Aisha didn't realize how big the penthouse was until nighttime.
The lights dimmed automatically, leaving only soft golden glows along the walls. The city skyline shone beyond the glass windows—millions of tiny lights blinking like silent witnesses to her new life.
She stood in the hallway, hugging her arms.
Everything felt unreal.
Everything felt too big for her.
Her old life had ended yesterday.
Her new life began with a stranger whose shadow filled every room, even when he wasn't there.
Especially when he wasn't there.
Dinner
She expected to eat alone.
Adrian didn't look like a man who shared meals.
But when she reached the dining hall, he was already seated.
Waiting.
Aisha hesitated. "Should I… sit?"
He nodded once. "You're my wife. You sit with me."
His words were simple.
But the tone—deep, final—made her heart flutter with something she didn't want to name.
Dinner was quiet at first.
Aisha ate carefully, afraid of dropping her fork or breaking a plate worth more than her monthly salary.
Adrian watched her for a moment.
"You're tense."
She nearly choked. "I—I'm fine."
"You're sitting like I'm about to fire you."
She lowered her gaze. "It's… a habit."
Adrian's expression softened for a fraction of a second—so fast she wasn't sure she imagined it.
"You don't need to fear me, Aisha."
She looked up.
He held her gaze.
Not cold.
Not demanding.
Just… steady.
"I won't harm you."
Her throat tightened. "I know."
"Do you?" he asked quietly.
She didn't answer—because she didn't know.
Adrian Black was unpredictable.
Cold one moment, strangely gentle the next.
He stood, signaling the end of dinner.
"Come. I want to show you something."
The Rooftop Garden
Aisha followed him to the elevator, stepping out onto a private rooftop that took her breath away.
A small garden stretched under the moonlight.
Soft grass.
Neatly arranged lights.
A view that made the world look tiny.
Aisha wrapped her arms around herself.
"It's beautiful."
Adrian's gaze stayed on her, not the city.
"It's quiet. That's why I come here at night."
"You come here alone?" she asked softly.
He didn't answer.
She didn't push.
She remembered the rules.
But silence stretched between them, warmer than before.
Then a heavy gust of wind made Aisha's dress flutter, and she shivered.
Without thinking, Adrian removed his jacket and placed it over her shoulders.
The warmth—his warmth—surrounded her instantly.
Aisha blinked up at him. "I… I didn't ask—"
"You were cold."
"But you didn't have to—"
"Aisha." His voice lowered. "You're my responsibility now."
Her heart thumped painfully.
Responsibility.
Not affection.
But the way he looked at her—
She felt something shift, quietly and dangerously.
The Penthouse at Midnight
Later that night, Aisha walked down the hallway to her room.
But halfway there…
The humming noise returned.
Stronger.
Clearer.
From the west wing.
She turned slowly.
The air felt colder here.
The lights dimmer.
Aisha's curiosity tugged at her.
Maybe it's just AC…
or a generator…
She took a small step forward.
Then another.
She lifted her hand toward the forbidden door.
The metal knob felt slightly warm.
Warm?
Suddenly—
"Aisha."
She jerked her hand back.
Her heart jumped into her throat.
Adrian stood behind her.
Barefoot.
Shirt slightly unbuttoned.
Hair a little messy.
He looked… human for the first time.
Like he hadn't been sleeping either.
His voice was low, deeper than usual.
"I told you not to come here."
"I—I wasn't going in. I just—heard something."
His jaw tightened.
"A noise?" he repeated. "What noise?"
"The humming sound… it's coming from inside."
Adrian's face changed.
Not anger.
Not fear.
Something else.
Something darker.
"There is no sound," he said firmly.
"But—"
"There is no sound, Aisha."
His voice was a warning wrapped in steel.
She stepped back immediately.
He closed the distance between them with slow, controlled steps until she was standing right in front of him.
"Listen to me carefully," he said softly—too softly.
"You signed a contract, yes. But I'm giving you something more important than rules."
"W-what?"
"Protection."
Her breath caught.
Adrian leaned closer—close enough that she could feel the warmth of his breath against her forehead.
"There are places in this house you must never enter. Not because I don't trust you…" His voice dropped to a whisper. "But because I don't trust what's inside."
Her skin prickled.
"What's inside?" she whispered.
Adrian exhaled slowly.
For the first time since she met him…
he looked tired.
"History," he said finally.
"And history is dangerous."
Then he stepped back and his mask snapped back in place.
"Go to your room."
Aisha hesitated. "Adrian—"
Her voice cracked.
He paused.
She swallowed nervously. "Are you… okay?"
For a terrifyingly long second, he didn't move.
Then he said, almost too quietly:
"Good night, Aisha."
Not cold.
Not distant.
Softer.
Almost gentle.
She watched him walk away until he disappeared down the dark corridor.
In Her Room
Aisha closed the door gently and leaned against it, her heart thudding hard.
Something was wrong in this penthouse.
Something hidden.
Something alive.
She didn't know if it was a secret…
or a person…
or something else entirely.
All she knew was one thing:
Adrian wasn't afraid of losing her.
He was afraid of something finding her.
Aisha slid into bed, clutching the blanket close.
This contract marriage was supposed to give her safety.
Instead…
it was pulling her into the center of a mystery far bigger than she ever imagined.
And for the first time since meeting him—
Aisha wasn't sure if she needed protection from the world… or from her husband's past.