His lighthearted demeanor was infuriating, as if he were merely toying with an irate cat.
It exuded a patience—a deliberate, calculated patience—as though he were training her.
“Is that so…”
Her first attack missed. As she moved past his shoulder, Avira Nassy pivoted nimbly and launched another strike, aiming for his side.
But he effortlessly raised his hand and caught her fist.
That seemingly slender hand completely enveloped hers.
Avira Nassy froze for a brief moment, though it was only fleeting. She quickly sent her other hand chopping toward his neck.
“With just this, you’ll never surpass me.”
He intercepted her strike with ease, his tone breezy and nonchalant, the smile on his lips blooming like a venomous flower, releasing an intoxicating, dark fragrance. “You’ve… grown even weaker than before.”
“So, you’re here, Theo.”
When Mike walked in, the first thing she noticed was the boy standing by the window.
Only then did she see the scattered books lying around, as if hinting that something had just happened in this room.
Beneath her lashes, her tawny eyes glimmered with an enigmatic light as she gazed at the boy standing with his back to her. “Theo, could it be that you’re hiding… a pet from us?”
“Pet?”
Theo repeated the word with amused interest.
The tips of his jet-black hair caught the dazzling light, his silhouette blurred by the moonlight, making him appear as ethereal and majestic as a deity.
His thin lips curved slightly, and his long, slender fingers lazily brushed along the frame of his glasses. “I haven’t.”
“Oh?”
The smile on Mike’s lips deepened further.
Of course, she didn’t believe him.
The air carried a faint, lingering fragrance.
It was so subtle, so fleeting, and yet it felt… familiar.
But it wasn’t his scent—she was certain of that.
“There’s no pet.”
Theo slid his glasses back into place, the beguiling devilishness from moments ago disappearing as quickly as it had come. In its place stood a boy of pristine elegance.
He turned and walked toward the door, a faint smile playing on his lips, breathtakingly beautiful. “It’s just that the girl I like was here, just now.”
*When I think of you, I’ll come find you…*
The girl’s soft, lilting voice brushed past his ears like feathers.
*So… Zyon, I’ll wait for you.*
*But don’t make me wait too long, because if you do…*
*I might not be able to help myself and come find you first.*
Mike blinked, surprised by his candid response, seemingly unprepared for such directness.
She moved closer to the window.
There was something about that fragrance—it felt like she had smelled it somewhere before.
The silver moonlight made his youthful, handsome face appear even more refined, the lingering traces of boyishness adding to its charm.
Then, as though noticing something, a faint smile tugged at the corners of Mike’s lips.
“Thiago.”
A familiar voice drifted from above. Thiago tilted his head upward and glanced at Mike, who was standing on the balcony. He seemed dazed, as if still caught in the remnants of what he had just seen. “Mike… I think I just saw a fairy…”
That girl—was she a fairy?
How else could she have vanished so quickly, as though she was never there to begin with?
A fairy…
Mike narrowed her eyes slightly, a subtle glint flashing through them.
The breeze swept through the garden, carrying the sweet scent of blooming flowers to every corner.
Under the dark night sky, a single rose blooming on the wall quivered slightly, as if startled.
Now he felt it—an itch of curiosity.
He wanted to meet her, that girl Theo seemed to like.
Avira Nassy had just stepped out of the Morbat family’s gates when a car suddenly stopped in front of her.
The dazzling headlights flashed briefly, casting a luminous glow over the luxurious vehicle.
A young man stepped out, dressed in formal attire. His lightly wavy, violet hair fell in soft strands, framing a pair of warm, amber-colored eyes that gleamed with their characteristic gentle smile.
His elegance blended seamlessly into the night, not the least bit out of place.
His long, gloved fingers moved gracefully as he opened the car door for her. Bowing slightly, he smiled and said, “I’ve been waiting for you for quite some time.”
“Cole…?”
Avira Nassy blinked, staring at the suddenly appearing Cole in disbelief.
Huh…
Could it be that what she had been thinking just moments ago… had actually come true?
She had just thought about Cole showing up, and here he was…
And the cake…
The moment the thought crossed her mind, her eyes sparkled with renewed brightness.
Staring at him with her large, glistening eyes, Avira Nassy fixed Cole with an unwavering gaze—one filled with a certain ulterior motive.
Cole’s smile froze for a moment.
Here we go again…
That feeling of being treated like a walking meal ticket.
“But… why is Cole here?”
As the street scenery outside the car window zipped past, Avira Nassy leaned back against the plush seat and asked curiously.
What Cole had said earlier wasn’t that they had simply bumped into each other by chance—it was, *‘I’ve been waiting for you for quite some time.’*
