Loyal Lies

As I stepped out of the building, I spotted Silas across the street. He was leaning against the car while looking up at the sky. The soft orange light made him look less like my butler and more like... just a man enjoying a beautiful view.

I wonder if he appreciates these kind of moments like I do. Does he also find peace in the way the clouds catch the evening light?

My heart skipped when his eyes found mine across the busy street. The world seemed to slow down for a moment. His blue eyes held mine, and the smallest smile tugged at his lips.

Then he straightened and adjusted his tie before opening car door for me. Just like that, the spell was broken. He's my butler again.

When we got home, our maid immediately approached me. "Miss Aurora, your grandfather wants to see you in the garden. He's having his evening tea."

"Okay. Thank you."

I found Grandpa sitting at his favorite spot under the old maple tree. His face lit up when he saw me.

"There's my girl! Come, sit with me." He patted the chair next to him. "How was your session with Dr. Bennett?"

"It was good," I answered before settling beside him. He pushed a cup of tea towards me. It's chamomile, his favorite.

"Aurora, sweetheart, I need to ask you something." His voice was gentle but serious. "Have you noticed anyone following you at school lately?"

I nearly choked on my tea. "Following me? No, everything's been normal. Well, except..." I thought about my awkward interactions with Silas but quickly pushed that aside. "Why?"

Grandpa sighed. "Our security team noticed someone watching you this past week. Now, don't worry," he added quickly when he saw my alarmed expression. "You're safe. But I would feel much better if you stayed at Silas's house for a while."

"Silas's house?" My heart jumped. "But what about graduation?"

"Oh, you'll definitely be there," he chuckled. "I wouldn't miss seeing my only granddaughter graduate for anything in the world. This is just temporary, until we sort things out."

"But Grandpa..."

"I know, I know. It's a lot to ask." He squeezed my hand. "But that place is secure, and hardly anyone knows about it. Plus," his eyes twinkled, "I hear it's quite lovely this time of year. Reminds me of that countryside cottage you're always dreaming about."

I stared at him, surprised. "You know about that?"

He laughed. "Little one, I know everything about you. Including how much you hate being cooped up in the city." He paused and his expression became serious again. "Please, Aurora. For my peace of mind?"

Looking at his concerned face, I couldn't say no. Besides, a part of me was curious about Silas's home, even if things were awkward between us right now.

"Okay, Grandpa. I'll go."

He beamed at me, patting my cheek like he used to when I was little. "That's my girl. Don't worry about anything. We'll take care of all the arrangements."

As I walked back to my room, my mind was spinning. Someone was following me? And now I'm going to stay at Silas's house? After everything that happened between us?

I wasn't sure if this was going to be a dream come true or completely disastrous.

I woke up the next day to find my suitcase already packed and neatly arranged near my door. My heart sank a little. I hadn't expected to leave so soon. I reached for my phone and scrolled through my contacts to break the news to my best friends.

Yue immediately answered the call. "Hey Yue. I have to leave today. Things are... complicated."

"Today?" The disappointment in her voice was obvious. "But what about our plans? We were supposed to spend sembreak in Japan together, just like last year." My mind wandered to our adventures from the previous year. The cherry blossoms that painted the streets pink, the street food we couldn't stop eating, and all those nights we stayed up laughing until our sides hurt.

"I know, I'm so sorry," I sighed. "But hey, you'll still get to enjoy Japan. It's your hometown after all."

After hanging up with Yue, I dialed Ezekiel's number. To my surprise, he had unexpected news of his own.

"Actually, I was about to call you," he said. "Mom and I are flying to Germany. Her treatment... we found a specialist there who might be able to help."

"That's good news about the specialist, right? Promise you'll keep me updated about everything."

With the calls finished, I made my way down to grandfather's study. The morning light streamed through the windows making his silver hair glow. He was in his favorite armchair and reading glasses perched on his nose as always.

"Grandpa."

He looked up and smiled at me. "All packed up?"

I nodded. "I'll miss you."

He stood and pulled me into a hug that smelled of his familiar cologne and old books. "These two weeks will pass quickly," he assured me. "And I'll be there at your graduation, proud as any grandfather could be."

"Promise?" I whispered against his shoulder. I feel like a little girl again.

"Promise. And Aurora?" He pulled back to look at me. "Always remember you're stronger than you know, and you carry the strength of generations within you."

I managed a smile. "Two weeks isn't so long, right?"

"Not long at all."

With one final hug and a kiss on his cheek, I walked out to find Silas waiting.

"Change of plans," Silas stated. "Our regular car will leave first as a decoy. They're expecting us to take that route."

"They?" I asked, though I already knew he meant the people who had been following us.

Silas nodded while checking his phone. "We'll be taking the underground passage. It's the safest option right now."

My heart skipped a beat. The underground passage was something of a family legend to me. It's a network of tunnels beneath our estates that I'd only heard about but never seen. It was built for emergencies, situations exactly like this, but I never thought I'd actually need to use it.

"The passage will take us to the border between Millbrook and Ashton," Silas explained as he took my bags. "We'll emerge there. No one knows about this route except your family."

I watched as our regular Mercedes pulled out of the driveway, heading in the direction anyone watching would expect us to take. Then Silas led me to a different entrance of the house, one I'd barely noticed before. He pressed his hand against what looked like a normal wall panel, and to my amazement, a hidden door slid open silently.

"Ready?" he asked while his hand hovering over a light switch inside.

I took a deep breath and nodded. This is really happening. Two weeks until graduation. Two weeks until I would see my friends and grandfather again.

The lights flickered to life as we descended into the underground passage. The tunnel was surprisingly well-maintained, with smooth concrete walls and modern LED lighting strips running along both sides. Our footsteps echoed softly as we walked to where a sleek dark SUV was waiting.

The drive was long and quiet. I spent most of the time watching the navigation screen that showed our progress through the tunnel network. It was fascinating. What looked like a simple straight path actually branched off in multiple directions. Surprisingly, Silas seemed to know exactly which turns to take.

After what felt like hours in the underground, we finally emerged into daylight. The transition from the urban landscape I was used to seeing to the countryside was dramatic. Gleaming skyscrapers gave way to rolling hills, and crowded streets transformed into winding country roads. The further we drove, the more pristine the landscape became. Mountains rose in the distance, their peaks touching the clouds while dense forests lined the roads.

When we finally turned onto a private road, my breath caught in my throat. Between ancient pine trees and flowering magnolias, there stood a blue house. It wasn't as grand as our estate, but it had a certain charm that made my heart flutter. A serene lake stretched out in front of the house where elegant white swans glided across the surface.

What made me pause was the sight of horses. Beautiful creatures galloping freely across the vast green meadows that surrounded the property. Their manes flowed in the wind as they ran. Completely uninhibited and free.

"This is..." I can't find the right words to say.

"Home," Silas finished. "At least for now."

I turned to look at him. It's exactly how I always imagined my dream home would be. The blue house, the lake with swans, the horses... even the mix of pine and magnolia trees. How is this possible? What were the odds that Silas's home would be the perfect embodiment of everything I'd dreamed of? It felt almost too perfect to be mere chance.