Seraphina's POV
When the night came, Mira told me to eat at the restaurant near the hospital. She even asked Lucca if he would permit me to go out since Dominic and Damian were already in the room.
Why would I need permission from Lucca? I was not even his maid for him to stop me from going elsewhere.
Dominic wanted to come with us, but Mira told him that it was a girl thing. I didn't know what she was up to, so I just let her do whatever she had planned.
As soon as we got out of the hospital, she immediately confronted me and held my hands. I looked at her with a blank expression.
"I know you're mad at me. You haven't even replied to my texts. You didn't answer my calls either," she said while biting her lip.
I didn't respond to her. I just let her talk.
"I'm sorry, Sera. I won't do it again," she said.
I sighed deeply. Who was I to judge her and prolong my anger toward her? She was just enjoying herself while drinking. Too bad she enjoyed it too much that it ended up bothering all of us.
"Where will we eat? I've been eating food from convenience stores. I want real food," I said.
Mira smiled immediately, probably thinking that I had already forgiven her. We went to a Korean BBQ restaurant across the hospital. The restaurant was fully packed, but luckily, there was still one table left for us.
We went in, and the waiter started serving slices of pork, beef, and chicken along with different side dishes. My stomach growled at the sight of the food. This was exactly the kind of meal I had been craving.
Mira and I started placing the meat onto the heated pan.
"Were you okay with Lucca?" she asked while putting more meat on the pan.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Was he mad at me, too?"
"Why not ask him yourself?" I asked back.
She frowned. "You're scary now. I don't want Lucca to add to the list."
"Just don't get too drunk next time," I said.
"I promise," she replied.
"Promises are made to be broken, Mira."
"But I won't break mine," she insisted.
"And if you do?" I asked.
"I'll give you half of my wealth," she said jokingly, making me frown.
"Just how wealthy are you?" I asked. I knew she was rich, but I didn't know exactly how rich.
She smiled proudly. "Then come with me someday, and I'll introduce you to my family."
I didn't want Mira to think I was after her money, so I refused her offer.
"I'm not interested in your money. Just promise me you won't get drunk again," I said.
By then, the meat had started cooking. We transferred the cooked pieces onto a clean plate and started eating. First, we dipped the meat into melted cheese, wrapped it in lettuce, added kimchi on top, and then took a bite.
At that moment, everything felt perfect to me. The food tasted so good. I rarely got to eat at places like this. The only reason I was able to experience it now was that Mira invited me.
"Is it good?" Mira asked.
I nodded. If Dominic and Damian were here, they would definitely enjoy the food too. I still didn't understand why Mira didn't let them come with us.
"Why didn't you let Dominic and Damian join us?" I asked.
"And leave Lucca alone?" she asked back. "Besides, I didn't want them to think you were still mad at me. I wanted to apologize to you without anyone else hearing it."
"Damian sent you home, right?" I asked.
Right then, Mira blushed.
Mira's POV
I knew Sera was mad at me because of what I had done last night. I could sense the annoyance in her voice. I wasn't able to apologize properly to Sera and Lucca because Damian immediately drove me back to my condo.
While we were in the car, I stayed quiet. Maybe Damian noticed it because he suddenly asked,
"Why are you so quiet?"
I looked at him before answering.
"They're mad at me, aren't they?"
"Why make it a big deal?" Damian replied.
Yeah. It wasn't supposed to be a big deal. But if Sera was mad, then she was truly mad.
"I don't want Sera to be angry at me," I said softly.
"You didn't do anything wrong," he said.
"But we both know I did. Didn't you see them lying on the bed together? Sera must've felt awkward at that time, but she just endured it because she had nowhere else to go."
Damian didn't reply anymore. He parked in front of my condo building, and we both stepped out of the car.
"Thanks for the ride," I said, waving goodbye. But instead of leaving, he simply raised an eyebrow.
"You're not even going to offer me food in your condo? I haven't eaten breakfast yet, and I'm starving."
I blushed in embarrassment. How could I forget that he hadn't eaten breakfast yet? I didn't want him to think that I didn't care about him.
"Yes, yes. I'm sorry. I forgot," I said quickly before leading him upstairs to my condo.
While walking, I tried to remember if I still had food in the refrigerator. Luckily, I remembered that I had gone grocery shopping recently and stocked up on supplies.
"Make yourself at home," I said as I let him sit on the couch. I excused myself and immediately headed to the kitchen. Even though I still had a hangover, I ignored it because I had a visitor.
"Don't you still have a hangover?"
Damian suddenly appeared behind me, making me flinch in surprise.
I looked at him, who was now leaning against the kitchen counter near where I stood.
"Ah… I'm okay. Just stay in the living room. I'll prepare breakfast," I said. My voice trembled, not because I was afraid, but because of how close he was to me.
We were alone in my condo, and I couldn't stop my thoughts from wandering. What if something happened between us?
I swallowed hard and tried to push those thoughts away.
"Then let me help," he offered.
I turned around and pretended to wash my hands in the sink. Honestly, I couldn't even think straight about what to cook anymore.
"Let me prepare breakfast. Just sit down," Damian said, making me look at him.
"No, I can manage—"
I gasped softly when he suddenly pushed me gently against the kitchen sink and lifted my chin. His face was only inches away from mine. I could even smell his breath.
"Let me, babe," he whispered in a husky voice that sounded dangerously seductive.
I swallowed again before nodding slowly. All I could hear was the loud pounding of my heartbeat.
Not wanting to upset him, I quietly obeyed and sat on the stool while watching him prepare breakfast.
Honestly, I didn't even know what he was cooking. My eyes were focused entirely on him instead.
The way he moved… the way he stood… the way he cracked and whisked the eggs, everything about him looked attractive in my eyes.
I was so lucky to be dating him for real.
He used to be just my crush before, but now he is actually mine.
"You seem to enjoy the view, huh?" he teased, making me realize I had been staring at him for too long.
"Ah… I…" I stuttered helplessly.
Just looking at me like that already made my body weak. Then he flashed me his killer smile, making me feel even more flustered.
If Sera ever found out that I was flirting this badly with Damian, she would definitely scold me again and remind me to be careful around him.
In just fifteen minutes, Damian placed the plates on the table one by one. I tried helping him, but he refused and told me to just wait.
He prepared avocado toast with sunny-side-up eggs. He also added cucumber and tomatoes on the side and brewed coffee for both of us.
"This looks good," I said honestly, because it smelled amazing.
The moment I took a bite, the creamy avocado and egg practically melted in my mouth. The combination was perfect.
"This is delicious," I mumbled while chewing.
Damian smiled and nodded. Even while eating, he still looked unbelievably attractive.
Next, I sipped the coffee he prepared. Just like the toast, it tasted perfect. Not too sweet and not too bitter. It paired so well with the breakfast he made.
"Thank you, Damian," I said sincerely.
He looked at me and raised an eyebrow.
"Just 'thank you'?" he asked.
My brows furrowed in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean," he replied.
The moment he said that, I blushed again.
Did he mean… he wanted something more to happen between us?
Could I really surrender myself to him?
After breakfast, I carried the plates to the sink and started washing them. Damian went to the living room, leaving me alone in the kitchen.
My heart was still pounding because of what he had said earlier.
Was he expecting something to happen between us?
Was that why he came up to my condo?
I blushed again at the thought.
This was what I wanted too… wasn't it?
I stayed in the kitchen longer because I was afraid that once I stepped into the living room again, I wouldn't be able to control myself anymore.
Then I heard Damian talking on the phone.
"Yeah. I'm coming. Just give me fifteen minutes."
I didn't know whether to feel disappointed or relieved that he was leaving.
At least I wouldn't end up surrendering myself to him today.
Surrendering myself?
I wanted to slap my own face for even thinking that.
If Sera heard about this, she would definitely smack me awake.
"Mira? What are you doing to yourself?"
I didn't realize Damian was already standing right in front of me, his phone still in his hand.
My face instantly turned red from embarrassment. I couldn't even answer his question.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yeah… You're leaving, right?" I asked.
The moment the words left my mouth, I realized it was a mistake.
"Why?" he asked teasingly. "You don't want me to? Just say the word, and I'll stay."
Heat spread throughout my body, and I couldn't explain why.
He slowly stepped closer while I instinctively stepped backward until my back hit the wall.
I had nowhere left to go.
He had completely trapped me between his arms.
Our faces were only inches apart. One small movement, and our lips would touch.
"Damian…" I whispered, unsure whether I wanted to stop him or let him kiss me completely.
But before I could decide, he pressed his lips against mine.
His lips were soft like cotton candy, sweet and addictive.
He lingered there for a few seconds before slowly deepening the kiss.
It was my first time experiencing something like this, and it felt dangerously addictive.
I parted my lips slightly, and he deepened the kiss even more. He kissed me hungrily, as though he had been craving me for a long time.
At first, I didn't know how to respond, but he guided me patiently until I eventually found myself kissing him back just as desperately.
It felt like we had both been thirsty for years.
When we finally ran out of breath, Damian slowly pulled away. Our foreheads remained pressed together while we both tried catching our breath.
I still couldn't believe what had just happened.
Damian smiled at me before finally stepping back completely. He slipped one hand into his pocket and gave me a seductive smile.
"Your lips are sweet," he murmured. "I like them."
And with that, he left my condo.
Seraphina's POV
Only Lucca and I were left in the hospital room again.
Another day of silence.
Though I was used to it, being alone with Lucca was different. I couldn't even stand the awkwardness.
I had just come out of the comfort room when my phone buzzed inside my pocket. It was a message from Dr. Keith.
That was when I remembered that today was my scheduled consultation. I wasn't able to see him last week since we had gone to the countryside.
I glanced at Lucca, who was busy reading his book. I couldn't leave him alone here. What if the nurse needed someone to assist him?
I texted Dr. Keith, telling him that I would come next week because something had come up. I couldn't explain the details because surely, he would think that Lucca and I had something going on.
I sat on the sofa while typing on my phone when someone entered the room.
It was the nurse again, bringing Lucca his medicine. This time, it wasn't the flirty nurse. After that incident, she didn't dare come back.
Lucca took the medicine the nurse handed him, and shortly after, she left the room. He continued reading his book as if nothing had happened.
Beep.
Someone texted me again.
But this time, it was from an unknown number.
Save my number.
That was all the message said.
Curious, I replied.
May I know who this is?
Less than five seconds later, another message arrived.
You already forgot who I am when we just had breakfast together?
That reply immediately made me think of the guy I had been with this morning and on the rooftop.
How did you get my number? I asked.
I have my ways, baby.
I flinched upon reading the word baby.
He was blatantly flirting with me and seemed completely confident that he could win me over. Little did he know, I hated that kind of attitude, no matter how handsome he was.
"Who are you texting that made you react like that?"
I looked up and saw Lucca staring at me.
"Nothing. Just a friend," I answered, refusing to elaborate because if he found out, he would surely ask more questions.
"You only have Mira as your friend. And since she's with Damian, I doubt you're texting her. As for Dominic, he's in a meeting right now, so he can't reply to you."
I looked at him in amusement.
He was talking a lot and seemed oddly interested in who I was texting.
Lucca was the type of person who wouldn't bother asking because he simply didn't care. But now, he saw me texting, asked about it, and even doubted my answer.
I couldn't even tell him the guy's name because the man still hadn't told me.
We had already met twice, yet his name remained a mystery.
"You took longer coming back from the convenience store earlier," he said. "You made excuses to Dominic, but I don't believe them."
But why was he so bothered?
"Didn't you say you didn't care? So why ask now?" I asked.
"I didn't ask because I wanted to," he answered. "I asked because I needed to."
"Tsk." I clicked my tongue. "You always talk as if you're a poet. Why do you need to know anyway? We're not even friends."
"Just stay as aloof as you are," Lucca said seriously before returning to his book. "Don't talk to strangers. That's all the advice I can give you."
His words struck me.
I remembered the guy I had met on the rooftop and at the convenience store.
Why was Lucca warning me?
Did he somehow know that I had met someone?
I wanted to tell him that it was their friend, but I still didn't know the guy's name.
The next time I encountered him, I would make sure to ask.
"That sounds more like a threat," I said.
"It's a warning," Lucca replied. "If you don't want to lose your life, follow my advice."
Lose my life?
As in… die?
"That means I shouldn't talk to someone because I might get killed?" I asked. "I don't even have enemies."
He looked at me meaningfully.
"You may not have enemies," he said, "but the people around you do."
"Just like you?" I asked, assuming he had enemies considering his personality.
He didn't answer.
He simply kept staring at me while still holding his book.
Lucca's POV
Based on Seraphina's answers, she was hiding something from us.
I had a feeling that the person she was talking to was Damon.
Damon would surely do everything just to make me suffer. But what confused me was how Damon knew about Seraphina when he didn't even know about the ring.
I was certain he knew nothing about it because he never mentioned the ring when he went to the mansion.
So what exactly was Damon planning?
When Seraphina asked, "Just like you?" I wasn't able to answer immediately.
How could I explain to her that she shouldn't talk to certain people without making her question why?
I didn't want her to suspect anything and eventually discover that I had super strength and that the person she was talking to possessed the same ability.
I couldn't tell her the truth just to keep her away from Damon.
I had already warned her, but it seemed like she didn't want to believe me.
She was right. She didn't have enemies.
But I did.
And what made things more complicated was that Damon was using her just to ruin me.
"I don't need your answer. Silence means yes," she said after a long pause.
I continued staring at her and couldn't help but feel amused.
Amused because, despite being nonchalant most of the time, she never hesitated to say exactly what she wanted. If she were mad, she would tell you directly without filtering her words.
"I do have enemies," I admitted. "I wasn't lying about that."
"Then why are you warning me instead of warning yourself?" she asked.
"Because they might come after you," I answered.
She fell silent while staring at me.
After a few seconds of silence between us, the doctor suddenly entered the room, interrupting our moment.
The doctor informed me that I might be discharged tomorrow, though I would still need plenty of rest once I got home.
After the doctor left, I stared at my hands.
Had my powers returned?
Or were they completely gone?
I still hadn't tested them yet since Seraphina had been with me all the time.
After staying with her for several days, was it possible that my strength had slowly started returning?
I had followed what Master told me, to stay with her at all times.
That was probably the reason why he had me admitted to the hospital in the first place. Seraphina would have no choice but to stay.
The rest of the afternoon passed quietly.
I focused on the book I was reading while Seraphina did the same with hers. She seemed to really enjoy her book because she occasionally giggled while reading.
At exactly six in the evening, Dominic, Damian, and Mira arrived.
Mira greeted me, and I simply nodded in response.
"Seraphina, let's take a stroll outside," Mira invited her.
Seraphina didn't hesitate to agree. Maybe she was already bored from staying inside the room the entire day.
"Guys, we'll be back later," Mira told us.
Damian and Dominic nodded before the two girls left the room.
Dominic arranged the food he had bought outside while the dietitian served my dinner.
"The doctor said I'll be discharged tomorrow," I started.
Damian and Dominic both looked at me.
"Did your strength come back?" Dominic asked.
"I haven't tested it yet," I answered.
"But what if it still hasn't returned?" Damian asked seriously. "What are you going to do then? We can't keep Seraphina beside you all the time. She'll eventually think something is wrong."
I sighed deeply.
"Damon is here again," I said.
Damian and Dominic instantly became serious.
"Where did you see him?" Dominic asked.
"The better question is… when and where did Seraphina meet him?"
Both of them fell silent.
"She was gone for too long this morning, right?" I continued. "She probably met Damon. I think Damon already texted her, too. I saw the expression on her face while she was typing on her phone."
"How did he…" Dominic started but stopped himself midway.
"Warn her, Dominic," I said firmly. "Before it's too late."