Roman’s POV
Just then, there was a knock on the door and Jason opened it. The next mont, the tempting scent of chocolate pancakes filled the room.
Jason looked at her first and then at . Seeing her crying must have made him quiet."Breakfast is almost ready," he managed to say sohow. "Co out."
I humd and turned to her. "Let’s go. Your favourite food is being made today."
I knew these things mattered very little compared to her pain, but we needed reasons to keep talking to her, to keep communicating—even when they seed unimportant to her.
Jason offered a light nod and left.
Among the five of us, he was still the most distant from her. I had been close to her since the day we brought her back.
Later, Lucian started to show a softer side by making her favourite food. Even Kael had softened, to the extent of taking her to his room—so unlike him. Rafe hadn’t complained about her scent, and didn’t distance himself from her these days.
But Jason... Though, he showed so consideration toward her by making that dish on the evening of the Moon Festival, there was still a wide distance between them. We could see he cared and worried for her just as much as we did, but he couldn’t bring himself to say anything or co to her, as if sothing was stopping him.
I could only conclude it was his guilt—the guilt of torturing her that night in the stable, and of adding celery to her al despite knowing she was allergic to it.
But then, Lucian was involved too, and he had been no less cruel to her, yet he managed to set his guilt aside. I wasn’t sure what was going on in Jason’s mind since the day we learned Eira was innocent.
Just then, Fluffy ca inside the room as Jason had left the door open. He must have been the one to direct Fluffy here for her sake. I let her go as Fluffy wagged his tail excitedly, reaching her and licking her tear-streaked face.
She wiped her eyes and hugged him, calming her emotions in his warmth.
Well, hugging her pet was far more effective than hugging any of us. Her pets truly won against us in this.
As she spent ti with him, I brought a wet cloth to clean her face. Once done, I even got the moisturiser and applied it to her skin while she gave all her attention to petting her pet. It felt like I was tending to a little girl—and I liked it.
If she had a daughter, she would be just like her, and I would love to take care of her. If there is a slightest chance in the future when she accepted us, I would like her to have a daughter with .
Our daughter. The thought made look forward to that future.
I was sure her son must be as adorable as she was. I couldn’t wait to et him, and I was certain it wouldn’t be long. The only wish I had was that he would be like his mother, and not like his asshole father—whom we were going to kill the mont we got our hands on him.
Kael was downstairs as well, everyone waiting for her to co out and have breakfast together. From today onward, we were going to have her sit with us like family at the dining table.
Lucian had pulled out a chair for her. This ti it wasn’t at the far end of the table, but closest to the head chair where Kael sat—on his left side, where Lucian usually sat. He was giving his place to her.
I made her sit there, while I sat in my usual chair next to hers. Kael sat at the head, Rafe on Kael’s right, with Lucian and Jason next to him.
The table was full of everything Eira liked. Lucian was our best source for knowing her preferences. That bastard still hadn’t revealed how he knew them.
The al looked more like a feast than a simple breakfast. It was past breakfast ti anyway, so our skilled cooks had turned the spread into more of a lunch course.
There was a stack of pancakes, and Lucian served them to Eira, setting the dish in front of her with chocolate spread on top.
Jason had once more cooked that special dish from the Moon Festival evening and served it to her. Kael added other items to her plate while he and Rafe silently watched.
"Let’s start," Lucian said. As we all picked up our spoons and forks, we waited for her—her gaze still lowered.
"Eira, you can start," I nudged her gently.
She began with the pancakes first, then the special dish Jason had cooked.
While Kael cut the steak into pieces and replaced his plate with hers, he said, "You should eat more at."
She obeyed and continued eating.
"It’s been a while since we’ve gone out for a vacation," Lucian said. "How about we plan one?"
"That’s indeed a good idea," I replied. "Where should we go—beaches or mountains?"
I looked at Eira. "What would you like to visit, beaches or mountains?"
She didn’t reply, but soone else spoke. "The beaches on the western coastline are perfect to visit in this weather. We should go there."
His words ca out with finality, as if he had already decided.
"Eira, are you fine with going to the beach?" I asked.
She didn’t reply, but Jason did. "She is."
All of us looked at him this ti, only to see him digging into his dish as if he hadn’t noticed our gazes.
"Just fix the day you guys are okay with," Jason said.
"Alright! Beach it is then," Lucian said quickly.
If one of us insisted on sothing, the rest of us always followed his wishes.
The breakfast was over. We had to discuss the trip while Eira stood up, walked to the glass-sized window, and looked for sothing.
Rafe went to her—he never really liked planning trips and simply followed us wherever we decided.
"Vixen is outside in the garden," he said, signaling her to look through the glass.
Vixen was lazing on the grass, enjoying the sunbath, stretching, and rolling on the grassy bed.
"She is waiting for you," he said and led her outside the ho.
We were all a little surprised that he was finally getting close to her and speaking to her on his own. None of us minded, so we continued discussing when to leave for the trip.
Through the window, we saw the two of them sitting next to Vixen, petting her, while Rafe leaned closer and whispered sothing in Eira’s ear.
She looked at him, uncertain, and he simply raised a brow as if asking her a question. Then he pointed toward the rear of the ho, clearly suggesting sothing.
"What are they talking about?" I asked.
The others looked just as curious.
After a while, Rafe ca back inside carrying Vixen. He set her gently in her cushioned cat bed. "I’m taking Eira out for a walk."
We exchanged glances, suspicion rising. Why was he suddenly so attentive to her?
"Out where?" I asked.
"Just around the estate," he replied casually. "Walk in the fresh air and sunlight will lighten her mood."
"Don’t take too much ti," Kael instructed, as expected he always sided with Rafe.
The three of us felt uneasy.
Rafe gave us a flat, bored look. "Want to follow us? Feel free to be the third, fourth, and fifth wheel."
"Just go," Lucian said, dismissing him. And with that, the suspicious bat walked out of the ho with mocking grin on his lips.
"Is it too much to doubt such behavior from him?" I muttered.
"Unusual indeed," Jason agreed. "The more relaxed he acts, the more suspicious he is."
"The bastard is skilled in making us doubt him, but we never know what to doubt him about," Lucian frowned. "Bastard is infuriating."
Then we saw him sitting Eira in the electrical cart that was used by garden servants to inspect the estate during their cleaning work.
"Didn’t he just say they were going to walk?" Lucian frowned and stood up from his chair, "Where is the bastard taking her?"
"Don’t worry too much," Kael said. "She’s safe with him."
Of course, we all knew that. But still—we couldn’t help but wonder what he was suddenly up to.
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Rafe’s POV
I could see the doubts in their eyes when I told them I was taking Eira for a walk. I won’t bla them—whatever I did was never normal, and what I was about to do now was definitely not normal.
But I didn’t need to tell them anything or take their permission, because they wouldn’t allow it anyway. This was going to be between her and . When I asked her, she didn’t say yes, but she didn’t say no either. She just followed without showing fear.
I’ll take that as her yes.
I made her sit in the garden cart and we drove towards the far end of the estate, to my most favourite place—the dungeons, the underground prison, or better yet, the torture rooms.
Last ti I was here, it was to carry out punishnt for Lucian and Jason. That had been rather exciting. And I was sure it was going to be even more exciting to be here with Eira.
Let’s see what my kitten’s got.
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