anwhile, Georgia continued happily, completely oblivious to the tension. "And you know," she said, turning to Alina, "mixing moon petal nectar with a drop of sunlight dew can heal emotional fatigue. It works wonders for heartbreaks too!"
Alina tried to smile again. "That sounds amazing," she said softly.
Behind them, Dante finally spoke, his voice low and dry. "Healer Georgia."
She turned halfway in her seat. "Yes, Lord Dante?"
He stared at her for a mont, his expression unreadable. "Do you ever stop talking?"
Georgia grinned, clearly unbothered. "Not when I have an audience."
He tilted his head slightly. "Audience or victims?"
Alina pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh. Georgia looked smug. "Oh, don’t be so dramatic, my Lord. You look like soone who hasn’t had a proper conversation since the Ice Age."
That earned her a sharp glance from Dante, and Alina quickly coughed to hide her laughter. "Georgia..." she said softly, though her tone was warm.
Dante leaned back, his eyes flicking toward Alina’s reflection in the mirror. Their gazes t briefly and she froze. Sothing in his eyes made her look away instantly, a flutter rising in her chest.
As the car rolled down the quiet afternoon road, Georgia turned slightly in her seat, resting her chin on her hand. The sunlight stread in through the window, catching on the strands of her soft brown hair. "So, Alina," she said with a curious smile, "you spend so much ti teaching those little monsters, but what about you? Do you have any friends?"
Alina blinked, a bit surprised by the question. "Friends?" she repeated softly. Her hands stayed steady on the steering wheel as she thought for a mont. "Well... most of my old friends have drifted apart now. Everyone’s busy with their lives." She smiled faintly, the expression tinged with a quiet kind of acceptance. "But I do have a few people I can still call if I need sothing."
Georgia nodded with a warm grin. "That’s good! So, tell about them."
Alina smiled a little more as she began, her voice gentle and sincere. "There’s Aaron. He’s soone I’ve known for a long ti. He’s dependable, the kind of person who always picks up the phone no matter what ti it is. And then there’s Naomi, my other close friend. She’s very kind and always encourages whenever I doubt myself."
Georgia listened attentively, nodding as she smiled. "They sound like lovely people."
But in the back seat, Dante’s posture changed ever so slightly. His crimson eyes, which had been calm until now, flickered with sothing darker.
Aaron.
A brief flash of mory crossed his mind. The café. Miss Alina laughing softly, hugging that man with warmth in her eyes. He rembered it too vividly for his liking.
His hand clenched slightly on his knee, his gaze narrowing. Aaron... that man again.
Dante leaned back in his seat, his jaw tight, the air around him cooling faintly. "Aaron?" he repeated under his breath, almost too quiet to hear.
Alina didn’t notice; she was still talking softly with Georgia, her voice light and sincere. "Yes, he’s very supportive. He helps every ti I need him. He’s a good friend."
The word friend echoed in Dante’s head, but it did little to ease the sting. His gaze shifted toward the window, though his mind wasn’t calm anymore.
Georgia, sensing the change in atmosphere, glanced back briefly and nearly smirked. She didn’t miss the way the great Lord Dante, usually composed and unreadable, was now glaring quietly at the scenery with the expression of a man plotting the downfall of a rival.
She leaned closer to Alina with a teasing grin. "Aaron sounds sweet," she said deliberately. "Maybe we should all et him soday, hmm?"
Alina laughed softly. "Yes, I’m sure you’ll like him."
Behind them, Dante’s crimson eyes glinted dangerously, his tone a low whisper. "I doubt that."
Georgia’s lips twitched in amusent, and she hid her smile behind her hand. "Oh dear," she murmured, "jealous demons really are a rare sight."
Alina glanced at her in confusion. "What was that?"
"Nothing, dear," Georgia said quickly, her tone dripping with amusent. "Just admiring the weather."
Dante said nothing, but the faint growl in his silence was louder than words.
Finally, they reached the hospital. The mont Alina parked the car and stepped out, she noticed several people in the parking lot turning to stare. It wasn’t hard to guess why. Dante’s car glead like a polished diamond under the afternoon sun, the kind of luxurious model that looked entirely out of place in front of a small-town hospital.
She felt a little embarrassed by the attention and quickly lowered her head, but beside her, Dante appeared utterly unbothered. He had already hidden his demonic features, his horns were gone, his eyes now a calm shade of green, and he’d changed into a simple black shirt and fitted trousers. The look was understated, but the quiet power he carried made heads turn anyway.
Georgia, on the other hand, didn’t even seem to notice the stares. Her soft brown hair shone in the light, and her earthy green eyes seed completely natural among humans. "Such curious humans," she whispered with a little grin. "You’d think they’ve never seen beauty before."
Alina chuckled nervously. "Let’s just go in before more people stare."
They walked through the quiet halls of the hospital until they reached her mother’s ward. The faint sll of antiseptic filled the air, and sunlight fell gently through the white curtains. Alina’s heart softened as she saw her mother resting peacefully on the bed, and nearby, her aunt Lyla was sitting by the table, writing sothing in her journal.
"Aunt Lyla," Alina called softly.
Her aunt looked up and froze. "Lina? You’re here?" she exclaid, standing up quickly. Then her eyes shifted toward the tall man and the elegant woman standing behind her niece. "And... oh my goodness..."
Recognition flickered in her gaze. "Hello, Principal Sir!" she said hurriedly, setting her notebook aside and bowing politely.
Dante gave her a small, courteous nod. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Lyla."
But Aunt Lyla’s eyes didn’t stop there. They moved curiously to Georgia, who was standing gracefully beside Dante, smiling warmly. Lyla’s eyes widened a little more. She’s beautiful, she thought, her gaze flicking between them. Is she the principal’s wife?
"Your wife is very pretty," Aunt Lyla said with a friendly smile.
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