She was inches away, and yet... she had no idea.

he  watched her .

Not through the glass.
Not through a cursed prison.
But as if she was truly part of his world.

His golden eyes darkened.

A force he didn’t understand pulled him toward her. His body moved before his mind could catch up, his steps drawn forward as if she were calling him—silent yet irresistible.

She stood by the window, completely unaware, lost in her conversation. The soft glow of the outside world framed her in the dimly lit reflection, her voice calm, effortless.

He halted just behind her. Close enough to feel her presence, yet far enough that she remained untouchable. His breath was slow, measured—but something inside him churned, restless. He didn't know what this feeling was. It coiled in his chest, hot and unfamiliar, twisting into something dangerously close to longing.

His golden eyes traced the delicate movement of her fingers, idly playing with the curtain. Such a simple gesture, yet it held his gaze captive.

A sudden urge gripped him. A reckless, undeniable need.

Slowly, his hand lifted, hovering just above hers. His fingers twitched, hesitating. Would she feel it? Would she turn to him—to this strange, distorted world where he watched her from the shadows?

His fingertips inched closer. The moment stretched, breathless.

But just as he was about to make contact—

She moved.

Not out of awareness. Not because she sensed him. But naturally, as if the universe itself had decided to keep her just out of reach.

His hand curled into a fist, the ghost of her warmth slipping through his fingers. His jaw clenched. A sharp, aching frustration settled in his chest.

So close.

And yet, still untouchable.

His gaze darkened, but he didn’t pull away.

He would try again.

And next time… he wouldn’t let her slip away so easily.

He would try again. He had to.

Taking a slow breath, he reached out once more.

---

She was talking to Crystal when an eerie sensation washed over her.

A chill, sharp and sudden, ghosted over her skin—an unknown, icy presence lingering too close.

A strange feeling crept into her, a whisper of awareness, as if someone—something—was right behind her, about to touch her.

Instinct took over.

She turned abruptly, her breath hitching.

Nothing.

Her room was empty.

Her brows furrowed. Confusion settled in as she scanned the space, her heart beating faster than before.

___

His breath caught in his throat.

She had turned—just in time. Just before he could touch her.

He stood inches away.

She couldn't see him. Of course, she wouldn’t. Not until he was free of the curse.

And yet, she felt him. He knew she did.

His eyes stayed on her, unwavering, drinking in every detail of her puzzled expression. The slight tension in her fingers. The way she tilted her head, as if listening to something unspoken.

Then—

“Venus.”

A voice echoed through the room.

Both of them snapped their attention to her phone.

Venus blinked, then pressed it back to her ear.

“I’m listening, Crystal,” she said, her voice steady.

And just like that, she moved—walking away.

Panic flared in his chest.

Where are you going?

He watched, helpless, as she neared the door.

Desperation clawed at him.

“Don’t go,” he pleaded, his voice raw, even though she wouldn’t hear.

He didn’t understand why, but the thought of her leaving felt unbearable.

***

A bell chimed as the shop door swung open.

“Welcome—” The shop owner started to greet the customer, but the words died in his throat the moment he saw him.

Leon.

Leon  stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a quiet, deliberate click.

A wave of dread settled over the shop owner.

His breath hitched.

Their eyes locked.

In an instant, Leon’s demonic power surged.

Before the shop owner could blink, Leon moved—too fast, faster than humanly possible. In the fraction of a millisecond, he closed the distance, his grip latching onto the man’s throat with unrelenting force.

The impact sent him crashing against the wall, a sharp gasp escaping his lips.

Leon’s grip tightened.

The shop owner’s hands clawed at his wrist, struggling, choking—terror flickering in his wide, desperate eyes.

But Leon didn’t loosen his hold.

If anything, he squeezed harder.

"I clearly warned you not to sell it!" Leon’s voice thundered through the small shop, his rage sharp enough to cut through the air like a blade.

His fingers clenched tighter around the shop owner’s throat, the pressure unbearable. The man’s face twisted in agony, his breaths reduced to shallow gasps.

"Wasn't I paying you enough?" Leon’s eyes burned with fury. "How long have you been doing this?" His voice dripped with venom as he shook the trembling man.

The shopkeeper's hands desperately clawed at Leon’s iron grip.

"Let... go," he choked out, mustering every ounce of strength he had left. But Leon’s grip remained firm, his fingers pressing deeper, suffocating him to the brink of death.

The man’s vision blurred. He tried to push against Leon’s arm, but the demon didn’t budge—not even an inch.

"Let go! Only then can I tell you!" The shopkeeper's plea came out as a desperate gasp, his voice barely above a whisper.

Leon released him instantly.

The shopkeeper collapsed to the floor, coughing violently, his throat burning. He scrambled for the nearest glass of water, his hands shaking as he gulped it down, trying to calm his erratic breathing.

But Leon didn’t give him time to recover.

"Why did you sell it?" His voice was dangerously low, a quiet storm waiting to unleash its wrath. "I told you—this should never leave this shop."

The shopkeeper flinched at the sheer intensity in his tone.

"How long have you been doing this?" Leon pressed, his patience razor-thin.

"Was the money worth it?" His eyes darkened, his presence suffocating. "Did the amount you earned surpass what you got from me?"

The shopkeeper swallowed hard, his face drained of color.

"I sold it because there was a demand," the shopkeeper stammered. "I—I didn’t intend to!"

Leon’s eyes darkened. "Lying. You sold it because you thought, ‘Why not make some extra money from it?’" His voice was sharp, slicing through the tension like a blade.

The shopkeeper took a shaky step back as Leon advanced, his anger like a raging fire ready to consume him.

"Okay, okay! I won’t lie!" The shopkeeper raised his hands in surrender. "I did sell it before, but this time, it wasn’t me!"

Leon’s expression didn’t change. "What do you mean?" he demanded, his voice booming through the small shop.

The shopkeeper swallowed hard. "I mean, I had no intention of selling it... but it had the intention of being sold. It controlled me. It made the deal itself."

Leon’s jaw clenched. "It can’t do that. Its power was lost," he stated coldly.

"Then why does it still feel alive?" The shopkeeper’s voice was barely above a whisper. "I kept telling myself it was all in my head, but it was not , that's why you left it here paying me this much  , you know what's inside isn't it ?"he asked .

Leon’s gaze bore into him. "What power did it use?"

"I—I don’t know." The shopkeeper rubbed his arms as if trying to rid himself of the memory. "It took over me. I lost all sense of what I was saying, just for a few minutes. The mirror—one I usually sell for over ten thousand dollars—it made me agree to sell it for just five hundred. I had no control over my own words."

Leon’s fists clenched at his sides. "Didn’t I tell you? It should have stayed here."

"Stayed here to haunt me?" The shopkeeper scoffed bitterly. "Besides, it’s not like I wanted to sell it, but the destruction it caused in my shop... I had no choice!" His voice wavered with desperation.

Leon took a slow, measured step forward. "You broke the generational promise you made with me." His voice was eerily calm, making the shopkeeper’s blood turn cold.

Now, you have to pay for it."

The shopkeeper’s breath hitched. "What do you mean?"

Leon placed a firm hand on his shoulder, his expression void of emotion.

"Burn."

The word barely left his lips before the shopkeeper’s body erupted into flames.

A blood-curdling scream tore through the shop as fire consumed his flesh. He stumbled backward, thrashing wildly, trying to smother the flames. But the more he fought, the stronger they grew. The fire spread, licking at the wooden shelves, climbing up the walls. Bottles shattered, papers curled into ashes, and the scent of burning flesh mixed with the thick smoke filling the air.

He grabbed a bucket of water, throwing it over himself—but instead of extinguishing the flames, they flared even higher, searing his skin.

"I—I’ll bring it back!" he begged, his voice hoarse from the agony. "I’ll stop it!"

Leon remained still, watching him writhe in torment. His face was expressionless, his golden eyes reflecting the inferno that engulfed the shop.

"You won’t need to," Leon said simply.

"I’ll do it myself."

The shopkeeper's screams echoed one last time before the flames swallowed him whole. The fire spread uncontrollably, reducing the shop and everything inside it to nothing but ashes. And yet, Leon never moved.

He just stood there, watching it burn.

***

It was the middle of the night. She lay in deep slumber, unaware of the watchful eyes fixed on her through the mirror.

He stood on the other side, his gaze never wavering. The moment she had left the room earlier that evening, his surroundings had shifted—his reflection no longer showed her space but his grand mansion again . And now, it remained unchanged, as if trapping him there once more.

Yet, his attention wasn’t on his prison. It was on her.

She looked so peaceful, so unaware.

Who is she?

Why do he regain my power only when it comes to her?

His fingers grazed the mirror’s surface, frustration curling through his veins. Should I pull her inside now? to free me?

Or should I wait?

His smirk deepened. But why wait?

His golden eyes gleamed with wicked amusement. Once I get out, all my questions will answer themselves.

Because once I read her memories—

It will answer all my questions on its own.

To be continued...