Sneaking in

September 27, 2022.

Everything's falling apart.

The dynasty I had built in hating him is collapsing all around me and the only way I can make it stable once again, is to get undeniable evidence that he did it.

That he killed Mom and Dad.

That he ruined my life.

I don't want to keep feeling confused in matters related to him.

He's making my life a complete mess again...

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Haven pushed open the front door of the mansion and stepped in. The second the door closed behind her she was faced by Damien who seemed to be waiting for someone or something by the door.

He breathed out, his shoulders sagging down in relief. "Finally! Are you okay? I heard what happened through Theo."

She nodded with a small smile, unused to having someone care about her well-being apart from either Lily or Gavin. "Did he drop Lily back to her house safely?"

"I think so since his tone sounded less than amiable when I called him." Damien snickered while Haven mentally noted down inside her head to call Lily as soon as she went up to her room.

"Where's everybody? Abigail and Theodore?"

Damien stared at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Don't you all live here?"

The corners of his eyes crinkled, his eyelids falling shut as he burst out laughing. " We all have our own houses to live in, Aven. The only people living here permanently are you and Zei." he winked.

She punched him on the shoulder and he pouted, his eyes widening as if he was about to cry. Haven giggled, waving him goodnight as he exited the house and she turned toward her room with a small sigh.

Her eyes fell close in a blissful surrender as soon as her exhausted body sank into the embrace of the irresistibly warm and luxuriously soft sheets that adorned the bed.

———

A faint, gentle knock resonated through the room, drawing her attention from the realm of dreams. The door creaked open, its movement accompanied by a whisper of air, as a man stepped inside and softly closed it behind him, making sure that she hadn't awoken by the noise he had made.

Zei, overcome by a sense of awe and wonder, cautiously lowered himself into a crouched position beside the bed, his body instinctively curling up into a small ball.

His eyes, wide with a mixture of innocence and intrigue, fixated upon her face, captivated by its tranquil and serene countenance. The room fell silent, save for the soft rhythm of their breaths, as Zei's insatiable curiosity manifested in his unwavering gaze, longing to unravel the mysteries concealed within the depths of her peaceful expression.

With a sudden jolt of awareness, he came to the realization that he had been captivated by her face for so long that it felt like he could have spent an entire night lost in the depths of her mesmerizing gaze.

Each delicate feature, from her gracefully arched eyebrows to the soft curve of her lips, held an irresistible allure that held him in a trance. Time seemed to stand still as he contemplated the profound beauty before him.

Lost in his reverie, he didn't anticipate the moment when her eyes would flutter open, revealing the vibrant amber hue that had been concealed until now.

Startled by her awakening, Zei found himself frozen in place, his heart racing with a mix of exhilaration and apprehension. Suddenly aware of the intrusion he had committed, his heart sank, regret flooding his senses.

In a swift and unexpected motion, she grabbed the nearest pillow and, with a skillful throw, directed it toward his face.

The impact jolted him out of his stunned state, the soft fabric grazing his cheek as a reminder of his foolishness. He staggered backward, his expression transforming from awe to sheepishness in an instant.

"What. Are. You. Doing. Here?" she questioned, her eyes narrowing down into slits of anger and frustration at noticing his presence in the room. How long had he been sitting there and—

"..."

Was he staring at her face the whole time...?

Impossible.

Nonsense.

She felt like slapping herself at the sudden, absurd thought.

He dodged her question. "You haven't worn a single dress from the closet," Zei stated.

Haven raised her brow. "So?"

"Why?"

She wondered what excuse she should make this time. Making him understand that she didn't want to be a burden would take too much time. Telling him that wearing clothes that her parent's murderer had bought was too inappropriate. So she went with the least troublesome solution.

"I feel more comfortable—"

"You don't like them."

She frowned seeing him get up, his posture defeated as if he was disappointed in himself because of something. She didn't like what? She could feel the tendrils of confusion tightening in her mind, weaving an intricate web of unanswered questions.

As he turned and walked away from the room, a sense of bewilderment settled deep within her, leaving her feeling disoriented and yearning for clarity. Sleep once again, felt as far away as the stars in the sky and she didn't know what to do to make her brain shut down after he had left.

Getting up, she pulled out a small diary from her hoodie's pocket. Before heading to Lily's house she had bought a new one since the old one was probably swimming in a sewer somewhere in City Z.

For the first time, she didn't lean back in her chair and wonder what she was supposed to write. The only one she knew what to write about was him.

How much she hated him.

And how much he frustrated her.