After a while, the strange feeling slowly faded.
Elena could tell—the gaze she had sensed earlier was gone. Whatever it was, whoever it was, had withdrawn quietly, without leaving a trace.
She didn't react.
Whatever it is, she thought calmly, it will reveal itself sooner or later. There's no need to chase shadows.
With that thought, she returned home. After a quick shower, she lay down on her bed. Her body relaxed, but her mind stayed alert, like a predator resting with its eyes half-open.
Elena woke up early the next morning.
After getting ready, she stepped out of her room and spent a few quiet moments talking to her family. The atmosphere was calm, familiar—comforting in a way she hadn't realized she needed.
Just then, her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
Emma.
She answered immediately.
"Hi, Emma."
"Elena," Emma said from the other side, her tone brisk but pleased. "The advertisement is finalized. The company is small, but it has good growth potential."
Elena listened attentively.
"I think it's better if you come to the company once," Emma continued. "We'll discuss everything there."
"Okay," Elena replied without hesitation.
She ended the call and turned toward her mother.
"Mom," she said lightly, "I'm going to the company."
Her mother nodded, used to Elena's busy schedule.
With that, Elena headed back to her room, already planning her day as she began getting ready.
.....
Starlight Entertainment
The next morning, Elena arrived at Starlight Entertainment right on time.
She didn't waste a second and walked straight toward Emma's cabin.
As she pushed the door open, she noticed someone was already inside.
A man was sitting casually on the sofa, legs crossed, posture relaxed—as if he owned the place.
The moment the door opened, he looked up.
Aaron froze.
…It's her.
The girl from the hotel.
Alex had mentioned her name before.
Elena.
For a brief second, Aaron forgot how to breathe. Then instinct kicked in. He stood up immediately, masking his surprise with his usual charming smile.
"Come in," he said smoothly, gesturing toward the chair opposite him.
"Hi, Elena. My name is Aaron Sebastian. You can call me Aaron."
A confident smirk curved his lips.
"That's what girls usually call me. You can call me that too."
Elena looked at him calmly.
She recognized him instantly—the same man she had seen in Alex's cabin that day.
"No," she replied politely, her tone firm. "I'll call you sir."
Aaron blinked, clearly not expecting that.
"No need for that," he said lightly, waving it off. "Actually…"
He leaned back, confidence radiating from every movement.
"I want to make you my girlfriend. If you say yes."
He smiled as if rejection wasn't even a possibility.
"I mean, I know I'm quite handsome. No one really says no to me."
"But still, I'm asking. Courtesy, you know."
Elena studied his face carefully.
Something about him felt… familiar.
His face resembles that man, she thought.
The one who tied me up in the capital.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, but her voice remained calm and composed.
"Sorry," she said simply. "I have a boyfriend."
Aaron raised an eyebrow.
"A boyfriend?"
"But I heard you broke up."
Elena smiled faintly, almost amused.
"That news is outdated."
She continued smoothly, as if discussing something trivial.
"The current news is… my boyfriend has very soft skin—softer than most girls."
"And a beautiful face."
She hesitated for a moment, then blushed lightly.
"And his body…"
"I can't really describe it."
She looked away shyly.
"He prefers to keep things secret."
Aaron stared at her, stunned.
What kind of man is she talking about? he thought.
More beautiful than me? Impossible. Only my second brother—
He scoffed internally.
No way. That man barely has time to look at women.
Elena looked back at him, eyes sincere.
"When you see him," she said softly,
"you might fall in love with him too."
Aaron snapped out of his thoughts immediately.
"No—no," he said quickly. "I'm straight. I have zero interest in men."
Elena nodded seriously.
"That's good. I don't want anyone coming between me and my darling."
"I don't like competition."
Aaron frowned.
"Was it… serious?"
Elena shrugged lightly.
"I don't know," she replied honestly.
"Whenever we met, we only did what was necessary."
She paused.
"I don't even know his name. Or where he lives."
Aaron's eyes widened.
Girls these days are terrifyingly progressive, he thought in shock.
She doesn't even know his name and still—
Impressive.
Then another thought surfaced.
But after seeing how she beat those men in the hotel… she's definitely not innocent.
I should find a woman like this for myself, he decided.
Someone who doesn't know who I am… and still loves me this deeply.
He cleared his throat.
"Elena," he said seriously, "if someone did all this without telling you who he is, then he might be a scumbag."
He studied her face carefully.
"The way you're describing his looks… very few men are more handsome than me."
A sudden thought crossed his mind.
Is the man she's talking about… even more handsome than my second brother?
Slowly, he pulled out his phone.
After a moment's hesitation, he opened a photo—one he had taken with great difficulty—with his second brother.
He showed it to her.
"Is he more handsome than this?"
Elena's eyes fell on the screen.
She froze.
For a second, time stopped.
Then her face lit up.
She smiled brightly, excitement unmistakable.
"Why do you have my darling's photo?" she asked suspiciously.
"Are you trying to steal him from me?"
"Do you want to separate us?"
Aaron felt like lightning had struck him.
"What—?"
He stared at her in disbelief. "Are you serious?"
"Your boyfriend… is him?"
Elena nodded confidently.
"Of course. We've spent so many nights together."
"How could I not know who I'm with?"
Aaron stumbled back into his seat.
"That's… that's my second brother."
His mind spun.
So all this has been happening in my second brother's life…
And I thought he'd die single.
Suddenly, another memory hit him.
That day at the hotel… when I asked Elena to be my girlfriend—
My second brother was furious.
His breath hitched.
A massive secret.
I've uncovered something huge.
"I… I need some time to digest this," he muttered.
Standing up abruptly, he added, "I have some work."
He turned to leave.
Elena called out casually,
"Fine. Go. But at least tell me my darling's name."
She smiled innocently.
"We've done so much together… and I still don't know his name."
Aaron stopped.
Such a pitiful girl, he thought.
She doesn't know his name. His family. Anything.
Yet she loves my second brother this deeply.
This is unfair.
I can't let this happen just because he's my brother.
I have to help her.
But if my brother finds out I exposed his secret…
He clenched his fists.
No. I can't do this alone.
I'll tell Mom and Dad today. If they're involved, my survival chances increase.
He turned back.
"My second brother's name is Roben Sebastian," he said.
"He's the CEO of the Sebastian Group."
Elena nodded thoughtfully.
Then she frowned slightly.
"Why are you calling me Elena?" she said, mildly annoyed.
"Call me Second Sister-in-Law."
She looked at him seriously.
"Roben is your second brother. That makes me your second sister-in-law."
Aaron stared at her.
She's completely gone, he thought.
Madly in love.
She doesn't even know who Roben really is yet.
All I can do is pray for her future.
Out loud, he said quickly,
"I'll… confirm this with my brother first."
Without giving her a chance to respond, he left the room.
Elena watched him go.
Then she smiled—slow, deliberate.
So your name is Roben, she thought.
Consider this my return gift.
You left me tied up that day… remember?
She glanced at her phone, amused.
A while later, Emma entered, and the two of them began discussing advertisements as if nothing unusual had happened.
Aaron's cabin.
Aaron was still trying to digest the bombshell.
His hands trembled slightly as he pulled out his phone and called his mother.
She answered.
"Yes, Aaron?" Aria said.
Aaron swallowed hard.
"Mom…"
A pause.
Then—
"We might have a second sister-in-law."
Silence.
Complete silence.
The call remained connected.
But no one spoke.