Rowan's eyes widened in disbelief, his expression betraying genuine surprise. He had not even spoken a word, yet Wanda herself had taken the initiative to make such an offer.

This was unexpected, though not unwelcome. Truthfully, he had already been interested in Wanda from the start not only because of her formidable powers, but because her body and presence carried a unique allure. A woman like her was dangerous, yet at the same time irresistibly captivating.

Wanda's powers were exceptional, but Rowan knew that gaining her heart would not be nearly as difficult if he first claimed her body. After all, there was a timeless truth he firmly believed in: the path to a woman's heart often began with the surrender of her body.

"I am not short of beautiful women at my side," Rowan said evenly, his voice calm but firm. "You may be attractive, Wanda, but that alone is not enough to truly move me."

The words cut her deeply, but she also caught the subtle implication. Not enough to completely move him meant she had at least stirred him somewhat. That tiny glimmer of hope sent a faint joy through her heart.

"Then… what should I do?" Wanda asked softly, her voice trembling with both nervousness and determination.

Rowan's lips curved into a faint smile. He hadn't expected her to be so quick to grasp the meaning, nor so willing to play along.

"Your body," he said as he stepped closer, tilting her chin with his fingers, "is only enough to earn your brother one chance at survival. Do you understand?"

Her eyes shimmered with tears, her entire body trembling at the implication of his words. She knew exactly what he meant.

"If you save Pietro," she whispered, cheeks flushed crimson, "then from this day forward… I will obey you."

She could not bring herself to say the words outright, but "I will obey you" conveyed everything Rowan needed to hear.

He nodded with satisfaction. That was enough. The Scarlet Witch was his now still young, still inexperienced, but already bound to him. A hidden servant in the making.

There was something undeniably enticing about that.

With a flick of his hand, a virtual screen shimmered into existence in the air. On it, Pietro lay sprawled on the floor of a sealed chamber, blood dripping from his mouth, bits of shredded organ mixed in. His breathing was shallow, death already hovering near.

Wanda's expression changed instantly, panic flooding her features. Her brother's injuries were catastrophic, his internal organs so damaged that even emergency treatment might not save him.

"Do not worry," Rowan assured her with a cool smile. "He may be close to death, but I can save him."

From his belt he drew out a glass vial, half-filled with a glowing emerald liquid that seemed to pulse with life itself.

"This is the Water of Life," Rowan explained. "As long as the heart still beats, this can heal any wound."

Wanda's eyes widened, her breath catching. Hope and desperation warred inside her, but then Rowan's tone shifted.

"However… such a thing does not come cheap. A single vial of the Water of Life is worth billions."

He let the sentence hang, deliberately leaving it unfinished. He turned his gaze on her, waiting.

Wanda bit her lip hard, torn between shame and desperation. Rowan smiled at her hesitation, then added casually, "Your brother can last perhaps half an hour more. If you can please me before then, the Water of Life will be yours."

He held the vial in front of her, just beyond her reach.

Wanda's entire face flushed, the color spreading down her neck to her pale skin. She knew exactly what he meant.

With a snap of his fingers, the vibranium shackles binding her wrists and ankles clicked open. Her body slumped to the floor, her arms aching, but she ignored the pain. Desperation drove her to scramble up and clutch Rowan's arm, pleading silently with her eyes for the cure.

Rowan did not yield the vial. He merely looked at her, tilting his head slightly, waiting for her to act.

Her gaze met his. The sheer intensity in his eyes made her ears burn red. She realized she had no choice. If she wanted to save Pietro, she had to do exactly as he demanded.

Trembling, Wanda leaned into his chest.

What followed was clumsy, awkward, and full of tears. She had no experience, no confidence, and very little imagination. Yet she forced herself to go on, pouring all her effort into pleasing him, each movement born of desperation and determination.

Her inexperience, however, was not without its charm. The rawness of her actions, her mortified expression, the way she forced herself to take initiative despite her shame it stirred a primal fire in Rowan. Her awkward attempts, tinged with pain yet brimming with devotion, ignited something far stronger in him than practiced skill ever could.

At last, Rowan gave her a passing grade.

"Take it," he said simply, pressing the cool glass vial against her lips. She lay on the yoga mat, body trembling and mind blank, and he placed the Water of Life between her teeth.

Without another glance, he rose and walked toward the adjoining bathroom. Pausing at the door, he added, "Your brother is next door. Hurry, or it may truly be too late."

His words snapped Wanda from her daze. She scrambled to her feet, hastily pulling her clothes together, the vial clutched tight between her lips. Her legs shook as she staggered out, desperate to save Pietro.

When Rowan emerged from his shower some time later, Wanda was curled up on the couch, arms wrapped around herself. Her hair was damp, her face still flushed.

From the quiet of the sealed chamber came a groan. Pietro was alive.

Rowan smirked. "He should be fully conscious soon. Do you wish to wash as well?"

Wanda hesitated, then nodded faintly. She took the towel he handed her, cheeks burning, and slipped into the shower.

Moments later, Pietro appeared in the living room, clutching his abdomen. His eyes locked on Rowan, immediately wary. He remembered vividly the punch that had crushed his body before darkness claimed him. For a brief, terrifying moment, he had seen his parents reaching for him from the afterlife.

Yet here he was, alive and whole.

"You are my prisoner now," Rowan said casually from the sofa, resting one arm over the backrest as he glanced at Pietro. "I suggest you behave."

Pietro's face fell. Though he had already guessed the truth, hearing it aloud broke what little defiance he had left. He was fast perhaps the fastest man alive but Rowan had not only matched his speed, he had destroyed him with a single blow.

Pietro's heart twisted. What about Wanda? Was she safe?

"Where's Wanda?" he demanded.

Rowan tilted his chin toward the bathroom. The sound of running water answered Pietro's question.

His gaze flicked back to Rowan, who sat there in a loose bathrobe. Pietro's blood ran cold. He understood. His sister was not chained, and he himself was left unrestrained. The conclusion was obvious.

"You…!"

Rage consumed him. With a burst of speed, he lunged, fist raised.

Rowan caught him effortlessly, pressing his face into the ground with a single hand.

"Do you wish for you and your sister to live," Rowan whispered, voice dark and chilling, "or do you prefer to die together?"

The icy words froze Pietro in place. His anger drained, replaced by despair. After a few seconds, he went limp, defeated.

Rowan released him, letting him collapse on the floor.

He pulled out his communicator and placed a call.

"Tulk," he said.

Tulk, once a paratrooper crippled in service, had been given a new life through enhancements and Rowan's gifts. Now captain of the super-soldier division, he was one of Rowan's most loyal men.

"You'll report to Captain Tulk from now on," Rowan told Pietro. "Serve my company for ten years, and both you and your sister will be free. Perform well, and I may even shorten the term."

Pietro sat up sharply, eyes wide. "You mean it? Ten years of service, and Wanda and I go free?"

Rowan nodded calmly. "Of course."

He was only half truthful. In ten years' time, he would have Wanda fully under his control if not as his servant, then as the mother of his child. Her bloodline was too valuable to let slip away.

The Scarlet Witch, he thought with satisfaction, was more than worthy to bear his heir.

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