Third Person’s POV
Aurelia Scarlet was not his target!
Aurelia Scarlet was not his real sister!
Aether understood better than anyone what it meant to fail in his mission.
He had seen it all unravel before his very eyes… As soon as he failed, everything around him began to collapse, like a line of dominoes. One small mistake, one flick…that was all it took.
So, whether he liked it or not…
Whether they were blood-related or not…
He wanted….no, he
needed
—to seduce them at any cost, no matter what it took.
Yet, just like Selene, Lia was not his target. He had no reason to pursue her, no justification to go that far.
Aether had always thought of her as his sister, even if he sometimes jokingly called her that. She was someone he cared about in that way… until the moment she kissed him.
If she wanted to forget about the kiss, he was ready to let it go. He didn’t want to risk the bond they shared; he didn’t want to break their relationship. But the look on her face, like she wanted to say something yet was holding back… it was painful to watch. Even for someone like him, who was playing around, it stung.
If he found it painful, then who knew the depths of what she was feeling?
That’s why he gave her a choice—a way to do what she truly wanted.
As he’d told her before, he was not the only fish in the sea.
She had options.
It was up to her.
Aether was not perfect. He knew his flaws well. No matter how much he tried to correct his mistakes, there would always be things that couldn’t be changed. That’s what made him who he was. That’s what made him Aether.
Yet—
“What’s this supposed to mean?” he asked, his voice laced with a faint amusement as he looked down at his hand, feeling her slender fingers shyly clasping one of his finger… instead of taking his hand!!
Lia’s cheeks flushed a soft pink, and she looked away, stammering, “I… I don’t know… I just…”
Aether chuckled softly, though his gaze stayed serious, “Come on, Lia, you know there are plenty of men who would do anything for a chance to be with you. You don’t have to be here, sharing me,” he said, his voice dropping lower. “You’re beautiful, powerful. If you wanted, you’d have a line of suitors waiting.”
Yet, despite his words—
Lia’s grip on his finger tightened. She looked down, her eyes shadowed by emotions she couldn’t quite hide, and finally muttered with a mix of awkwardness and vulnerability, “A-Aether… I… I’m scared…” Her voice trembled as her eyes shimmered with uncertainty.
Aether’s gaze softened, and he tilted his head, “What are you so afraid of, Lia?” His voice was gentle, laced with understanding. He knew that her mind was crowded with fear, weighed down by her own uncertainties. Considering her past experiences, he understood why any girl in her position would hesitate.
But she didn’t answer. Her eyes just continued to tremble, like she was grappling with words she couldn’t quite find.
He leaned closer, lifting his hand to her cheek, his thumb brushing softly along her skin. Gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, he murmured, “Take your time, Lia. I’m not going anywhere.” His voice was low and reassuring. “No matter what you decide, I’ll always be by your side—whether as a brother or a lover… When you need me, I’ll be there. You can tell me anything; you know I would never judge you for it.”
Lia stared up at him, her teeth gently pressing into her lower lip.
To be honest, even when Kai had been engaged, her only thought was to compete with Aqualina for who would be his first, not who would ultimately win him over.
It wasn’t about him being married to multiple people.
She only wanted to be his first.
Why First?
Because of what had happened between her mother and father.
Her mother had always been different, a little unusual, and her father… her father was a man of great influence, a man surrounded by many women. He was married to many, and her mother was merely one of his concubines.
In their vampire society, this was not wrong. It was simply the way things were. But Lia had grown up watching her father ignore her mother, simply because she was just a concubine…. and a little unusual! Her father focused on others, treating her mother as if she barely existed.
Her mother always wore a smile, always laughed. But Lia knew it was a facade. She had seen how her other “mothers” would smile and giggle, doting on her father, while her own mother stood quietly, apart from him. Even when they spoke, her mother’s face remained cold, like stone. Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire
That was why Lia didn’t want to be second… or third.
She wanted to know real love. She wanted to feel cherished in a way her mother never had.
She was scared… terrified that Aether would treat her just as her father had treated her mother.
That was the root of her fear!!
After all, the man she had once loved—Kai—had changed, hadn’t he?
That’s why she hesitated so much, torn between wanting and fearing.
Aether sensing her sudden silence was about to change the subject when—
“A-Aether…”
He paused. “Hmm?”
Lia’s face flushed a deep red as she hesitated, her voice barely a whisper. “Can you… c-could you kiss me?”
Aether blinked, momentarily surprised, before a soft, amused smile spread across his face. As much as he was tempted to tease her, he knew this wasn’t the moment. After all, he had told her she could ask him for anything, hadn’t he?
So, without a word, he leaned down, drawing closer. Lia’s heart thundered in her chest, her breath catching. She wasn’t sure why she’d asked for this, but one thing was certain at this point was very important to her and might regret so—she didn’t want to regret falling in love with him, even if it complicated things.
‘How did he manage to reach my heart…’ she wondered, her eyes drifting closed.
“~Hmm~”
Aether’s lips met hers in a soft, simple kiss, a gentle moment that somehow calmed the storm within her. She felt relieved, as though something heavy had lifted from her heart.
“Feel better now?” Aether murmured, his forehead resting against hers.
[+6000 AP]
Lia’s eyes lowered, her cheeks a bright red as she held his gaze.
This kiss was for her to understand herself and was to make him see her as more than just a friend or sister!!
Her silence said it all.
But as her heart continued to race, Aether could feel his inner desires stirring, threatening to take control. He quickly pulled back, distancing himself. “Alright, get ready.”
Lia tilted her head, frowning. “For what?”
“To go to the summit, of course,” he replied, a slight smirk playing on his lips.
Her eyes widened, “Wait, everyone already left for the summit? And no one even bothered to look for me? Are you kidding me?” She felt a pang of betrayal at the thought that everyone would leave without her.
But as she glanced at Aether, she noticed he was avoiding her gaze. A suspicious feeling crept up on her. “You… don’t tell me you had something to do with that. What did you do?”
Aether cleared his throat, feigning nonchalance. “All I can say is that no one abandoned you or anything of the sort.”
Lia narrowed her eyes, unconvinced, before letting out a sigh. “Why do I get the feeling that you’re only getting more and more mysterious?”
Aether’s face broke into a smug smile, “Because I am, my lady,” he replied, giving her a playful bow.
Lia couldn’t help but snort, though her grin betrayed her enjoyment. She quickly gathered her things, still eyeing him with suspicion. “Alright then, so how exactly are we getting there?”
Aether’s grin widened mischievously. “Close your eyes if you don’t want to feel nauseous…”
Before she could respond, he suddenly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. Lia’s body was pressed against his, her pulse racing wildly. “W-What are you—”
“Activating teleportation,” he murmured, holding her tightly.