After Irina left, Ezra sat in the quiet solitude of the library, his focus seemingly absorbed in the pages of a book. The dim lighting from the grand windows cast long shadows over the shelves, the silence only broken by the occasional crackle of the fireplace. He wasn't truly reading, though. His thoughts were far too loud, drowning out the words on the page.
The door creaked open, and Noah stepped inside. His presence was always felt before he spoke—something about his confident stride, the way his black hair fell effortlessly over his forehead, or perhaps the warmth in his brown eyes that contrasted sharply with Ezra's cold demeanor. Noah was handsome in a carefree way, always looking like he belonged in any room he walked into. But today, his smile was subdued, as though weighed down by a lingering sense of guilt.
"Ezra," Noah began, his voice low as he approached the desk. "I'm sorry about this… about you marrying Irina."
Ezra looked up from his book but said nothing. He didn't need to ask what Noah meant. Everyone in the household knew the tension surrounding the marriage. It wasn't a union born out of love but rather out of duty—his Uncle's choice, not his.
"It's fine," Ezra said finally, his tone clipped. "It was your Father's decision."
Noah's expression darkened slightly at the mention of their father. "I know, but… Irina? Of all people, he chose her?" There was clear frustration in Noah's voice now. "She's always been difficult. She treated Celine terribly when they were younger."
Ezra remained silent, his gaze returning to the book, though his mind wandered elsewhere. He had known about Irina's past behavior toward Celine. Everyone did. But it wasn't his place to care—or so he told himself. His marriage to Irina wasn't built on concern or affection.
Noah huffed in exasperation when Ezra didn't respond. "You should… you should control her behavior now that she's your wife. Make sure she doesn't hurt Celine anymore."
Ezra's grip tightened on the book. "Irina is not someone I want to take care of," he said, his voice icy and deliberate. "I don't care about her. I hate her."
Noah studied him for a moment, his frustration simmering down. "Everyone hates her, Ezra. That's no secret."
Ezra's gaze flickered with something unreadable. "She liked you for years," he said, his voice quieter. "But she ended up marrying me instead."
Noah sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "I know. I'm sorry, Erza. If I had done something differently—"
"Don't apologize," Ezra interrupted, his voice firm. "It's no one's fault. Things turned out this way, and I don't care enough to change them."
Noah fell silent for a moment, watching his cousin's stoic expression. Then, in an attempt to lighten the mood, he smiled and said, "You should smile more, you know? You look too serious all the time."
Ezra didn't respond, only offering a slight nod as if to acknowledge the attempt at humor but without any real intention of following through.
Noah shifted the conversation, his expression softening. "Speaking of serious… I've been thinking about Celine a lot recently." His voice was lighter, but there was a glint of warmth when he said her name.
A strange feeling twisted in Ezra's chest. Jealousy. He tried to suppress it, but the feeling lingered, gnawing at him. Celine was a complicated part of his life, but hearing Noah speak of her so casually—so affectionately—only added to the conflict inside him. He didn't care about Irina, but Celine… she was different.
Noah didn't seem to notice Ezra's brief silence, too caught up in his own thoughts. "She's so kind, you know? I just hope she can stay strong, especially with Irina around."
Erza's jaw tightened. He didn't trust himself to respond, so he stayed silent, letting Noah's words hang in the air.
After a few moments, Noah stretched and stood up, a smile back on his face. "I'll leave you to your reading. Just… think about smiling every now and then, alright?" His tone was teasing, but there was an underlying note of sincerity.
Ezra gave a curt nod, watching as Noah left the library, the door closing softly behind him. Alone again, Erza sat in the quiet room, the book still open on the desk, unread. The silence returned, but his thoughts remained unsettled.
He didn't hate Noah for what he said. He only hate Irina. But there was something—some part of him—that couldn't shake the feeling of resentment growing deep inside. Celine. Noah's easy affection for her. His own cold, unfeeling marriage.
It was a strange game fate had played with them all, and Ezra wasn't sure if he was meant to win or lose.