Chapter 4 Truly Forced

Chapter 4

Roura hastily grabbed a random piece of fabric to cover herself more modestly. She glanced around the room, trying to find a logical reason why Sion could have entered her bedroom.

Sion burst into laughter, watching Roura panic while covering herself entirely, as though he was a villain about to rob her of her purity.

"Hey, come on... I just want to sleep here," Sion said nonchalantly.

"How dare you? You can't just randomly sleep in my room! Especially after seeing me like this!"

Roura was furious, while Sion merely raised an eyebrow and laughed again. He began walking toward her, making her even more uneasy.

With his broad shoulders and strong frame, Sion looked like he could easily rip away the fabric wrapped around Roura.

"Please don't look at me like that, sir!" Roura pleaded.

"Like what? I'm just looking at a person who just finished bathing and seems angry," Sion replied.

Roura stepped back as Sion continued advancing until she was cornered against the wall. She couldn't escape as Sion trapped her with his arms.

"Get out of here right now! Or I'll call the police!"

Sion chuckled at her threat and moved closer until their lips were almost touching.

"Oh? Can you do that?"

Sion's deep voice made Roura even more frightened. In her mind, she suspected her parents might have sold her to him.

She felt like she was being forced to serve this man. Tears began to fall from Roura's eyes, her fear overwhelming her, prompting Sion to stop his playful teasing.

"You're crying? Hey, I was just kidding," Sion said.

Roura opened her eyes and saw that Sion had stepped back. She quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks, leaving Sion with a slight pang of guilt.

"Alright, alright. I'll leave for now. Stop crying, okay?"

Sion walked past Roura, waved briefly, and disappeared into the night like a shadow dissolving into darkness.

Roura was stunned by how he vanished, even slapping her cheek to confirm she wasn't dreaming.

"Am I going crazy? How could he just disappear like that? Oh God, what's wrong with me?"

After confirming that Sion was truly gone, Roura tossed her towel onto the bed and hurriedly got dressed.

She sat on the bed, her breathing uneven as she tried to process what had just happened. Her tired hands felt like they could no longer bear the weight of her burdens. Then, she noticed a pile of papers on the table-electricity bills and apartment rent notices, a sight that made her sigh heavily.

"As usual, our love letters for the night, Roura," she muttered.

Roura closed her eyes briefly to calm herself before picking up the next sheet of paper.

Suddenly, her eyes widened at the sight of an old photo neatly folded among the bills-a picture of her and her mother, both smiling cheerfully. Her eyes blurred with tears she could no longer hold back.

Her hands trembled, and before she knew it, she broke down in tears. All the exhaustion, frustration, and burdens she had been holding in came pouring out.

She cried as if there was no hope left as if the world had been too harsh on her. "Mom! Why didn't you just take me with you? I'm so tired, Mom. I miss you."

Roura hugged the photo, imagining her mother's warm embrace. The thought brought a faint smile to her lips, even though the hug wasn't real. Just picturing her mother's face was enough to make her feel a little better.

"Your mother is beautiful," a voice said softly, filled with an odd sense of judgment.

Roura quickly turned around, startled to see Sion standing behind her. With his calm demeanor, he gave her a faint smile.

"You!"

Roura's eyes widened in shock and anger. She glanced at the door, but it was still tightly shut. No windows or other openings appeared to have been used.

"How are you still in my room? Where were you hiding earlier?" she asked suspiciously.

Sion shrugged, seemingly unaffected by her anger.

"I wasn't hiding. I left earlier-like this."

Without warning, Sion vanished into thin air. No footsteps, just an eerie silence.

Seconds later, his voice came from Roura's side, startling her further.

"Wow, these electricity bills are surprisingly cheap."

Sion casually picked up the bills, reappearing by Roura's desk.

Roura froze, her body stiffening in fear. Now she could see that Sion came and went like the wind-something utterly incomprehensible.

"How did you do that? Are you even human? Are you... a ghost?" she guessed.

Sion chuckled, ignoring her question. He began walking leisurely around Roura, passing through furniture and walls like untouchable mist.

"You can think of me that way if it makes you feel better," Sion said.

"But who are you?" Roura demanded.

Sion only smiled without answering. He turned toward the television, which suddenly turned on by itself, displaying images that immediately caught Roura's attention.

On the screen, a news report showed a thick plume of smoke rising from a burning skyscraper. A well-dressed anchor appeared with a serious expression, speaking calmly but emphatically.

"A massive fire has engulfed the Robin Group headquarters. Known as one of the largest investment firms in the world, the company now faces potential collapse. More shocking, CEO Sion Alexander Robin has been reported missing in the incident."

The screen showed a clear photo of Sion. Roura stepped back, her confusion mounting. When the television abruptly turned off, the room grew eerily silent.

"Yeah, that's my name," Sion admitted.

Roura was visibly shocked, unable to believe that such a prominent CEO, a key figure in Mayro City, was standing alone in her room without any security.

"No, you can't be Mr. Sion, the CEO of Robin Group," she stammered.

"Are you blind? Didn't you see that massive photo in the news? That's me," Sion replied.

Roura stared at him, trying to process the information. The resemblance was undeniable, perhaps identical.

"So... you're dead? And now you're a wandering ghost?" she asked.

Sion shrugged, looking unconcerned by her terrified expression.

"Who knows? But if I'm dead, why am I not in the afterlife? Why am I still here? That's what confuses me," Sion said.

Roura chuckled softly, though a hint of fear lingered in her heart. Upon closer inspection, the ghost before her wasn't scary at all. He was rather handsome, albeit incredibly annoying.

"Maybe because of your sins. The afterlife doesn't want you, leaving you to wander the earth," she quipped.

Her mocking tone made Sion roll his eyes lazily.

"Yeah, whatever. If you want to think of me as a restless spirit, go ahead."

Roura swallowed hard to suppress her fear, then pointed toward the door.

"In that case, please leave. Don't bother me anymore! Enjoy your adventures as an annoying street ghost."

Sion glanced at the door before turning back to Roura, shaking his head like a child refusing to go to bed.

"No! I'm not leaving," Sion declared.

"What do you mean 'no'? You have to leave! This is my room, and I don't have time to deal with ghosts," Roura insisted.

Sion sighed softly and approached Roura, acting like a child pleading with his mother. He took her hand-the only part of her he could touch.

"Oh, come on, Roura! Don't be so cruel to a poor ghost. Please help me," Sion begged.

"Leave! I don't want to help a ghost! Do you know? My life is hard enough as it is. I don't need more problems by getting involved with you!" Roura snapped.

Sion, however, casually leaned against her nightstand with a strange smile, as if nothing was wrong.

"Well, in that case, I'm not leaving. I'll keep bothering you until people think you've lost your mind. How about that for a choice?"