OWNED BY THE MAFIA KING

# Chapter Three — The One He Shouldn’t Want

# Chapter Three — The One He Shouldn’t Want

Aurora didn’t know it yet…

But her life had already changed the moment she ran from that alley.

And Lucien Blackthorn had never forgotten a face before.

Not even once.

---

The morning sun was soft, almost innocent, as it fell over the city streets.

Aurora walked into college with her bag hanging loosely over her shoulder. Her hair was still slightly damp from last night’s rain, though she had tried her best to fix it.

But her mind… was not fixed at all.

She kept replaying it.

The alley.

The silence.

Those eyes.

That man.

“No… it was just a coincidence,” she whispered to herself while walking through the gate.

“Aurora!”

Her best friend Mia waved from ahead.

Aurora quickly forced a smile and walked toward her.

“You look like you saw a ghost,” Mia laughed.

“I didn’t sleep well,” Aurora replied quickly.

“Again? You seriously need to stop overthinking everything.”

If only it was overthinking…

Aurora turned her head slightly.

Outside the campus gate, a black car stood still.

Expensive.

Silent.

Out of place.

Something about it made her stomach tighten.

She stared for a second too long.

Then the car window rolled down slightly.

And she saw him.

Lucien Blackthorn.

Just for a second.

But it was enough.

Aurora’s breath stopped.

The world around her didn’t feel real anymore.

Her feet froze.

Inside the car, Lucien didn’t move.

He was simply watching her.

Like she was the only thing in the world worth looking at.

Then the window rolled up again.

The car drove away slowly.

As if nothing happened.

Aurora blinked rapidly.

“No… no no no…”

Mia looked at her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Aurora said quickly. “Just… dizziness.”

But her heart was beating like crazy.

Because she knew.

That wasn’t a coincidence.

---

Meanwhile…

Inside the moving black car.

One of Lucien’s men finally spoke.

“Boss… you really saw her again today.”

Lucien didn’t respond immediately.

His fingers rested calmly against his wristwatch.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

Then—

“Yes.”

That one word.

Cold.

Controlled.

Final.

The man hesitated. “You said not to interfere last night… but now—”

“I didn’t interfere,” Lucien interrupted softly.

Silence filled the car.

Then he finally added,

“She came back into my sight on her own.”

His voice wasn’t emotional.

But something about it was worse than emotion.

It was possession… without claiming it yet.

---

Back at college…

Aurora couldn’t focus.

Not on lectures.

Not on conversations.

Not even on her own breathing properly.

Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him.

That stare.

That silence.

That feeling of being watched… even when no one was there.

“Stop it,” she whispered to herself.

But her instincts refused to calm down.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

---

At lunch break, Mia dragged her to the cafeteria.

“You’re seriously acting weird today,” Mia said while eating.

“I’m fine,” Aurora replied.

“You’ve said that three times already.”

Aurora forced a small laugh.

But then—

The entire cafeteria suddenly shifted.

It wasn’t loud.

It wasn’t obvious.

But the atmosphere changed.

People stopped talking.

Chairs stopped moving.

Even laughter faded slightly.

Aurora felt it too.

Like a pressure in the air.

She slowly turned her head.

And her heart dropped.

At the far end of the cafeteria…

A group of students had moved aside.

And in the center of that empty space…

A black figure stood.

Lucien Blackthorn.

Not smiling.

Not speaking.

Just standing there like he belonged everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

Mia frowned. “Who is that guy? Why is everyone—”

Aurora grabbed her wrist tightly.

“Don’t look,” she whispered immediately.

But it was too late.

Lucien’s eyes had already found her.

Again.

Time froze.

Aurora couldn’t move.

Couldn’t breathe properly.

And Lucien…

He started walking.

Slow.

Calm.

Every step echoing louder in her mind than in reality.

People instinctively moved away from him.

No one stopped him.

No one dared.

He stopped right in front of their table.

Mia looked confused. “Uh… do you need something?”

Silence.

Lucien didn’t even look at her.

His eyes stayed only on Aurora.

Then he spoke.

Finally.

“You ran yesterday.”

Aurora’s fingers tightened under the table.

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said softly.

A lie.

Weak.

Obvious.

Lucien tilted his head slightly.

Then—

“You saw something you shouldn’t have.”

Lucien tilted his head slightly.

Then—

“You saw something you shouldn’t have.”

The words landed like ice.

Aurora’s breath got stuck in her throat.

Mia frowned harder. “What is wrong with you? Who are you and why are you talking to her like that?”

Lucien didn’t even glance at Mia.

It was like she didn’t exist.

His attention stayed locked on Aurora only.

That silence was worse than anger.

Because it meant control.

Aurora’s fingers trembled under the table.

“I told you… I don’t know you,” she whispered again, weaker this time.

Lucien stepped closer.

Just one step.

But it felt like the air itself shifted.

“You ran,” he said again, calm and low. “And I let you.”

Aurora’s eyes widened slightly.

Mia looked between them, confused and now slightly nervous.

“Okay, this is getting weird. Aurora, do you know him or—”

“Don’t talk,” Lucien interrupted finally.

One sentence.

Cold.

Sharp.

Mia froze instantly.

Not because she was scared of the words…

But because of the way they were said.

Like they weren’t a request.

They were a command the world was expected to obey.

Aurora stood up abruptly.

Her chair scraped loudly against the floor.

“I don’t know what you want from me,” she said, voice shaking slightly but trying to stay strong. “But I didn’t see anything. I was just… lost. I left.”

Lucien watched her carefully.

Like every word she said was being measured.

Then slowly, he leaned slightly forward.

Just enough for only her to hear clearly.

“Lying doesn’t suit you.”

Aurora’s heart dropped again.

Mia grabbed her arm. “Aurora, let’s go. Now.”

But Aurora didn’t move immediately.

Because something inside her told her—

If she ran again…

It would not end like last time.

Lucien straightened up.

For the first time, his expression changed slightly.

Not soft.

Not kind.

Just… sharper.

“Sit down,” he said quietly.

Aurora blinked.

“What?”

“I said sit down.”

Still calm.

Still controlled.

But heavier.

Like pressure building before a storm.

The entire cafeteria had gone silent now.

Everyone was watching.

No one spoke.

No one even pretended not to stare.

Aurora slowly sat back down.

Mia looked shocked. “Aurora—”

Lucien finally turned his eyes slightly toward Mia.

Just a glance.

And Mia’s voice stopped instantly.

It wasn’t fear like horror movies.

It was instinct.

Like her body understood danger before her mind did.

Lucien turned back to Aurora.

“You will forget what you saw,” he said.

Aurora frowned slightly, fear mixing with confusion.

“I already told you I didn’t—”

“I’m not asking,” he interrupted.

Silence.

That one line changed everything.

Because now it wasn’t a conversation anymore.

It was a decision being placed over her life.

Aurora swallowed hard.

Her voice came out smaller than she intended.

“And if I don’t?”

For the first time…

Lucien paused.

Just a fraction.

Then he said something unexpected.

“Then you will start seeing it again.”

Aurora’s skin went cold.

Mia’s grip tightened on her arm.

“What does that even mean?” Mia whispered.

Lucien finally stepped back.

The pressure in the air slowly loosened… but not fully gone.

His eyes stayed on Aurora one last time.

Not threatening.

Not emotional.

Just certain.

Like he already knew how everything would end.

“You should be careful where you walk at night,” he said.

Then he turned.

And walked away.

No rush.

No hesitation.

Like the entire world had adjusted itself around him again.

As he left the cafeteria, the noise slowly returned.

People started whispering.

Chairs moved again.

Life restarted.

But Aurora stayed frozen for a few seconds.

Her hands were cold.

Her heartbeat wasn’t slowing down.

Mia finally exhaled sharply.

“What the hell was that?” she whispered. “Who is he?”

Aurora didn’t answer immediately.

Because she didn’t know how.

But deep down…

She already knew one thing.

That wasn’t a normal person.

That wasn’t a normal warning.

And she had just been noticed by someone she should have never crossed paths with.

---

Outside the campus…

A black car door opened.

Lucien stepped inside.

The moment the door closed, the entire world outside felt distant again.

One of his men spoke carefully.

“Boss… you scared the entire cafeteria.”

Lucien adjusted his cuff calmly.

“I didn’t.”

The man hesitated. “But she looked—”

“She’s not scared of me,” Lucien said quietly.

Silence.

Then he added,

“Not yet.”

The car started moving.

Outside the window, the college slowly disappeared behind them.

Lucien leaned back slightly, eyes closing for a moment.

But instead of darkness…

He saw her face.

Not fear.

Not anger.

Something else.

Something unfamiliar.

And for the first time…

Lucien Blackthorn felt something he didn’t like.

Curiosity.

---

Back at college…

Aurora still hadn’t moved properly.

Mia was still talking, but her voice felt distant.

“Aurora, we should report him or something. That guy is clearly—”

“No,” Aurora suddenly said.

Mia paused. “What?”

Aurora slowly looked at her.

Her voice was quieter now.

“If we involve anyone… it will become worse.”

Mia frowned. “Worse than this?”

Aurora didn’t answer.

Because she didn’t have proof.

Only instinct.

And instinct told her—

That man wasn’t someone you report.

He was someone who finds out when you try.

And when he finds out…

He doesn’t forgive mistakes.

---

That night…

Aurora lay in bed staring at the ceiling.

The house was silent.

Too silent.

Every small sound outside made her tense slightly.

Wind.

A passing vehicle.

A distant dog bark.

But nothing compared to the sound in her memory.

“You should be careful where you walk at night.”

She turned slightly in bed.

Pulled the blanket closer.

But sleep didn’t come.

Because somewhere in the city…

A man had already decided she existed.

And that alone was dangerous.

_ _ _

Night had fallen over the city.

And with it came a silence that felt heavier than usual.

Aurora couldn’t sleep.

She kept turning on her side, then the other, trying to force her mind to shut down.

But every time she closed her eyes…

She saw him.

Lucien Blackthorn.

That same stare.

That same calm voice.

“You should be careful where you walk at night.”

She sat up suddenly, breathing uneven.

“Stop…” she whispered to herself.

But fear doesn’t stop just because you ask it to.

It grows in silence.

Outside her window, the streetlights flickered softly.

Everything looked normal.

Too normal.

And that was what made it worse.

Aurora slowly got out of bed and walked to the window.

She pulled the curtain slightly aside.

Nothing.

Just empty street.

A stray dog walking far away.

A passing car.

She exhaled slowly.

“I’m being stupid…”

Then—

A faint reflection caught her eye.

She froze.

In the glass…

Behind her reflection…

Was a shadow.

Her breath stopped instantly.

She turned around quickly.

Nothing.

The room was empty.

Dark.

Still.

Her heart started racing again.

“No… no no no…”

She walked slowly backward, her back hitting the wall.

Her mind started spiraling.

Was she imagining things?

Or—

A soft sound came from outside her room door.

Click.

Aurora froze completely.

The house was supposed to be locked.

Everyone was asleep.

Slow footsteps.

Not loud.

Not rushed.

Controlled.

Her fingers trembled as she grabbed her phone.

No signal?

“No… please…”

The door handle moved slightly.

Just once.

Then stopped.

Silence again.

Aurora didn’t breathe.

Seconds passed like hours.

Then—

A voice.

Low.

Calm.

From the other side of the door.

“You’re awake.”

Aurora’s entire body went cold.

That voice.

Impossible.

Her lips parted, but no sound came out.

The handle moved again.

This time slower.

Not breaking in.

Just testing.

Like he already knew she wouldn’t scream.

Aurora finally forced her voice out.

“W-who is it?”

Silence.

Then—

“You already know.”

Her knees almost gave out.

Because she did know.

That voice didn’t belong to her house.

It didn’t belong to her world.

Lucien Blackthorn was outside her door.

At night.

In silence.

As if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Aurora stepped back immediately.

“What do you want? How did you even—this is my house!”

No answer.

Instead…

A soft knock.

Once.

Then a pause.

Then—

“I told you,” Lucien said calmly. “Be careful at night.”

Aurora’s eyes widened in shock.

“You’re insane…” she whispered.

A faint pause.

Then his voice again.

“No.”

This time… slightly closer.

“I’m precise.”

The handle moved again.

This time fully.

Not forced.

Not broken.

Just opened.

Aurora instinctively stepped back, ready to run—

But she stopped.

Because he didn’t rush in.

He stood in the doorway.

Calm.

Completely composed.

Dressed in black.

Like the night itself had taken human form.

His eyes met hers instantly.

And everything inside her froze again.

Not fear of violence.

Something deeper.

The feeling of being completely seen.

Lucien looked at her for a long moment.

Then he said quietly,

“You shouldn’t be alone at night.”

Aurora’s voice shook.

“You broke into my house and you’re saying that?”

For the first time…

Something almost like faint amusement passed through his eyes.

“Door was unlocked.”

“That’s not the point!”

Silence.

He stepped inside slowly.

Not threatening.

Just certain.

Like he belonged there more than she did.

Aurora backed away until she hit her desk.

“Leave,” she said firmly, though her voice betrayed her fear.

Lucien stopped a few steps away from her.

He looked around her room briefly.

Then back at her.

“You’re louder than I expected,” he said.

“What?”

“You didn’t scream.”

Aurora frowned, confused despite her fear.

“…Why would I scream?”

Lucien studied her face again.

Like he was trying to understand something unfamiliar.

Then he said softly,

“Most people do.”

That sentence lingered in the air.

Aurora didn’t respond.

Because she didn’t know what she was supposed to say to that.

Lucien took one more step closer.

Now only a small distance between them.

His voice lowered.

“I didn’t come here to harm you.”

Aurora laughed once nervously.

“You broke into my house at night. That’s not exactly comforting.”

Silence again.

Then—

“I came because you are now a problem.”

Her heartbeat stopped slightly.

“A problem…?”

Lucien nodded slightly.

“To me.”

Aurora’s throat tightened.

“I didn’t do anything.”

“You saw something,” he corrected.

“I told you I didn’t—”

Lucien’s gaze sharpened slightly.

And she stopped talking.

Not because he raised his voice.

Because he didn’t need to.

After a moment…

Lucien looked away slightly, as if thinking.

Then back at her.

“You will forget it,” he said again.

This time softer.

Not command.

Decision.

Aurora shook her head quickly.

“No. I won’t. I don’t even know what you’re talking about!”

Lucien stared at her for a long time.

Then quietly said,

“Then you will remember it the hard way.”

A chill ran through her spine.

Outside…

The wind grew stronger.

Somewhere far away…

A city that didn’t know what was coming…

Kept sleeping peacefully.

Inside the room…

Aurora stood face to face with a man who didn’t belong in her world.

And Lucien Blackthorn…

Realized something he had never allowed before.

He didn’t want her afraid.

He wanted her aware.

Of him.

To be continued....