Chapter 251: A Chaos Loving Brother
He would have asked her immediately if she had not been sleeping so peacefully. With a soft sigh, he knew he could only wait until she woke again.
Ivan would not normally have cared about such matters, but anything connected to someone trying to separate him from his Eve deeply unsettled him, especially knowing that such measures had been taken so early to keep them apart. Something within him told him it was crucial and that he should not dismiss it lightly.
With that thought, he drew in a slow, calming breath just as Eve unconsciously snuggled closer to him. His lips curved faintly at her instinctive movement. Leaning down, he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead before closing his eyes and surrendering once more to a deep, restful slumber.
While the two star-crossed lovers embraced each other in peaceful slumber, the same could not be said for the potential pair who found themselves trapped together in a room back at Dracoria Palace.
Damien had disappeared after saying something along the lines of, "Alright, love birds, I officially cannot survive another second of this suffocating tension between you two, so I am going to take myself on a much-needed mental health walk."
He waved a hand dramatically before adding, "But do try not to make any noise. The palace still believes Evelyn and Ivan are staying here, so whatever you do will reflect very badly on-"
He stopped mid-sentence, eyes lighting up as a wicked grin slowly took over his face. "Actually....no. On second thought, go right ahead." He smirked. "Go wild! Consider it long overdue payback for all the times Ivan has been....let’s say, mean to me."
Straightening, he clapped his hands once. "Right. I am off. Laters!"
Damien practically danced out of the room, abandoning the scene with the satisfaction of a man who had stirred maximum discomfort with minimal effort.
Edward and Cece stared at the closed door in stunned silence, expressions frozen somewhere between disbelief and resignation. After a long moment, they both sighed, already exhausted by Damien and whatever chaos his mouth had unleashed this time.
Cece, dressed in her night attire with her blonde hair left loose, stood as rigid as possible, staring at the door. After a moment, her eyes shifted to the right, only to find Edward turning at the same time, making her flinch.
Trying to smooth over the awkwardness her chaos-loving brother had left behind, she cleared her throat. "D-Don’t mind him, Edward. You know how he loves to push people’s buttons." She offered him a guilty smile.
Edward cleared his throat as well and replied, "Of course. I have come to realise that by now, how much he enjoys other people’s misery." He let out a nervous chuckle, acutely aware of being left alone with Cece after Damien had so blatantly pointed out their developing relationship.
As they stood a few steps apart, his pale blue eyes took in her alluring form, while Cece’s gaze was no less restless. Watching him in his silk white night suit with a robe draped loosely over it, she caught glimpses of his strong, muscular chest, and warmth slowly crept up her cheeks. When her crimson eyes finally lifted to meet his pale blue ones, her heart fluttered at the way he was looking at her.
Cece had never been the type to be captivated by anyone in her life. She had always kept to herself, partly because of her gift, which allowed her to sense people’s intentions. From a very young age, she had recognised the greed, selfishness, and malice that often resided in people’s hearts, especially as they tried their best to get close to her because of her prestigious family background, being related to the king and her status as a pure blood.
But with Edward, it was different.
He was one of the few people in whom she had never sensed even a trace of malice. He was pure and kind. His beautiful face, strong physique, and formidable powers were merely added bonuses to his natural charm, and Cece found herself utterly drawn to the man before her.
The more time she spent with him, the more she admired the strength of his values, values he never once strayed from. And above all, she felt deeply grateful for the way he had stood by Evelyn, her dearest friend. His unwavering loyalty only made her appreciation for him grow with time.
They stood in silence, their gazes softening as they lingered on one another.
As the seconds passed, Edward took a step towards her, then another, until he stood directly in front of her. Parting his lips, he spoke softly, "Cece..."
"Hm?" Cece responded in a daze as she continued to take in his appearance, waiting a little impatiently, eager to hear what he had to say. Edward parted his lips again to speak, but a soft knock at the door interrupted them, snapping them both out of their trance. Their gazes flew to the door, and Edward was the one to answer.
"Who is it?"
"It’s me, Alex," came the reply from behind the door.
Edward’s eyes met Cece’s briefly before he said, "Come in."
At his words, Alex stepped inside, offering a quick bow to both Cece and Edward. He cleared his throat lightly as they waited for him to speak.
Seconds passed, and when he remained silent, Cece narrowed her eyes at him, noting his hesitation, before asking, "What is it, Alex?"
"Lady Cece..." Alex began, his ears turning such a vivid shade of red they practically glowed. He shifted uncomfortably before continuing in a painfully soft voice, "Lord Damien asked me to deliver a message to both of you."
That alone was enough to raise several red flags. Both Cece and Edward exchanged a glance, silently noting how Alex looked less like a messenger and more like a man reconsidering every life choice that had led him to this moment.
An uncomfortable silence followed.
Cece crossed her arms, "Well? Out with it. Just what exactly is my dear brother forcing you to say that has you looking like you are about to flee for your life, Alex?"
"Ahem....yes. Right." Alex cleared his throat, clearly stalling. "He asked me to inform you both to....um....keep it down."
Their expressions froze.
Alex continued, words tumbling out faster now, "Princess Evelyn is still unconscious, according to everyone else in the palace, and Lord Damien felt it was important that I relay this information. Immediately. To both of you."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Colour flooded Cece and Edward’s faces so fast they looked like they might spontaneously combust, both staring at Alex as if he had just confessed to a crime he had not committed but was somehow being punished for anyway.
Alex, meanwhile, looked seconds away from dissolving into the floor. "He also said," he added quickly, refusing to make eye contact, "that he forgot to mention it earlier and....yes....that is all. I wish you both a very pleasant night."
And before either of them could respond, Alex turned on his heel and bolted.
The door closed behind him with an almost apologetic click.
Once safely in the corridor, Alex pressed his lips together, his face still burning, and offered a silent prayer to every deity he knew that Lady Cece would not come storming out to strangle him.
From beside the door came a suspicious choking sound, as though someone were in the middle of suffocating on their own laughter. Alex turned sharply, his red eyes locking onto the culprit, only to find Caleb folded in half, tears streaming down his face, one hand slapped over his mouth in a tragically unsuccessful attempt to stay quiet.
Alex shot him a glare that could have melted stone.
Caleb started shaking harder, his shoulders trembling violently, before completely losing the battle and bursting into laughter.
He laughed so hard he had to brace himself against the wall, gasping for air, before finally managing to regain some semblance of control. Straightening up, he wiped at his eyes and chirped, "You did brilliantly there, Commander. Truly inspiring." He snorted. "Pfft."
Alex let out a long, soul-weary sigh and muttered under his breath, "I wish His Highness would come back soon."
"Oh, Lord Damien would be thrilled right now," Caleb added, still snickering. "This is absolutely his kind of masterpiece."
Alex rubbed his temples and rolled his eyes, painfully aware that somewhere, somehow, Damien was probably basking in this chaos like a man whose life purpose had just been fulfilled.
Inside the room, Cece stood frozen for a full three seconds after the door closed, staring at the wood as though it might suddenly reopen and apologise for everything that had just happened.
It did not.
Slowly, she turned to Edward.
Only to find him looking like a man who had forgotten how lungs worked. His ears were crimson, his shoulders stiff, and his gaze seemed determined to focus on absolutely anything except her face.
As the silence stretched on, it was Cece who broke it first.
"Well," she said faintly.
Edward swallowed. "Yes."
