Before It Becomes Love - Part 4
You asked for him like it could turn into something softer if you named it clearly enough and held onto it hard enough.Sylus lets you, quietly watching as you mistook his attention for permission to rewrite what he had never defined in the first place.
Pairing: Sylus x Reader (implied Non MC)
Genre: Boss x Assistant, Dark Romance, Slow Burn, Psychological Manipulation, Obsessive Dynamics, Power Imbalance Romance & Emotional Tension, Suggestive Themes & Ending not yet decided
Word count: Around 5.2k
Note: We're going down, down babyyy 🎶 Redemption arc starting soon... Next updates will be slow, please bear with me 🥺
Find the previous parts here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Find my other works here: Masterlist
Kindly let me know your thoughts, feedback, ignore the grammar mistakes and reblogs would be deeply appreciated.
While you rushed downstairs, the twins and MC were already standing near the entrance. The three of them wore completely different expressions. The twins looked tense, shoulders rigid as if they were bracing themselves for something.
MC, on the other hand, stood off to the side, her posture stiff and guarded, her arms folded across her chest like a shield.
The sight of her only irritated you further.
You scoffed under your breath, marched toward the key tray by the door and grabbed the first vehicle key you could find.
You needed to leave.
Now.
Before you did something you couldn't take back. Before you broke down in front of all of them. Before you had to hear another word about Sylus. You reached for the door. Only for the twins to rush forward and stop you.
"Where are you going—"
One of them caught your arm before suddenly freezing.
"Wait... is that blood?"
The other twin's eyes widened.
"Your neck—"
You paused.
Your grip on the doorknob tightened until your knuckles turned white. Only now did you fully register the throbbing pain spreading across your throat. Your skin felt unbearably hot. Like a fever was slowly consuming you from the inside. Something wet slid down the side of your neck.
Blood.
A thin stream trailing along your collarbone before disappearing beneath your shirt. You understood their concern. You really did.
But right now none of it mattered.
You just wanted out.
“I’ll be—“
“Just let her go.”
MC interrupted.
As usual. The irritation that had been simmering inside you immediately flared hotter. The twins hesitated. Their grip loosened slightly.
Uncertain. Torn.
One of them glanced at MC before tightening their hold again.
"No."
The answer was immediate.
Firm.
"We don't know what happened between you and her, Miss Hunter."
Their voice remained respectful. But only barely.
"She's our comrade."
A pause.
Then softer.
"Our friend."
The words hit harder than expected. The twin swallowed.
"Right now her wellbeing is more important than whatever happened upstairs."
MC opened her mouth to respond.
A different voice cut through the room first.
“Let them be.”
The protest died instantly on her lips.
Everyone turned.
Sylus stood at the top of the stairs. Still. Unreadable.
His expression revealed absolutely nothing. Yet hearing his voice sent another wave of anger crashing through your chest.
Not necessarily...
The words echoed inside your head again.
Over.
And over.
And over.
You couldn't do this. Not right now. You yanked your arm free from the twins. Ignoring their protests. Ignoring their concern. Ignoring him.
You threw the door open and stepped outside. The cool air hit your face. It did nothing to soothe the fire burning beneath your skin.
The door slammed behind you with enough force to rattle the frame. You crossed the driveway in quick strides. Your vision blurred slightly.
Whether from anger, exhaustion or the pain in your neck, you weren't entirely sure. The motorcycle came into view.
Thank God.
You climbed onto it without hesitation. The engine roared to life beneath you. A familiar vibration. A familiar escape.
For a brief second, you glanced toward the house.
Toward the windows.
Toward the people inside.
Then looked away.
You twisted the throttle. The motorcycle surged forward.
And within seconds, you were gone.
Inside the base
Silence lingered near the front entrance long after the sound of the motorcycle had disappeared. The twins remained standing by the door, staring at it as if expecting it to open again.
It didn't.
Slowly, they turned around. Their eyes settled on their .
He was still standing at the top of the staircase.
Still staring at the closed door.
Still silent.
His jaw ticked once. A subtle movement.
But enough to reveal that something underneath his composure had shifted. Despite, the tense atmosphere MC spoke again.
“Couldn't expect anything less from her, to be honest—“
“Enough.”
The word cut through the room immediately.
Cold.
Sharp.
Final.
Sylus descended the staircase with practiced ease. Every step measured. Controlled. As though nothing about this situation affected him. Yet the atmosphere around him said otherwise.
He reached the bottom and stopped.
His gaze briefly swept over the twins. From the way they were standing, he already knew what they wanted. An explanation.
For once, he wasn't entirely sure how to give one. He inhaled quietly. Gathering his thoughts.
“What happened to Y/n, bossman?”
The question hung in the air. Sylus paused. Long enough for the hesitation to become noticeable.
"Y/N and MC had a bit of an argument."
His eyes shifted briefly.
"A heated one. I...had to intervene."
The twins exchanged a look. One of them frowned.
“Is that why her neck is bleeding, boss?”
Silence.
Sylus looked away. His gaze drifting across the room before eventually settling on MC. She met his eyes directly.
Unwavering.
Waiting.
“…Yes.”
The answer felt insufficient even to him. The twins didn't miss it. Neither did MC.
A heavy silence settled over the room. Then one of the twins sighed.
"You better fix this asap."
Sylus raised an eyebrow. The twin continued anyway.
"If we lose her..."
Their voice hardened.
"...we won't stay quiet."
The other twin nodded in agreement. With no hesitation. No fear. Just honesty. For a brief moment, nobody spoke. Then both twins turned and headed toward the hallway. Halfway there, one of them glanced back.
First at Sylus.
Then at MC.
Then continued walking. Leaving the living room behind.
The silence that followed felt significantly heavier. Sylus pinched the bridge of his nose. Exhaled. Then looked at MC.
“Come to my office now.”
His tone left no room for discussion. He turned immediately and walked away.
MC followed.
The moment they entered his office, the tension became impossible to ignore. Sylus pushed the door open harder than necessary. The impact echoed through the room. He walked straight toward his desk and sat down. He remained silent.
MC lingered near the doorway.
Uncomfortable.
Uncertain.
A feeling she wasn't accustomed to experiencing around him.
"Get in."
She immediately obeyed.
"And close the door."
The click of the lock sounded louder than usual. Sylus remained seated.
Hands folded. Expression unreadable.
For several moments, he simply looked at her. The silence stretched.
MC shifted slightly. Sylus noticed. Of course he did. Finally, he spoke.
“Care to explain why you felt the need to follow Y/n to her room and provoke her?”
MC looked down. Mumbled something under her breath. Sylus's eyes narrowed. His hand struck the desk. Not hard enough to damage it. Hard enough to make her flinch.
"I can't hear you."
His voice remained controlled. Which somehow made it worse.
"Say it louder."
MC swallowed.
"I said..."
She hesitated.
"...based on what you told me about her..."
Sylus remained silent.
"And the marks on your neck..."
Her fingers curled tightly into the fabric of her sleeves.
"I thought she was forcing herself onto you."
The room went still. Sylus stared at her for several seconds. Then slowly stood from his chair. MC immediately regretted her choice of words. Not because she thought she was wrong.
Because of the look in his eyes.
Disappointment.
Pure disappointment.
Sylus walked around the desk, stopping in front of her.
“And you thought it was okay for you to play my lawyer?”
It wasn't a question.
MC looked away.
"I was trying to help."
Sylus laughed once, without any humor.
"Help."
The word sounded foreign coming from him.
"You asked me about Y/N before agreeing to work with her."
His voice lowered.
“because I trusted you enough I answered…” He paused.
MC remained silent.
“You took pieces of information. Drew your own conclusions.”
Another pause.
"And decided confronting her was a good idea."
His eyes sharpened.
"All because you saw marks on my neck."
MC clenched her jaw.
"You looked uncomfortable around her."
Sylus tilted his head slightly.
"And?"
The single word immediately robbed her of momentum.
"And?"
He adjusted the collar of his turtleneck. Slowly. Deliberately.
"Did it never occur to you..."
His gaze locked onto hers.
"...that I allowed it?"
MC eyes widened.
"No."
The answer escaped before she could stop it.
“You…that’s impossible…you looked so awkward and uncomfortable around her—“
Sylus scoffed.
Of course. Of course it hadn't occurred to her.
"You and I share a connection."
His voice softened slightly. Not in kindness. But in exhaustion.
"I understand your concern."
MC's expression brightened briefly.
"What I don't understand..."
The warmth vanished.
"...is why you thought that concern entitled you to involve yourself in matters that don't concern you."
MC straightened immediately.
“It does concern me when it comes to you, Sylus.”
Sylus closed his eyes briefly. A muscle in his jaw flexed. When he opened them again, they were colder.
"What happens in my personal life..."
He stepped closer.
"...and the people involved in it..."
Another pause.
"...is not your decision to make. And it definitely doesn't give you the right to act the way you did today."
“Sylus can’t you see—“
“Enough.”
The word landed harder this time. But MC wasn't finished. She was frustrated now. Defensive. Trying to justify herself.
“Why are you defending her so much? Is she that important huh?"
The question burst out before she could stop it. Sylus remained silent.
That silence only encouraged her further.
"She's obsessed with you."
Nothing.
"She forces herself into your space."
Nothing.
"She's—"
"Careful."
The warning was quiet. Dangerously quiet. MC ignored it. Big mistake.
"She's just a bitch who spreads her legs for men—"
Sylus moved. Fast. His hands gripped her shoulders. Not enough to hurt, but more than enough to stop her.
"Quiet."
The room shook with the force behind that single word. MC stared at him. Stunned. Sylus's eyes burned.
"Y/N did what she had to do to survive."
His voice was low. Controlled. But visibly strained.
"Telling you about her past..."
A frustrated breath escaped him.
"...I shouldn't have."
MC shook her head. Still refusing to back down.
"You only keep her around because of that past."
Sylus released her immediately.
The accusation hanging heavily between them.
MC pressed on.
"You're afraid she'll leave."
A pause.
"After all..."
Her gaze sharpened.
"...your biggest source of income just walked out of your house."
Silence. Complete silence.
"That's enough, Miss Hunter."
For the first time that day, Sylus raised his voice fully. The office seemed to vibrate around it. MC immediately fell silent.
"You've been running your mouth for the past hour."
His eyes narrowed.
"And it's seriously beginning to irritate me."
A pause.
"You'll leave for Linkon immediately."
"Sylus—"
"I'll have one of the twins accompany you."
His tone became final.
"You're dismissed."
The conversation was over. And for the first time since entering the room—
MC realized she had lost.
The office door closed behind MC with a sharp click. Silence followed immediately. For the first time since Y/N had stormed out of the house, there was no one left for Sylus to address.
No one left to question.
No one left to correct.
Just him.
And the aftermath.
He stood motionless for several seconds, staring at the closed door. The anger that had carried him through the conversation slowly ebbed away. Leaving behind something far more unpleasant.
A heavy exhale escaped him.
He dragged a hand down his face before turning away from the door. The office suddenly felt smaller than usual.
Quieter.
His gaze drifted toward the large mirror attached to one of the walls. For a moment he simply stared at his reflection.
Then he walked toward it.
Slowly.
Thoughtfully.
As if he wasn't entirely certain what he was looking for. When he stopped in front of the mirror, his crimson eyes settled on his own reflection.
Unchanged.
Composed.
Controlled.
Exactly as always. Yet something felt off. His gaze lowered.
Toward the black turtleneck covering his neck.
A reminder.
A concealment.
A consequence.
His fingers rose to the fabric. Hooking beneath the collar.
He pulled it aside. The marks immediately came into view.
Faded slightly compared to the previous night.
But still there.
The scattered hickeys.
The bruising.
The distinct imprint of teeth against his skin.
Your marks.
Sylus stared at them quietly. His fingers brushed across one of the darker bruises. The skin was still sensitive. A faint sting greeted his touch.
The memory followed immediately after. Your hands gripping his shoulders.
Your laugh. The satisfaction in your eyes when you saw what you'd done.
"Yeah… it's like I've marked my territory."
His jaw tightened. Not in irritation.
Something else.
Something considerably harder to name. His fingers continued downward. Stopping where the bite mark sat. The deepest mark you'd left behind.
His thumb traced the outline carefully.
And for a brief moment...far too brief..
he could almost feel the ghost of your lips against his skin again.
The warmth.
The pressure.
The reckless possessiveness.
Then the memory shifted. The room.
Your expression.
The argument.
The blood.
The silence.
His hand dropped. The reflection in the mirror suddenly felt significantly less interesting. Sylus looked down.
Only now noticing the faint reddish stains that had dried against his fingers.
Your blood.
His eyes lingered on it. Longer than they should have. Long enough for the weight of it to settle properly. He had seen blood countless times before.
Spilled it.
Been covered in it.
Caused it.
None of that bothered him.
This did.
A muscle ticked in his jaw.
The image of the crimson Evol wrapped around your throat flashed through his mind again.
The marks left behind.
The look on your face.
The disbelief.
The hurt.
The disappointment.
He exhaled slowly.
"You really know how to make things difficult."
The words were barely audible. Almost lost to the empty office.
No answer came. Of course not.
You were gone.
Sylus glanced away from the mirror. His gaze settling on the phone resting on his desk. For a moment he simply stared at it.
Thinking.
Then he crossed the room. Picked it up and unlocked it.
Your contact was already near the top. His thumb hovered over your name. A brief pause.
Then he pressed call.
The line rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
No answer.
Eventually it disconnected. Sylus stared at the screen.
Waited.
Then called again.
Nothing. Again. Nothing.
The fourth attempt went directly to voicemail. His expression remained unchanged. But his grip on the phone tightened slightly.
Enough to reveal his frustration.
Not at you.
At the situation.
At himself.
At the fact that he no longer knew where you were. Another exhale. Then the familiar beep sounded. For several seconds, he said nothing.
Listening.
Thinking.
Choosing his words carefully.
"Pretty dove."
Silence.
The nickname sounded strange in an empty room. His gaze drifted toward the window. Toward the darkening sky beyond it.
"The twins are worried."
Another pause. Longer this time.
His thumb rubbed absently against the edge of the phone.
"Get your neck looked at."
The words came out calm. Matter-of-fact. As if they cost him nothing.
But he remained silent afterward. Because there was more.
Far more.
Things he couldn't say.
Things he wouldn't say.
Another breath.
Then—
"Call when you're able."
A pause.
"...or don't."
The corner of his mouth twitched. Not quite a smile. Not quite resignation. Just acceptance.
"I'll know you'll be stubborn either way."
The line remained silent. He listened to it for another second.
Then ended the recording. The office returned to silence. Sylus lowered the phone. His thumb immediately moved toward your chat.
Waiting.
Expecting.
Looking for any indication that the voicemail had been heard.
Nothing.
No notification.
No response.
No message.
Just emptiness.
For the first time all evening, Sylus allowed himself to acknowledge the uncomfortable truth.
You weren't ignoring him to make a point.
You genuinely didn't want to speak to him.
His gaze drifted toward the mirror again.
Toward the marks still decorating his neck.
Toward the evidence of a relationship that had become significantly more complicated than either of you had anticipated.
The room felt quiet.
Too quiet.
And for once—
Sylus found that he didn't particularly like it.
A faint vibration broke the silence.
His phone. He glanced at it. No name. No notification.
Just system noise.
False expectation.
Nothing real.
Sylus stared at it for a moment longer than necessary.
“…Tch.”
Barely audible.
Not anger.
Not frustration.
Something more restrained than either. He walked past the desk and place the phone face down.
He did not make another call.
He did not send another message.
For the first time—
he chose not to pursue the variable.
Because pursuit implied certainty.
And for the first time,
Sylus didn’t have any.
And we're done 😇 Lemme know what y'all think.
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