chapter 9: The Weight Of Being Chosen
1885 Words
Chapter 9: The Weight of Being Chosen
The room was quiet.
Not empty.
Not peaceful.
Quiet in a way that pressed against the skin.
Aria sat curled at the edge of the bed, her tablet resting against her thighs. The faint glow from the screen painted her face in soft light, reflecting in her Blue eyes as her fingers moved slowly across it.
Design.
Lines.
Curves.
Jewelry concepts.
Gold bands twisted into delicate shapes. Diamonds placed with precision. A pendant shaped like something fragile… something almost broken.
Her breath came out slow.
Measured.
But her chest felt tight.
The silence around her wasn’t calm.
It was heavy.
Too many thoughts.
Too many emotions she couldn’t name.
The faint scent of the room wrapped around her… clean sheets… a hint of Anderson’s cologne lingering in the air. It stayed with her… subtle… but impossible to ignore.
Her fingers paused.
The stylus hovered.
Her lips parted slightly.
Why did everything feel like this…
Like she was standing at the edge of something she didn’t understand.
She exhaled softly and dropped the stylus on the bed.
“I’m tired…” she whispered to herself.
But she knew it wasn’t just tiredness.
It was him.
The way he looked at her.
The way he touched her.
The way her heart reacted without permission.
Her fingers curled slightly into the fabric of the bed.
Warm.
Soft.
Safe.
Dangerous.
The door clicked open.
Aria’s head lifted instantly.
Anderson stepped in.
His presence filled the room before he even spoke.
The faint sound of his shoes against the floor… steady… controlled. His scent followed him… deeper now… richer… something that made her heartbeat shift without warning.
His eyes landed on her.
Sharp.
Then softened.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
His voice was low, calm… but there was something underneath it.
Always something.
Aria swallowed lightly.
“Nothing… just distracting myself.”
Her voice came out softer than she expected.
Anderson’s gaze dropped to the tablet beside her.
He walked closer.
Each step deliberate.
Measured.
Until he stood right in front of her.
Too close.
Her breath caught slightly.
“You draw when you’re overwhelmed,” he said.
Not a question.
A statement.
Aria blinked.
“How do you know that?”
A faint smile touched his lips.
“I observe what belongs to me.”
Her heart skipped.
Hard.
Her fingers tightened against the bedsheet.
Something about that sentence made her feel butterflies…
It shouldn’t have made her feel like this.
But it did.
He leaned slightly, picking up her tablet.
His fingers brushed hers.
Warm.
Firm.
Intentional deliberately slow.
Aria’s breath hitched.
He studied the design on the screen.
A delicate necklace.
Beautiful.
But incomplete.
“Why did you stop here?” he asked.
Aria looked away slightly.
“I don’t know how to finish it.”
Anderson’s gaze shifted back to her.
Slow.
Intent.
“Or maybe… you’re afraid of how it ends.”
Her throat went dry.
That felt too accurate.
Too personal.
Before she could respond, he placed the tablet aside.
Then he reached for her hand.
Gently.
But with control.
“Get up,” he said.
Aria blinked.
“Where are we going?”
“A date.”
Simple.
Direct.
Final.
Her heart stuttered again and fluttred shamelessly.
“A… date?”
He didn’t answer.
He just pulled her slightly to her feet.
Her bare feet touched the floor.
Cold.
She flinched slightly.
Without hesitation, Anderson bent down, slid slippers onto her feet making a blush tint her cheeks.
His touch lingered for half a second longer than necessary.
Then he stood.
“Let’s go.”
—
The city lights stretched endlessly outside the car.
Bright.
Alive.
But inside the car…
It was quiet.
The soft hum of the engine.
The faint leather scent of the seats.
Anderson sat beside her, one hand resting casually… but his fingers brushed against hers occasionally.
Not accidental.
Never accidental.
Aria stared out the window.
But she wasn’t seeing the city.
She was feeling him.
Every second.
Every breath.
“Why are you so quiet?” he asked.
She hesitated.
Then whispered, “I don’t understand what I’m feeling.”
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
The car slowed slightly.
Anderson turned his head.
His eyes locked onto hers.
“What do you feel?” he asked.
Her lips parted.
Her chest tightened.
“I feel… like I’m doing something wrong… but I don’t want to stop.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Real.
Anderson leaned closer.
Close enough that she felt his breath against her lips.
“Then don’t stop,” he said quietly.
Her heart slammed.her Brain stopped working for a while in shock
He leaned back just as the car stopped.
“Come.”
The restaurant was breathtaking.
Glass walls.
City lights reflecting like stars.
Soft music playing in the background.
The scent of rich food filled the air… warm… inviting… intoxicating.
Aria stepped in slowly.
Her fingers brushed against the smooth surface of the table as she sat.
Everything felt… unreal.
Too perfect.
Anderson watched her.
Carefully.
Like he was memorizing every reaction.
Every detail.
Food was served.
She took a bite.
The taste melted instantly… rich… smooth… almost overwhelming.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Anderson noticed.
A faint smirk.
“You like it.”
She nodded.
Unable to speak for a second.
Something about this moment felt soft.
Safe.
And that scared her more than anything.
Because she could feel herself slipping.
Falling.
Too fast.
Later that night…
The atmosphere changed.
From soft… to powerful.
The business hall was filled with influential figures.
Expensive suits.
Sharp gazes.
Power in every corner.
Aria walked beside Anderson.
Her heels clicking softly against the polished floor.
Every eye turned.
Whispers followed.
“Who is she…”
“She’s with him…”
“Is that… his woman?”
Aria felt it.
The weight.
The attention.
Her fingers instinctively reached for Anderson.
And he didn’t hesitate.
He pulled her closer.
Firm.
Possessive.
Protective.
“Stay close,” he murmured.
Her heart steadied slightly.
Until
A woman approached.
Elegant.
Confident.
Too comfortable.
Her hand touched Anderson’s arm.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
“Long time,” she said softly.
Aria’s chest tightened instantly.
The way she looked at him.
The way she touched him.
Too close.
Too intimate.
Something sharp twisted inside her.
Unfamiliar.
Unwanted.
But strong.
Very strong.
Anderson didn’t react the way Aria expected.
He didn’t pull away immediately.
He didn’t frown.
He just looked at the woman.
Calm.
Controlled.
Aria’s fingers clenched.
Her heartbeat rising.
Why isn’t he reacting…
Why is he letting her touch him…
Something inside her snapped.
Before she could think
She stepped forward.
Grabbed his shirt.
Pulled him down.
And kissed him.
Deep.
Sudden.
Claiming.
The world around them froze.
Her lips pressed against his.
Warm.
Soft.
Demanding.
Her fingers tightened against his chest.
She didn’t think.
Didn’t stop.
Didn’t care.
Anderson stilled for half a second.
Then
His hand moved to her waist.
Pulled her closer.
And he kissed her back.
Harder.
Deeper savoring her taste.
Owning the moment completely.
When she finally pulled back…
Her breath was uneven.
Her lips slightly swollen.
Her heart racing uncontrollably.
The room was silent.
Watching.
Shock written everywhere.
Aria didn’t look at anyone.
She only looked at him.
Anderson’s gaze was darker now.
Deeper.
Dangerous.
“What was that?” he asked quietly.
Her throat tightened.
“I didn’t like how she touched you.”
Silence.
Then
A slow smile formed on his lips.
Possessive.
Satisfied.
“Good,” he said.
Then his hand tightened around her waist.
Pulling her closer.
“Because you’re the only one allowed to.”
Aria’s breath caught.
And for the first time…
She realized something terrifying.
She wasn’t just reacting anymore.
She was choosing him.
And that…
Might destroy her completely.
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