Author's pov
Aurelia lay in the darkness of her room, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. The three days that had passed since Darius’s severe punishment were a blur—of pain, submission, but also unexpected care. She had never experienced anything like this before.
The punishment had been harsh, yes, but the moments afterward had confused her more than anything. Darius had shifted from the man who enforced his dominance with an iron hand to someone who treated her like she was fragile—delicate, almost precious.
Each touch, once the punishment was over, had been filled with care, as if he feared she might break. He had bathed her, dressed her wounds, and held her through the nights when her body trembled with the remnants of pain. His tenderness during these days stood in stark contrast to the dominating force she had come to know.
Darius had become something of a paradox in her life. The man who controlled every aspect of her existence, who punished her harshly when she disobeyed, was also the one who took care of her when she was broken.
Her thoughts raced back to those moments after the punishment. She could still feel the warmth of his arms around her, the way he held her close, murmuring words of comfort she barely understood.
"You’ll heal," he had whispered against her skin. "You’ll always heal, and I’ll always make sure of that."
Now, as she lay on the bed, she tried to understand her own feelings. Was this what it meant to be bound to him? To exist in this space between fear and… something else?
The door creaked open, pulling her from her thoughts. Darius stepped in, his presence filling the room. Even in the dim light, she could see the sharp angles of his face, the darkness in his eyes that seemed to mirror the strange connection between them.
He walked toward her, his movements slow, deliberate. There was an intensity in his gaze that sent a shiver down her spine, though not entirely out of fear.
“Are you feeling better?” he asked, his voice low.
Aurelia nodded slowly, her heart quickening in her chest. “Yes.”
Darius sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes never leaving hers. He reached out, his fingers brushing lightly against her cheek, tracing the curve of her jaw. “Good,” he murmured. “You endured a lot. But you handled it well.”
Aurelia swallowed, unsure of how to respond. She felt both drawn to him and repelled by the complexity of their relationship. “Why?” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Why do you… treat me like this?”
Darius’s hand stilled, his thumb resting on her cheekbone. “Like what?”
She hesitated. “You punish me… but then you take care of me. It doesn’t make sense.”
He leaned in closer, his lips curving into a faint, enigmatic smile. “It makes perfect sense, Aurelia. You belong to me. Completely. When you disobey, I have to show you your place. But afterward, it’s my duty to make sure you’re alright. I don’t want to break you, not fully. I want you strong enough to endure… but still bound to me.”
Her heart pounded in her chest as she stared into his eyes, trying to decipher the emotions hidden behind his cold exterior.
“Why?” she repeated, her voice trembling. “Why do you care?”
For a moment, Darius’s expression softened, and she thought she saw a glimpse of something deeper, something more human beneath the layers of dominance. But it was gone just as quickly as it appeared.
“Because,” he said, his voice barely more than a whisper, “I’ve never had anyone like you. And I’m not going to lose you.”
Aurelia’s breath caught in her throat. She didn’t know what to say. There was so much she didn’t understand about him, about this life she had been thrust into. But one thing was clear—there was no escaping him. And, perhaps even more disturbingly, a part of her wasn’t sure she wanted to.
Darius moved closer, his hand sliding to the back of her neck, pulling her gently toward him. His lips brushed against hers, soft at first, then more demanding. It was a kiss filled with both possession and tenderness, a contradiction that left her breathless.
As he pulled back, his eyes searched hers, as if looking for something only he could find. “Rest,” he commanded softly. “You need to recover fully. We have much to explore… and there will be no leniency next time.”
Aurelia nodded, her mind a swirl of confusion and conflicting emotions. She lay back against the pillows as Darius stood, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer before he turned to leave the room.
And as the door closed behind him, Aurelia realized something that both frightened and thrilled her in equal measure: she was no longer fighting against him. She was beginning to crave him—his dominance, his care, his presence. She was losing herself in the boundaries he had created for her, and she wasn’t sure if she even wanted to escape anymore.
Darius had always prided himself on control. Control over his life, his emotions, and now, over Aurelia. But there was something different about her—something that had started to break down the carefully constructed walls he had built around himself. She wasn’t like the others. She was fragile, yes, but there was also a strength in her that intrigued him.
He stood in his study, staring out of the window at the vast estate that was now as much hers as it was his. Yet, despite everything he had done to make her understand her place, there was still a flicker of defiance in her eyes.
Darius smiled to himself. That was what made this all so thrilling.
The door opened behind him, and a servant entered, bowing slightly before speaking. “Master, the preparations for tonight’s dinner have been completed.”
Darius nodded. “Good. Make sure everything is perfect.”
“Yes, Master.”
As the servant left, Darius’s mind wandered back to Aurelia. She had endured more than he had expected, and he admired that. She was learning, slowly but surely, that her life now revolved around him. But there were still lessons to be taught, boundaries to be enforced.
Tonight, he would spoil her. But tomorrow, the training would continue.
There was no room for failure in their world. Only perfection.
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OVER OBSESSIVE PARTNER ( On Hold )
Fanfiction"YOU WERE MINE, YOU'RE MINE, AND YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MINE, " he declared, his voice a low growl as he thrust deeper into me. "Ahh, I h-hate you," I managed to gasp, the intensity of the moment making it hard to think straight. "SAY THAT AGAIN AND SE...
