Sheyaan had already slipped into a deep peaceful sleep Zavian's gaze lingered on her innocent face.
a softness appearing in his eyes wwith unmost care he gently laid her down on the pillow.
and pulled a blanket over her as if afraid to disturb her even in the slightest.
stood up from the bed and for a few moments, kept staring at her with those same cold eyes,
as if trying to absorb her very existence into himself. The next moment, he vanished in an instant.
Silence had taken over the entire mansion. Sheyaan and Fangxi were asleep in their respective rooms, but for Zavian, the night had just begun.
Within seconds, he reached his penthouse, where everything was completely quiet.
As Zavian walked toward his room, a sharp voice echoed from behind:
"Zayan! You're such a... liar!"
The moment he heard that voice, Zavian froze in his tracks. He turned around and saw Alisha, Younshu, and Kalene standing behind him.
All three had their arms crossed, staring at him with intense anger. The voice belonged to Alisha.
Pointing her finger at him, she repeated in a flat tone,
"You're a...big liar!"
Without showing any fear, Zavian asked in a calm yet cold voice,
"What.. lie have I told?"
Just then, Younshu stepped forward with a fake smile and said sarcastically:
"Wow… impressive." Memory problems at such a young age!"
The tension inside the penthouse had risen so much that even the air felt heavy.
When Younshu sarcastically questioned Zavian's "memory," Zavian's cold gaze shifted straight toward him.
In an icy voice, Zavian said,
"Think ten times... before you speak… do you even know... who you're standing in front of..,Younshu?"
Seeing Zavian's flat yet intimidating tone, Younshu slightly regained his senses. Stammering a bit, he made a playful face and said,
"I...I.. know… that my friend is standing in...front of me! But!" do you even know... what Alisha said to you?"
Zavian thought for a moment and quickly replied,
"I know… she asked me out for dinner. But I...had something important to take care of, so I...couldn't come."
Hearing his casual response, Alisha's anger flared up. She glared at Zavian and said angrily,
"Do you even know... what time it is..right now?"
Alisha kept her intense gaze fixed on Zavian and finally burst out in anger:
"It's already...11:00 PM! We've been waiting for you.. for so long—without eating or..drinking anything… and now you...show up? At least tell us what kept you so.. busy!"
She crossed her arms over her chest, clearly losing her patience. At that moment, Younshu and Kalene also chimed in together,
"Yeah! Tell us where you... were busy!"
Without any hesitation, Zavian replied in a completely flat tone, without wasting a second:
"Having... dinner."
Hearing that, all three of them were stunned. Silence filled the penthouse, and their mouths were left hanging open.
Alisha seemed to have forgotten how to speak as she stammered in shock:
"Wha...What?! You… you were busy having...dinner? And we've been... starving here waiting for you... all this time!"
Younshu raised his finger in disbelief and said in an almost tearful tone:
"So you didn't even feel a...little bit of concern that we..might be hungry? And you...went there, had a full meal, and came.. back? You're so... selfish!"
Saying that, Younshu started acting like a little kid and went straight to the dining table.
Still whining, he quickly began serving himself chicken and sauce onto his plate.
And without stopping, he began eating at an incredible speed. Food was practically spilling out of his mouth,
yet his complaints didn't stop. Still whining, he said,
"I've been.. hungry for so long… now I'm not listening to...anyone! Hmph!"
Zavian, Alisha, and Kalene stood there, watching Younshu. All three of them were completely shocked at his childish behavior.
While eating, Younshu glanced at Kalene and Alisha and said with his mouth full,
"Come on, guys, you... should eat too! You must be...hungry as well!"
Hearing that, Kalene didn't hesitate much and quickly went to sit at the table.
Alisha gave Zavian one last glare—there was anger in her eyes, but also concern for her people.
Then she silently walked toward the dining table as well. Zavian turned to leave and said in his deep, cold voice,
"You all enjoy your...dinner! I have..something important to do, I'm.. leaving."
He was well aware of their anger toward him yet with a slight edge of irritation in his voice he still added.
"Enjoy your dinner tonight!"
Just then, Younshu said innocently while still whining,
"Yes... yes... now we will enjoy it...for sure!"
Hearing that, a faint smile appeared on Zavian's face as he turned to leave.
Watching Younshu cry like that, Alisha and Kalene couldn't hold back their smiles. Alisha gently patted his head and said,
"Younshu! Why are you...crying like a child? Now stop it."
Kalene continued eating and frowned slightly as he added,
"Yeah, Younshu! Why are you crying...so much?"
Younshu wiped his tears, nodded, and said,
"Hmm... okay!" I'm.. not crying!"
After that, all of them started enjoying their dinner together.
On the other hand, Zavian had already returned to his room after saying his piece.
He went straight to freshen up, then came back wearing an oversized white shirt and black pants,
standing in front of the mirror. Running his fingers through his damp hair, he used a hair dryer to dry them.
Gradually, silence filled the room. Zavian took a deep breath and slipped his hand into his coat pocket.
He took out that same old, wrinkled paper and slowly began to unfold it with his cold hands.
The moment his eyes fell on the words written on it, his body froze.
He was completely shocked. There were only two words written on the paper:
"Queen Valeriana!"
Zavian slowly lifted his gaze in disbelief. His mind started racing.
He quickly pulled out the other old paper that Kalene had given him.
His hands trembled as he unfolded it… but the moment he looked at it, he was utterly stunned.
There was nothing written on that paper.
Zavian's eyes were fixed on the second paper. There were no words on it—only a drawing, carefully sketched with a black pen, depicting a scene that felt like death itself.
In the drawing, a deep and merciless sea was shown. Right in the middle of it, three people were hanging by ropes,
their hands tightly bound behind their backs. They looked completely helpless, trapped within that haunting image.
Zavian drew in a deep cold breath the paper still tightly hold in his hand then.
as if weighed down by this thoughts he slowly lowered himself onto her nearby Chair.
His gaze drifted toward the large window in the room, where the city lights shimmered brightly
but his mind remained trapped within that very image. In a firm, whispering tone, Zavian murmured to himself,
"This means… that unknown servant was trying to tell me… the first page of an old secret...has finally turned."
Zavian folded both of the old papers again and, in a deep, whispering tone, repeated,
"Queen Valeriana!"
A strange smirk appeared on his face, as if he had begun to understand the game.
Just like that, the night passed, and the morning sun entered Fangxi's room with its rays.
Fangxi was still in a deep sleep, lost in what seemed like a beautiful dream, as a wide smile rested on his face.
But that peace didn't last long.
Suddenly, someone opened the door to Fangxi's room and quietly stepped inside.
That person walked straight to his bed and sat right in front of his face.
As Fangxi slowly came out of his dream and opened his eyes, his gaze fell on the figure sitting in front of him.
He was completely shocked, and a terrified scream escaped his throat:
"Aaaaahhh! Moooom! Aaah!"
In fear, Fangxi immediately covered his face and started pleading desperately,
"Please... let me go! Look, I haven't... done anything to you!"
Fangxi was trembling badly. He had tightly wrapped the blanket around his face, as if it were his last shield. Shouting in fear, he said,
"Go away!"
Hearing Zavian's raised voice the unknown person halted for a brief moment atense silence followed.
but only for a second then raising his voice he called out loudly.
"Hey!" look at... me! I'm not a..ghost!"
But Fangxi's fear had completely taken over his mind. He was terrified.
The man tried to slowly pull the blanket away, but Fangxi tightened his grip even more. He wasn't ready to show his face at all.
The person turned out to be just as stubborn. He tried his best to uncover Fangxi's face,
but Fangxi refused to give in. Stammering in fear, he said,
"I told you... go away! Or... or call some exorcist for yourself! I know,... at first they all say they're not ghosts..."
"but then..they kill you... the moment you see them! Just get out...of here!"
Hearing Fangxi's desperate and fear-filled words, the man finally lost his patience. In a loud voice, he said,
"Fine! Now I'll...have to... kill you!"