Sweet Hatred
Chapter 48: Who is watching?

Chapter 48: Who is watching?

ARIA

I’m watching you.

I’m watching you.

I’m watching you.

The words echoed in my head, bitter and insistent, twisting in my chest like a knot I couldn’t untangle. Who was watching me? And why?

It had been almost a day since I found the red envelope sitting neatly on my desk, its message scrawled in bold, taunting ink. And yet, no matter how many times I turned it over in my mind, I still had no clue who had left it. And what exactly were they trying to do? Warn me? Inform me?

A sudden honk snapped me from my thoughts. Niko cursed under his breath as he swerved, narrowly avoiding a car that had cut into our lane. My pulse jerked, but Kael? He just watched, amused, like the chaos of the world never touched him.

I stole a glance at him, a little too long, watching the way he sat—composed, pristine, a tablet resting lazily on his lap as he scrolled. Perfect. He was always fucking perfect. No matter the situation, Kael Roman remained untouchable. And that pissed me off.

Being at the mercy of a man like him—self-absorbed, ruthless, a king in a world he dictated—made my skin itch. He wielded power so effortlessly, knowing he could lift someone up or crush them on a whim.

"Are you looking for another reason to despise me more?"

His voice cut through my thoughts like a blade, sharp and precise. When I turned, his green eyes were already locked onto mine, calculating.

I rolled my eyes and turned to the window, feigning indifference. He’d use this as an opportunity to taunt me—I knew that. And yet, my mind circled back to the letter. It didn’t feel like Kael’s style... but why was I so sure?

"Did you leave me a present at my office?" I asked, arms crossing as I studied him.

A slow, knowing chuckle left his lips as he powered off his tablet. Then—

"Would you have wanted me to, after wrecking you two nights ago?"

The fucking audacity—

Before I could think, my hand fisted into his stark white collar, the other curled, ready to wipe that smirk off his face. But I froze.

"Everything alright, sir?" Niko’s voice broke through the tension, his gaze flickering to the rearview mirror.

"Keep driving," Kael ordered, his tone as smooth as ever.

My punch hung in the air, my breath stuck in my throat. Niko had seen. Fuck. I shot Kael a glare, but he only smirked, unfazed, his fingers catching my fist and lowering it effortlessly to my lap.

He leaned in, his breath warm against my ear, voice dropping into something dark and teasing. My thighs clenched on instinct, heat pooling low in my stomach, and fuck, he smelled so good.

"You can have my card if you want to get yourself something... or would you prefer I picked for you myself?"

I threw my head back in disgust—except it wasn’t quite disgust. It was fear. The terrifying realization that he was slipping under my skin, weaving himself into places he had no right to be.

And in my frustration, I moved too fast—smacking my head right into the window.

A yelp escaped me, my hand flying to the back of my head, but Kael just chuckled. "God, you’re cute, firefly."

His fingers brushed toward my hair, but I batted them away, scowling. He didn’t push. Just sat back, flipping his tablet open again like nothing had happened, while I seethed in embarrassment and rubbed at my head.

Fine. Maybe it wasn’t him.

My thoughts shifted, zeroing in on the next best suspect.

Mia.

Of course, Mia had a reason to despise me—Kael. But would she really take it this far? Writing in blood to what, scare me? It only made her look more desperate. Pathetic. But who was I to judge? I wasn’t any better than her. Or maybe I was, because I would never threaten another woman’s life over a man. Men weren’t worth the stress. But not everyone thought the same way.

Still, I knew I had to confront her as soon as I landed back home.

The jet’s engines hummed softly as we touched down on the sleek, private runway at Kansai International Airport.

Sunlight bathed the city of Osaka in a golden hue, but inside the cabin, everything felt still—silent, untouched.

Kael sat back in his seat, his fingers grazing the rim of his glass. He hadn’t spoken much since we boarded, which wasn’t unusual. His mind was always a step ahead, calculating, planning.

I wasn’t sure why he invited me on this trip, but as his assistant, I’d learned to roll with it. For once, the roles felt reversed—I was the observer, and he was the distant figure of power I couldn’t quite reach.

The flight attendants were already at the door, waiting for us. Their movements were seamless, choreographed.

One of them, a woman with dark hair tied into a sleek bun, stepped forward to address Kael first, offering a soft smile as she inquired if everything had been to his satisfaction.

I watched as he gave a small nod, as though he had been completely pampered for the past few hours.

I wasn’t sure if it was the grandeur of everything or the fact that I was standing in the presence of a man who never showed a single crack in his armor, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was utterly invisible.

A sleek black limousine waited outside, ready to whisk us away. The ride to the hotel wasn’t long, but it still felt like an indulgence, a stark reminder of the difference between Kael and me.

The limousine pulled up in front of the towering glass hotel, the setting sun reflecting off its pristine surface.

The doorman opened the door before I even had a chance to blink, and I was ushered inside, where the staff greeted us by name, bowing slightly in perfect synchronization. We were led past the grand fountain into a private suite, where a concierge awaited.