Sofia's pov:

It was another midnight when my eyes fluttered open. A sharp pain shot through my lower abdomen, jolting me awake.

I groaned, rolling over and burying my face in the pillow. Not this again.

I knew exactly what it was. The first day of my period, and with it, the worst cramps known to women. I forced myself out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom, feeling a wave of nausea.

After taking care of business, I crawled back into bed, wincing with every movement. Ansh was still asleep. I tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable position, but nothing worked. The pain was relentless. I clutched the bedsheet, my knuckles white. A moan escaped my lips, a sound of pure agony. Tears escaped from my eyes.

Ansh stirred, his eyes snapping open. "What's wrong with you?" he demanded, his voice sharp.

I flinched at his harsh tone. "I'm sorry....I didn't mean to wake you." I mumbled, my voice barely a whisper.

I stood up, ready to leave the room. I needed some fresh air, a distraction from the relentless pain. But before I could take a step, Ansh's voice stopped me.

"Where the hell are you going?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

I froze, my heart pounding. "I... I just need some air...so I'm going outside." I stammered.

"You think I give a damn about your need for air?" He sat up in bed, his eyes narrowing as he studied me, his gaze cold and unwavering.

"You'll stay here, and you'll stop making any noise. You're not going anywhere, understand?"

I turned to face him, my eyes wide with fear. "I'm having period cramps," I whispered, hoping he'd understand.

"Cramps?" he repeated, his voice filled with disbelief.

"Yes," I whispered, unable to hide the frustration creeping into my tone.

He leaned back against the headboard, crossing his arms. " Well, Take painkillers. Or get out of the room and come back when you're done with it." he ordered coldly.

"I don't want painkillers." I muttered, more to myself than to him.

"Then get out." he snapped, his tone unforgiving

I felt a surge of anger after hearing to those harsh words in this condition I just felt to beat that shit out of him but I couldn't . I stormed out of the room, not knowing where to go in this vast mansion.

"Life was better when I was alone. At least then, I had the freedom to scream in pain."

I dragged myself to the vast living room, hoping to find some solace on the sofa. But the cramps were getting worse.

I was already crying from the pain when I noticed a shadowy figure approaching.

My heart skipped a beat, and a surge of panic hit me.

My mind raced in terror, and the thought hit me like a cold wave.

Who could this be at this time? How could I forget?

I'm in a mafia house.

My breath hitched as I realized what it could be - An assassin.

Without a second thought I turned to run. "ANYONE..HELP!!" My scream echoed through the mansion.

But in an instant, the figure was upon me. A strong arm snaked around my stomach, pulling me back, while another hand clamped firmly over my mouth, silencing my scream.

"Shut up, it's me." Ansh whispered in my ear, his voice cold and low. His grip was firm but oddly comforting.

Then, we heard it the sound of footsteps echoing through the hallway. My heart sank even deeper.

"Stay quiet." Ansh muttered in my ear, his voice barely audible. He moved quickly, pulling me behind the stairs, hiding both of us.

Suddenly, voices echoed from the hall. "Did you hear that?"

It was Vijay.

"I think it was Sofia," Alina said.

Vijay's voice drifted through the hallway, his tone light but teasing. "Sofia? What the hell is she doing out here at this hour?"

"I'm sure your psycho brother must be doing something to her, as usual." Alina's voice was sharp, filled with concern.

I looked at Ansh for his reaction. He tightened his jaw.

At this moment I want to laugh but I can't he would kill me.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Vijay said, his voice tightened with frustration.

"Come on, let's go find out. I'm curious now." Vijay, still a little amused, took a step closer to the stairs.

I held my breath as the sound of their footsteps neared, their voices growing louder.

"Stay still" he murmured dangerously close to my ear. "If they find us, I won't make it easy for you."

But what's my fault? He was one who came here and scared me. Bastard!

"Hello, brother," We turned towards the direction of the voice. Vijay was standing in front of us.

He raised an eyebrow, looking at us. "Seriously?"

"Get a fucking room, you two. You can't do it anywhere else in this mansion."

"We have people roaming around, for god's sake."

Just then Alina also appeared. "Oh my god, Sofia, are you okay?" she asked, her voice filled with concern, her eyes scanning me worriedly.

Before I could even open my mouth, Ansh shot her a death glare to Alina.

Alina flinched slightly at the intensity of his glare. "I-I didn't mean that, what I s-said...."

"You said good enough" Ansh said in his cold voice

"I- I'm sorry... I i was...j-just worried for her..." she said, her tone softer but still filled with concern.

Ansh didn't seem to care. "Keep your concern to yourself....I can handle what's mine." he replied, his words final and commanding.

'Yours?' I wanted to laugh. Since when am I his, you arrogant jerk?

"Still..I'm sorry." She said nodding.

"Anyways, what are you doing here at this time?" Alina frowned.

Vijay raised an eyebrow, pointing at their position. "Can't you see.... it's pretty obvious?"

Just then I realised, Ansh's arm was wrapped tightly rounded around my waist because we both were trying hard to hide behind the stairs.

He suddenly moved away, clearing his throat.

Vijay smirked knowingly. "Well, have fun. Just don't scream next time."

Ansh's jaw tightened. "Go back to your room," he commanded coldly glaring at Vijay and Alina.

They both went towards their room suppressing their laugh.

Once they were gone, he turned to me. "Back to the bedroom. Now." his voice stern, "I don't want any more drama in this mansion."

I followed him reluctantly, expecting another round of his usual indifference. But a few minutes later, he walked in, tossing a hot water bag onto the bed.

"Here. Use this." He said tossing the hot water bag on the bed "It might help."

I stared at him, shocked. "What...?"

I watched him shocked. All of a sudden the person who just knows how to give me pain now wants to cure my pain. Maybe he just wants to sleep peacefully.

"Don't make me repeat myself," he muttered, lying down and closing his eyes.

I took the bag, the warmth soothing my cramps slightly. "Thanks," I murmured.

He didn't respond, but I noticed the tension in his shoulders ease. Maybe this man wasn't completely heartless-just mostly.

I knew nothing was going to happen by the hot water bag. It gave me relief for a while but then the pain was getting more worse.

I threw the bag on the bed.

"That's it," I muttered under my breath, swinging my legs off the bed. "I can't do this anymore."

I paced the room, clutching my stomach. Each step felt like a battle between me and my body. I glanced toward the door, contemplating another escape, but Ansh's words rang in my ears: "You're not going anywhere."

"What the hell are you doing now?"

I froze mid-step, turning to see Ansh glaring at me from the bed, his expression was a mix of annoyance and disbelief.

"I'm doing exactly what you told me to do," I snapped, crossing my arms. "I'm trying to stay here and suffer silently, as per your royal command."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting me to talk back. "And you think that, what you're doing is the solution?" He questioned.

"Yes!" I shot back, "If I can't scream or cry without disturbing your precious peace, then let me at least do this!"

He sat up, his sharp gaze fixed on me. For a moment, I thought he was going to yell, but instead, he just leaned back against the headboard and sighed.

Before I could respond, he grabbed his phone and made a call. His tone was curt, as always. "Bring ginger tea and a heat patch to my room. Now."

I stared at him, dumbfounded. "You didn't have to-"

"Stop talking," he interrupted, cutting me off.

Minutes later, a maid appeared with the items. Ansh took them without a word, handing me the tea first. "Drink it. It'll help."

I hesitated, unsure how to react. This sudden change in him was unsettling. But I was in too much pain to argue.

He handed me the heat patch next. "Put this on."

I placed the heat patch on my lower abdomen and sipped the tea slowly, the warmth from both helping to soothe some of the pain. I glanced at him, but he was already lying back against the headboard, staring at his phone.

Before I could say anything, he glared at me. "Next time, take the damn painkillers and sleep."

I couldn't help the sharp retort that bubbled in my throat, but I bit it back. The pain was making me too weak to argue. I lay back, clutching the pillow tightly, wishing the discomfort would go away, but it only worsened.

A sharp gasp escaped my lips as a fresh wave of pain hit me, and I couldn't hold back the scream this time.

He shot up from the bed, his eyes dark with irritation. "Do you ever think before you scream? You'll wake up the whole damn Mansion."

"I... I can't help it," I gasped, tears streaming down my face.

"I'm not doing this on purpose," I whispered.

He scoffed, his lips curving into a cold, humorless smile. "Not on purpose? Then control it. You're stronger than this, aren't you?" His words were laced with mocking disbelief.

"Please..." My voice broke. "Please, just let me-"

He let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. Come here."

"What?" I asked, startled.

"Just come here," he repeated, his voice softer but still holding an edge of impatience.

"S-sorry I won't do anything this time..." I pleaded thinking he was going to punish me.

Ansh cursed under his breath, his expression shifting to something more... concerned? It was fleeting, but it was there.

Before I could react, he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me against him, his strength taking me by surprise.

His arm wrapped around me, pulling me close as if he was trying to shield me from the pain itself. His body was warm, pressing against mine, and the heat from his arm on my stomach was oddly soothing.

"Don't move," he commanded, his grip tightening as he held me

I didn't know what to say, or even how to react.

Shockingly, it was working. The warmth from his body and the pressure of his arm on my stomach were easing the pain, and I found myself relaxing against him despite everything.

"Better?" he asked gruffly.

I nodded, unsure of what to say.

"Ansh," I whispered, my voice breaking the silence.

He didn't reply immediately, but I could sense him shift slightly, his body stiffening ever so slightly, as if preparing for the usual coldness to return.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, my voice soft but edged with the confusion I felt.

His grip on me tightened, almost like he was holding onto something-like he didn't want to let go of whatever this was. His chin rested on top of my head, his breath warm against my hair.

"I can only make my things suffer," he muttered, his voice low and harsh. "Not anything else."

I shifted, trying to make myself more comfortable against him.

I couldn't stop the frustration from rising within me. "Is that all I am to you? Your thing?"

He didn't answer right away. His fingers traced small patterns along my side, a strange mix of warmth and dominance.

"You're... more than that," he muttered, as if he was trying to convince himself more than me. "You're mine, whether you like it or not. And I won't let you suffer."

"Does that mean you care?" I asked, my voice small, barely audible as I turned to face him.

"Care?" he repeated, almost like he was trying to understand the word himself. "Maybe. But it doesn't change anything. I'll never give you freedom. You're mine."

"I'm not anyone's property," I shot back, my voice cracking slightly.

He didn't flinch. "Then why are you still here?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

"Because you won't let me leave," I said finally.

Ansh smirked, his cold eyes locking with mine.

"Exactly," he murmured, his voice low and dangerous, laced with an odd sense of approval. "At least you're smart enough to understand that much."

He leaned closer, the space between us suffocating. I could feel his power-his dominance wrapping around me.

"Tell me" he continued, his smirk growing sharper, "do you enjoy playing with fire? Or do you think you're clever enough not to get burned?"

My heart raced, but I refused to let him see my fear. I met his gaze, unflinching, and forced my voice to steady. "Maybe I just want to see if the fire fears me too."

Did I really say that?

For a moment, his expression flickered-surprise, amusement, intrigue, all buried beneath the cold mask he wore so well. Then, his smirk returned, darker this time.

"Careful," he murmured, his voice dropping into a chilling whisper. "Because if the fire doesn't fear you, it will consume you."

Before I could say anything, he cut me off.

"Enough questions for tonight. Now, sleep."

He then tightened his hold around me, and I don't know when I fell asleep.