Under One Roof

The Intruder

Aria’s POV

I lay on the bed for a moment, staring at the ceiling and smiling to myself.

After a few seconds, I finally pushed my lazy self up with a quiet groan.

The room was wrapped in a deep, peaceful silence.

Curious about this new life of mine, I wandered toward the window and slowly pulled the heavy curtains aside.

Moonlight spilled into the room instantly, painting the walls in soft silver.

A cool, salty breeze brushed against my skin as I leaned lightly against the railing.

The ocean stretched endlessly below, the waves glowing faintly beneath the moonlight.

“Alright, Aria,” I muttered to myself. “Time to get used to this new life.”

I spread my arms wide, letting the cool breeze wash over me.

For a moment, I just stood there, arms open to the night.

After a while, I let out a soft sigh and slowly turned toward the bed.

My suitcase lay half-unpacked, but I didn’t care.

I crouched down and pulled out a towel and a loose nightshirt.

“A shower,” I murmured to myself. “That’s exactly what I need right now.”

With that, I headed straight for the bathroom.

The bathroom was almost as big as my old bedroom back home. White marble tiles gleamed under the soft lighting, and the glass shower looked like something straight out of a luxury hotel.

“Wow… this is definitely rich-people behavior,” I muttered, glancing around. “Everything shining like it belongs in a five-star resort.”

And with that, I turned the shower on.

Warm water began to pour down in steady streams, filling the room with soft steam.

The moment I stepped under it, a relieved sigh escaped my lips.

The warmth soaked into my shoulders, easing the tension I hadn’t even realized I’d been carrying all day.

For a moment, I simply stood there, letting the water run over me.

Then I reached for one of the neatly arranged bottles on the shelf.

“Vanilla and jasmine?” I read aloud, raising an eyebrow.

“Fancy,” I muttered, working the shampoo gently into my hair.

The sweet vanilla and jasmine scent filled the air as I worked it through my hair.

Before I knew it, a silly little tune slipped from my lips.

“Ooh life… is this all you have for me? Or is there something more waiting somewhere?”

My voice was soft at first.

But the warm water and the quiet privacy of the bathroom soon made me bolder and louder.

It echoed gently around the tiled walls, bouncing playfully through the steam.

I tilted my head back under the warm stream, closing my eyes as the music carried me away.

Soon I wasn’t just humming anymore.

I was singing.

Loudly.

Completely unaware that my voice was probably traveling far beyond the bathroom door.

I settled deeper beneath the shower, letting the warm water run freely over my skin.

My long black hair loosened instantly, slipping over my shoulders as I pushed it back and let the water run through it.

Droplets slid down my skin, tracing slow paths along my arms before disappearing beneath the spray.

Steam curled softly through the air, fogging the glass walls and softening the bright marble around me.

For the first time since arriving in this overwhelming mansion, my body finally began to relax.

“New bath in a new home,” I murmured with a quiet laugh. “Maybe everything can start fresh.”

The bathroom had always been my comfort zone, the one place where I could be completely myself.

I closed my eyes and ran my fingers through my damp hair, letting the water rinse away the tension of the day.

Before I realized it, the tune slipped from my lips again.

“Ooh life… is this all you have to offer? Or is there something more waiting for me?”

My voice was soft at first.

Almost shy.

But the warm water, the quiet bathroom, and the feeling of being completely alone made me bolder.

Soon I was twirling slightly under the spray, laughing at myself as I used the shampoo bottle as a microphone.

My voice echoed playfully around the tiled walls.

Water splashed lightly against the floor as I leaned back beneath the stream, closing my eyes while holding the last note.

For a moment, I forgot everything.

The new house.

The strange family.

Even Wyatt.

I was so caught up in my singing that I didn’t notice the faint sound beyond the bathroom.

The quiet creak of a door opening.

At first, it was faint.

Barely noticeable.

But then

Footsteps.

Slow.

Approaching.

My voice died instantly.

I froze under the spray, my heart skipping a beat.

Did I imagine that?

The water continued to fall around me, the steady sound suddenly feeling too loud, too distracting.

I quickly reached forward and turned the shower off.

Silence filled the bathroom.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then I heard it again.

A soft movement.

Coming from the bedroom.

My pulse jumped to my throat.

Someone was in my room.

“Hello?” I called cautiously, grabbing a towel and wrapping it quickly around myself.

No answer.

The silence on the other side of the door felt heavy.

Watchful.

My eyes scanned the bathroom before landing on the nearest thing I could grab, a sleek metal hairdryer.

Not the best weapon.

But it would do.

Clutching it tightly, I slowly pushed the bathroom door open.

Moonlight spilled through the balcony doors, bathing the bedroom in pale silver light.

Everything looked exactly the same.

The bed.

My suitcase.

Faint light from the window stretched across the room.

The curtains swaying gently in the breeze.

Maybe I really was imagining things.

Right?

“Who is there?” I called out again, almost in a whisper. But there was no answer.

“Maybe I misheard,” I muttered to myself, slowly turning back toward the bathroom.

But just as I turned

A shadow moved.

My body reacted before my brain could think.

“HEY!”

I swung the hairdryer with all the force I had.

But the hit never landed.

A hand shot out and caught my wrist mid-air.

My breath caught in my throat as my arm jerked to a stop, still struggling to break free.

For a second, my mind went blank.

First, it was a Greek-looking man stealing my breath during the day. Now an intruder at night.

Something was definitely wrong with this house.

His grip tightened, and the hairdryer slipped slightly in my hand, suddenly feeling useless.

“Let go… help!” I cried out, my voice lower than I expected as I tried to yank my hand back.

Nothing.

His grip didn’t move.

Didn’t shake.

Just held.

Firm.

Like he already knew I wouldn’t get free.

Even with all the strength I had left, his hand stayed exactly where it was, like I was completely powerless.

I tried to turn back, just to get a glimpse of who it was

But my back hit something solid.

I froze.

A chest.

Warm.

Too close.

My heart started pounding instantly, loud enough I was sure he could hear it.

A million thoughts ran through my head.

Whose chest is this? My mum’s husband? His son? Or someone else entirely?

What kind of family did my mum marry into?

Is this normal here?

Is my mum aware of this?

Did she bring me here for this in the first place?

I sucked in a breath and glanced quickly around the dim room, searching for something, anything I could use, while twisting my wrist again, trying to pull away.

But his grip didn’t budge.

“Who are you?” I demanded, my voice sharper now.

Still nothing.

Not even a shift.

Just that grip.

And the feeling of him right behind me.

Close enough to feel everything.

The heat.

The closeness.

My thoughts spiraled.

This is bad. This is really bad.

I tried again, harder this time, but his hand only tightened slightly in response.

Not painful.

Just enough to stop me.

Completely.

My breath hitched.

Okay, think.

But thinking was hard when all I could focus on was how close he was.

Too close.

Then

His grip shifted.

Not letting go.

Just adjusting slightly around my wrist.

Slow.

Deliberate.

My stomach twisted.

“Let me go!” I shouted, louder now, hoping someone, anyone, would come.

But no one came.

Just silence.

Heavy.

Unmoving.

Then I felt it

A breath.

Right by my ear.

My body went still.

His voice came next.

Low.

Calm.

Too calm.

Right behind me.

“Stop screaming. No one’s coming.”