DEVIL IN THE SPOTLIGHT

CHAPTER 4 — RULES

The first thing Aarya noticed when she woke up was silence.

The second thing she noticed was that she had actually fallen asleep.

Somehow.

In the penthouse of a dangerous man.

A dangerous man who had kidn*pped her.

A dangerous man who was apparently also one of the most famous celebrities in the world.

The absurdity of her situation hit her all over again.

She sat upright on the massive bed, immediately looking around.

The room was enormous.

Elegant.

Luxury dripped from every corner.

But none of that mattered.

A cage covered in gold was still a cage.

Aarya threw the blanket aside and rushed toward the door.

Unlocked.

Her eyebrows furrowed.

Unlocked?

That didn't make sense.

Slowly, she stepped into the hallway.

The entire penthouse seemed eerily quiet.

No guards.

No staff.

Nothing.

Just silence.

Aarya frowned.

Was he testing her?

The thought made her uncomfortable.

Still, she carefully walked downstairs.

The smell of coffee reached her first.

Then she saw him.

Jeon Jungkook sat at the dining table.

Freshly showered.

Dressed in black trousers and a fitted white shirt.

A newspaper rested beside him while a cup of coffee sat in his hand.

To anyone else—

he looked normal.

Calm.

Handsome.

Perfect.

But Aarya knew better.

Monsters didn't always look like monsters.

Sometimes they smiled.

Sometimes they wore expensive clothes.

Sometimes they hid behind pretty faces.

Jungkook looked up.

Their eyes met.

Neither spoke.

The tension was immediate.

Heavy.

Unavoidable.

"Good morning," he said casually.

Aarya nearly laughed.

Good morning?

Was he serious?

"You kidn*pped me."

"Yet you're awake."

Her jaw dropped.

"What kind of response is that?"

A small smirk tugged at his lips.

The first genuine reaction she'd seen from him.

And somehow it irritated her even more.

"Sit."

"No."

His eyebrow lifted.

Aarya folded her arms.

"I'm not your employee."

"I'm aware."

"Then stop ordering me around."

For a second—

nothing happened.

Then Jungkook slowly set his coffee down.

The sound echoed loudly in the room.

Dangerously.

Aarya immediately regretted nothing.

Well.

Maybe a little.

But mostly nothing.

He stood.

And suddenly the room felt smaller.

Much smaller.

Aarya hated that.

Hated the way his presence affected the atmosphere itself.

He walked toward her.

Not hurried.

Not angry.

Just purposeful.

Every step making her pulse quicken.

Stop it.

Don't show fear.

Don't let him see it.

He stopped directly in front of her.

Close.

Too close.

Aarya lifted her chin stubbornly.

Jungkook looked down at her.

Then—

unexpectedly—

he handed her a piece of paper.

Aarya blinked.

"What?"

"Read."

Suspiciously, she took it.

Then her eyes widened.

RULES

You do not leave the penthouse.

You do not touch my office.

You do not use my phone.

You do not attempt escape.

You will listen when I tell you something.

Do not test my patience.

Aarya stared.

Then stared some more.

Then slowly looked back at him.

"Are you insane?"

"No."

"You actually wrote rules?"

"Yes."

"You genuinely expect me to follow these?"

"Yes."

Aarya burst out laughing.

Real laughter.

Disbelieving laughter.

The kind that escaped before she could stop it.

Jungkook simply watched her.

Expressionless.

That somehow made it funnier.

When she finally stopped laughing, she ripped the paper neatly in half.

Then again.

Then again.

Tiny pieces fluttered to the floor.

Silence.

Complete silence.

Aarya smiled sweetly.

"Oops."

The room temperature seemed to drop ten degrees.

Jungkook looked at the shredded paper.

Then at her.

Neither spoke.

Seconds passed.

Long.

Uncomfortable.

Dangerous.

Then he smiled.

And somehow—

that was worse.

Much worse.

Because it wasn't a happy smile.

It was the smile of a man already planning something.

"Aarya."

The way he said her name made her stomach twist.

"What?"

"You broke a rule."

"There wasn't a rule against destroying paper."

A pause.

Then—

"You enjoy provoking me."

"Maybe you enjoy being provoked."

The second the words left her mouth—

she knew she'd gone too far.

Jungkook's eyes darkened.

Not with anger.

With something else.

Something intense.

Something that made her heart skip unexpectedly.

"Careful."

Aarya swallowed.

But she refused to back down.

"No."

The word came out firm.

Strong.

Defiant.

A challenge.

For several seconds, neither moved.

Neither looked away.

A battle.

A silent war.

And then—

Jungkook reached for her.

Aarya immediately stepped backward.

He stepped forward.

She stepped back again.

Until—

her back hit the wall.

Her breath caught.

Jungkook placed one hand beside her head.

Trapping her.

Not touching.

Just close enough.

Always close enough.

"You keep making one mistake."

His voice was low.

Dangerously soft.

Aarya's pulse raced.

"What mistake?"

"You think this is a negotiation."

His eyes locked onto hers.

"It isn't."

For the first time since meeting him—

she felt a flicker of uncertainty.

Not fear.

Not exactly.

But something close.

Because he wasn't yelling.

Wasn't threatening.

Wasn't losing control.

He was calm.

And somehow that made him far more dangerous.

"What do you want from me?" she asked quietly.

For a moment—

something unreadable crossed his face.

Gone before she could understand it.

Then he stepped back.

Just like that.

The pressure vanished.

The air returned to her lungs.

"You'll find out."

Aarya hated that answer.

Absolutely hated it.

Before she could say anything else—

her eyes landed on something.

The penthouse entrance.

Unlocked.

Again.

Her pulse quickened.

Opportunity.

Jungkook followed her gaze.

His expression remained unreadable.

Too unreadable.

But Aarya wasn't thinking about that.

All she saw was freedom.

Without warning—

she ran.

Fast.

The door was only a few steps away.

Three.

Two.

One—

Her hand touched the handle.

Hope exploded inside her.

Yes.

Yes!

She twisted it open.

And froze.

Two enormous bodyguards stood outside.

Like statues.

Waiting.

Aarya's heart sank.

No.

No, no, no.

One of the guards politely nodded.

"Good morning, ma'am."

Aarya stared.

Then slowly closed the door.

Turned around.

Jungkook was leaning casually against the counter.

Watching.

Watching the entire time.

The realization hit instantly.

The unlocked door wasn't a mistake.

It was bait.

He knew.

He knew she would try.

Heat rushed to her face.

Humiliation.

Embarrassment.

Anger.

Jungkook's mouth twitched.

Almost a smile.

Almost.

"Finished?"

Aarya wanted to throw something at him.

Instead she glared.

Hard.

His eyes gleamed with amusement.

Actual amusement.

The arrogant jerk.

"I hate you."

The words slipped out.

Neither expected them.

The room became quiet.

Jungkook stared at her.

Longer than necessary.

Then finally—

he spoke.

"Good."

Aarya frowned.

"What?"

His gaze never left hers.

"It'll be easier that way."

For the first time—

his voice sounded different.

Colder.

Sadder.

Almost like he was reminding himself of something.

Then he turned away.

Ending the conversation.

Ending the moment.

Leaving Aarya standing there.

Confused.

Frustrated.

And strangely unsettled.

Because for a split second—

just one second—

the devil had looked lonely.

And that was far more dangerous than if he'd looked cruel.