The Thirteen Shadows / SEVENTEEN FF

Chapter 18: Home

'The ability to read people is both a blessing and a curse.'

-A. Parmar

Jeonghan returned to the manor after his long flight with a sense of anticipation. 

As his car pulled into the driveway, he gazed at the large mansion with a smirk. He had been briefed about Maya, and the mere fact that she had survived this long in their world piqued his interest. The men had spoken about her, and now it was time for him to finally meet her in person.

Inside the mansion, Maya was in the garden, enjoying the fresh breeze and the warm sun on her skin. Her peace suddenly got interrupted as she heard noise coming from behind her. Looking back into the manor, she noticed maids all of a sudden gathering at the main door looking busy while DK and Seungkwan were making one hell of a scene while hugging someone. She hadn't expected a new arrival today.

Through Maya's eyes, Jeonghan was the embodiment of sly charm and calculated grace. As he approached her in the garden, she couldn't help but notice how effortlessly attractive he was. His slender frame moved with an elegant ease, like a predator comfortable in its surroundings. He had a soft but sharp face, his skin pale yet flawless, which gave him an almost ethereal appearance.

His dark eyes were a contradiction—warm and welcoming at first glance, but with a hidden edge beneath the surface, as though they were always two steps ahead of everyone else in the room. Maya couldn't quite shake the feeling that those eyes missed nothing, constantly assessing and calculating, as if her every movement, every word, was being cataloged for later use.

His hair, raven black colored, framed his face perfectly, slightly tousled in a way that seemed both effortless and intentional. There was something deceptively gentle about him, the kind of man who could easily be underestimated, but Maya sensed the danger lurking beneath his pretty smile. His lips, curled into a sly smirk, seemed to always be on the verge of a secret—one he would only reveal when it served him best.

Jeonghan dressed impeccably, wearing a tailored suit that seemed more casual on him than it had any right to. He carried himself with an air of someone who was always in control, his confidence radiating without needing to be overbearing. Everything about him screamed manipulation, but in the most subtle, enticing way. He didn't need to dominate the room like Seungcheol did; Jeonghan commanded attention simply by being present.

"Ah, so you're Maya," Jeonghan's voice broke the silence, smooth and knowing. He stood by the garden entrance, leaning casually against the doorframe with an amused glint in his eyes.

Maya glanced up, slightly startled but composed. "And you must be ...," she replied, her tone measured.

"Yoon Jeonghan." He stepped forward, his movements graceful but deliberate. As he walked toward her, his gaze never left her, studying her like a puzzle he was eager to solve. "I've heard quite a lot about you."

"I see," Maya said, standing her ground, though she could feel the subtle power shift in the air. Jeonghan was known for being manipulative, and she could sense he was already working on her, subtly trying to gauge her reactions.

"Oh? Well what do you see?" Jeonghan's smile was sly, like a cat that had just found a new toy. He circled her slowly, his eyes appraising her.

"Just that you're... clever," she said carefully. "And that I should be careful around you."

Jeonghan chuckled, clearly pleased by her response. "Clever? Maybe. Careful? Definitely." He stopped in front of her, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tilted his head. "But I don't think you're afraid of me."