Chapter 9 Caelum

• Aria's large, vibrant brown eyes widen as she sees me standing in the doorway, as if she has been caught in the act. The sudden interruption, combined with the imposing presence of my guards, seems to suck all the air out of the room, transforming the small office into an even more suffocating and tension-filled place. It is impossible to ignore her proximity to the middle-aged man, whose figure now fills me with visceral disgust. The thought that she might be involving herself with someone like him, seeking some sort of advantage, stirs something deep within me.
• Is that what she does? Does she lie with anyone to gain some benefit? The mere suggestion of this thought makes my blood boil with contained anger, though I maintain my cold and implacable expression. The sight of the two of them so close, with his hands on her skin, provokes an almost physical revulsion in me, as if I am witnessing something profane.
• The atmosphere is saturated with fear, to the point where I can almost feel the terror exuding from their pores. The beats of Aria's and the man's hearts are audible to me, pulsating in a frantic and irregular rhythm, like drums in the midst of an imminent battle. The middle-aged man releases Aria's arm as if he has been burned, and I see the momentary relief in her eyes, a spark that quickly extinguishes, replaced by an expression of caution and submission.