I continued to read through the pages as after Rhys understood his feelings, the way he looked and acted around Slyvia began to change. It was so subtle that no one saw it, no one noticed it, not even Meridia. It started with him getting closer to her, making demands, manipulating her, secretly harming the other people around her, asking her to kiss him on the cheek, or sneaking into her room to hold her to sleep.
It was chilling to realize that he was planting seeds for future control, conditioning her to view his behavior as normal. Slyvia was still so young, naive even —yet Rhys had a plan in mind. He dreamed of the day she would mature and accept his affection without hesitation, setting the stage for a more profound bond.
As days turned into months, I read as Rhys's obsession grew under the guise of love. Before I knew it, another year had passed away, and I flipped to the next page.
Day 3287: I was very excited for today.
