I stared at the screen for a long moment.
Li Wei: Can I video call you?
My heart was still unsettled—caught somewhere between confusion and something I didn't want to name.
Still…
I pressed accept.
The screen shifted, and his face appeared.
Li Wei.
This time, he wasn't teasing or playful. His expression was softer, more focused—like he had been waiting.
"Hi, Deer," he said gently.
I blinked, adjusting slightly against my pillow.
"Hi…"
His gaze lingered on my face a second longer than expected.
"You look tired," he added.
I let out a quiet breath, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.
"It's been a long day."
"I figured," he said. "You don't have to tell me everything… but don't lie and say you're fine when you're not."
The words caught me off guard.
Not forceful.
Not demanding.
Just… there.
I looked away from the screen for a second.
"I'm okay now," I said softly.
A small smile tugged at his lips.
"Good. Because I don't like the idea of something happening to you and me not knowing."
My chest tightened again.
Why did that feel so… real?
We talked for a while after that—about random things, light things. He told me about his day, I told him about campus life. It wasn't anything deep.
But it felt easy.
And right now…
Easy was exactly what I needed.
The next morning came too quickly.
Monday.
I stood in front of my mirror, tying my hair into a loose bun, my thoughts refusing to stay in one place.
Greyson.
Li Wei.
That moment in the kitchen replayed in my head without permission.
I exhaled sharply.
"Get it together, Vicenza," I muttered.
Grabbing my tote bag, I headed downstairs.
The house was quiet.
Too quiet.
As always.
Three days.
That's how long my parents would still be away.
Three days of this strange, unbalanced calm.
---
Campus was the same as ever.
Busy.
Loud.
Full of people.
Yet somehow, I still felt like I didn't belong in it.
"Vicenza!"
I turned just in time for Tracy to pull me into a hug.
"You're okay, right?" she asked, pulling back quickly to scan my face. "After what happened—I couldn't stop thinking about it."
I gave her a small nod.
"I'm okay."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Don't give me that short answer."
I sighed softly.
"I'm fine, Tracy. Really."
She studied me for a moment longer, then nodded.
"Good. Because that was insane. Like… actually insane."
A small laugh escaped me.
"I know."
We started walking toward class.
"So…" she nudged me lightly. "Anything else happen after that?"
My steps faltered for half a second.
Greyson's voice echoed in my mind.
I am a man too.
Heat rushed to my face.
"No," I said quickly. "Nothing happened."
Tracy raised an eyebrow but didn't push.
"Alright… I'll let it go. For now."
The lectures passed in a blur.
My pen moved.
My notebook filled.
But my mind—
Was elsewhere.
Every now and then, my phone buzzed quietly in my bag.
And every single time…
I knew who it was.
---
By evening, I was exhausted.
The sun dipped low as I walked back toward the mansion, the sky painted in warm shades of orange and gold.
For a moment, everything felt calm.
Peaceful.
Until I reached the gate.
Greyson was already there.
Standing near the entrance.
Like he had been waiting.
Of course he was.
This was his job.
His posture was straight, composed as always. His expression unreadable.
Professional.
Cold.
"Miss Vicenza," he acknowledged, his voice steady.
"I arrived five minutes ago," he added. "You're late."
I frowned slightly.
"It's called having a life outside this house."
"I am aware," he replied calmly. "However, your safety is part of my responsibility."
There was no emotion in his tone.
Just fact.
But his eyes—
They lingered a second longer than necessary.
Like he was checking.
Confirming.
That I was fine.
"I'm fine," I said before he could ask.
A brief pause.
Then—
"Good."
Nothing more.
No softness.
No relief.
Just that single word.
I stepped past him, heading inside.
But my phone buzzed.
Loud enough to cut through the quiet.
I paused.
Greyson's gaze shifted instantly.
Not to me.
To the phone in my hand.
Then back to my face.
Sharp.
Observant.
"Someone seems persistent," he said.
The tone was neutral.
But something underneath it wasn't.
I met his eyes.
"That's none of your concern."
A brief silence followed.
Then—
"Correct," he said.
Calm.
Controlled.
Detached.
But he didn't move.
Didn't look away.
And for some reason—
That unsettled me more than if he had.
Another buzz.
The screen lit up again.
Li Wei.
Between us.
Visible.
Unavoidable.
Greyson's gaze flickered to it once more.
Just for a second.
Then he turned away.
"As long as it does not interfere with your safety," he said, his voice returning to that cold, professional edge, "I have no interest in your personal affairs."
And just like that—
He walked ahead.
Like nothing had happened.
Like nothing ever would.
But something about that moment—
The pause.
The way he looked at the screen.
The way he said no interest—
Didn't feel entirely true.
And for the first time…
I wasn't sure which one of them I should be more careful with.