"Happy birthday Aselia," Frila’s sweet voice came through the phone. She had asked her this time around about her birthday and remembered.

"Thanks, Frila for remembering," Aselia was happy on receiving her call.

"My pleasure, there is another good news. So I wanted to personally inform you. We have set the date of our marriage. A month from now, I will be sending you the card once we print it," Frila told her and Aselia could feel the excitement vibrating in her voice.

"That’s wonderful news, congratulations," elven girl wasn’t sure if she would be able to go back to Fritez City or not due to the tension between herself and Xiran.

"Señor Rivan is preparing my dress, we spoke to him the other day and showed him the design. He said he will make a few changes and prepare a spectacular gown for me. I am very happy Aselia and so is Carios."

"I can feel your happiness and both of you deserve this, I am happy for you too," the girls talked some more before Aselia inquired:

"How is your snooty Señor?" Frila hid the laugh that was about to burst out and answered:

"Señor hasn’t been around since you left, he is over at Señor Rivan’s residence. We only spoke on the phone couple of times, so I am not sure."

"I see, thanks again for the lovely wish. I will talk again, until then goodbye," Frila also bid her goodbye before ending the call.

Yurian had an amused smile on his face as he drove the car at a much less speed than Aselia always did.

"So you do worry about him?" he asked with a sly smile on.

"I don’t," her jaw became taut at his mention, she began to stare outside. The landscape was mostly meadows and green fields on this side since this district had agricultural land. Tremais was not as cold as Anthos and Druhias and they didn’t get snow, so although the weather was cold, it wasn’t as cold as those two continents.

"You understand it’s ok to still care for him, I don’t know what he said to you but this much I know that he loves you as no one else can."

"He threatened to kill Aldridge and other hunters if I ever pursued his father. That’s what he said to me, he is controlling and manipulative. I can’t fucking stand people like that, that’s just not who I am," she replied bitterly, her hands fisted.

"Hmm, and yet you stand him. No one is perfect, partner. Everyone comes with their baggage, and one is in love, you have to accept that extra baggage too," Yurain tried reasoning as they entered Hambaria and he took a right turn.

"I don’t know Yuri, I need time to wrap my head around this," silence prevailed between them until they reached a hotel with a red brick building and stopped in the parking space.

"Why are we stopping here? Weren’t we supposed to head to the theme park?" Aselia turned to look at her partner.

"Yes, we will eat first. Come," he got out and so did Aselia. He led her inside, the atmosphere was gloomy and dark, while the restaurant was empty with not a soul insight. Even the front desk had no receptionist as they made their way to the sitting area.

A figure in all white stood in the center of the sitting area, with his hands in his pockets. All tables and chairs had been arranged along the walls. There was no window and the only light source was a tiny gold chandelier that spread its soft rays on his impeccable features, which were hard as he wasn’t smiling.

He knew the moment she made her way through the entrance, for her unique scent had hit him in torrents. She stepped inside the area where he stood and instantly froze upon seeing him. Their eyes met and hearts ached, simultaneously. While his skipped a beat, her thudded so loud that it was the only sound he could hear.

The tantalizing emotions he held in those grey orbs were bare and raw for her to see and feel, she didn’t like what she saw, there was too much pain there.

Aselia seemed to have gotten stuck in a quagmire, with every glance he threw at her, she seemed to sink deep into it with no escape. Her body refused to budge as not in her wildest dreams she was expecting to find him here. The turquoise-eyed girl finally found her voice and jerked her head towards her partner:

"What the hell Yuri? I am leaving." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"You made me a promise two days ago, I want you to honour it and hear him out. I will wait in the car and will fetch you later, it’s a request if you consider me your brother."

Yurian knew he had used the wrong method but this was the only way to bring her here. She glared at him and clenched her teeth but stayed quiet. Yurian took it as his cue to leave, he escaped taking quick steps, shutting the door behind him.

Aselia understood why Yurian brought her here instead of Tetrios; it’s strict no-vampire policy wouldn’t have let him enter, they had planned it together. Although her heart screamed to go to him, she just stood there watching him with a blank expression.

"Leia..." he approached her with guarded steps.

"What do you want? Didn’t you hurt me enough or something vile was left, unsaid?" she crossed her arms over her chest, resisting the urge to reach out to him as he came to halt just a touch away.

"I just came to apologise, and ask for your forgiveness, not to hurt you," his hand reached out to caress her cheek and her fickle body refused to move away from his touch, her feet seemed to have glued to the ground.

"I don’t need it, you wasted your time and mine as well," she tried to keep her voice from quivering and her body from shaking under his touch, but she was failing miserably.

"Hear me out and then decide, I have reached a decision and I am hoping you will accept it. That will benefit both of us," his thumb lightly brushed her cheek and the pain in his eyes dimmed as she didn’t flinch away from his touch.