His Mistress, His Bride

CH 5 Breakfast

Arianna blinked, her lashes fluttering as she searched his face for an answer. There was none she could read.

"Get dressed, Mistress." He turned and walked out. The door closed with a soft click. Only then did Arianna realise she'd been holding her breath.

She pressed a hand against her racing heart. The purple lines beneath the skin of her left arm pulsed once. Then again.

A strange warmth spread through her arm before fading as quickly as it came.

Her brows twitched. Ever since childhood, the marks appear whenever she's frightened. Doctors called it a rare skin condition. Medicine couldn't cure it.

With a somnolent sigh, she walked to the wardrobe. Rows of elegant dresses filled it from end to end. The ones that defines a billionaire's mistress. The ones that could cost a fortune.

Silk. Cashmere. Designer labels she had only seen in magazines. Arianna never believed she would get to wear such clothes.

She chose the simplest black dress she could find—long enough to reach her knees and with sleeves that hid the purple marks completely.

After tying her hair into a low ponytail, she stepped into the hallway. The mansion remained quiet. Even her fluffy slippers sounded loud against the polished marble floor.

At the foot of the staircase stood Tanya.

"Good morning," Arianna greeted with a polite bow.

Tanya smiled warmly. "Good morning, Anna. Did you sleep well?"

"It was... peaceful." The lie slipped out automatically.

Tanya didn't expose it. Instead, she gestured toward the corridor. "Breakfast is ready."

They stopped before a pair of towering double doors. As they opened, Arianna unconsciously slowed.

The dining room looked more like a royal banquet hall than a place for breakfast. A table carved from a single slab of black wood stretched across the room, covered with enough food to feed twenty people.

Ryan sat alone at the head of the table, reading something on his tablet. His sleeves were rolled up and the faint grey veins along his forearms were clearly visible.

He looked up the moment she entered.

"She's here," Tanya announced.

Ryan closed the tablet.

"Sit." Tanya gestured for her to sit by his right.

Arianna quietly took the seat beside him.

No one spoke. The silence between them was strangely heavier than conversation.

"Eat," Ryan said without looking at her.

Tanya smiled encouragingly before excusing herself, leaving them alone.

Arianna picked up her fork with careful fingers. She had never eaten steak before. So she didn't know where to start.

Ryan noticed. Without a word, he reached across the table, cut the steak into smaller pieces, then returned the plate to her side.

He continued eating as though nothing had happened.

Arianna stared. "You..."

Ryan didn't look up. "You'll get hungry if you keep staring."

Heat crept into her cheeks. "...Thank you."

He gave no reply. Only the soft clink of cutlery filled the room. The silence was heavy. He didn't speak anymore. And she didn't dare say a word either. Courage was something she couldn’t muster. She tried not to look at his face, even though her eyes itched to.

Just as Ryan lifted the cup of steaming coffee, Arianna mustered the courage to speak. “Mr. Han…”

Ryan’s hands stopped halfway. A loud ringing exploded inside his head. A scream thundered against his eardrums.

“….please”

His fingers tightened around the porcelain cup.

“… save me…”

The coffee trembled. And then another voice. Much closer, much louder. Filled with nothing but terror.

"Mom...!"

Ryan’s pupils contracted. His breath hitched. A sharp pain exploded through his chest. His eyes brewed tears. A violent pulse ripped through the purple veins beneath his skin. The cup from his hand fell to the floor. The sound of it shattering echoed through the hall. Coffee splashed across the polish marble.

Arianna jolted, "Mr. Han?"

Ryan didn’t answer. His jaws clasped. His eyes slowly shifted. He could feel it burn against his face.

Then Ryan heard the voice. Rough like gravel. “Run all you want. I’ll enjoy eating you alive.”

Ryan’s eyes closed shut. Without another word, he stood swiftly. The chair crashed backwards.

"I'm leaving." he said, looking everywhere but her.

"Are… Are you okay?” Arianna asked.

"Eat" he said instead. His voice was colder than she'd heard before.

Then he disappeared. The dining room doors slammed shut behind him and Arianna remained frozen. Staring at the towering doors.

Outside, the morning sun suddenly vanished behind gathering black clouds.

A pulse shot up her left arm. The purple lines crawled down, palpitating greatly. Curiosity kicked in, forcing her legs to move. She rushed towards the doors and pulled it open.

Down the hallway, she heard faint whispers. She peeked, finding Tanya handing him a black coat. Ryan took it and draped it over his body in one swift movement. He took the black mask she held and wore it immediately.

“Be safe” Tanya whispered and he nodded once. Cold wind swept through the hallway. The chandeliers flickered above. Ryan looked over his shoulder and Arianna’s heart knocked. She immediately hid behind the wall. She clutched her left arm, feeling the purple lines pulsing again.

The lights stopped flickering. The wind settled before reaching the hall. Arianna turned, but no one was along the hallway. Both Tanya and Ryan were gone like they were never there.