster. But then, like a shutter slamming shut, his expression hardened again.
With a snap of his fingers, shadows stirred. Guards emerged from hidden corners, silent and imposing. Seo-jin's stomach dropped.
"Take her to the east wing," Raven commanded, his tone leaving no room for defiance. "Lock the doors."
Seo-jin's breath quickened as the guards approached. The east wing? Her instincts screamed danger.
Raven leaned in one last time, his lips dangerously close to her ear, his words soft enough to chill her bones."Remember, little star—this mansion has many rooms. But no exits."
The guards' hands gripped her arms, firm yet careful, dragging her down the gilded hall. The heavy doors closed with a resonant thud behind her, sealing her fate.
The cage was gilded, but it was a cage all the same.
To be continued…