For years, he had worried about Ryus not dating, even questioning his preferences at one point. That concern had nagged at him endlessly.
To think Ryus was simply this pure-hearted, waiting for his childhood sweetheart…
Wait.
That wasn’t the issue here!
Raising an eyebrow, he spoke in a deliberately indifferent tone. “Is that so.”
So, this was Ryus’ type?
Looking at the dazed girl, his gaze brimmed with critique. She had no manners, not even greeting him—a man who might very well become her future in-law.
But he realized he was mistaken. It wasn’t that she didn’t greet him—it was that she didn’t seem to notice him at all.
“Uncle…”
The girl tugged on Neil’s sleeve, her upturned face filled with confusion. “Aren’t we supposed to eat cake while waiting for him?”
Neil blinked, then smiled. “Yes, I will prepare some for you right away.”
“Hm! Hm! Hm!”
The girl smiled brightly, her dark eyes shimmering like a galaxy of stars, breathtakingly beautiful.
From her entrance to Neil’s courteous bow as he led her away, she never once looked at Night Boyan.
Standing there, watching the pair disappear from sight, Night Boyan’s mouth twitched.
Had he just been completely ignored?
That girl…
She was insufferably arrogant!
“But… you don’t hate her.”
Asake swirled the wine in his glass, his tone so certain it sounded like a mere statement of fact.
The crystal chandelier’s light reflected in the glass, creating dazzling ripples.
Night Boyan paused for a moment before sighing. “Asake, sometimes I think your intelligence is downright terrifying.”
Asake smiled faintly, a clean, radiant expression that seemed to drain the room of color for a moment.
“It’s true—I don’t hate her. I just think that girl… is dangerous.”
The smile faded slightly, and a complicated expression flickered across Night Boyan’s eyes. “At first glance, she doesn’t seem threatening at all. But… there’s something complex about her aura.”
He couldn’t explain it, but it was undoubtedly…
Something one would be better off avoiding.
His gaze shifted to Asake, his eyes as deep and unfathomable as an abyss. “Even so, I trust Ryus’ judgment. Does that make me conflicted?”
“Who knows?”
Lifting the glass to his lips, Asake’s long lashes cast intricate shadows as he smiled—a smile as fleeting and dazzling as a blooming epiphyllum.
“Still… it feels unpleasant.”
“What?” Night Boyan blinked, perplexed.
“I mean…”
Asake drained the glass of wine, his lips, stained by the drink, appearing even more bewitching. His tone carried a faint amusement, its deeper meaning elusive.
“Having so many people eyeing my prey—it’s an awful feeling.”
Night Boyan’s fingers stiffened slightly.
He looked at Asake in disbelief.
The possessiveness in those words was undeniable.
Was he declaring that…
That girl was his?
Was this…
A declaration of sovereignty?
Who on earth was that girl?
The luxuriously decorated room was quiet. Expensive crystal chandeliers glittered above, elegant bookshelves lined the walls, and a crystal coffee table bore crumbs of cake, scattered carelessly.
Lying peacefully on the sofa, her lips still stained with cream, Avira appeared to have fallen asleep.
Her long lashes caught the chandelier’s brilliance, occasionally trembling lightly, like delicate butterflies resting cautiously, as if afraid to disturb her dreams.
A few strands of hair slipped loose from her ribbon, lazily brushing against her flushed cheeks, creating a striking contrast with the white fabric of the sofa.
Suddenly— crash—the sound of breaking glass shattered the silence.
Avira frowned slightly, her lashes fluttering before she slowly opened her drowsy eyes.
“Hm…?”
A peculiar female voice rang out.
She turned toward the towering bookshelf that reached the ceiling.
The sound seemed to have come from there.
Rubbing her eyes, she shuffled toward the source of the noise.
The light reflected off the shards of glass, scattering like a rainbow.
In the lavishly extravagant room, her gaze fell on…
A boy with hair as black as ink.
Leaning against the wall, his tall figure exuded elegance. Silver-rimmed glasses framed his face, and the open collar of his white shirt revealed delicate skin and a perfectly sculpted collarbone.
Despite his casual posture, he seemed refined and graceful, like a pristine student council president.
Behind the thin lenses, his dark eyes gleamed like polished obsidian, impossibly pure, untouched by the mundane world.
“A kiss… shouldn’t the boy take the initiative for such things?”
Long fingers brushed through the girl’s hair, and his thin, beautiful lips curved into a gentle smile—pure and serene like a white lotus.
“You really… like me that much?”
