Kai… actually didn’t expect that.
He thought Aqualina had come all the way here for him—after hearing he would arrive to mourn Timmy’s father. He assumed she had come because she missed him, because she wanted to see him.
That was the story playing in his mind.
But this?
This was not what he had prepared for.
Still, Kai didn’t let the surprise reach his face. He forced a casual shrug, brushing it off with a cocky smile. “That’s it? Really? So you’re not going to beg and crawl back to me after all?” he said with a confident, smug tone, his voice practically dripping with arrogance.
In his mind, there was no way she wouldn’t come running eventually. He was the strongest person here, after all.
/Can I kill him?/ Aqualina asked telepathically, her expression perfectly composed even as her hand curled into a fist. She shot the thought toward unconscious Aether, who, despite everything, looked far too comfortable in Xara’s lap.
/Honestly, I’d love to do that too… but for now, keep it civil,/ Aether replied faintly, half-lost in the pleasure of soft thighs and feigned unconsciousness.
Aqualina let out a slow exhale through her nose and glared at Aether for just a second—jealousy pricking at her… seeing He was enjoying someone’s lap!!.. But she quickly masked it and faced Kai again.
Her voice was calm, even, and almost amused.
“Let’s be honest, Kai… you’ve never been worthy of me. Not then, not now, and certainly not ever,” she said with a cold little smirk. “After all… aren’t you the man who threw away his childhood love just for a taste of power? Didn’t even flinch while doing it, right?” Her eyes gleamed with a sly glint, her words sharp and deliberate.
Kai stiffened as if an invisible arrow had pierced through his chest.
His eyes instinctively darted toward his mother—Xara—who was still sitting calmly beside Aether, gently brushing her fingers through his hair, her face unreadable.
“Tsk… whatever,” Kai muttered, trying to save face. He snatched the document from Velc and signed it without hesitation. “And just so you know… I’ve already found someone else. A woman way better than you. Someone who appreciates me for who I truly am. Someone who never used me like you did!” He handed the document back with force, eyes glaring.
“She’s a thousand times better than you ever were!”
Aqualina accepted the document without reacting to his tantrum. She just tilted her head and said calmly, “A thousand times better than the girl you betrayed all those years ago?”
Her smile was soft. Her tone was sweet. But her words—brutal.
Kai’s eyes twitched. She had brought up the past… Purposefully. Strategically!!
He opened his mouth, ready to throw something back at her, when—
“Someone? Who exactly?” Xara spoke up, her tone flat but her brows drawn together.
Kai froze.
He turned to his mother, suddenly much less confident. “W-Well… she’s… someone I’ve been seeing. Someone I… love,” he said hesitantly, suddenly aware of how dry his throat had become.
Xara’s frown deepened. She slowly turned her gaze toward Velc, who immediately raised both hands in defence like a soldier surrendering.
“I tried, okay? I swear I tried everything to stop him. But he just… wouldn’t listen to me,” Velc said quickly, his voice trailing off as Xara’s expression shifted from displeased to something far more dangerous.
Her silence said everything.
Kai started sweating—hard. His legs tensed. His spine stiffened. He screamed inside his head, ‘I’m strong now! There’s no reason to be afraid! I’m not scared of her anymore!’ But his trembling body betrayed the truth.
He was scared.
Terrified!!
Wasn’t sure why though?!
Aqualina, watching the scene unfold, allowed herself a tiny smirk. She couldn’t deny it—it felt good to see him squirm.
She sparked the fire… and now let it blaze everything~
“Well then,” she said briskly, straightening her back. “What I came here for is done. I’ll be leaving now.” She stood up, her presence regal, and glanced at Selene—an unmistakable signal.
Selene nodded silently. She, too, had things to say… Things only Aqualina could hear.
Something that was common between them.
But just as Aqualina turned, she looked at Velc, her voice sharp and icy. “The Empress will be informed of everything that transpired here. I hope you’re prepared for the consequences.”
Velc gulped audibly, his face paling.
Kai snapped, his anger boiling again. “HUH?! What the hell are you going to—mmpf!!” Before he could finish, Velc moved like lightning, clamping his hand over Kai’s mouth.
“Not. Another. Word,” Velc hissed through gritted teeth.
Aqualina flipped her hair back elegantly and turned to leave when—
A servant rushed in, bowed deeply, and announced, “Master, you have a visitor… a woman by the name of Vesperine.”
Aqualina blinked.
Selene blinked.
Then, slowly, both of their lips curled into amused smiles.
‘This just got interesting…’ they thought in perfect sync as their eyes met briefly. Without a word, Aqualina and Selene turned around…
And sat right back down in their seats.
There was no way in hell they were going to miss this drama.
Kai flinched the moment he heard that name.
“Vesperine? My Vesp?” he repeated, his voice breaking into a light gasp of pure happiness as his face lit up with joy, completely forgetting the tension that had just filled the room.
From the side, Leon—who had been unusually silent this whole time—felt his lips twitch slightly. Inside, he screamed, ‘That’s my Vesp too!’
Both Kai and Leon started to rise from their seats, clearly about to run over and greet her with open arms when—
“It’s that woman, isn’t it?” Velc asked suddenly, his voice low and dead serious as he stared directly at Kai.
Kai paused and gave an awkward nod, clearly not ready to face what was coming next.
Velc’s frown deepened.
Without saying anything more, he turned to the servant and instructed, “Bring her in.” Xara, meanwhile, waved her hand and coldly ordered the table to be cleared. No one was in the mood to continue feasting—not after this, and certainly not with that bastard, Aether, lying comfortably on her lap like it was his personal throne.
Soon enough, the doors opened again.
A shy, timid girl stepped into the room. Her hair was a soft yellow, styled into neat twin tails. She wore modest, well-fitted clothes and clutched the hem of her top nervously as she entered.
Velc and Xara both stared at her with tight, unreadable expressions.
On the other hand, Aqualina and Selene both frowned as well—but for a different reason. Something about her… felt different.
She had grown, subtly changed since they last saw her. It wasn’t just her appearance—there was something else they couldn’t quite place.
Before anyone else could react, Kai and Leon had already rushed over to her like excited puppies.
“How are you, Vesp?” Leon asked eagerly.
“How did you find my place?” Kai added quickly, both of them practically hovering around her, questions tumbling out one after another.
“If you had told me you were coming, I would’ve picked you up right away!” Kai added with a sad, disappointed tone, as if deeply hurt that she had arrived on her own.
Vesperine gave them an awkward smile, clearly overwhelmed, but her eyes were soft as she replied, “I was doing some part-time work nearby… I had a little free time, so I thought I’d come visit you…” Her gaze lingered affectionately on Kai.
“Ohh… my lovely darling~” Kai melted at her words. He turned back to the room dramatically and said, beaming, “Look at her, everyone. She’s working even now—despite having me in her life, she’s still working hard for herself.
If she wanted, she could’ve just asked me for anything, but no… she chooses to earn her way. That’s the kind of woman she is. That’s why I fell for her. She’s nothing like someone who used me.”
His eyes cut sharply toward Aqualina as he said it, the accusation crystal clear.
Then he turned toward his parents, standing proudly beside Vesperine. “This is the woman I love—the one I want to marry. Vesperine!”
Vesperine turned beet red, her blush blooming across her cheeks as she shyly twisted her toes against the floor.
“This is my father, Velc Frostblade,” Kai introduced with an attempt at confidence.
Vesperine quickly bowed her head, “H-Hello, Mr. Velc…”
Velc gave her a quiet nod, saying nothing in return. His face remained cold and indifferent. Kai’s lips twitched in frustration but chose to ignore it.
“And this,” he continued, “you might’ve seen her before, but just formally—this is my sister, Selene Frostblade.”
Selene gave her a polite smile.
Vesperine returned it with a soft bow. “Hello, Selene.”
Kai finally relaxed a bit. At least Selene hadn’t outright rejected her. That gave him some comfort.
Then came the final introduction.
“And this…” Kai said as he turned toward the woman at the head of the table, still seated with her fingers calmly stroking through Aether’s hair, he wasn’t clearly visible to others, “…is my mother—Xara Seraphine.”
Vesperine turned with a sweet smile, lips parting. “Hello—”
But her words froze in her throat.
Her eyes locked onto the black-haired woman seated at the table.
She had seen that woman before.
In the village.
With another man.
Her smile vanished instantly as her breath hitched in her throat.