Episode 5: A Dangerous Guess

> “This time… I won’t let Rayan die.”

Ariya—now Seraphina—kept her eyes on the man who was never meant to live past chapter thirty-five.

Rayan Faruq.

He stood across the sleek conference room, his crimson eyes flicking toward her like he could read her thoughts. His expression wasn’t cold, not like Zayyan’s. It was unreadable. Playful, but layered—like a puzzle hiding a hundred secrets.

Does he know something?

The question clung to her skin like sweat.

Before she could look away, Zayyan’s voice cut through the tension like ice.

“The meeting is over. You may leave.”

Everyone stood up at once, chairs scraping neatly against the marble floor. She turned to follow the others when—

“Miss West.”

Her breath caught.

That wasn’t Zayyan’s voice.

That was him.

She turned, slow and cautious. Rayan had stepped away from the window, the sunlight hitting the side of his face like some dramatic K-drama scene. One hand in his pocket. His suit pristine. His smirk dangerous.

“I must say,” he said, voice smooth as silk, “today’s performance was… surprising.”

“Performance?” she repeated, blinking.

“You, smiling. Being nice. Even speaking gently to Meera. Either someone replaced you with a clone,” he tilted his head, “or the rumors about your temper were greatly exaggerated.”

Seraphina tilted her chin, refusing to be cornered. “Maybe I just grew up.”

“Overnight?” Rayan chuckled, a sound too soft for someone so sharp. “That’s a miracle.”

Behind them, Zayyan had stopped walking. His back remained turned, but his pause was noticeable.

Rayan continued, stepping closer. “Or maybe you’ve changed… for love?”

Her pulse skipped.

“…What?”

He smiled—too knowing, too casual. “People only change this suddenly for three reasons: guilt, greed, or love. You already have money. You don’t seem guilty. So that leaves—”

“Maybe I just got tired of being hated,” she snapped, trying not to sound defensive.

But he didn’t react to the edge in her tone. If anything, he looked amused.

“Mm, I’ll accept that,” he said softly. “But I still think there’s more to the story.”

And just like that, he turned and walked away. His shoulder brushed hers slightly—enough to leave her rattled.

Zayyan’s eyes flicked toward her as he passed, unreadable as always. But there was something new there. Suspicion? Or curiosity?

---

Later that evening, Seraphina threw herself onto her velvet couch with a dramatic sigh.

“I’m being hunted,” she muttered into a cushion.

The chandelier above did not respond.

“He saw right through me. I swear, if this is one of those novels where the second lead is secretly a mind-reader, I’m going to scream.”

Alfred, her long-suffering butler, entered quietly. “Ma’am, you’ve been speaking to furniture again.”

She sat up straight. “Alfred. Be honest. Do I seem like someone who’s fallen in love?”

He blinked. “…Ma’am, with respect, you seem like someone who’s been hit by a truck, dropped into a novel, and is now slowly unraveling.”

She pointed dramatically. “Exactly! That’s the energy I’m going for.”

“Shall I bring tea with calming herbs or sleeping powder?”

“Both. I’m spiraling.”

---

As night deepened, Seraphina stood on her balcony. The city lights blinked in the distance, like a thousand quiet witnesses. But something in her gut twisted.

Rayan had noticed too much. Zayyan was watching her like a hawk.

This world wasn’t hers. But she was determined to change it.

Still… a voice in her heart whispered:

“What if someone else is rewriting the story too?”

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***