ONELIA
˚⋅˖* ⊱❀⊰ *˖⋅˚
That person... I know those eyes. The person from the restaurant.
My breath hitches as his piercing blue eyes lock onto mine, a gaze that seems to set my skin on fire. Heat coils low in my stomach, a reaction I can't quite place, whether it's the mystery of who he is or the way his eyes linger on me, dragging over my body with deliberate slowness.
The word Lia hangs in the air like a seductive whisper, wrapping around me like a spell.
This time, his voice carries a rich, unmistakable Korean lilt, dripping with a sultry confidence that erupts a hidden pleasure throughout my body. He stops just a few feet away, close enough for me to feel the pull of his presence.
With effortless grace, he pulls the blunt from his lips, exhaling smoke that curls like a lover's caress before flicking it toward me. A wicked grin plays on his sharp, utterly divine features, leaving me breathless and perhaps...
Wanting.
Caught off guard, I shoot to my feet abruptly.
"Who are you?"
I shout, my voice louder than I intend. The guards by the door immediately turn, ready to spring into action, as if I've pulled a gun. But with one raised hand, he stops them.
What a blatant display of power... Show off.
"Haven't I taught you all to respect what belongs to me?"
He murmurs, his voice calm but laced with a dangerous edge. His hands fall to his sides, the movement deliberate, almost calculated.
My eyes widen, disbelief replacing the heat that had simmered under my skin moments ago. The audacity of this man—his boldness is as confusing as it is infuriating. I straighten, shaking off the lingering pull of his presence.
"I do not belong to anyone, especially not you."
I say firmly, my tone cutting through the tension like a blade.
But even as the words leave my mouth, I can't help but feel a flicker of confusion at his bold claim, his cryptic words, and the magnetic pull that still tethers me to him, no matter how much I resist.
With a sigh, he strides over to me, confident as ever, and reaches mere inches from my face. He bends slightly to meet my height, his eyes locking onto mine.
"May I?"
He suggests, gesturing to the chair behind me. I'm too caught up in his gaze to even register it until he pulls it from behind me and sits down in it.
"What?"
I mumble, disoriented.
"Well, gongjunim (princess)."
He purrs, his voice rich with the same korean accent that rolls off his tongue like warm honey.
His hands rest gracefully on the arms of the chair as he leans forward, his movements unhurried and tantalizing. With his chin delicately propped on his palm, his sharp, captivating eyes fixed on mine, leaving no room to escape their intensity.
"Shall we begin?"
He continues, his words curling with a soft, melodic cadence.
"With the little story of how your father sold you... for a handful of money and a taste of power?"
His lips curve into a sly grin, each syllable steeped in dangerous allure.
My heart drops.
For a second, it feels like my heart stops. The world around me goes stagnant.
"Wh-what do you mean by sold me?"
I stammer, my voice trembling.
My gaze darts from his calm yet unnervingly intense demeanor to my father, lying motionless in his comatose state. Desperation claws at my chest as I search his lifeless face for answers he can't give.
"Five years ago, the moment your waste of a father ended up in endless debt he couldn't repay..."
He pauses, lifting his hand. A guard breaks from formation and hands him a paper. He reads it aloud.
"I, Joseph Romero, hereby transfer the legal guardianship and custodial rights of my daughter, Onelia Romero, to the Valentine family as collateral for my outstanding debt. Should I fail to fulfill my financial obligations within a five-year period, the Valentine family will retain full authority over her, with the exception of actions involving death or torture. In the event of such violations, the associated penalties shall fall solely upon me."
I listen silently, each word feeling like a betrayal from my father.
After everything I did for him, trusting him in all aspects of my and his life, this is the result: my freedom sold, my right to live as I please given away. But then something clicks. I'm an adult. That means my rights belong solely to me—not the Valentine family, not my father, but me.
"I—"
I start to speak, but my sentence is cut short.
"Seems like I forgot something' here, gongjunim (princess),"
He chimes in, leaning back lazily as he flips the page.
"After reaching the age of eighteen, Onelia Romero shall have the right to formally renounce her obligations to the Valentine family, making it her decision."
A weight is at once lifted, and I speak up.
"I don't want to sign off my rights."
"Listen, gongjunim (Princess)."
He interjects, tone firm.
"However, should she choose not to do so, the consequence will be the forfeiture of her father's life."
My father's life.
My eyes snap in his direction, searching for something.
Either he plans to die when the time comes, clearing the debt, or he's simply letting my rights be sold away; either way, both aren't good outcomes. Using the teachings of my mother, I close my eyes and take a deep breath, forcing my emotions to quiet so my mind can think rationally.
"Who exactly are you?"
I ask, opening my eyes to meet his stare.
He doesn't hesitate.
"Gi-won Valentine, next in line to the Valentine dynasty."
His tone is cool and confident.
"My lady. But most call me Gio."
He adds with a slight bow of his head, though his piercing gaze never wavers from mine. It's impossible to tell if he's judging my reaction or simply intrigued. His hardened expression remains unreadable, a mask that offers no clues yet commands all of my attention.
"I am."
"Nae gongju" (My princess)
He finishes, but I cut him off before he can say more.
"I am Onelia Grey Romero, and I am not your wife, nor do I belong to you."
I say firmly, and I catch the brief flicker of surprise in his eyes. For just a moment, I see something shift.
Was it disappointment? Regret? I can't tell.
"Well, I guess you made your choice."
He exhales as he stands, pulling a pistol from the back of his belt and pointing it at my father in one swift motion.
"No!"
I cry out, grabbing his gloved wrist to stop him my finger lands on his skin in between his leather glove and sleeve, desperation clawing at my chest.
"Princess."
He completely drops the pleasantries and his native language.
"I'm being nice, and it seems like you're wasting my time; if so, I'll just claim what I have come for."
His eyes meet mine.
"And that is money, you father, or...you."
My breath hitches. I needed to think, take time to process, or find a way around it; everything is just happening so fast.
"Just... just give me some time."
I plead.
He glances sideways at me again, studying me in silence.
I can't tell what he's thinking, but then my heart slows as he drops his arm and faces me, stepping closer. His heated breath is like fire against my skin as he leans in, whispering in my ear, my hands resting on his chest.
"I've waited five years; I can wait a few days, gongjunim. I'll give you until your birthday."
He pulls back, looking down at my hands. I recognize what he's looking at.
"Sorry."
I say abruptly, pulling away.
"And thank you."
I force myself to add.
With a smirk forming on his face, he turns toward the door but pauses just before leaving.
"No problem, gongjunim , but until then, you'll be left with one of my bodyguards. I can't let you run away on me, can I?"
He smirks playfully as a boy steps out from formation.
"Meet Law Graves, your bodyguard. And I promise he doesn't bite hard."
With that, he's gone, leaving me alone with the bodyguard in tow.