You Have A Guest
Everly slowly woke up as she heard the door open. Ivan entered the room and approached her. "Hey, Ivan?" she said, still half asleep as she sat up on the bed.
"Hey there," he replied quietly, sitting down beside her.
Looking at the clock, Everly realized it was almost midnight. "You're back?" she asked, still groggy.
"Yeah, did you fall asleep waiting?" Ivan asked softly.
Rubbing her eyes, Everly tried to wake up more. "How did it go? Where's Ania?" she trailed off, her voice filled with concern.
Ivan reassured her with a touch on her shoulder. "Calm down. Everything went well and I dropped Ania off at home" he assured her. "Don't worry, Everly. I'm okay," He shifted close to her and laid his head on her lap "Right now, I just want to rest. I'm really tired," he said, closing his eyes as some of his hair covered his face.
Everly gently brushed Ivan's hair away from his face and looked down at him. A small smile appeared on her lips as he was slowly drifted off to sleep.
She blushed a little, feeling something. Was she falling for Ivan? She quickly shook her head, dismissing the idea. Their marriage was just a contract, nothing more.
Moving her hand away from Ivan's forehead, she was surprised when he gently took it and placed it back. "I want to stay like this for a while," he said, sounding tired.
Everly complied, softly stroking his forehead and brushing his hair. "You're different when it's just us," she said quietly.
"How?" he asked, his voice soft but curious.
"Well, back there, you were like someone I've never seen before... It was a bit scary," she admitted.
Despite everything that had happened, she found herself coping surprisingly well. She knew this was just the beginning of her journey if she wanted to avenge her mother.
Before she could say more, she noticed Ivan had already fallen asleep, his breathing steady. She smiled and continued to stroke his hair as she watched him sleep peacefully.
The next morning, Everly woke up to the melodic chirping of birds and the gentle warmth of the morning sun shining through the window.
With a sleepy stretch, she sat up, her hair tousled from sleep. Ivan was already seated in an elegant chair beside the bed, engrossed in a book. He looked up with a bright smile.
"Good morning," he greeted, setting aside his book. "Did you sleep well?"
"Mhm," Everly replied with a nod, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she slipped on a pair of soft slippers kept beside the bed.
She headed to the bathroom to wash her face. The sound of running water echoed in the quiet room.
As she came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, Everly found Ivan's gaze fixed on her.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Taking a seat at her desk, she picked up a brush and began to work through her hair.
Ivan chuckled softly, his eyes warm with affection. "It's just... you always manage to look beautiful, no matter the situation.
Everly felt a blush creep up her cheeks at the unexpected compliment. "Thank you," she murmured, a shy smile tugging at her lips.
With a nod, Ivan stood up. "Breakfast will be ready soon. I'll be downstairs. Join me when you're ready," he said, heading towards the door.
Just before leaving, he paused with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Oh, and I have a surprise for you later," he added with a small laugh before closing the door behind him.
She set the brush back down on the table with a frustrated huff. "Argh! 'Thank you'? What kind of response was that, Everly?" she muttered to herself, feeling a pang of embarrassment.
Picking up the brush once more, she began to absentmindedly twirl it between her fingers. "What's wrong with me these days?" she mused aloud, her thoughts swirling in her mind.
"Am I falling in love with him?" She asked herself. Everly quickly shook her head, as if trying to get rid of the thoughts.
"No, no, stop thinking like that, Everly," she chided herself. "This marriage was just a deal, after all. It's nothing serious."
She let out a heavy sigh. "I wouldn't even be here if Mom's death wasn't a murder," she reasoned, her words filled with bitterness.
"I mean, what would I still be doing here if the person I signed this contract for is already dead?"
"I need all the help I can get if I'm going to avenge you, Mother," her voice suddenly filled with sadness. With that, she abandoned the brush and rose from her seat, entering the bathroom once more to get ready.
About half an hour later, Everly walked down the grand staircase, her footsteps echoing softly in the expansive foyer. She wore a pair of jeans and a simple black shirt. Her hair was casually swept to one side.
As she entered the dining room, Ivan, already seated at the head of the table, greeted her with a warm smile.
"Ah, just in time," he remarked, gesturing for her to take a seat beside him.
Everly nodded and made her way around the table to where Ivan sat. Moments later, the maids entered the room and delicately placed an array of dishes on the table before they silently left.
Ivan glanced at Everly, noticing she hadn't begun eating yet. "Is something wrong? Do you not like the food?" he inquired, concern evident in his voice as he took a slow bite of his meal.
Everly offered a nervous smile. "No, it's nothing. The food looks amazing," she assured him before picking up her utensils and taking a bite.
After a few minutes of quiet dining, Ivan broke the silence. "Remember how I said I had a surprise for you earlier?" he began, his gaze fixed on his plate.
Everly nodded. "Yeah, what about it?" she asked, dabbing her mouth with a napkin.
"When we're done eating, I have something to show you," Ivan explained, his eyes meeting hers briefly before returning to his meal.
"Something to show me?" Everly asked with a raised brow.
Ivan paused, setting down his fork and meeting her gaze directly. "Remember the events of yesterday? We were trying to catch the person responsible for your mother's death," he asked.
Everly nodded slowly as she recalled the events of the previous day.
"Well, you have a guest," Ivan announced, a small smile played on his lips as he watched Everly's reaction.
"A guest?....."