The soft hum of the air conditioning mixed with the occasional creak of the wooden floors as Sera moved from one room to another. It had been a few days since their so-called "date," and things between her and Dimitri had gone back to how they had always been cold and distant. He was again busy with work and she was alone, just doing her thing.

Still, something felt different. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it but it was there a tiny change in Dimitri behavior. It didn’t happen often and whenever it did, it disappeared just as quickly. He wasn’t always the intimidating man she was used to. Sometimes, there was a change of something else in him, Yeah, but it didn't last long enough for her to get it.

Late one evening, that feeling became impossible to ignore.

Sera had just finished cleaning the big dining room when she heard someone in the hall. She paused, looking towards the door, waiting for one of Dimitri men to show up with an order or demand. But when she turned the corner, it wasn't a bodyguard in a suit, it was Dimitri himself.

He was in the doorway of the living room, staring out the big windows, all spaced out. The fixed coldness in his eyes was gone, replaced by something she couldn't quite place.

Sera paused, not sure what to do. Dimitri wasn't the type to be vulnerable and in situations like this, she never knew whether to get closer or back off. But something about him, the way he stood there lost in thought, made her want to reach out.

After a long pause, she took a few careful steps forward. "Dimitri?" she said, her voice softer than made, but curious.

His eyes snapped to her in a speed, and she regretted speaking. Whatever was on his mind disappeared and just like that, the cold mask was back. His expression turned sharp, his gaze narrowing as if he had suddenly remembered who he was and who she was in comparison.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was just as firm as ever.

Sera tensed at the sudden shift, but she refused to back away. "I just thought… if you needed anything, I could help," she said, her words careful, thinking if she had just overstepped.

Dimitri looked her over for a sec, the silence was heavy, making her uncomfortable. Then, without another word, he gave a small shake of his head and turned toward the grand staircase.

"You’re dismissed," he said, his tone colder than before. "Go back to your work."

Sera stood frozen, watching him walk away. It was over, his walls were back up, like nothing happened.

But hey, that little glimpse of something real stuck with her. It wasn't much but it made her wonder- Was there more to Dimitri than that ruthless act?

○●○

The next morning, Sera threw herself into her chores, trying to forget the strange moment from the night before. The kitchen had become her space, where she spent most of her time now. They had sent the maids away, so the mansion was quieter than it used to, except for Dimitri men moving around.

She was wiping down the counters when a voice behind her made her stop.

"Are you done with everything?"

She froze for a second, not expecting him to be so close. Turning around, she met Dimitri’s gaze.

"Yes," she answered quickly.

He was in the doorway, same old calm and rude self.  His eyes swept the room, then landed on her. Something was different about the way he looked at her today, not exactly soft, but not as cold as usual, either.

"Good," He just said it, looking at her a bit longer than normal. "You’ve been keeping the house in order."

Sera just kinda nodded, not sure what to say to that. It was weird hearing him give her credit. He never did that and he never seemed to care about her or the work she did keeping the mansion clean.

"Do you need anything else?" she asked, trying to keep the confusion out of her voice.

Dimitri didn't answer right away. He just stood there, watching her with this weird look she couldn't understand. The silence stretched between them, making her pulse pick up as she wondered what was going through his mind. So, finally, he spoke but his voice was different this time, real careful.

"Come with me," he said, turning toward the door without another word.

Sera hesitated for just a moment before following him, curiosity getting the best of her. Dimitri took her down a long hallway, past rooms she hardly ever went into, till they stopped at a door she had never seen.

He glanced at her briefly. "Wait here."

Sera watched as he stepped inside, disappearing behind the door. She stood still, her mind closed off. It was all so weird, her stomach was doing flip-flops she couldn't explain.

When Dimitri came back, he was holding something a small box wrapped in a dark cloth. He just put it in her hands, silently. It was heavier than she thought, it surprised her. She slowly unwrapped the cloth, showing off a necklace with a really fancy rose pendant. The metal gleamed under the light, every tiny detail crafted so beautifully that it almost didn’t seem real.

She blinked, staring at it, completely at a loss for words. Dimitri'd never given her anything before, not a kind word, not even a second of warmth. And there he was, giving her something so private, so out of the blue.

"Why?" she asked softly, her fingers brushing against the cool metal.

Dimitri eyes darkened for a split second, like he wasn’t sure if he should have done it at all. But then, something in his expression shifted just enough for her to notice.

"It’s not a gift," he said, his voice quieter than usual, rough at the edges. "It’s a reminder. A reminder that you belong to me."

Sera chest tightened at his words. Reality hit her like a ton of bricks again. No matter what he did, even if there were sweet moments, Dimitri still controlled her and she had no choice but to follow his rules.

But as she looked into his eyes, she caught something just for a second. A hesitation, a crack in the armor he always wore. It was gone before she could make sense of it, but she had seen it.

"Put it on," he said, his voice firm again.

Sera didn’t argue. She fastened the necklace around her neck, feeling the pendant settle against her collarbone. Dimitri eyes followed the movement, hanging around a bit too long. His gaze softened just a little but before she could think too much about it, he spoke again.

"Now, go back to your work. Don’t get used to this."

She nodded silently, but her mind was spinning. As she walked away, the necklace felt heavier than before more than just metal resting against her skin. It felt like a chain, a silent reminder of the power he had over her.

But at the same time… it felt like something else too. A moment neither of them really grasped.

She walked down the hall and she just couldn't shake this feeling that things between them were different, you know, whether they wanted it or not.