[WARNING! MATURE Content ahead!]

    === ???? ===

    [EVE]

    "I love you . . . ," I whispered.

    Cole''s lips curved into the faintest of smiles, and he reached out, his fingers brushing a stray lock of hair from my face.

    "Hmm?" His voice was low, a rumble that resonated through me like a soothing melody.

    I wanted to tell him everything—how much he meant to me, how long I''d waited for this, how my heart had been a battlefield of hope and despair for so long. But the words tangled in my throat, too heavy and too fragile all at once.

    Instead, I let the silence speak, the way his hand lingered on my cheek, the way I leaned into his touch as if it was the only anchor I had in a drifting sea.

    In this moment, there was no engagement born of obligation, no calculating stares from the outside world. There was only us. And for the first time, I didn''t feel like I was trying to fit into his world or chase after a dream that felt just out of reach. For the first time, I felt like I belonged, right here, in his embrace.

    "I''ve never . . ." The words slipped out before I could stop them, my voice trembling under the weight of their truth. "I''ve never felt like this before. "I thought I had loved you with everything I had before, but I never imagined my love for you could grow even deeper . . . yet here I am, loving you more than I ever thought possible."

    Cole''s brow furrowed slightly, his gaze searching mine. He didn''t speak, but his hand slid down to rest over my heart, his palm warm against my skin. The silence stretched, but it wasn''t empty—it was full, brimming with unspoken emotions that hung heavy in the air.

    "You mean that?" he asked at last, his voice softer now, almost hesitant.

    I nodded, my throat tightening as I struggled to keep my composure. "I do," I whispered. "It''s . . . overwhelming. Like every part of me is finally at peace, but also . . . on fire." I laughed softly, a self-conscious sound that broke the weight of my words. "Does that make sense?"@@@@

    To my surprise, his lips twitched into a genuine smile, one that reached his eyes. "Yeah," he said, his thumb tracing slow circles over my skin. "It makes sense. I feel that way too."

    He leaned closer, his forehead resting against mine, and for a moment, the world disappeared entirely. There was no past, no future, just the steady rhythm of his breathing and the warmth of his presence.

    In his arms, I felt whole. And as I closed my eyes, letting the gentle rise and fall of his chest lull me into a blissful haze, I realized that this wasn''t just contentment—it was everything I had ever dared to dream of.

    === ===

    But now? Now he wanted a house so full of children that family dinners would feel like feeding time at the zoo.

    He chuckled, already imagining Eve rolling her eyes at him as he suggested names like "Cole Jr." or "Cole the Second." "We''ll need a schedule just to keep track of birthdays," he mused. "And maybe a bus. Definitely a bus."

    The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous it sounded. But to Cole, it sounded like perfection.

    But as his resolve hardened and he reached for his phone to make arrangements, an unfamiliar chill coursed through his body. His heart thudded painfully in his chest, and his vision blurred.

    Panic seized him as a strange, icy sensation crept into his veins. His hands trembled, and the world around him seemed to shift, growing distant and distorted.

    "What''s happening?" he muttered, his voice weak, his mind struggling to grasp the sudden change.

    The whites of his eyes darkened into an unnatural black as if some unseen force had taken hold of him. For a moment, he was frozen, suspended in a haze of confusion.

    He felt as though his thoughts were no longer his own, as though an invisible hand had reached into his mind and started twisting it, pulling at threads he didn''t even know existed.

    Then, out of nowhere, an image flickered in his mind—Elena. Her face, her voice, her presence. It was as if she had suddenly taken over every corner of his consciousness.

    Cole didn''t understand it. He didn''t want to think about her, and yet, she consumed him in that instant. A deep, inexplicable need to see her clawed at him.

    Why her? Why now? His thoughts spun in confusion, but the pull was undeniable. It was as though his will was no longer his own.

    Before he knew what he was doing, he had unlocked his phone and dialed her number. The sound of the ringing on the other end of the line echoed in the early hours of the morning, shattering the silence that had once felt comforting.

    Even as the call connected and her voice greeted him, a part of him screamed in protest, demanding answers.

    Why am I doing this? What''s wrong with me? But the words wouldn''t come. His mind was a battlefield, torn between the rational love he had for Eve and the sudden, unnatural obsession pulling him toward Elena.

    Cole gripped the phone tightly, his knuckles whitening as he fought against whatever was controlling him. But no matter how hard he tried, the compulsion wouldn''t release him. His body, his voice, his very thoughts were no longer his own.

    And as he hung up the call, agreeing to meet Elena, dread settled in the pit of his stomach. Something wasn''t right. Something was wrong—terribly wrong.

    And yet, he couldn''t stop himself from walking toward what he instinctively knew was a disaster waiting to happen.