Rose sat by the window that evening, her long curls cascading over her shoulders, the soft waves of her hair catching the low light of the setting sun. Her gaze was fixed on the sprawling city below her, the skyline stretching into the distance like an endless sea of lights. It was beautiful, in its own way, but tonight, it felt almost alien to her. The glow of the city seemed alive, pulsating with a rhythm that mirrored the storm raging inside her chest. The calmness of the view did nothing to settle the turmoil swirling in her mind.
Her thoughts flickered back to the strange rules of this world—this game, as Mina had called it, a game she hadn't agreed to play but had found herself trapped in nonetheless. Rose still didn't understand all the details, not fully, but the one thing she was certain of was the bizarre mechanic that seemed to govern her fate here. It was simple, really, but the simplicity of it only made it more insidious.
If she fell for Sylus, if she truly let herself love him, she would be stuck in this world forever. Trapped. But if she kept her heart guarded, detached, if she kept her emotions in check and avoided allowing herself to care for him, she could return to her own world. That was the theory, at least. It wasn't airtight, not by a long shot. But it was all she had. And so far, it was the only rule she had to follow.
At first, the logic of it seemed easy enough to follow. Keep your distance. Don't let yourself feel too much. But Sylus was proving to be the wildcard she hadn't accounted for. He wasn't just charming; he was persistent, magnetic. The way he looked at her, the way he made her laugh, the way he just… was—it made it impossible to keep her walls fully intact. And that terrified her. Every day that passed, she found herself inching closer to the edge of the line she was supposed to hold firm.
Rose clenched her fists, digging her nails into the soft fabric of her pants. Focus, Rose, she reminded herself. You're here for one thing: to get back. Nothing else matters. It was a mantra she repeated to herself whenever she felt herself slipping. But deep down, she knew it was harder than just saying the words. Sylus was impossible to ignore, and worse, he made her feel things she hadn't allowed herself to feel in years.
---
The next morning, Rose walked into the office, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floor. The rhythm of the sound was almost hypnotic, but today, it did little to ease the sense of dread settling in her stomach. She'd spent the entire night tossing and turning, her thoughts consumed by the consequences of the decision she had yet to make. And now, standing in the familiar lobby of the office building, she couldn't shake the weight of the choice that loomed ahead.
Her sharp, tailored outfit gave her an air of authority, a look that was meant to command respect. On the outside, she appeared composed, confident, like the kind of woman who had everything under control. But inside, it was a different story. Today, she felt anything but in control. Sylus had a way of slipping under her skin, and she couldn't shake the feeling that he was getting closer to her than she was prepared for.
As she walked toward the elevators, she spotted him leaning casually against the wall, his posture effortless, as if he had all the time in the world. He flashed her that signature smirk that always seemed to unravel her resolve just a little more every time she saw it.
"Morning, kitten," Sylus said, his voice low and playful, a glint of mischief dancing in his eyes.
Rose shot him a sideways glance, her expression as neutral as she could muster. "Sylus," she replied, trying to keep her tone cool, detached.
But he noticed. His brow quirked at the clipped tone she used, and although he didn't press her for an answer, he fell into step beside her as they made their way to their desks. His presence was a constant, and no matter how hard she tried to ignore it, it seemed like he was always just a little too close.
"You've been distracted lately," Sylus said after a moment, his voice softer now, the playful teasing gone. "Something on your mind?"
Rose hesitated. The question caught her off guard, and for a brief moment, she felt the urge to tell him everything. To confess that she was fighting a battle inside herself, one that had nothing to do with work or the tasks at hand. But that was impossible. She couldn't tell him the truth—that she was trying desperately not to fall for him, that every moment spent with him made her heart ache and her resolve waver. Instead, she deflected.
"Just work," she replied briskly, her tone colder now. "Nothing worth talking about."
Sylus didn't look convinced, but he didn't press the matter further. For now, at least. Rose couldn't help but feel a small sense of relief wash over her. But it was fleeting, and she knew she couldn't keep up the charade forever.
---
As the day wore on, Rose found herself glancing at Sylus more often than she would have liked. She tried to keep her focus on her work, on the tasks that needed her attention, but her mind kept wandering back to him. The way his dark hair fell into his eyes when he concentrated. The way his laugh filled the room, rich and genuine, making everything else fade into the background for a moment.
Her heart betrayed her, skipping a beat when he caught her looking and flashed her that grin, the one that always seemed to pull at something deep inside her. She quickly looked away, trying to steady her breathing, but it was impossible. The pull between them was undeniable, and every time he looked at her like that, she felt like she was on the edge of losing herself.
No, she thought firmly. You can't let this happen. But despite the words in her head, the fluttering in her chest wouldn't go away.
---
That night, alone in her apartment, Rose sat at her desk, scribbling in her journal. She was trying to make sense of her situation, trying to untangle the mess that had become her life since she'd entered this world. The game wasn't clear about how Sylus fit into everything. She only knew that in order to leave, he had to fall for her. That was the rule.
But how could she let that happen? She couldn't fall for him. She wouldn't.
She scribbled a few more notes, her thoughts scattered and disjointed as she tried to come up with a plan. If I go back… what happens to him? Will he even remember me?
The thought made her chest ache, a pain so raw she slammed the journal shut, not able to look at the words anymore. It didn't matter. She couldn't let herself think about it. Not if she wanted to leave. Not if she wanted to save herself.
---
The next time Sylus cornered her, it was after work. She had hoped to avoid him, but somehow, he was always where she didn't want him to be. As she gathered her things at her desk, she noticed him standing there, waiting by her desk with that casual confidence that always made her heart skip.
His tie was loosened, his sleeves rolled up slightly, and his eyes were gleaming with an almost playful intensity. "Dinner. My treat," he said simply, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Rose hesitated. The walls she had so carefully built were trembling at the edges. "I'm not really hungry," she lied, her voice more strained than she intended.
Sylus stepped closer, his voice dropping to something lower, more serious. "Kitten, you've been dodging me all week. Something's going on, and I'm not letting you run from it anymore."
Her pulse quickened. There was no escaping it. No hiding from him. For a moment, she couldn't breathe, as if the weight of his words had stolen the air from her lungs. She could feel the pull between them, the magnetic connection that had been impossible to ignore since the moment they met. She had to fight it. But the closer he got, the harder it became to remember why.
"Fine," she said, her voice strained as she forced a smile. "Dinner. But I pick the place."
Sylus grinned, a look of satisfaction flashing across his face. "I'm looking forward to it," he said, his smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.
Her heart betrayed her again.
---
As they sat across from each other later that night, the atmosphere was easy, the conversation flowing naturally between them. Laughter bubbled up between them, light and infectious, and for a moment, Rose forgot the rules. She forgot everything except the way his eyes softened when they met hers, the way his presence seemed to fill the space around them in a way she couldn't describe.
Her resolve was cracking. This wasn't fair. She was supposed to keep him at a distance. She was supposed to guard her heart. But the way he looked at her, like she was the only person in the room, made her question everything. Maybe this wasn't a game she was meant to win.
Maybe it was a game she was destined to lose.