Raelynn walked up the grand staircase, trailing just beside the maid who had summoned Elion monts earlier. The bannister sparkled under the chandelier above. She couldn't help but glance over the edge of the staircase, trying to catch a glimpse of Elion below, though he had already disappeared into one of the sitting rooms to et his guest.
The maid walked silently while helping her. As they reached the top of the stairs, the maid turned slightly and gestured toward Raelynn's room. "We're here, Miss," she said politely.
Raelynn offered her a small smile. "Thank you for walking back."
The maid nodded gently, saying, "You're welco," and turned to leave just as Sloane appeared in the doorway of Raelynn's room. The space seed lighter thanks to her bright smile.
"Hello there!" Sloane greeted cheerily, stepping in with a small bag in her hand. With a polite bow, she stepped back and disappeared down the corridor.
Raelynn blinked in surprise. "Sloane? I didn't know you were back."
"Yeah, I just got in," Sloane replied, setting the bag down on the nearby dresser. "I brought you sothing. Thought you might like it."
Raelynn smiled warmly. "Thank you, but I'm still so full. I just had two giant burritos, and I don't think I can eat another bite."
Sloane stopped in her tracks. "Burritos? Oh, you ordered takeout?"
Raelynn chuckled. "Nope."
Sloane's brows furrowed in confusion. "Wait. Did you cook them yourself? That's good! It's nice to see you moving around more, but don't push yourself too hard."
Raelynn shook her head, still smiling. "No, no. Elion made them."
For a mont, Sloane simply stared at her with a completely blank look, looking like she couldn't process what she just heard. Then her mouth fell open. "I'm sorry—what?"
Raelynn raised a brow, her lips twisted into a tired yet amused grin. Her head tipped to the side as she squinted, pretending to be skeptical. "Did I not say it loud enough the first ti?" she quipped. Taking a mont, she stressed each word like she was trying to drive the point ho:
"Elion. Made. . A. Burrito."
The emphasis on every syllable seed to echo in the room, yet Sloane's reaction didn't budge.
Sloane's eyes slightly wide, then began to shake her head slowly, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "That's funny," she said dryly, crossing her arms. "Because it sounded like you just said Elion made you a burrito. Like, as in, Elion actually cooked sothing." She chuckled, the disbelief clear in her tone. "You've got to be ssing with ."
Raelynn leaned forward slightly, her lips twitching into a playful smirk. "Sloane, you're the doctor here, but I'm genuinely starting to think you should get your hearing checked."
She blinked a couple of tis, her lips still parted in shock. "Elion? Vaelorian? The Elion Vaelorian? Are you sure we're talking about the sa person?"
Raelynn rolled her eyes playfully. "Yes, Sloane. You know, tall, stupidly good-looking, the one who signs your checks? Your friend?"
She clutched her chest dramatically, as though she'd just heard the most shocking thing. "Oh my God. Raelynn, you've officially wrapped that man around your finger."
Raelynn's cheeks ward, and she quickly waved off the idea. "That's a hard no."
Sloane raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Really? Co on, Raelynn. Don't be so humble."
Raelynn laughed, shaking her head. "Trust , I don't have that kind of magic."
"Uh, yes, you're!" Sloane said, her voice rising slightly with excitent. "Do you even realize what this ans? Elion has never cooked for anyone. Ever. I've known him for years, and I've never seen the man made instant noodles. You must be really special to him."
Raelynn's blush deepened. She crossed her arms defensively. "It's probably just because of the baby."
"Yeah, maybe," Sloane said, though her tone suggested she wasn't entirely convinced. "But still! This is huge—well, at least for . Oh, I need to sit down." She flopped onto the armchair near the window, shaking her head in disbelief.
Raelynn chuckled softly, walking over to the balcony doors and pulling them open. The wind blew in gently as she stepped outside, leaning on the railing as her eyes wandered over the driveway below.
Parked near the entrance was a white car she didn't recognize. Beside it stood a man in gray suit, looking calm and sure of himself. From where she stood, she noticed Elion a few steps away, casually resting his hands in his pockets. Their conversation seed calm but intense, though Raelynn couldn't hear a word.
Sloane appeared behind her, peering over her shoulder. "What are you looking at?"
Raelynn hesitated, then shrugged. "Nothing."
Sloane narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Uh-huh. Sure."
Raelynn kept her gaze fixed on the scene below. Sothing about the man struck her as odd, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. As if sensing her gaze, the man began to turn his head upward, his sharp eyes scanning toward the balcony.
Before he could lock eyes with her, Sloane suddenly grabbed her shoulders and spun her around to face her.
"Hey!" Raelynn exclaid, startled. "What are you doing?"
Sloane gave her a nervous smile. "Nothing. I just realized I haven't had a good look at you today. You're glowing, by the way."
Raelynn raised an eyebrow. "What's gotten into you?"
"Nothing!" Sloane said a bit too quickly, brushing off the question with a wave of her hand.
Raelynn frowned, turning slightly as the roar of an engine caught her attention. When she looked back at the driveway, the white car was pulling away, the man gone. She turned back to Sloane, who was now avoiding her gaze.
"Seriously, what's going on?" Raelynn pressed.
Sloane gave her a tight-lipped smile. "Nothing you need to worry about. Now, tell more about those burritos!"
Raelynn sighed, deciding to let it go for now. But as she stepped back into her room, the image of Elion and the mysterious man lingered in her mind. There was sothing unsettling about how Elion's face hardened at the sound of his na.
And now this, Sloane And now this—Sloane acting all strange. Was Sloane just being weird, or was it all in her head? She really hoped it was the latter.
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