Raviel carried the warm, healthy meal Amara had prepared and gently entered Nao's room. His eyes carefully scanned the tray—nothing seemed off. As he placed it on the side table, Wick quickly slipped away from the hallway and rushed toward Isadora's chambers.
"My lady," Wick said, slightly out of breath. "I couldn't add the poison… Raviel took the meal before I could do anything."
Isadora, lounging with an untouched glass of wine in hand, didn't even flinch. She gave a slow, calculated smile.
"No need to panic," she said smoothly. "We still have other ways to poison him. Patience, Wick. He'll fall soon—bit by bit."
—
At a lavish restaurant in the city, Elias and Adrian sat at a table surrounded by elegant lighting and soft classical music. The waiter had just left after taking their orders, but Elias's mind was far from the food.
"You look stressed," Adrian commented, leaning back with a slight frown. "Is everything okay?"
Elias hesitated, then admitted softly, "I'm thinking about Nao… I feel like something's wrong."
Adrian leaned in closer, his voice dropping low. "Why are you always thinking about someone else?" he said with a half-smirk. "You should only be thinking about me."
Elias blinked, a little surprised.
"If you disobey me again," Adrian added with a mischievous yet dark glint in his eyes, "you know I'll have to punish you. And you remember how I punish you… right?"
Elias looked away, biting his lip, unsure whether to feel uneasy or flustered.
Suddenly, a cheerful voice interrupted their moment.
"Adrian? What a surprise—long time no see!" A girl with soft curls and a bright smile approached their table.
Adrian looked up and blinked, recognizing her instantly. "Linda?" he said, standing slightly. "Wow, it's been a while. How have you been?"
Linda chuckled, tossing her hair over one shoulder. "I should be asking you that. You didn't even call me after summer break!"
Adrian scratched the back of his neck with a sheepish grin. "I lost my phone—and with the new one, I didn't have your number saved."
Linda narrowed her eyes playfully. "Mm-hmm, sure. May I join you?"
"Of course," Adrian gestured to the seat beside Elias. "Have a seat."
As Linda sat down, Adrian gestured toward Elias. "By the way, this is my friend, Elias."
Linda turned to Elias, flashing him a charming smile. "Nice to meet you, Elias. You're kinda cute."
Elias blinked, a bit caught off guard. He gave a polite nod. "Uh… thanks."
Adrian leaned back in his seat, arms crossed as he watched the interaction with an unreadable expression.
Linda glanced toward the entrance and said, "I actually came with a friend—oh, there he is!" She waved her hand. "Jason! Over here!"
A tall guy with sharp features and a casual smile walked over. Linda stood slightly and introduced, "Jason, this is Adrian, and that's Elias."
Jason nodded politely to Adrian, then turned his gaze to Elias. His smile widened. "He's kinda cute."
Linda chuckled. "I know, right? I noticed that too."
Adrian's jaw clenched slightly, his eyes narrowing.
Jason took the seat beside Elias and leaned in a little. "So, Elias… are you into books and reading?"
Elias blinked in surprise. "Yeah… how did you know?"
Jason shrugged with a smile. "Just a guess. You give off that vibe. And, well, the glasses helped."
Elias smiled shyly. "You're not wrong."
Before Jason could say more, the waiter arrived, setting down plates of food. The aroma filled the space, but Adrian didn't even glance at his meal.
His gaze was locked on Elias and Jason, his expression unreadable—but his grip on the fork was just a little too tight.
Linda picked up her fork and said casually, "So, how do you all know each other?"
Adrian didn't answer right away. His eyes were still fixed on Elias.
After dinner, the group stepped out of the restaurant. The night air was cool, and laughter echoed from nearby tables. Jason walked beside Elias, chatting enthusiastically.
"I had a great time," Jason said with a warm smile. "You've got a quiet vibe, but I can tell you're interesting."
Elias chuckled softly. "Thanks, I guess…"
Jason handed him a small card. "Here—this is my number. There's this hidden bookstore in the city that has a rare collection. I swear I've seen that 'Blue Story' you mentioned. Call me sometime, I'll take you there."
Elias smiled politely. "Alright, thanks, Jason."
Linda and Jason headed to their car, waving goodbye.
Adrian stood beside his car, silent and stiff. As soon as Jason was out of sight, he grabbed Elias's wrist—tightly.
"Adrian…?" Elias looked up, confused and slightly alarmed.
"Get in the car," Adrian muttered.
The drive was silent. Adrian's expression was unreadable, but his clenched jaw said enough. Elias sat nervously, glancing at him now and then.
The car pulled up in front of a beautiful, secluded house. It was modern and stylish, hidden behind tall trees and stone walls.
Elias looked around. "Whose place is this?"
Adrian didn't reply. He stepped out, walked around, opened Elias's door, and pulled him out by the hand. They entered the house.
"It's my private place," Adrian finally said, voice low.
"Why… why are we here?" Elias asked, his voice small.
Adrian turned to face him, eyes burning with something dark—jealousy, frustration… desire. "You were smiling at him," he said.
"Jason?" Elias blinked. "We were just talking—"
"You disobeyed me," Adrian cut in, stepping closer. "And you know what happens when you do that…"
He backed Elias toward the wall, his voice dropping. "I told you… if you break the rules, you'll be punished."