I Was Hoping She Would Notice but again Now When She Did... Im Tired

Kane Manor

"So, why did you come here?" Celestia asked, lounging on the sofa with her legs crossed, her voice laced with disdain. Her eyes, sharp and unwelcoming, locked dangerously on the woman standing before her.

"I'd be a lot happier if certain unwanted guests knew how to keep their mouths shut," the woman in the light blue dress snapped, irritation clear in her tone. "I'm here for something important… and I don't owe you an explanation."

She stood stiffly, gaze flicking upward as Olivia began descending the staircase. Avey stood just off to the side, body tense. She couldn't stand still. Every part of her wanted to dash inside, run up the stairs, tear open every door until she found him.

But that would be disrespectful.

And Celestia's mere presence here? It made her skin crawl.

Why the hell is she even here? Avey clenched her fists. I'll ask that later… First, I need to find Lucian.

"Why not talk to me first?" Celestia offered with a venomous smile. "I have something very important to say to you too." Her gaze turned razor-sharp. If eyes could kill, Avey would've been left full of holes and scattered in pieces across the marble.

"Avey? You're here?" Olivia finally spoke, pausing halfway down the staircase, eyes filled with confusion and complexity.

She descended the last few steps and walked toward the table, picking up a glass of water and offering it to Avey, who looked visibly shaken hair a mess, cheeks flushed, and eyes red as if she hadn't slept for days.

"What happened? Your eyes… they're red. Are you feeling alright?" Olivia asked with a deep frown, her concern genuine.

"Ahh, girl…" she sighed, "What happened to you? You look"

"Where's Lucian, Aunt Olivia?" Avey interrupted didn't take the glass of water, her voice urgent, eyes darting around. "I don't see him anywhere. Is he in his room?"

She had already scanned the lower floors. The second floor was the only place left. Her attention wasn't on Celestia or even Olivia anymore her only focus was Lucian.

"Can I go up, Aunt Olivia?" she asked breathlessly. "I'm here to see my Lucian."

Without waiting for a response, she rushed toward the stairs, her heart thudding. Wait… which room is his again? she wondered, halting after two steps.

"Lucian isn't home," Olivia said softly behind her. "You won't find him anywhere. Please… calm down, girl. At least tell me what's going on.

Avey froze.

Slowly, she turned around eyes narrowed, suspicious, and lost.

She had come here with so much hope.

Is Aunt Olivia lying to me? she wondered bitterly. Maybe she doesn't want me to meet him either.

Maybe Olivia hated her. And who could blame her? Avey had hurt Lucian. She had made mistakes no mother would easily forgive. No mother would ever accept a girl like her, not after all she'd done.

But… not everything they believed was true.

If only she could explain.

If only she was allowed to explain.

But she couldn't.

Because of Max. Because of Diablo.

Because of the fucking World Restrictions.

Misreading Olivia's quiet concern as silent disapproval, Avey lowered her gaze and sighed.

"Aunt Olivia… please understand. I really don't have any bad intentions toward Lucian. Please, don't worry. I get it," she said softly, voice shaking. "I want to tell you everything… but I can't." She shook her head in frustration, eyes glimmering with restrained emotion.

"Calm down, girl. Here have this first," Olivia said gently, walking up to her with a glass of water.

Avey hesitated, then took it and drank slowly.

Just then, a faint voice echoed in her mind. It wasn't spoken aloud but clear as day.

"Avey looks so disheveled... I think Lucian might've said something stupid to her that day of the ceremony… when they went off alone. I'll ask him when he returns. Maybe I should call Melody too her daughter's like this and she hasn't even noticed? Doesn't she see how drained Avey looks? I'm concerned. It's like she hasn't slept in days."

The voice wasn't from outside.

It was from inside.

Avey blinked, pausing mid-sip. A slow breath escaped her lips in quiet relief.

So that's how it works

She hadn't realized the system skill can work this way too

This system ability… it's more powerful than I thought.

But now, hearing Olivia's thoughts directly, Avey finally understood.

Olivia wasn't lying. Lucian really wasn't home.

And she wasn't hated either.

The older woman was worried. Not angry. Not disgusted.

Just… deeply concerned.

Avey lowered the glass slowly, her heart lighter, even if just a little.

As for the rest the lack of sleep, the avoidance, the guilt she'd deal with that later.

At least now, she knew the truth.

And that was enough for now.

Avey sighed again, this time quieter less frustrated.

The main reason she had come here was to find Lucian. But he wasn't here.

"Where did Lucian go, Aunt Olivia?" she asked softly. "When will he be back?"

Olivia exhaled. "He just went out to drop someone off, that's all. He'll be back soon don't stress yourself," she said gently, motioning toward the sofa opposite Celestia. "Here, take a seat."

Avey nodded and walked toward the couch, her steps slow.

As she sat down, unaware, Olivia's mind was anything but calm.

[Lucian… isn't he taking too long just to drop off that father and son? Does it really take this much time? I'll have to ask him when he comes back]

[And that Rose incident too what was she thinking? I'll have to talk to her. But… wait. What if Rose actually likes Lucian? Romantically?]

[They're siblings aren't they? That's... not right. But… ugh, what a headache.]

[Still, Rose isn't a bad person. And Lucian… well, he's always been kind to her.]

[If I think about it… Rose might be better than this psychotic Celestia. And Avey no matter how much Lucian loves her she hasn't been good for him, not really.]

[Definitely not Avey.]

[But Rose... if it's Rose... maybe it's not such a bad idea.]

[Yes, they were raised as siblings, but Rose isn't really my blood, and neither is Lucian. If they both feel something... maybe it could work. Maybe I wouldn't have to worry anymore.]

[No, no what the hell am I thinking? I should control my thoughts. Gods, what is wrong with me?]

Olivia's face remained a mask of calm, her hand gently pointing Avey toward the couch composed, polite, serene.

But inside, her mind was a swirling storm of wild possibilities and repressed guilt.

Sadly, though

That calm didn't last long.

Avey, just settling into her seat, raised the glass again and took a sip.

And immediately spit the water out with a sharp gasp.

"What the actual—?!"

She coughed, eyes wide, and froze mid-motion.

Her head turned slowly, mouth slightly agape, staring straight at Olivia in disbelief.

"Disgusting. What are you doing?!" Celestia scoffed, her voice sharp as she narrowed her eyes at Avey. "Look at your manners, woman."

Of course, she was unaware of the real reason behind the outburst. All she saw was Avey sitting down, taking a sip of water, and then suddenly spitting it out like a lunatic. And naturally, Celestia wasn't going to pass up the chance to comment.

Avey, however, didn't even acknowledge her.

She stared directly at Olivia, stunned.

"Rose is adopted?!" she blurted out before slapping both hands over her mouth.

Fuck.

She hadn't meant to say it aloud.

It just slipped.

No way…

"What did you just say?" Olivia's eyes widened in shock. Her gaze locked onto Avey. "What are you talking about…? How do you" she pointed at her, words stumbling out, clearly shaken.

But then

A deeper, colder voice interrupted.

"Rose and Lucian… aren't siblings."

Celestia's voice slithered through the air like poison wrapped in silk.

Her head tilted unnaturally to the side, a dangerous smile stretching across her lips. Her golden eyes gleamed not with joy, but with unfiltered malice.

A wide, unsettling grin grew on her face.

Her eyes were smiling, but they were terrifying.

Her voice was low, dark, and heavy. "Isn't that right, Olivia?"

Olivia's instincts flared.

She took an instinctive step back, her eyes locked onto Celestia's face watching as that smile twitched, unnatural and eerie. There was something wrong in her expression.

Celestia's left eye twitched once.

Her heart thudded, a pulse of rising madness in her veins.

Wait... Aveybwas what she said true?

Her mind raced back.

That kiss… between Lucian and Rose…

She'd already felt sick watching it happen.

The only thing that had kept her from tearing Rose apart right then and there was the World Restriction and maybe, just maybe, a small sliver of hesitation.

They were siblings, after all.

But now

Celestia's heels began to click against the marble floor as she stepped forward.

Slow. Rhythmic. Dangerous.

Her eyes locked on Olivia like a predator stalking prey.

"Mother-in-law," she murmured, her voice twisted with sick delight. "Kufufu… fufufufu…"

Her eerie laughter echoed through the grand hall, distorted and cruel like the sound of something unhinged snapping just a bit further.

Olivia's body stiffened.

Something was about to go very wrong.

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