---
Later that night, after Ji-hyun had drifted off into a deep sleep, Sophia sat by the dorm window, her knees pulled to her chest as the cold night air brushed against her skin.
The moonlight bathed the school grounds, casting long shadows that danced with the rustling of the trees.
It was supposed to be a quiet moment, a rare reprieve from the chaos of the day, but her mind was a whirlwind.
Min-jae’s sharp words lingered in her thoughts. They weren’t just empty threats; there was something behind his gaze—a darkness she couldn’t ignore. And then there was Lucius, whose sudden appearance had unsettled her more than she cared to admit.
She sighed, tilting her head back against the cool glass.
“Why does everything have to be so complicated?”
A knock on the window jolted her from her reverie. Her heart skipped as she turned, her breath catching when she saw Lucius standing on the other side, his expression unreadable. The sight of him outside her dorm window felt like a dream—or maybe a nightmare. She opened it cautiously, her voice low to avoid waking Ji-hyun.
“What are you doing here?” she whispered, her tone sharp but laced with curiosity.
Lucius climbed inside with ease, his movements fluid and deliberate. His tailored coat brushed against the windowsill, and the air around him seemed to shift, as if the room itself bent to accommodate his presence. He glanced at Ji-hyun’s sleeping form before his piercing gaze locked onto Sophia.
“Checking on you,” he said simply, his voice as calm and composed as ever.
Sophia folded her arms, her brow furrowing. “I don’t need babysitting.”
Lucius tilted his head, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “You attract too much attention, Sophia. That can be... problematic.”
Her eyes narrowed, her frustration bubbling to the surface. “Why do you care? I can handle myself.”
He stepped closer, his imposing presence filling the small space between them. “It’s not about what you can handle. It’s about what you don’t understand.” His voice softened, but there was an edge to it, a warning beneath the calm exterior.
Sophia’s heart raced as his fingers reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. His touch was cold, yet it sent warmth spiraling through her. She slapped his hand away, her voice trembling with defiance.
“Why do you care?”
His smirk vanished, replaced by an expression she couldn’t quite read. Vulnerability? Regret? Whatever it was, it unsettled her.
“Because someone has to,” he murmured, his voice barely audible.
Before she could respond, Lucius straightened, his demeanor shifting back to the composed figure she was used to. He glanced out the window, his crimson eyes scanning the darkness as if sensing something she couldn’t see.
“You should stay out of trouble,” he said finally, his tone firm. “And stay away from Min-jae.”
Sophia blinked, her confusion deepening. “What does Min-jae have to do with anything?”
Lucius hesitated, a rare moment of uncertainty flashing across his face. Then, as if deciding against saying more, he turned to leave. “Just be careful.”
And with that, he disappeared into the night, leaving Sophia alone with more questions than answers.
---
Meanwhile, Min-jae sat in his dorm room, his crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dark. His fingers traced the edge of his desk, his thoughts consumed by the day’s events. Sophia’s defiance, her refusal to back down, had stirred something within him—a mixture of frustration and curiosity.
“Always so quick to stand up for her,” he muttered, his voice low and bitter. He clenched his fist, the air around him crackling faintly as his suppressed powers threatened to surface.
But then, just as quickly, the oppressive weight of Lucius’s influence pressed down on him, snuffing out the flicker of his strength. Min-jae gritted his teeth, a low growl escaping him.
“Damn him,” he hissed. “Always the one in control.”
He leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. Lucius wasn’t just a figure of authority; he was something more—something Min-jae couldn’t touch, no matter how much power he tried to summon. The devil himself. The thought sent a shiver down his spine.
But Min-jae wasn’t one to back down easily. A sinister smile crept across his lips as he stared out the window at the moonlit school grounds.
“This isn’t over,” he muttered, his crimson eyes burning with renewed determination.
---
The following day, Sophia sat in the classroom, her gaze fixed on the board as the teacher droned on about advanced calculus. But her mind wasn’t on numbers; it was on the strange dynamics unfolding around her. Ji-hyun, sitting beside her,
At the other class I think scribbled notes with her usual enthusiasm, blissfully unaware of the tension simmering beneath the surface.
When the bell rang, Sophia gathered her things, her movements automatic. As she exited the classroom, she felt a presence behind her. Turning, she found Min-jae leaning casually against the wall, his crimson eyes gleaming with mischief.
“Morning, Sophia,” he drawled, his tone mockingly polite.
She sighed, her patience already wearing thin. “What do you want, Min-jae?”
He smirked, pushing off the wall and stepping closer. “Just a chat. About yesterday.”
Sophia raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. “If you’re still upset about the pancake, maybe you should take it up with Ji-hyun.”
Min-jae chuckled, but there was no warmth in the sound. “Oh, it’s not about the pancake. It’s about you. You’re... interesting.”
Before she could respond, the air around them grew heavy, a suffocating weight that pressed down on her chest. Min-jae’s smirk faltered as his gaze shifted to the end of the hallway.
Lucius stood there, his crimson eyes glowing faintly, his expression cold and unyielding. The oppressive aura intensified, silencing the murmurs of passing students and sending a shiver down Sophia’s spine.
“Min-jae,” Lucius said, his voice like a blade. “Don’t you have somewhere else to be?”
Min-jae’s jaw tightened, but he took a step back, his usual confidence faltering under Lucius’s gaze. “Of course, Mr. Lee. I was just leaving.”
As he walked away, his eyes flicked to Sophia, a silent promise lingering in his gaze.
Lucius approached her, his presence overwhelming as always. “Are you all right?”
Sophia nodded, though her heart was still racing. “What’s his deal?”
Lucius’s gaze darkened, his expression unreadable. “He’s dangerous. Stay away from him.”
“And you’re not?” she challenged, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lucius’s lips curved into a faint smirk. “I’m something far worse.”
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Sophia with more questions than ever.
YOU ARE READING
SMITTEN BY HER (unedited)
Romance"Beyond Shadows" In a world where darkness whispers secrets and power knows no bounds, a young orphan's dreams of becoming a veterinarian are crushed by the cruel betrayal of her own blood. Sold into an unforgiving fate, she finds herself in the eni...
