Lady Anabel turned to Aaron the moment Marigold left with the maid.
Her eyes lingered on him with a familiar disdain.
She didn't need to say anything for him to understand the hatred that flickered behind her cold gaze.
She wasn't even trying to hide it anymore, and Aaron knew all too well what was coming next. She was either going to taunt him or make him go back to his room with tears.
As Lady Anabel began to walk toward Aaron, her high heels clicked soundfully against the floor.
The sound echoed with each deliberate step.
the clink and clinks! Of her show puts his shoulders in tension.
Her movements were very slow, deliberately.
not just in the way she walked, but in how she carried herself,
as if reminding him of her presence—her hatred.
Instinctively, Aaron backed away.
Every step she took forward pushed him farther into the corner.
It wasn't just her proximity that made him uncomfortable.
but the unspoken malice that hung in the air between them. Her eyes bore into him.
narrowing with every inch that closed between them.
Aaron had tried to stop her when she punished the maid.
He had even pleaded with her, but Lady Anabel didn't care.
His words had meant nothing to her.
just like everything else.
She had punished the girl out of spite, because she could.
And now she was here, standing before him, reminding him that a maid was punished because of him.
The maid's screams echoed in Aaron's mind as he stood frozen.
The sound of her being dragged down the corridor, her cries for mercy—
It was all replaying in his head. He had felt helpless then, and even now,
As he looked into Anabel's eyes, he saw her cruelty, and he felt more powerless; he could not do anything to protect even just a maid.
Lady Anabel finally reached him, her hand lifting slowly.
With a calculated and deliberate touch, she pressed a cold finger against his cheek.
her lips curling into a mocking smile. "Brother-in-law,"
She said, her voice dripping with false sweetness, "Are you sad for the maid? Are you feeling guilty for her?"
Aaron inhaled sharply, his skin crawling under her touch.
His mind raced—this was wrong.
His sister-in-law was crossing boundaries that no one should.
Her hand on his face felt too intimate, too invasive. He couldn't help but feel suffocated by her presence.
With a sudden movement, Aaron brushed her hand off his cheek and stepped back.
He took a deep breath, trying to keep calm. "Sister-in-law," he said with a slight rise.
"Yes, the maid was punished because of me. But it's you—
the Punisher—who should feel the most guilty here."
Lady Anabel laughed.
It wasn't the kind of laugh that came from amusement, but one laced with venom. She didn't step back.
Her red lips curled as she bit down, amusement still flickering in her eyes.
"But the innocent maid was punished because of you, Aaron," she said, her tone mocking.
"If you hadn't bumped into her, how would she have caught my attention?"
Aaron frowned. Her words were sinking in, worming their way into his mind.
He could feel the guilt tugging at him.
but he fought it back. He knew what she was doing—
trying to break him down, to watch him crumble. But he wouldn't let her.
A forced smile spread across Aaron's face, the kind that barely
reached his eyes but showed his dimples enough to be convincing.
"Sister-in-law," he said calmly, "I want to rest. Don't you want to rest, too? I do, so please clear the way for me."
Anabel's smile faltered, replaced by a deep frown.
She hated how calm he was and how he wasn't showing any sadness.
He should have been upset, broken, or anything but calm. "Hahahah," she laughed coldly. Her brother Senirips should be sad!
"No matter what you say, Aaron, the maid still gets punished anyway."
Aaron's smile finally faded at her last words.
The truth was clear; Anabel was right. The maid had suffered because of him.
He hates it and feels sad; crystal tears want to fall off his eyes.
Her fate was going to be miserable in that dongeon of a place. His heart couldn't accept this truth.
Dusting off his clothes, Aaron tried to keep his voice steady as he asked,
"Why are you doing this? What joy do you get from tormenting me like this?"
He knew the answer already, but he needed to hear it from her.
Lady Anabel laughed again.
"My brother always defends you; he almost burned me because of you," she said.
She still can't get the memory off her mind.
"You really are cute, Aaron. I can see why he likes you so much. But," she added, her voice lowering,
"You won't be happy in this family.
I promise you that your pretty eyes will shed tears of sorrow one day."
Aaron clenched his fists; he shook his head as he rebuked. "No," he said slowly.
"That's not going to happen. Kris and I will be happy. Whatever you're plotting, it won't work."
Anabel laughed louder, more unhinged now.
"Oh, Aaron, you can deny it all you want, but you can't stop what's coming.
You can't stop the chaos that might welcome you in this family."
Still chuckling, Anabel leaned in close, her breath warm against his ear. "Brother-in-law," she whispered, her tone rings in Aaron's ears.
"Just wait until then. Here's a little tip—be careful in this house."
Aaron blinked, but when he opened his eyes again, Anabel was already gone.
The fading echo of her high heels was the only reminder that she had been there, and it sent a shiver down his spine.
Crossing his arms, Aaron shook his head.
"What a weird sister-in-law I've got."
He muttered to himself. Something in his mind told him Anabel could actually do what she said.
Aaron sat in his room, a book open on his lap, but he wasn't really reading.
The words blurred on the page as his mind wandered back to the recent events.
Lady Anabel's cold, calculating eyes, her sharp words—
Why did she hate him so much? He couldn't understand it.
Ever since he had come into this household, Anabel had been nothing but hostile.
finding ways to make him feel like an outsider.
Why does she despise me so much?
Aaron wondered, sighing deeply. But more than anything, he missed Kris.
His mind drifted to his husband, and a soft ache settled in his chest.
Where is Kris? he thought.
Kris would know what to say and how to make everything better.
But Kris wasn't here, and the emptiness in the room seemed to grow.
Aaron's eyelids grew heavy.
He slumped back in the chair, staring blankly at the book.
His thoughts, now sluggish and unfocused, circled back to Kris.
Slowly, without realizing it, he drifted into sleep.
---
In his dream, Aaron stood before a large, full-length mirror.
He saw his own reflection clearly.
the soft light casting shadows on his face.
Everything felt so real, so vivid.
He stared at himself, confused, when suddenly he felt something familiar.
Warm arms wrapped around his waist from behind, pulling him close.
Aaron's heart skipped a beat, and his breath hitched.
He knew that touch—he knew it well. Kris.
"Kris..." Aaron whispered, his voice soft, almost unsure.
But when he felt the gentle press of lips against his neck, any doubt melted away. Kris was back.
Aaron's body tensed with surprise but then relaxed into the familiar embrace.
Kris's lips moved slowly against his skin, soft and warm, sending shivers down Aaron's spine.
His hands rested on Aaron's hips; his hands held them tightly.
while his mouth continued to explore the curve of Aaron's neck, making him sigh softly.
"You've missed me,"
Kris's voice was low, teasing in his ear, the words sending a thrill through Aaron's body.
Aaron could only nod, unable to speak as Kris's kisses became more insistent.
traveling from his neck to his shoulder.
Aaron's hands gripped the edge of the mirror.
is reflection showing the growing flush on his cheeks,
the way his lips parted as Kris's mouth trailed lower.
His body reacted to each kiss, every soft touch.
Kris knew exactly how to drive him crazy, teasing him with just enough pressure to make Aaron's pulse race.
Kris's hands roamed over Aaron's thighs, his touch light, barely grazing the skin.
Aaron's breath hitched as Kris's fingers slid higher, the teasing slow and deliberate. He could feel the heat that came from Aaron's body to his own body were it touched.
the tension coiling in his stomach as Kris continued to play with him,
His touches were always just shy of what Aaron needed.
"Kris..." Aaron whispered again, his voice breathless, pleading.
But Kris only smiled against his skin, his reflection showing that same knowing smirk.
He was in control, and he enjoyed watching Aaron squirm under his teasing.
Aaron bit his lip, his eyes locking on their reflection in the mirror.
Kris's hands were everywhere.
on his thighs, brushing against his hips and his chest. Every touch was calculated.
meant to keep Aaron on edge, wanting more. And it was working. Aaron's body was trembling now.
his breath coming in short, shallow bursts as Kris continued to tease him.
Kris's lips moved up to Aaron's ear, his breath warm as he whispered,
"You like it when I take my time, don't you?"
Aaron's only response was a soft moan, his body arching into Kris's touch.
But Kris wasn't done yet. His hands slid up Aaron's chest, fingers brushing over his sensitive skin, making Aaron gasp.
His thighs tensed as Kris's fingers traced the lines of his muscles, teasingly
close but never giving him enough.
"Kris..." Aaron groaned, his voice filled with need now. But Kris was still in no hurry.
He nipped at Aaron's ear, his voice low and playful.
"I think you can wait a little longer," Kris said, his hands moving back down to Aaron's thighs.
His touch is firmer now but still maddeningly slow.
Aaron's eyes fluttered closed, his body aching for more.
But Kris wasn't finished teasing him.
His lips brushed against Aaron's neck again, soft and warm.
while his hands explored every inch of Aaron's body with deliberate slowness.
It was torture—the best kind of torture.
Finally, Aaron couldn't take it anymore.
His hands moved to Kris's wrists, guiding them lower, where he needed Kris the most.
"Kris," Aaron gasped, his voice desperate now. "Please..."
Kris chuckled softly, his lips brushing against Aaron's ear.
"Begging already?" He teased, and his hands finally moved.
to give Aaron what he wanted.
Aaron's body tensed with anticipation, his breath coming in ragged gasps as Kris's hands moved lower.
finally giving in to Aaron's desires
The dream shifted as Aaron leaned back into Kris's embrace, his body pressed against the mirror.