Ineffable Menace of Love

Chapter 1

Please be vigilant of sudden switches in point of view from first person to third person and back to first person.

UNDERGROUND

I watched the fish swimming back and forth inside the aquarium. I am impressed by their peaceful demeanor. The vivid colors of the fish flicker behind the stinging green plants in the crystal clear water, and it gives a peaceful sound to my mind.

I didn't feel the need to rush or worry about anything. I was happy to just sit here and observe the fish while absorbing the tranquility from the aquarium.

When I heard a horn echoing inside the house, I realized it might be my husband.

He's home early today? I thought he would still be at his office, like the usual evenings when he comes home late.

I immediately put down the fish food and went outside to greet Syllvester.

"Good evening, Syllv." I immediately approached him and took off the loosely draped coat from his body.

"Good evening," he responded with a genuine smile.

"You're home early today?" I asked while locking the main door.

"Hmm," It was evident that he was tired as he leaned his head against the couch.

"I got a headache after attending some meetings. Deime and the others were loitering in my office, causing a lot of noise, so I decided to go home early." He continued to respond to me while keeping his eyes closed.

He massaged his temples, trying to shake off the dizziness that had taken hold of him. He appeared visibly exhausted. It's not just the company that he's preoccupied with; he also has other businesses in the black market and within their organization. So I can feel that he hardly gets any rest because he's too absorbed in work.

I approached him and asked, "Should I give you a head massage? I'll just get the ointment." As I moved forward, taking two steps away from him, I felt a sudden jolt as he reached out and grabbed my hand, halting me in my tracks.

The next words that escaped his lips left me stunned, and I was able to comprehend the depth of his words.

"Which head?" he looked at me with an innocent expression, as if I wouldn't understand what he meant.

"This one..." I gave a simple answer and gently touched his forehead.

He immediately laughed at what I did and released my hand.

He's teasing me again. I just walked upstairs to our bedroom.

I am aware that his work in the underground organization is dangerous, but never once have I heard of any conflicts or major incidents coming from there since I started living in his house.

Perhaps the situation there has become calmer... unlike before.

We met during the time I was still under the care of Liustheo... my father, who was the reason for the beatings I used to receive.

My own father sold me to the Black Market because ever since I was young, he despised having an eldest daughter whom he thought was weak and useless.

If I had known that he wanted a son so badly, I would have molded myself while still in my mother's womb.

My father was so greedy for money that he even sold my mother to the black market when I was still a minor. That's why I was orphaned at an early age.

My father is also a notorious figure, which is why I endured severe beatings from him without even a hint of mercy, despite being his own child.

I can say that I was fortunate when my father sold me to the Black Market and Syllvester was the one who acquired me on the night of the auction.

Syllvester knew what I had gone through at the hands of my father. Liustheo would bring me to MH to beat me and train me in gunfights, right in front of the members of the organization.

The mansion and that place were never my home.

That exact place is my nightmare.

Syllvester made sure that no one would recognize him during the night of the auction. They used different names, and he wore a mask that made it almost impossible to identify him.

Deime, his cousin, personally handed the money to my father to convince him that it was Deime who purchased me.

I had no idea why they did that, as I recall, we never had a proper encounter when I was still underground.

And the reason why we decided to get married was also due to the possibility that my father might try to take me back if he found out that I was living my life in a household.

He's a caring husband, and I still can't fully grasp the fact that even people like him can have compassion. It makes me laugh when I think about how I used to prejudge him based on his demeanor, but not once have we argued, fought, or raised our hands against each other.

There are times when I see him angry in his room, but he just asks me to leave because he doesn't want me to see him act like my father when he's upset.

He has a temper, and I expect it's scary when he loses it.

But I'm not afraid of him. I don't feel any fear towards Syllvester because we both know that we treat each other well.

In the year since we legally became husband and wife, our treatment of each other has remained the same. We fulfill our responsibilities as a married couple.

"Yureev..." I was startled when I didn't notice his presence behind me.

I've been looking for the ointment for a while. Where did I put it?

"Syllv, um... I've been looking for the ointment for a while." I said, still feeling around inside the cabinet.

A quick chuckle escaped his lips.

"Silly!" He walked towards the small table next to my bed. I just followed him, and there was the ointment.

I must have been dazed earlier because I didn't see it.

He took it and suddenly lay down on my bed. He tapped the bed using his veiny hand, signaling me to come closer and massage his temples.

"Sit up... you might fall asleep if I massage you while you're lying down. We still need to eat dinner." I tapped his shoulder.

"Let's stay in this position... please." he said tiredly, and I had no choice but to take the ointment from his hand, apply it to his forehead, and start massaging.

"Aren't you going to eat dinner?" I asked him when he opened his eyes. "I'll cook after I massage you."

I didn't cook earlier because I thought he wouldn't come home tonight. He told me he might not be able to come home, but here he is.

"Are you okay, Yureev? I noticed your mind was distracted when I entered your room... you were unaware that someone was following you." He said, looking deeply into my eyes.

"Are there any issues that concern you?" He questioned me in an attempt to reassure me.

"Nge! I was just thinking about something. It just suddenly came to mind." I let out a chuckle and smiled.

"What is it?" He turned to lie on his side to face me and used his large arm as a pillow. Damn, that face is so handsome.

I smiled before answering him. "I just realized that it's been a year since I was freed from my father... I don't miss it. Who would miss being beaten up? I just thought that if you hadn't won the auction, I might have ended up somewhere else... maybe enslaved in another household or treated even worse."

He just stared at me, as if waiting for me to say more.

"Hmm, is that all?"

"Yes."

"Aren't you bored staying at home? I could take you to the business or engage you as my personal secretary if you want to take your mind off of your past... what do you think?" he continued, still looking at me.

I thought about what he said. It's true that I've been bored here at home because I've been confined here for over a year.

It was my decision not to go out, and Syllvester understood that because he knew I was afraid of my father.

"I'll think about it first, but for now, I'll stay here at home. Besides, I have things to keep me busy here with household chores, and it's my responsibility to take care of you."

He smiled at what I said and closed his eyes.

He has been extremely worn out lately, perhaps due to a backlog of work at the company and the fact that he is still frequently visiting their headquarters.

I took the ointment again and continued to gently massage his forehead.

While I was massaging him, I couldn't help but stare at his face.

A wave of admiration washed over me. He seemed far removed from the chaos of the world. I couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of his features.

It's only during moments like this that I can really look at Syllvester, because he's always busy.

His features are undeniably manly... His eyes, glistening yet with a hint of an icy and sharp gaze. His long strands of hair that perfectly complement him.

His well-built body, which also does justice to his face. I chuckled softly at my thoughts. Doing justice to his face.

Broad shoulders, strong arms, and a chiseled jawline. As my eyes traced the curve of his lips, I automatically licked my lower lip and gently bit it. Those lips look so kissable.

He certainly has the kind of good looks that you can't stop admiring, which I can't dispute.

Based on the expression plastered on his face, everyone might initially mistake him for being an extremely haughty person.

But you would never expect him to have this side... Calm and gentle.

On my first day here, I thought he would raise his hand against me. I can't deny that I thought badly of him. That he might hurt me. Maybe because of the trauma from the punches I received from my father. But not once did he ever raise his hand or shout at me.

For a year now, even though I can't admit it, I've been falling for him.

I can't bring myself to confess, fearing that it might change the way he treats me. I am content with this simple mutual respect between us.

But I can't help but wonder. Before I came into the picture, why didn't he marry someone else? Could there have been another woman he loved?

It's impossible that there wasn't. This man is very caring, and judging by his looks alone, it's clear that many people like him.

"Have you seen enough? You realized I'm your type, right?" he suddenly opened his eyes and immediately flashed a mischievous smile.

He must have felt me staring at him for a while now.

"I was just focusing on giving you a massage," I replied shyly and removed my hand from his forehead.

He didn't take his eyes off me. It was that look that made me weak.

"So, what are you thinking about me?" He waggled his right brow and made fun of me.

"Nothing," I retorted.

I shrugged my shoulders and smiled.

"You can't see this type of face anywhere but only here," he suddenly sat down on the bed and leaned his hands on my bed—behind his back.

"There are many faces like yours scattered around the world," I teased him.

His eyebrow quickly arched at what I said. "Really? For instance, where?"

My eyes wandered as if searching for an answer from the walls of my room. What could I say when I haven't even gone out and seen a face as handsome as his? There aren't any handsome workers in my father's mansion.

"See. You can't answer because..." he slowly moved his face closer to mine.

"Because you can only find handsome guys here in our house." A confident statement from him.

"They say people used to be conceived from storms, were you conceived from a storm?" I teased him and tilted my head slightly and looked at him.

He bit his lip, and I could see his Adam's apple move up and down. "I was conceived from the truth, Yureev."

"You made that up!" I giggled and moved my face away from his.

My eyes widened when he caught my chin with one hand and turned my face back to his. "How about you? Where were you conceived from?" I could smell his fresh breath. Thank goodness it wasn't bad breath.

My gaze slid to his lips, and unexpectedly, I blurted out an answer.

"From your lips,"

We stared at each other for a few seconds until it hit me what I had said.

"W-what I mean is, I haven't heard from my mom in fourteen years, so I don't know where I was conceived because I never got to ask her." I answered frantically and brushed away his hand from my chin.

He flashed a teasing grin, and I could tell he was doubting my answer.

"Hmm," he stared at me, so I looked away.

"Do you feel better now? Is your head still hurting? You can lie down here in my room while I go to the kitchen to cook dinner." I changed the topic and stood up from my seat. His intense gaze made me feel like he was going to devour me alive.

"It's not as painful anymore, and thank you for massaging my head," he winked and lay back on my bed, closing his eyes.

I decided to let him rest for a while.

I walked out, leaving him in the room, holding my chest that felt like it was being chased by a horse because of the rapid beating.

I prepared the ingredients for cooking and started boiling the pork.

I cooked for almost an hour.

I immediately went up to my room to see if he was still sleeping, but when I entered, I didn't see him there. Maybe he got dressed first or took a shower.

He hasn't changed clothes since he arrived earlier.

I headed to his room. When I reached the door, I gently knocked and waited for him to answer. But there was no response. I tried again.

"Syllv?" I called him. I kept knocking.

A few minutes later, the door opened, and there he was, standing half-naked in front of me.

Oh my... this wasn't the first time I saw him wearing just a towel, but still... who wouldn't feel nervous when faced with a half-naked body as soon as you open the door.

"I just took a quick shower," he simply replied. Water droplets were still trickling down his body from his wet hair.

I quickly averted my gaze back to his face. "That's good. I've already cooked. Let's eat,"

I admit his body is well-built, and Syllvester is a big guy, so he might be well-endowed down there.

Huh?! What was I thinking?

"Okay, I'll just follow you to the kitchen," I raised my gaze to him, and he raised his arm to grab the doorknob and seemed to lean his body slightly.

I lowered my head again. It felt like my legs turned to jelly, and I couldn't move from where I stood.

"Hey... look at me."

He was really teasing me.

"Why should I look when you're almost naked."

"Aren't you uncomfortable seeing me like this," I reasoned with him while still keeping my head bowed.

I'm not used to it. It's like I'm going to have a heart attack every time I see a naked body.

"You're my wife. We're married so it's completely fine. Hmm," he replied teasingly. "Or does it make you uncomfy? If it is, I'll stop."

"Hmmm,"

"Unless,"

He paused for a moment before continuing to speak.

"You're thinking something... naughty." he whispered the word 'naughty' right into my ear, sending shivers down my spine. Oh no, not just shivers, but really, I felt goosebumps.

"I'll punch you, I swear," I threatened him as I raised one fist.

He tilted his head and plastered a smirk, "Go on! Punch me, young lady."

He slowly walked towards me, causing me to step back.

"Syllvester, one, let's just eat." I kept stepping back until I bumped into the wall.

"I'm going to eat you?" he replied deafeningly. He cornered me in between his arms, so I kept glancing around.

He leaned his head to bring our faces at the same height, causing my heart to pound so hard that I slipped through the gap beside him and ran downstairs.

I could still hear him calling my name.

Goodness! I'm not the child of the devil or any demon, but my body feels so hot. I even slightly raised my hand to fan my face.

Nothing has happened between me and Syllvester, so this is my reaction every time he teases me to face him almost naked.

I almost go cross-eyed whenever he faces me dressed like that.

I gave my head a shake to clear my mind. I just set the table and waited for him to come down to the kitchen.

Just a few minutes had passed when he went to the dining table and sat down.

He greeted me with a sweet smile, so I returned it.

I immediately put some hot rice on his plate.

"Eat plenty, you seem to be losing weight. I’m not making you do all the work here," he said, then took the serving spoon and put rice on my plate.

We are always like this every time we share a meal, I serve him and he does the same to me.

Every time we eat together, he never fails to make sure that I eat a lot, even when I insist that I am full.

While we were quietly eating, I asked him about his company.

"How's the company? I noticed you're coming home more often and you always seem tired," I inquired while chewing.

He lifted his gaze to me and smiled.

"I like it when you ask me how my day was," he grinned.

"I wasn’t asking about your day," I corrected him.

I laughed when he pouted.

"That's how I want to interpret your question, but honestly, it's going well... there are problems, but they never go away." He slowly put down his spoon and fork, leaning back in his chair waiting for me to answer.

"How about the Underground Headquarters? Is there really no trouble happening down there?" I asked curiously.

My heart pounded because of his intense gaze.

He let out a deep sigh before answering me.

"It's chaotic... two months ago, there was an attack at the Phylum HQ."

"Well... fortunately, not much has changed. I still have the same competent people who work me to the bone every day, the usual in life," Syllvester said with a troubled sigh.

"I am just tired of dealing with the same problems over and over. It's never-ending and I'm just about done with all of it," he said in a frustrated tone.

I was shocked by what he said. I thought there really was no more activity down there, but I was wrong.

Why does it seem like others are moving so quietly?

"I wasn't there at the time, so many of my men got hurt, but I am still thankful that none of my people died," he said, looking at me seriously.

"It's still as bad as it was. It's just one of the many things that are pushing me to the edge," he continued.

"How did they get in when the security system equipment at HQ is advanced?" I asked him in disbelief.

His face grew red in frustration.

"That's what I'm also wondering, how did someone get in and mess with the HQ when in fact the codes used inside are too private?" he spat out those words while crossing his arms.

He was still looking at me seriously, as if thinking about what to say next.

"It was a very disturbing event. It is a mystery who carried out this attack and why they did so... we are working to solve this case and bring the perpetrators to justice. In the meantime, we are focusing on strengthening our security to prevent similar attacks in the future."

I was about to respond but was even more surprised by what he said next.

"And I was terrified," his serious expression remained plastered on his face.

How could he be afraid? Of what?

"I just want to take you and the boys and leave everything behind, but this won't end unless we find out who is responsible."

This is one of his great qualities as a leader, taking care of and guiding his people. He ensures that no one acts recklessly and puts themselves in danger.

"I was terrified after the attack. It doesn't look like they just wanted to mess or break into the HQ without bloody agendas," he continued his speech, so I asked him.

"There's probably nothing that you're scared of."

Why would he be afraid?

"I am afraid... for you." The amusement that had been playing on my lips vanished entirely, wiped away by his words.

"W-what? They can't target me, right? I’m in your house, so I know I'm safe here with you," I replied confidently.

"And you even offered me to work in your office, so that I would be exposed and might catch the attention of my demon father," I continued. My quick grin faltered at his statement.

I took a deep breath, feeling a bit scared at the thought that Liustheo might track me down.

"That's the point, Yhil... I want to take you wherever I go, where I am, you should be there too." An awe expression spread all over his face.

I listened to his deep sigh.

"That's the only plan I thought of. I'm afraid that when I go home, all I would find is the blood of my wife welcoming me." Suddenly his expression changed, and I could see that this was really bothering him.

He's right. It is possible that his villa could be located and calculated that I am alone. But I still can't shake the fear that he's concerned for me. He's afraid that maybe I'm the target.

"Are you really afraid that what you're thinking might happen?" I asked, making sure. I can handle myself, but it's really just Liustheo that I'm afraid of.

"Very afraid," he gave a straightforward answer.

"How silly," I blurted out suddenly. I covered my mouth and sheepishly smiled at him. It's almost like I'm laughing at what I said.

"Why are you laughing? I'm serious, Yureev. I'm scared for you, so it's better if you're always with me. I can protect you more than my men can." He responded with a furrowed brow, but his voice still carried concern.

"I'm scared that what happened to my parents might happen again... that you might be the one to disappear from me," he continued, and his words hit me hard.

I just heard about his parents now because I never really asked about them before. It's strange because I can't even recall a time when he introduced me to them.

"W-what happened to them? Where are they?" my curiosity got the better of me, and I found myself asking with a mix of trepidation.

"A m******e," his voice was full of anger. Resentment, anger, and sorrow were evident in his expression. "I was just a minor back then, I didn't know what to do." His voice was replaced by sadness, and it seemed like tears wanted to escape.

But I was shocked by his answer. A m******e? How unfortunate and traumatic.

I could feel that he was close to his parents, that they loved him dearly. He's acquainted with the love and affection within a family.

"I'm sorry," I suddenly blurted out.

He quickly shifted his gaze towards me, and it was replaced again by that profound look.

"I'm sorry for asking about their whereabouts," I uttered sadly.

"You don't have to, sweetie. It's just that... I just can't let that situation happen again."

I gazed at him intently, listening. No wonder I never met his parents as his wife. They must have been very caring towards Syllvester. The way he takes care of me shows that he came from a family full of love.

A family's love I'm not familiar with.