He stood behind Petal as she sat in front of the mirror, her reflection a breathtaking vision of beauty and fragility. The dress she wore-a soft, flowing gown in his favorite shade of blue-fit her perfectly. The fabric shimmered under the dim light,
enhancing the delicate curves of her frame. Her long hair cascaded down her shoulders, the gentle breeze from the nearby window lifting a few strands, giving her an ethereal glow. She looked like something out of a dream, yet the tension in her shoulders and the nervous twitch of her fingers betrayed
her emotions.

She was nervous-terrified, even-but doing everything she could to mask it. Her eyes darted everywhere except to him, her lips pressed tightly together,and her breathing shallow. But Chase saw it all. He saw the way her hands rested stiffly in her lap, her fingers twisting the hem of the dress, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she struggled to keep calm. And it only made her more mesmerizing to him.

The thought of her being so vulnerable, yet sitting there, beautifully dressed up for him, ignited a warmth inside him. He, too, was dressed impeccably-his blue suit, perfectly matched with a crisp white shirt underneath, harmonized with her look.

As he watched her through the mirror, standing tall behind her, a soft smile touched his lips. He loved her in every way. He held a blindfold behind his back, the silk brushing against his fingers.

He stepped closer, his breath warm against her neck as he leaned in. "Relax," he whispered softly, trying to soothe the tension he knew she felt. His voice, though gentle, held the authority that always made her pause.

Her body tensed as he slipped the
blindfold over her eyes. She shifted, her
hands moving as if to resist, but she
didn't dare speak. Her breath hitched as
the fabric slid into place, shutting out
the world. For a moment, she thought of pulling it off, but his quiet, firm
command, "Don't," stopped her hand
mid air. She froze, obedient under his
gaze, her pulse quicken .

He took her hand, his grip firm but not
painful, and led her out of the room.

They halted. Chase released her hand
and moved behind her again. She stood
still, the blindfold pressing against her
eyelids, waiting. The tension built within her, her breaths quickening. Then, she felt him. His fingers brushed against the knot at the back of her head, and slowly, gently, he removed the blindfold.

Her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim lighting. What lay before her was nothing short of magical. The room had been transformed-soft candlelight
flickered across the walls, casting
golden hues on the array of delicate
roses and flowers that adorned every
corner. Small, sparkling lights hung from above, creating an intimate, dreamlike atmosphere. The scent of fresh roses filled the air, mingling with the rich aroma of the meal set on the beautifully arranged table. It was as if the world outside had vanished, leaving only this enchanting bubble of beauty.

Petal stood there, stunned by the scene.
Chase had done this all for her.

He stepped forward, his eyes never
leaving her face. He smiled warmly,
though his gaze held the intensity of his
unyielding love for her.  He reached for her hand, lifting it to his lips and pressing a soft kiss to her fingers. Her hand felt so small and delicate in his grasp, trembling slightly, but he pretended not to notice. He admired her silently for a moment, taking in every inch of her-the way her skin glowed under the candlelight, the soft curl of her hair, the slight quiver in her lips.

He led her slowly into the room, his
hand still firmly holding hers. The soft
melody of her favorite song began to
play, filling the space with a delicate
harmony. Chase pulled her closer, gently placing his hand on her waist, and began to sway. The music was slow, and SO were their movements-so slow that it felt like time itself had paused.
His eyes never left her. He danced with
such purpose, as if every step, every
movement, was a declaration of his
love. He could feel her heartbeat raced,  his thumb stroking her skin through the
fabric of her dress. Her hands trembled
in his, and she couldn't bring herself to
meet his gaze.

He gently guided her around the
room, his grip tightening slightly as if
afraid she might slip away. His lips
brushed against her ear as he
whispered, "You feel perfect in my arms, you know that?" His voice was deep, filled with admiration and a
possessiveness .

He lifted her hand, pressing another soft kiss to her trembling fingers. He held it there, as if savoring the feel of her skin. His lips lingered, warm and firm, as his eyes roamed her face, soaking in every detail. He admired her silently, his gaze moving from her eyes to her lips, down the curve of her neck. The desire in his eyes was unmistakable.

He pulled her even closer, their bodies
almost touching now. Petal's heart
pounded against her chest as she felt
his breath on her neck. He leaned in, his lips hovering near hers, and she
instinctively turned her face away.

He paused, his lips brushing against
her cheek instead. He inhaled deeply, as
if trying to absorb her entirely.

Petal shivered, her body betraying her
fear. He could feel it, every slight tremor, but instead of pulling away, he only held her tighter, swaying to the music, his every movement controlled, calculated.

His hands, which could be so cruel, were soft as they guided her. He was patient, but the intensity in his eyes, the way he drank her in as if she were his
everything, made it clear that his
patience was only temporary.
And as the song played on, Chase
continued to dance with her-slowly,
tenderly, yet full of a possessive love
that Petal couldn't escape. Every touch,
every glance, was a reminder that in his world, she was his, whether she wanted to be or not.

"Sir," he heard.

"Sir," came the voice again, pulling him from the haze.

He blinked awake, realizing he was still in his office.

Leaning back in his chair, he rubbed his face, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream.

"It was just a dream," he muttered to himself, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "A perfect dream."

"Sir," his secretary called again, interrupting his thoughts.

"What? Just say it already!" His annoyance was evident; he hated being disturbed.

"The meeting is about to start in five minutes," the secretary informed him, nervously.

"Fine, go. I'll be there," he replied, waving him off dismissively.

The secretary lingered for a second longer, unsure.

"I said go!" he shouted, his patience wearing thin.

His secretary quickly scurried out of the room, leaving him alone once more.

He leaned back in his chair again, his mind drifting back to Petal. Her face flashed before his eyes, a mix of fear and uncertainty haunting him.

"But she was afraid... just like that time. I won’t make the same mistake again. I don't know what I'm thinking, but one thing is certain— I can’t let her go. It's not in my control," he whispered to himself, guilt creeping into his voice.

"Sorry, Maya," he added softly, his heart heavy with conflicting emotions.

.......

Petal was looking for her dad. She needed to talk to him about the man in her dreams—the one from the dream she just had about their marriage. She wandered through the house, calling for him, but she had no idea where he was, so she continued searching room by room.

she came across a room , Chase’s room.though it look old one ,cause her mom's pictures was nowhere . A large framed picture of him hung above the bed, catching her attention immediately. She paused, staring at the image for a moment. 

" handsome, charming, with that teasing smile , kind and funny, someone easy to like, just the way mom like " Petal said admiring chase and the fact her mom found her ideal type.  but looking at his room now, she couldn’t help but shake her head.

The room was a mess. Papers and files were scattered everywhere.

“He’s not exactly the neatest person, is he?” Petal thought to herself, smiling a little.

She was about to leave,  but something caught her eye. The wardrobe—specifically, the fact that the almirah door was slightly ajar .she moved toward it .

"I wonder how mom fell for Chase. Doesn’t all this clutter trigger her OCD?" she thought, laughing quietly to herself as she straightened a few things in the almirah, tidying up the mess without thinking much of it. Just as she was about to close it, something made her pause.

Her eyes landed on the back of the almirah. There, hidden behind the clothes, was a small, discreet button.

"What is this?" she muttered under her breath, instinctively pushing the hanging clothes aside to get a closer look.

"Secret room or something?" she thought, a smirk tugging at her lips. "That kind of stuff only happens on TV."

But the curiosity wouldn't leave her. Should she press it?

"Let's just see," she whispered to herself, reaching out. Her finger hovered over the button before she finally pressed it.

Nothing.

"Figures," she muttered in disappointment, about to turn away, but something stopped her. A soft sound, almost too quiet to notice, came from behind the wardrobe. A faint click, like something unlocking.

“What was that?” she whispered . She pressed the button again, straining to hear. This time, she was certain—a hidden door, somewhere in the wall, was starting to shift.

Before she could investigate further, her mom’s voice rang through the room

"Petal, what are you doing here?" her mother, Maya, asked as she entered the room.

"Mom..." Petal turned around

"I was looking for Dad," she replied.

"Sorry, dear, he’s already left," Maya said softly.

"Left? Without me?" Petal asked, frowning. "I was supposed to go with him."

Maya hesitated, then sighed. "No, Petal, not now. From now on, you’ll stay here with me."

"Here? But why?" Petal asked, her confusion deepening.

"Your father is caught up with work. He’s afraid he won’t have much time to spend with you and might be away for long," Maya explained, her voice gentle but strained. "So, he wants you to stay here with me instead."

Petal lowered her gaze, unsure how to feel. "But Mom... you and Chase are newly married. Don’t you think you both need some privacy? I don’t want to be in the way."

Maya shook her head, her expression softening as she sat down beside Petal. "Petal, it's nothing like that. Chase and I both want you here. This is your home too."

Petal bit her lip, still uncertain. "I just... don’t want to be a burden."

"You’re not a burden," Maya said firmly, reaching out to hold Petal’s hand. "We both want you here. And honestly, I’ve missed you so much. I want us to be together for a while."

Petal looked at her mother’s sincere expression and sighed. "Okay... I’ll stay."

Maya smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. they sat in silence .

Then, Maya’s voice broke through the quiet, softer this time. "Petal, I’m sorry."

Petal looked up, confused by the sudden shift in tone. "Mom, why are you apologizing?"

Maya’s eyes welled with tears. "I’m sorry for leaving you like I did. For thinking more about my own freedom than about you... it was selfish."

Petal’s heart sank. "Mom, no, it’s not like that. Everyone deserves to think about themselves. You didn’t do anything wrong."

Maya shook her head, tears slipping down her cheeks. "It is wrong. I should have been there for you more. If I hadn’t left, maybe William wouldn’t have sent you away. Maybe you wouldn’t have had to go through all those things..." Maya thought

Petal frowned, feeling a knot of confusion tighten in her chest.

Maya sighed heavily, pulling Petal into a tight hug. " I promise I won’t leave you again. I’ll protect you this time. I’ll make sure nothing bad happens to you."

Petal hugged her back, still bewildered. She didn’t fully understand what her mom was talking about, but the guilt in Maya’s voice was real, almost suffocating. Whatever she heard, it was weighing heavily on her  heart.