Extra: Yandere Milfs Obsessed with me!-Chapter 163: The Dominatrix Ariana Hornraven

The party was in full swing in the grand hall, laughter and melodies escaping through the wide-open French doors. Kaiser, having left the stifling bustle behind, now stood alone on the terrace. A light breeze rose from the gardens, carrying with it the fresh scent of flowers.

He took out a small pocket watch and checked the time. Satisfied, he made a discreet wave of his hand. A few moments later, the piercing headlights of a black automobile cut through the night mist at the end of the main driveway. The vehicle approached without haste before coming to a silent stop at his feet.

"You’re leaving us already, Lord Paragon?"

The voice was warm, slightly mocking, with that hint of amusement she never lost.

Ariana Hornraven stood a few meters away, walking until she faced him. She wore a blood-red satin dress whose inner revers of the sleeves and bodice were a deep red.

The fabric clung tightly to her slim waist before flaring fluidly, brushing the floor. Her deep neckline highlighted full, high breasts. Her long black opera gloves rose above the elbow. Around her neck, a gothic choker descended just to the hollow of her breasts. Her chestnut/orange hair, curly, fell in a disordered cascade over her shoulders and down her back. Her very pale skin contrasted with the black and red. A light blush pinkened her cheeks and a crooked smile stretched her carmine lips.

"To tell the truth, I had started to think you wouldn’t show up tonight," she said, tilting her head slightly, an orange strand sliding over her bare shoulder.

Kaiser closed his watch with a click and slipped it into his vest pocket.

"It would be rude to decline a personal invitation from you, Ariana."

"I’m genuinely delighted to see you here," she replied, her smile softening just a little.

"The feeling is mutual. And I must admit the evening was most enjoyable," he conceded with courtesy.

He allowed an intentional silence to slip between them, then added, his gaze roaming over her appearance: "By the way... I must admit you are particularly radiant tonight."

Ariana let out a light little laugh. "Thank you. That reminds me of memories... Do you remember the good old days?"

Kaiser raised an eyebrow. "The good old days? My memory might differ from yours. For my part, I mostly remember a series of complex maneuvers aimed at diverting assets from my Paragon house. Manipulation seemed to be your favorite art."

Ariana’s smile widened. "Oh, Kaiser. Don’t play the offended one. Aren’t you also a manipulator? Even Princess Olivia couldn’t escape your claws."

Kaiser smiled in turn, a movement of the lips that did not reach his eyes. Internally, a pang of annoyance ran through him. She had observed him too, then. He shouldn’t have been surprised; Ariana always had eyes and ears everywhere.

At the Academy, the people he truly feared could be counted on one hand: Nox Walpurgis, first in the rankings and leader of the Babylon faction; Helia von Stavenger, leader of her Stavenger faction; Rosalinda van Spina, co-leader of the Dawn and seventh in the rankings; and Ariana Hornraven, true mistress of Ashborn, fifth in the rankings. All were unpredictable and dangerous in their own ways.

But the daughter of Duke Hornraven was different. She loved to control, possess, pull strings until her puppets broke. And for now, she still thought she had an emotional hold on him.

That was the weak point he had to maintain. If he showed her he felt nothing anymore, she would become much more aggressive. The best defense, therefore, was to let her believe she could still manipulate him through the heart.

He stepped closer, reducing the space between them. The fabric of his suit almost brushed the silk of her dress.

"Just as I cannot free myself from yours," he said, his voice a soft veil. "Are you watching me, Miss Ariana?"

She batted her lashes, a slow movement simulating innocence. "Me? What an idea. Let’s just say I enjoy knowing where what belongs to me is located."

"And you still think I belong to you?"

A smile formed on her lips. "I’m convinced you cherish that idea." She leaned slightly toward him, her jasmine perfume brushing his face. "Admit it, Kaiser. You loved that time when I held the leash. You even found a certain pleasure in it."

A brief laugh escaped him. "Hmm... A dominatrix femme fatale? But come on, you’re dwelling far too much in the past, Ariana; that era is over."

"Really?" she murmured, and her gaze, suddenly still, captured his. She let the tip of her index finger slide along the lapel of his jacket, tracing a line. "I come with a proposal, Lord Kaiser."

"You want to increase your power?" she questioned.

Kaiser smiled.

"I think I’m already powerful enough," Kaiser replied.

"Information is the true currency of power. You’ve always said so yourself," she retorted.

"I don’t deny it. So enlighten me."

She straightened then and spoke in a low voice. "I can reveal the truth about your mother’s death to you."

Kaiser felt something tighten in his chest. His mother had died giving birth to him. That was the official version, the one repeated to him since childhood. His father never spoke of it. No one did. And yet, if this information truly held value...

"And why wouldn’t I simply ask my father?" Kaiser replied.

"I doubt he would want to tell you to protect you~" Ariana replied, tilting her head sexily.

"And on what would I base my trust? How would I evaluate the quality of what you say?"

Ariana turned slightly, her gaze lost in the shimmer of the distant chandeliers. "I know, for example, that you maintain close ties with an organization whose activities are... unconventional." She paused. Then she turned toward him, a smile on her lips. "Do you think that information alone justifies you now considering me as your prey?"

Kaiser’s expression did not change, but internally an icy cold ran down his spine. She knew... The way she had used the word "prey" in her sentence... She knew about The Predator. How? He didn’t know. But she knew anyway.

His fingers clenched imperceptibly. Should I kill her? The thought crossed his mind.

Ariana turned fully toward him, her gaze locked on his with intensity.

As if she had sensed the wave of that reasoning, Ariana turned completely, planting her gaze in his with intensity. "Calm down. This is not blackmail. I propose an alliance. A relationship of... mutually beneficial trust."

"So what do you want?"

She took a step forward until their bodies were almost pressed together. Her voice dropped to a murmur.

"It’s very simple. I want her death... I will give you the key to your origins. But for that, bring me her head."

Kaiser furrowed his brows slightly:

"Whose?"

"The head of Isabella Donoghan."