Chapter 5: The Most Dangerous Dinner in History
Cleo knew something was wrong the moment he stepped into the mansion.
It was too quiet.
Not peaceful quiet.
Not comfortable quiet.
But the kind of quiet that felt like a storm was waiting to explode.
"…I should leave," he muttered under his breath.
He turned slightly—
And walked straight into someone.
Thud.
Cleo staggered back.
"…Sorry—"
He looked up.
And froze.
Aria.
She was standing right in front of him.
Too close.
Way too close.
Her eyes locked onto his.
"You're late," she said calmly.
Cleo's brain stopped working.
"I—uh—traffic?"
"…You went to the company."
"…Business traffic?"
Aria stared at him.
Silence.
Cleo felt pressure again.
That terrifying, suffocating pressure.
Like he was one wrong word away from disaster.
"…You didn't come see me," she said.
Cleo forced a smile.
"I was busy."
"…With him?"
Her gaze shifted.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
To the side.
Cleo followed it.
And immediately regretted it.
Adrian stood a few steps away.
Watching.
Silently.
Tension Level: Maximum
Cleo's instincts screamed.
This is bad.
This is VERY bad.
Aria.
Adrian.
Same space.
Same time.
This was exactly the kind of scene that led to tragedy in the novel.
Cleo stepped forward instantly.
Blocking Aria's line of sight.
"No," he said quickly. "It's not like that."
Aria looked back at him.
"…Then what is it like?"
Cleo: "..."
Why are these questions so hard?!
Unexpected Interruption
"Dinner is ready."
Elena's voice cut through the tension.
Cleo had never been so grateful for food in his life.
"Yes!" he said immediately. "Let's eat!"
He started walking—
Then realized something terrifying.
Aria grabbed his sleeve again.
"…Sit next to me."
Cleo: "..."
Behind him—
Lina grabbed his other sleeve.
"Big brother, sit with me!"
Cleo: "..."
And from the side—
Serena crossed her arms.
"Don't make a scene."
Cleo looked ahead.
Victor was already seated.
Adrian stood quietly at the table.
No one was helping him.
Cleo's soul slowly left his body.
This… is a battlefield.
The Seating Arrangement from Hell
In the end—
Cleo sat in the middle.
On his right: Aria.
On his left: Lina.
Across from him: Adrian.
At the head: Victor.
Next to Victor: Elena.
Serena sat beside Adrian.
The moment everyone sat down—
The pressure doubled.
Dinner Begins (So Does War)
For a few seconds, everything was normal.
Plates moved.
Food was served.
No one spoke.
Then—
Aria picked up a piece of food.
And placed it in Cleo's bowl.
"Eat this."
Cleo froze.
"…Thank you."
Before he could react—
Lina added something to his bowl too.
"Big brother, this one is better!"
Cleo: "..."
His bowl was filling up.
Fast.
Adrian's Side
Adrian sat quietly.
No one served him.
No one spoke to him.
It was the same as yesterday.
He lowered his gaze slightly.
As expected.
Cleo Notices
Cleo glanced up.
And saw it.
Adrian's untouched bowl.
The silence around him.
The distance.
Cleo hesitated.
…Don't interfere.
Stay out of it.
Step one: Avoid involvement.
But—
His hand moved on its own.
He picked up a dish.
And placed some food into Adrian's bowl.
"…Eat," Cleo said casually.
The entire table froze.
System Error
Everyone looked at Cleo.
Then at Adrian.
Then back at Cleo.
Even Aria paused.
Adrian stared at the food in his bowl.
Then at Cleo.
"…Why?"
Cleo blinked.
"…Because you should eat?"
Silence.
Serena frowned.
"What are you doing?"
Cleo looked at her.
"…Feeding my brother?"
Serena: "..."
Victor watched quietly.
Elena looked surprised.
Lina blinked.
Aria narrowed her eyes.
Misunderstanding Explosion
In Adrian's mind—
Things were changing.
Why… is he doing this?
To show off?
To gain favor?
Or…
For a brief moment—
A strange thought appeared.
…Is he being sincere?
Adrian immediately shut it down.
No.
Impossible.
Aria's Reaction
Aria suddenly spoke.
"…You never did that for me."
Cleo: "???"
"What?"
She looked directly at him.
"You never fed me like that."
Cleo nearly choked.
"…That's because you can eat on your own?!"
Wrong answer.
Very wrong answer.
Aria's expression darkened slightly.
"…So you treat him differently."
Cleo: "NO—"
Cleo's Brain Meltdown
I just tried to be a decent human being!
WHY IS THIS TURNING INTO A CRIME?!
He quickly picked up another piece of food—
And placed it in Aria's bowl.
"Here! Eat!"
Silence.
Everyone froze again.
Aria looked at the food.
Then at Cleo.
"…You fed me."
Cleo: "..."
I walked into that one.
Even Bigger Problem
Lina pouted.
"…Big brother didn't feed me."
Cleo: "..."
Serena scoffed. "Childish."
Victor rubbed his temple.
Elena tried to smile.
Adrian sat there—
Watching everything.
Quietly.
Adrian's Thoughts Shift
This is strange.
Very strange.
The Cleo he knew—
From the novel—
Was arrogant.
Proud.
Always trying to suppress him.
But this Cleo—
Was different.
Confusing.
Unpredictable.
…What are you planning?
Dinner Ends (Barely)
By the time dinner ended—
Cleo was mentally exhausted.
He stood up slowly.
"I'm going to rest."
"No," Aria said immediately.
Cleo froze.
"…No?"
"Come with me."
Cleo: "..."
Again?!
Final Blow of the Day
Before he could escape—
Victor spoke.
"Cleo."
"…Yes, Father?"
"From tomorrow onward, you and Adrian will attend the same university."
Cleo: "..."
"…Together."
Cleo: "..."
Adrian looked up.
Aria narrowed her eyes.
Lina looked excited.
Serena looked uninterested.
Elena looked hopeful.
Cleo—
Looked like his soul had officially left his body.
Cleo's Final Thought
Same university.
Same classes.
Same life.
He looked at Adrian.
Then at Aria.
Then at the ceiling.
"…I'm definitely going to die."
Adrian's Final Thought
Cleo Vale…
I'll figure you out.
Aria's Final Thought
Cleo is changing.
And I don't like it.