Exactly at 12:30 PM, we found ourselves standing at the entrance of the Noir Horizon Museum, renowned for its deep ocean paintings.

I glanced at the woman beside me, who was admiring the decor with her mouth slightly open in awe. Her gaze eventually shifted to me.

"I didn't know you loved paintings? Your taste doesn't match your personality, Mr. Raez," she remarked, narrowing her eyes at me.

Neither do I, I wanted to reply but chose not to.

"You'll never understand my taste, love," I smirked, flashing her a slight smile. This five-foot still hasn't learned my surname-I am afraid, I might have to change it at this rate, just for her.

Sighing, I reached out with my right hand and grabbed Aleena's waist, pulling her closer as she stood a foot away from me.

As I pulled her in, she looked up at me with those dark doe eyes of hers, and instantly, my breath quickened.

"Don't look at me with those eyes," I said, attempting to sound stern, though I felt like falling to my knees for the woman I supposedly hated the most.

"What eyes, Asad?" she asked, her voice soft, almost innocent.

I nearly gave up. She used my name deliberately, knowing it weakened me, and the craziest part? It worked every single time.

"Th-those..."

"You love my eyes?" she interrupted, catching me completely off guard. There was a spark of hope in her gaze, expecting a 'yes.'

Love your eyes? I worship them. I lose myself in them. I drown in them. and hate myself for loving them so much.

"No," I lied, breaking her hope. Yet her eyes still sparkled, and a smile crept onto her lips-those distracting, infuriating red lips.

Damn it. She has no right to look this beautiful. I'm trying to stay focused here.

"Let's go in," I suggested, quickly shifting my gaze from her to our surroundings.

Inside the museum, the cleaning crew was hard at work, rearranging paintings and replacing older ones with newer additions.

We began exploring the exhibits, and I heard Aleena's voice, awestruck by the art around her.

"Beautiful," she murmured as she gazed at a painting displayed prominently in front of us.

It was the most iconic and ancient painting in the museum-'the Black Ocean'.

We approached it together, and Aleena stood there, stunned by its craftsmanship.

"I think this painting matches your personality. You should buy it, Mr Riaz" she suggested, still examining its intricate details.

"When the right time comes, I'll definitely have this painting, Ms Nasr" I replied calmly, my hands resting in my pockets as I admired the piece. It was breathtaking, valued at exactly 50 million dollars.

"I want to take a look at other paintings too," Aleena said, glancing at me.

"You go ahead; I'll join you soon," I declined her offer, unable to tear my eyes away from the masterpiece.

"Okay," she replied before walking off to explore.

The moment she walked away, I felt an overwhelming urge to pull her back to me. But for now, the painting demanded my attention.

I stepped closer, admiring the golden frame. Beneath it hung another painting, of similar size, equally captivating.

After a few moments, I was satisfied and made my way back to Aleena, who was now staring intently at a large abstract painting titled 'Black Love'.

The painting was a blend of dark red, white, and black stripes, arranged in a way that evoked a chaotic yet beautiful mixture of emotions.

"Can you guess what this painting is about?" Aleena asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

"I'd guess love," I replied, moving closer to her. What surprised me was her calm demeanor as she moved even closer, wrapping her hands around my bicep.

"No, it represents two souls," she said, her voice soft as her fingers gently traced my arm.

"How?" I asked, genuinely intrigued.

"The red line represents the female, as it symbolizes love. The black represents the male, symbolizing strength."

"And the white?" I asked.

"It represents peace. But the more you look at it, the more complicated it gets. The red also symbolizes danger, and the black, darkness. Yet somehow, the white still represents peace. What's the meaning of it all?" Aleena seemed completely absorbed, her soul eager to unravel the painting's secrets.

"Maybe it's all about perspective," I suggested.

"How?" she pressed further.

"If you only want to see the good in someone, you'll find love and strength. But if you choose to truly understand them, you'll see their darkness and flaws. Either way, both truths lead to peace. It's all about how you choose to look at it," I concluded, suddenly realizing what I had just said.

She turned to me, her gaze filled with hope. "And if I wanted to understand you, would you give me the chance to see your darkness?"

"You're already seeing it, Aleena," I replied, my voice dropping to a deep tone that left her stunned.

"I don't think I am," she said, unwavering.

"I think you're hungry. Let's go," I suggested, avoiding her question entirely, because I didn't have an answer for it.

As we both sat in the car, I noticed her struggling with the seatbelt. This five-foot can't even manage something so simple, and yet she wants to understand me? But when she asked, it felt different-like she belonged to me. She's the first person who's ever shown interest in knowing my dark side. But why? Is she falling for me?

"Let me do it," I said, leaning closer to her.

She didn't protest and allowed me to help.

As I secured the seatbelt and was about to move back, my eyes landed on her face. It was so close to mine. I'd never seen her this close-not even in the morning. And now, as I looked at her, I realized she was gazing at me with the same intensity, as if she was taking in every detail of me, just as I was doing with her.

Her dark, long, curly hair was driving me insane, framing her flawless skin perfectly. Her red lips caught my attention, calling me to savour them. Would they taste like blueberries or strawberries? My heart whispered something different-it wanted them to taste like they were mine.

In that moment, one thing became crystal clear to me: no one else could ever touch her. She was mine. If anyone dared to look at her the way I did, it would be their last day on earth. And I meant every single word when it came to Aleena Nasr.

"Asad," she whispered deeply, and I felt myself losing control.

Slowly, I brought my hand toward her neck. The V-neck of her outfit was as tempting as her hair and lips. When my hand reached her necklace-a simple yet elegant design with a circular stone and diamond engravings-I started playing with it. Looking up, I noticed her swallowing hard at my actions.

"Yes, love?" I whispered deeply, my voice carrying the weight of my intent. I knew my deep voice was her weakness, and I loved how it affected her.

"You're... too close," she said softly, her voice barely audible.

"Am I not supposed to be?" I asked, my tone husky, watching as she gulped again, losing herself more and more to the point of no return.

"But you hate me-"

"You're mine, Aleena," I interrupted, warning her. My voice grew darker, the intensity in my gaze matching the claim I had just made.

I knew I hated her, but she was still mine. I couldn't bear the thought of losing her. If she hated me, so be it. It didn't matter because there was no way I would ever let her go, no matter how much I despised her.

"I am not yours, Mr. Riaz," she shot back confidently, her glare fierce. That's exactly what I loved about her-she didn't fear me. She was queen of boldness, unapologetic, and intoxicatingly like hell!

I chuckled at her response, my amusement tinged with anger. Grabbing her neck, I let my darkened grey eyes meet hers, my grip firm yet steady.

"I'm not asking you to be mine, love," I said, my voice softening as her expression wavered.

"I'm informing you-you are mine!"

Her gaze turned to shock, leaving her too stunned to respond.

Taking advantage of her silence, I leaned in, letting my lips brush against her collarbone. Unable to resist, I left a lingering bite, marking her skin with the intensity of my emotions.

"Asad," she hissed in pain as her hands encircled my neck, tightening with each second. That was it-I bit her other collarbone, and she clutched my neck even more firmly.

Slowly, I kissed the diamond stone on her necklace, then moved down to kiss her neck, letting my lips linger. My rough lips rested against her soft skin, while Aleena's condition seemed to worsen. I could hear her heartbeat speeding up, loud and unsteady.

Instead of continuing to savor her neck, I decided to look up, only to find her face flushed with a deep crimson shade.

"I'll kill you," she muttered, even as her entire face radiated shyness. She still had the audacity to threaten me.

I chuckled at her adorable defiance, but before I could pull away, her intoxicating scent pulled me back in. Without wasting another moment, I leaned down and began feasting on my meal--I mean her neck.

"Asad, I'm hungry," she whispered so softly that I could barely hear her, but her hands moved perfectly around my neck, ruffling my hair and making it even messier. The touch of her hands was so intoxicating that I didn't want to leave her neck, nor did I want my lips to part from her skin.

I knew that whatever I was doing was wrong, but I couldn't control myself when I was with her. I wanted to devour her completely, and at the same time, I wanted to worship her. One moment, I felt an intense desire to destroy her, and the next, I was ready to sacrifice myself for her.

I don't know whether it's love, infatuation, or obsession, but the only thing I'm certain of is that she is both--- My destruction and my peace.

"Let me have my dessert first, Aleena," I whispered deeply, my lips still resting against her bare collarbone. Slowly, without moving away, my face trailed upward, brushing against her skin as I firmly held her hair from the back, forcing her to tilt her head up.

"Ahh," she hissed softly, but it sounded more like a moan.

"What are you-" Her words came to an abrupt stop as I gently bit her jawline. One hand gripped her waist, pulling her closer to me, while the other remained tangled in her long, addictive black curls. As I devoured her jawline, I removed my hand from her waist and loosened her seat belt, then again tightly gripping her waist, I pulled her onto my lap.

Aleena Nasr was now sitting on my lap, looking like the most beautiful mess I'd ever seen. Her wide, doe-like eyes reflected surprise at my unexpected move, but her flushed cheeks told a different story. Her entire face matched the shade of her lipstick and dark maroon dress, and honestly, she looked adorable.

"What is wrong with you, Mr. Riaz?" she snapped, her audacity returning as she shot me a glare and struggled against my hold. But my dear five-foot didn't know that my hands were obsessed with her waist. No matter how hard she tried, she could never escape my grip.

"Nothing," I replied calmly.

"Then what are you doing?" she asked, glaring even harder, her crimson cheeks making her even cuter. I couldn't help but blush internally at her fiery response, but outwardly, I maintained my stone-hearted expression.

"Punishing you for making me wait so long, love," I smirked, pulling her even closer. Her entire body pressed against mine as one hand trailed up from her waist to her face. Slowly, I tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing those beautiful yet dangerous eyes of hers.

"You're insane," she whispered, glaring at me before turning her face away. I caught her jaw, forcing her to look directly at me.

"The punishment isn't over yet, dear five-foot," I whispered deeply, my lips moving closer to her ear. I planted a soft kiss there before trailing down to the mole just above her addictive red lips.

Aleena clutched my collar while I tightened my hold on her waist, pulling her even closer. At this point, we could both feel each other's breaths. Without giving her a moment to react, I kissed her mole. The urge to claim her lips overwhelmed me, but I restrained myself and moved back, finally letting her catch her breath.

Her face turned a deep shade of red from shyness, and I couldn't help but savor every moment of her cuteness.

"Enjoyed the punishment, love?" I asked with a smirk.

"Psycho," she whispered, her gaze dropping to my open collar, where my two buttons were undone just for her to see.

While she was busy staring at my chest, I was busy feeling the warmth of her body pressed against mine.

I never allowed any woman near me, but here I am, not just allowing her near me but also letting her sit on my lap. My wide thighs, sculpted from countless hours at the gym, now belonged to her. This was her spot from now on.

And now she'd claimed my lap too? I had no idea what else she'd take over next. My heart? No way that was happening-not in this lifetime! I assured myself, though deep down, I knew I was lying, clinging to a false sense of control.

This woman... I didn't know what it was about her, but she was driving me insane!!

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Thank you so much for reading, my Sweethearts! ❤️

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With all my love, Your Author, Almas ❤️

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