Inside the Falcone Mansion.
Victor escorted Ririko to her bedroom door.
Ririko rested her hand on the doorknob without turning it.
"Come into my room," she said, glancing back slightly. "I have something to tell you."
With his hands behind his back, Victor looked at her, then at the door, as if checking that he had heard correctly.
His neck shifted slightly as he considered the unusual invitation.
"Sure," he finally said.
Since Sofia had first assigned Victor to Ririko as her "bodyguard," or rather, her "guard," this was only his second time entering her room.
He walked in, and Ririko closed the door behind him, sliding the metal bolt into place with her fingers.
Victor stood in the middle of the room with his hands behind his back, watching the locked door before shifting his gaze to her face.
The corner of his mouth twitched, like a lizard locking onto its prey.
"No one has ever dared to be alone in a room with me." His voice was cold.
Ririko turned around, her back against the door, her sultry gaze fixed on Victor in return.
"Some things aren't meant for other people to hear." She stepped away from the door.
In her high heels, she walked steadily up to Victor and said with calm certainty, "I already know all those filthy little thoughts of yours."
Victor said nothing.
He looked straight at her, neither averting his eyes nor denying it, merely curious about what she was trying to say.
"You like watching me flirt with other people, don't you?"
Ririko drew closer and closer, until she could see the blue veins beneath Victor's pale skin.
Victor still said nothing.
"Because you have no emotions of your own, you can only experience feelings for me through other people."
She softly