I opened the door and saw Kalix standing in the hallway in front of my room. He had changed to a comfortable set of silk pajamas.
"Can I… come in?" he asked after a small pause.
"Sure," I said, stepping aside to let him enter. As soon as he stepped in, he closed the door behind him and locked it.
I was taken off guard by his actions, shaking me to my core—until he lined his finger vertically to his lips.
"Shh. There's someone outside. Don't talk loudly," he whispered.
My brows scrunched in confusion. Someone eavesdropping on the young master and miss of the mansion? But why?
"What do you mean?" I asked in a hushed voice.
"Well… what else do you expect from Katherine? It's not the first time she is spying on us, is it?" he whispered back, sliding his hand into his pocket and pulling out a phone.
"Here. Your phone."
My eyes widened as I stared at the shiny phone cover as he held it out to me.
Shit! Why didn't I think of it before? Laurel's phone… there could be so many things in it. So many hints. Clues to Laurel.
"The investigators found it while searching for you. You didn't ask for it either, so I kind of forgot to give it to you," he mumbled.
I took the phone from his hand and turned it on—Laurel's picture on the screen wallpaper.
"Yeah… I actually thought it would've been lost, since… you know, I went missing too, but I'm glad it's fine, Thank you for giving it back." I said.
He just smiled and nodded lightly, turning to leave, but then stopped to face me again.
"Laurel… can I ask you something?" he spoke hesitantly, his hand going up to caress his nape.
"Yes, sure!" I replied with a nervous smile.
"You… do you by any chance still love Cassian?"
As soon as he completed the question, an awkward silence filled the room. I kept staring at him, and he kept looking at me.
Do I still love Cassian?
He meant—does Laurel still love Cassian?
It was a simple question, but I was lost on how to answer it. Any answer might make it harder for me in the future if I wanted to help Laurel—and myself—escape death.
Kalix could see all the expressions shifting on my face, the dilemma in my eyes, the way I kept fidgeting with my fingers.
"I'm… sorry. I shouldn't have asked you that. Sleep tight, okay?" he softly said and gently caressed my head, looking at me with love.
The way he was looking at me—the warmth radiating from his hand to my head, his concern for me from earlier—it all just made me feel one thing:
I'm was no longer alone.
I'm wasn't Dr. Sarah Junes, the orphan.
I am Laurel Miller, the one with a family.
Without even realizing, a lone tear slipped from my left eye, sliding down Laurel's rosy pink cheek.
My tear made Kalix panic instantly, as he began apologizing and asking me what was wrong.
His reaction made me chuckle. I wiped away my tears. Kalix, who was all worried seeing me cry, began smiling when he saw me laugh. His expression was one of pure admiration. He didn't speak a word. He did nothing—just stood there quietly, admiring me.
"It's been years since I've heard your genuine laugh, Laurel… I missed having my baby sister happy, free of all the burdens," Kalix said with a proud smile, looking at me as if I had won a war.
And honestly, it did feel like I had won a war.
Because my brother made me feel like I did.
"Thank you, Kalix. Thank you so much for everything you did for me," I said with a smile. My emotions now were no different from how I felt when he took me to the ice cream parlour. I guess Kalix showering his love on me really did make me feel like a cheery five-year-old.
Is this how it feels—when you have a family?
The one who loves, cares, and adores you?
It felt so good, like all my burdens had been lifted.
Like I had finally been set free.
Kalix stayed with me for another ten minutes before he left me alone to do his work, i was alone again.
Walking back inside the closet i fixed all the mess that was created by someone, specific. after the whole closet was organised—again, i was feeling quite dirty and...sweaty.
I went to the lavish, luxurious bathroom and walked inside the shower cubicle letting the cool water flow over my body.
Today has only been the first day of me here at the Miller state and a lot has taken place already...that means more things are waiting for me...
Things, that can be bad
Or good,
Nobody knows.
After cleansing my whole body i wrapped the baby pink towel around my chest and walked out of the cubicle and stepped towards the basin, staring at Laurel's body,
I sighed, for me, it all still belonged to Laurel Miller, the house, the family, the brother, the wealth, the accessories, the body, the name, all of it, just my soul was mine, the rest of it, nothing was to be owned by me, they were just some things given to me on whim... something i might have to give up on.
Something i shouldn't be getting attached to.
i washed my face with the branded face wash, the almond scent of everything had me feeling like a living dry fruit, almost everything Laurel owned was either almond scented, or vanilla.q
Not like i was complaining about it.
I never thought that i would actually be wearing a specific scented product, but here i was being a living Almond.
i brushed my teeth and went to the closet, and in front of everything was kept a set of royal red silky pajamas.
Laurel Miller herself was a damned version of Richie rich, and I DEFINITELY wasn't hating it~
I walked to her bed and sprawled all over it, a big bed and just me... The room was quite big and luxurious but the best thing about it was the bed, since from living in orphanages to living in the rented apartment, all i ever owned was either a shared mattress or a foldable bed, not ever a real one and now that i had it, it all felt like a dream come true.
i turned on the reading lamp and dimmed all the other lights, and applied a sheet face on my face and got in the perfect position to read the journal —on my stomach— and brought out a bottle of water from the room refrigerator, who said money can't buy happiness?
This is beyond any happinesses out there.