Ten years passed like chapters in a book Aurelia never meant to write.
The Valente Estate changed.
The city outside changed.
But the two people inside that grand, intimidating mansion changed the most.
Aurelia Valente was now twenty years old—a young woman with a poised elegance she never realized she possessed. Her once timid eyes now shone with quiet strength. Her long dark hair flowed down her back, and her beauty had bloomed into something striking, soft yet magnetic.
She wasn't the broken little girl who first stepped into the mansion.
She had rebuilt herself, piece by piece.
And the reason she could?
A knock on her door every night.
A presence in every shadow.
A pair of sharp eyes that watched over her for a decade.
Eren Kael.
Now twenty-five, he hardly resembled the awkward, scar-cheeked boy who tried to comfort a crying child in a cold mansion.
He had grown into something different—stronger, sharper, and feared across the underworld.
Tall. Broad-shouldered.
A gaze that could silence a room.
A strength that had earned him respect—and fear—from the entire Valente organization.
He had become Don Valente's right hand.
A weapon.
A protector.
A shadow.
And still… still… the boy who promised to stay.
Aurelia stepped out onto the balcony that morning, dressed in a simple white top and soft beige pants. The early sun kissed her skin as she stretched, enjoying the quiet.
"Aurelia."
She turned at the sound of his voice.
Eren stood by the balcony door, dressed in a fitted black shirt and tactical pants. His hair was slightly tousled, his jaw sharp, his expression unreadable—but his eyes…
His eyes softened the moment they landed on her.
"You have training at eleven," he said. "I'll drive you."
Aurelia smiled. "Good morning to you too, Eren."
One of his brows lifted, the closest thing he had to amusement.
"You were awake late last night. Nightmares again?"
"No," she said. "Just thinking."
"About?"
She hesitated.
She did not dare say: You.
Not when the air already felt strange between them lately—too warm, too charged.
Instead, she turned away and looked out at the view.
"About the future," she lied.
Eren stepped closer—too close—until she could feel the warmth of his presence behind her.
"The future is safer than the past," he said quietly. "I'll make sure of it."
Aurelia's heart thudded once, too loudly.
She wasn't sure when this started.
When Eren's voice began to affect her.
When his stare felt heavier.
When she began to notice the way his hand lingered at her back when guiding her through a crowd…
or the way his eyes softened only for her.
She wasn't a little girl anymore.
And he wasn't just a protector.
Something had shifted.
Subtle.
Dangerous.
Undeniable.
She turned to him, ready to say something—anything—when a harsh voice echoed down the hall.
"Eren! Aurelia!"
Don Valente himself appeared, cane tapping the floor as he approached. His silver hair gleamed, and despite his age, his presence commanded the room.
"You two," he grumbled. "You're always together. It's like you're glued at the hip."
Aurelia flushed slightly. Eren didn't react.
Don Valente studied them both, eyes narrowing in a way that felt too perceptive.
Then he huffed.
"Aurelia, you have a photoshoot today. Eren, stay by her side—no exceptions."
Eren placed a hand over his heart and bowed slightly. "Always, Don."
Aurelia felt heat rise to her cheeks for a reason she couldn't explain.
Don Valente began to walk away, muttering,
"You two grew up too fast…"
Eren watched him go, then looked back at Aurelia.
"We should get ready," he said.
She nodded, but her gaze lingered on him—on the man who had stayed in her life longer than anyone else.
For the first time in ten years,
Aurelia realized something dangerous:
Her heartbeat didn't speed up because she felt protected.
It sped up because of him.
And Eren…
Eren's gaze lingered a moment too long on her lips before he turned away.
Something had changed.
And neither of them could pretend not to feel it anymore.