I had just gotten down to the last floor and was about to head out when I heard someone call my name. "Uh, Layla" I turn around to see Diana.
"Yeah?" I replied.
"I heard about what happened earlier, and I'm extremely sorry for everything."
"It's not your fault, so you shouldn't apologize".
"How's your eyes now?" she asked.
"They're fine. Oh, and by the way, I already told Liam," I informed her, seeing her eyes light up with excitement.
"You did?" she exclaimed "Oh, thank you so much, Layla. You're really a great person. If you need me to do anything for you, I'll do it. Just thank you so much."
"It's okay," I paused before adding, "and also, I need you to take me to where my friends are"
"Oh, uhm, I can't, sorry," Diana hesitated.
"But you said you'll do anything I need you to, so what's the problem?"
"Uhm, it's just that Sir Liam doesn't want us to take you there without his permission."
"Why do I need permission to go out? You guys do the same, don't you?"
"Yeah, we do, but Sir Liam warns us not to let you leave the mansion without his permission."
"Well, I don't care, just take me."
"I'm sorry, but I really can't," Diana apologized once again, leaving me feeling imprisoned in a gilded cage.
"He's home right?, Why don't you tell him now?"
"Uhm. I don't think now is the best moment to do so"
"Ah, fine," I relented. I guess I'll have to sneak out then.
As I turned to leave, I accidentally bumped into a lady carrying a tray with a glass of orange juice. She recoiled in fear, apologizing profusely and hurrying away.
"What was that all about?" I asked Diana.
"It's nothing, you shouldn't worry" I watch as she plaster a fake smile on her face.
I could sense that something wasn't right, and her attempts to brush off my concerns only added to the growing tension in the air.
"What do you mean? Everyone's been acting weird since I came back," I pressed, my gaze locked onto her, demanding the truth.
"It's no big deal, you shouldn't worry," Diana replied, her voice faltering as she nervously wiped her sweaty hands on her skirt.
"Hey, tell me the truth and don't lie," I urged, my tone serious and unwavering.
She hesitated for a moment, but finally gave in. "fine. So this is what happened... the girls who blew the detergent into your eyes were extremely tortured and... they were fed alive to wild animals," she confessed, her eyes unable to meet mine as she revealed the horrifying truth.
My hands flew to cover my mouth, my whole body trembling at the cruel fate that had befallen those girls.
"That's... that's extremely ruthless. Oh God," I gasped, struggling to come to terms with the brutality of it all.
"Don't stress yourself about it, Layla. It was indeed deserving, for they shouldn't have done what they did to you. And it's also indeed surprising for Sir Liam to do such for anybody," she explained, her voice tinged with a hint of disbelief.
Confusion clouded my mind as I tried to make sense of it all. "What do you mean?"
"Well, I never expected his highness to be this mad for someone that he had to kill them in cold blood," Diana revealed, her own shock mirroring my own.
"Diana!" a voice calls out to her, interrupting our conversation. With a final nod of gratitude, Diana bid me farewell, leaving me to grapple with the disturbing revelations that had been laid bare before me.
I turned around and started heading out of the mansion. I don't think I can sneak out anymore. It felt impossible, the fear of what could happen if I did so, crept over me.
I made my way to the garden, there was a nearby stream, I walk up to it, stting by the water, my legs immersed, laying down on the grassy ground, gazing up at the clouds. Thoughts of Liam filled my mind, the weight of my feelings heavy on my chest. Could i really harm him as i claimed you would? His strength was undeniable, and the unknown dangers he might possess loomed over me.
Standing up, I began to pace through the garden, finding respite on a nearby bench. Worry and fear clouded my mind, the thought of upsetting Liam and the consequences causing apprehension to course through me.
Would he feed me to lions in a fit of anger? The guilt for potentially causing him distress weighed heavily on my conscience. I knew an apology was necessary, but he didn't do anything to me when I made him upset. Could he be planning to kill me right now?. Apology is the best option.
Bracing myself, I sprinted back towards the mansion and headed straight to Liam's room.
Standing outside his door, I hesitated. Doubt and uncertainty about the decision flickered in my mind. Should i really be doing this?, Maybe he might have forgotten, because he should have done something by now.
Just as I considered leaving, the door swung open, revealing a somber and disheartened Liam. His eyes were downcast, his disheveled appearance mirroring the turmoil within him. As he lifted his gaze to meet mine, a mix of emotions danced in his eyes.
"What?" Liam's voice was calm.
"Nothing," I replied
As I turned around to leave, I felt a sudden tug on my wrist, pulling me back into Liam's room. Startled, I found myself pressed against the closed door, Liam's hands on either side of my head.
"Uhm, w-what do you think you're doing?" I stammered, unsure of his intentions.
"It's me who's to ask that. Why did you come?" Liam's voice held a tinge of sadness that made my kinda heart ache. I'm really not developing anything for him, i can't be, and I won't, no.
"It's nothing. I mistakenly hit your door. So let me go now," I said, attempting to push his chest away to free myself.
Liam released me without resistance and went to sit by the window, where a strange rectangular thing with white and black buttons caught my attention. As he pressed the buttons, a beautiful melody filled the room, and he finally turned to me.
"You can go now," Liam said softly, his gaze distant as he returned to his activity.
"Oh, uh, okay," I murmured, stepping out of the room and closing the door behind me. However, curiosity got the better of me, and I lingered outside, peeking through the slightly opened door to watch Liam engrossed in his music-making device, lost in the enchanting sounds it produced.
I felt a tap on my shoulder, causing me to freeze in place. Slowly, I turned around to see Hannah standing there, wearing a warm smile.
"Oh, uhm, Hannah, what are you doing here?"
"I came to deliver this letter to his highness," she explained, holding out a sealed envelope.
"So, what are you doing here?" she asked.
I hesitated for a moment, trying to come up with a response. "Uh, it's... nothing important. Let me give him the letter instead"
"Sure, no problem" she hands me the envelope, waves goodbye and walks away.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door and walked towards Liam, who was engrossed in playing music. As he noticed my approach, he stopped playing and turned to face me.
"Oh, uhm, hi," I stammered, feeling slightly nervous under his gaze. I held out the letter to him, my hand trembling slightly.
"For you," I said softly, watching as he took the envelope from me and began to read its contents. I stood there, silently observing his reaction as he scanned the letter.
Liam raised his head, the strands of his hair falling over his eyes, and a small smile tugged at his lips.
"Come here," he said, stretching out his hands towards me.
"Hmm? Come where?" I asked.
Before I could react, Liam pulled me into a tight hug, enveloping me in his warmth. My heart skipped a beat as I melted into his embrace.
After allowing myself to sink into his embrace for just a moment, I gathered the courage to pull away gently.
"I should go now," I murmured.
"No," he protested, his gaze unwavering as he stood up slowly, towering over me.
"You came to apologize, didn't you?" he asked, his eyes intense as they locked onto mine.
I couldn't help but look away, feeling exposed under his penetrating gaze.
"Uh, no," I stammered, crossing my arms defensively.
"Yes, you did," he insisted, seeing through my feeble attempt to deny it.
"No, I didn't. H-how did you even know?"
"How wouldn't I?"
"Well, I'm leaving now," I announced, turning to make my escape. However, before I could take a step, I felt his hands on my waist, pulling me back towards him. My heart raced at his closeness, and I could sense his intent as his eyes traced the outline of my lips.
"You're not," he declared softly, his focus still on my lips, sending a shiver down my spine.
"Uhm, m-move away then."
He slowly brought his face closer to mine, his eyes closing as his lips inched closer to mine. Just as our lips almost touched, I halted him by pressing my hand against his chest, breaking the magnetic pull between us. He paused, opening his eyes slowly and retreating back to his chair, his expression a mixture of sadness and longing.
"Uhm, I should go now," i said softly, looking at Liam's downcast expression, waiting for his reaction.
He simply folded his arms and looked away, his long white hair falling over his face.
"Oh, uhm by the way... y-you were right when you said I came to, uhm, apolo... apo" I stumbled over my words.
Liam turned his head back to look at me, a small smile playing on his lips. He unfolded his hands and stood up, drawing closer to me, and wrapping his hands around my waist.
"Go on," he encouraged, his sharp canines peeking through as he spoke.
"Uhm, you were right when you said I came to, uhm, apolo... apolo" I tried again, but Liam didn't let me finish as he leaned in to give me a quick peck on the lips.
"Say it."
I furrowed your brows, frustration crawling in me "You know what I want to say."
"I want to hear you say it," Liam insisted, his gaze locking with mine.
With a sigh, I relented. "Well, you were right when you said I am came to, uhm, apolo...," I spoke, only to be interrupted again by another gentle kiss from Liam.
"Wh..." I started, but he cut you off with another peck, his warm lips against mine causing my heart to flutter.
"Now, say it," Liam urged with a smile, his eyes searching mine.
"Fine," I sigh, closing my eyes and taking a moment to collect myself. "You were right when you said I came to, uhm, apolo..., apo, uhm You were right when you said I came to a-po... apologize. I'm sorry, okay?" I confessed, meeting Liam's gaze as he pulled me in for a tender kiss.
I watched as Liam pulled his lips away from mine, his gaze intense as he looked into my eyes, a sense of fear creeping up within me.
"You heard me right, so don't kill me," I said, unable to hide the nervousness in my voice.
"Why would I want to kill you?" Liam's voice was surprisingly calm, his expression unreadable.
"You are a dangerous person, and not safe to be around with. If I upset you, you might just kill me," I blurted out, my heart pounding in my chest. Liam's grip on my waist slowly loosened.
"Hmm," he muttered, sitting back down on his chair and turning away to fiddle with the device he had been playing with earlier.
Regret flooded my thoughts - oh no, what have I done? I had come here to apologize, not to add to the tension.
I slowly walk out of Liam's room, making my way back to the peaceful garden, feeling the cool evening air brushing against my skin. As I lay down, gazing up at the changing colors of the sky, a wave of conflicting emotions washed over me. Why do I feel bad? But he deserves it, right? I really need to see Mariam and the rest. I can't afford to let my guard down.
Lost in my thoughts, the sounds of cars zooming away snapped me back to reality. Could that be Liam leaving? Where is he going anyway? He always seems so strong and I can't shake this feeling that nothing I do would be able to stop him.
With a sigh, I stood up and made my way back inside the grand mansion, heading straight for the kitchen. A lady was already there, a vision of beauty with her long silk black hair cascading elegantly around her.
"I'm hungry. Is there something I can eat?" She turned around slowly, her smile lighting up her face as she confirmed, "Yes, there's something to eat. I just made saucy beef and burgers. I'll serve them, give me a minute."
I watched as she dished out the food onto a ceramic plate before walking back over to me, a tray in hand. She handed me the tray with a bottle of water and a glass cup.
"Enjoy," she said before going back to her tasks.
Balancing the tray in my hands, I made my way to the cozy living room and settled onto a plush sofa, placing the tray on a delicate table.
I began to eat, savoring the flavors as I glanced around the room. The remote control for the large television caught my eye, beckoning me to touch.
Uncertain of which button to press, I hesitated, glancing around for anyone. Finding none, I decided to take a chance and pressed a button at random, watching in surprise as the screen flickered to life.
"Ah," I murmured, setting the remote back down and letting myself get lost in the drama unfolding on the TV screen.