(Author's Note: The hunt intensifies. In this episode, we see that the walls of the mansion aren't meant to keep people out—they are meant to keep Mercan in. Are you ready for the first real game of cat and mouse? 🥀 #Rose_verse_on #AraftaObsession)

I didn't sleep. Sleep is for those who aren't haunted, and I have been the one doing the haunting for far too long. 🕯️ I spent the night in the study directly below her room, listening to the floorboards creak every time she paced. I knew she was awake. I knew she was staring at the door, waiting for me to burst in again.

But I'm not a monster who strikes all at once. I'm a craftsman. 🛠️

I pulled out my tablet, the screen glowing in the dark room. The cameras I had installed months ago—long before I officially "returned"—gave me a panoramic view of the house. I watched the black-and-white feed of her bedroom. She was sitting on the edge of her bed, clutching that charred piece of wood like a rosary. 📿

"It's pathetic, isn't it, Mercan? You cling to the remains of a boy I killed years ago, while the man who replaced him is breathing the same air as you. You're mourning a ghost while the devil is sitting right under your feet. Don't worry... by the time I'm done, you'll be more afraid of your memories than you are of me." 👁️‍🗨️

I tapped the screen, zooming in on her face. Even in the grainy night vision, she was breathtaking. I could see the slight tremble in her lower lip. I felt a surge of possessive heat. She thought the "Stalker" was far away. She didn't realize that in this house, I am the walls, the air, and the very shadows she tries to hide in.

Morning didn't bring light; it only brought a clearer view of my prison. 🏰 I dressed with trembling hands, choosing a saree of deep, blood-red silk. If I was going to face my executioner at breakfast, I would do it looking like a Rathore.

As I walked down the grand staircase, I felt eyes on me. Not the eyes of the servants, but a heavy, burning gaze that seemed to peel back my skin. I found him in the dining hall, sitting at the head of the table—the seat that used to belong to my father. 🪑

He was reading a leather-bound book, a cup of black coffee steaming beside him. He didn't look up when I entered, but the corner of his mouth quirked into a cruel smirk.

"You're five minutes late, Mercan," he said, his voice smooth as velvet and sharp as a razor. "Tahir used to tell me you were always punctual. I suppose ten years of lying has made you lazy." ☕

I pulled out a chair as far away from him as possible, my knuckles white as I gripped the table. "Don't speak his name. You have no right."

Ateş finally looked up. The intensity in his eyes was like a physical blow. He stood up slowly, circling the table like a shark circling a reef. He stopped right behind me, leaning down until I could feel the cold metal of his watch against my bare shoulder. ❄️

"I have every right, Mercan. I bought this house. I bought your father's debts. And most importantly... I bought your silence. You can hate me all you want, but every time you close your eyes, you see my face. You don't miss Tahir. You're addicted to the fear Ateş gives you. Tell me, does your heart beat this fast for anyone else?" 💓

He reached into his pocket and dropped something onto my plate. It was a fresh wildflower—a blue Himalayan poppy. My breath hitched. Those only grew in the high ridges where we used to hide as kids. 🏔️

"I found it on my morning walk," he whispered into my ear. "Or maybe I found it in your diary. I can't remember which." 📖

He walked away, leaving me shivering in the heat of the morning sun. He was in my head. He was in my past. And now, he was everywhere I turned.

The psychological game is officially ON! Ateş isn't just back; he's taking over every aspect of Mercan's life. Did you catch that hint about the cameras? He's been watching her for a lot longer than she thinks! 🕵️‍♂️

Reader Questions: 💬

* How would you react if you found out your "childhood friend" had been watching you through cameras for months? 😱

* What do you think is in the diary Ateş mentioned? 📔

* Does Mercan still love the "Tahir" inside him, or is it pure hate now? 🥀