They were complete opposites. Raven was like a snowy winter, while Caius was like a sunlit summer. Raven's laughter stemmed from the satisfaction of teasing Gia, while Caius brought out pure joy with his jokes.Although both were equally handsome, their physical features and clothing styles perfectly captured their contrasting personalities. Raven almost always dressed in black, while Caius, with his light brown hair and fair skin, often wore pastel colors.Raven was often silent and kept his thoughts to himself, except when he wanted to debate Gia. Caius, on the other hand, openly expressed whatever was on his mind.And Caius was serious. He openly pursued Gia.---"How are you? Do you think you can keep going? Five meters is quite a distance."Gia supported Raven's body. His progress was rapid. Within two days, his initial three steps had turned into five meters. Gia considered swapping his current walker for one with wheels. His legs seemed coordinated enough now.Raven wiped his s
After three days of knowing Caius, this may be the first time Gia has seen him thinking seriously."The full story would be long and involve many people, so I'll just give you the simple version."Gia raised her eyebrows, curious. It seemed Caius wanted to be honest, but he was restrained by something he couldn’t freely discuss."I approached you because I know that the women with Raven are usually fake.""Fake? Fake women?! Do you mean transgender?"Gia couldn’t hide her surprise. She wasn’t homophobic, but Raven seemed very normal, especially considering how passionately he had kissed her before."What? Ha...ha...ha..."Caius burst into laughter, tears forming in his eyes at Gia’s wildly off-target guess. Gia eventually smiled a little, realizing she had gone too far."Not that kind of fake, Gia!" Caius wiped his tears. "I wonder what Raven’s reaction would be if he knew you were questioning his manhood.""There’s no need to bring this up with him!"Gia panicked. She knew Raven woul
"Hello? Hellooo…" Caius snapped his fingers in front of Gia's face, as his question was only met with silence."Huh? What? Sorry, I was daydreaming a bit." Gia ran her fingers through her hair, trying to pull her wandering mind back into focus."You’re daydreaming again, Gia. You've been in this state since the day before yesterday. Every time you're quiet, your eyes go blank, lost in thought. What’s really on your mind?" Caius sounded like a sulking teenager."Sorry. I'm just struggling with planning the training schedule.""Huh? But isn't everything with Raven’s schedule set? What are you still thinking about?"Gia silently cursed at herself, realizing her excuse hadn’t fooled Caius. He was right, of course. Raven's schedule was already arranged.“It is. But Jasper’s coming back tomorrow. I need to coordinate with Raven's usual work schedule.”"Oh, I see.” Caius believed her this time.Gia lowered her gaze to the tea in her hand. She didn’t like lying to Caius. But she also couldn’t
Gia gently pressed Raven's ankle, loosening his stiff muscles. Since starting to walk with a wheeled walker, Raven's leg muscles, which bore much of the strain, had become sore.Gia became aware of this only after observing the peculiar movement in Raven's leg, as he had not expressed any complaints.After what Gia referred to as "that unfortunate night," they had once again become distant, mirroring their initial separation following Willow's arrival. Raven worked hard without complaining, and the atmosphere between them was strictly professional. No teasing, no sarcasm, no touch.It was a perfectly healthy work environment until Gia discovered that Raven was silently enduring the pain in his leg.“You may not want to talk to me, but please at least tell me if something’s wrong with your leg. Your condition will worsen if this is left untreated!” Gia growled, trying not to raise her voice.“I don’t want to talk to you? You’re the one avoiding me, Haze. Not me!” Raven immediately con
"Take a left, then stop at the house with the black gate," Jasper instructed Gia, giving her directions."We’re not going home?" Gia asked, not recognizing the area. Raven's house was situated in an urban area, but this one appeared to be deep in the forest, surrounded only by trees and darkness, with no other light source besides their car's headlights."No. It’s too risky," Raven replied."What about Marlow?" Raven asked Jasper."I already sent a message. They've evacuated," Jasper answered.Gia didn’t need to ask further. She was incredibly curious about the conversation unfolding between them. She wanted to know what was happening and why they were being attacked, but she realized this wasn't the right time, especially with Jasper sounding tenser than usual. His wounds needed attention."We’re here." Gia saw the black iron gate, covered in creeping vines."Press the green button located on the left side of the dashboard," Jasper instructed.Gia searched briefly. "This one?" She fo
Gia awoke with a startle, momentarily confused.“Nightmare?” asked Raven.Gia turned to see him seated on a single sofa to her left. Raven looked like a model, sitting with one leg crossed over the other, holding a classic teacup in one hand. Elegant and mysterious. He had also changed into a neat suit, complete with sunglasses. Last night, his clothes had been stained with Jasper's blood."Control yourself, Gia. Wipe your drool," Gia thought to herself, blinking to dispel the intoxicating sight.“Did he do this on purpose?” Gia grumbled inwardly.“How’s Jasper?” Gia asked. The sofa where he had slept was already empty.“Upstairs, cleaning up. He’s fine. No fever or infection,” Raven replied.“His arm needs a sling to keep his shoulder stable.” Last night, Gia was unable to locate one.“It’s taken care of. The doctor who came last night provided him with a cloth sling.”“Doctor?” Gia was surprised a doctor would come to such a remote place.“A lot happened while you were asleep, Haze.
This time, Gia enjoyed her flight more. She still declined all offers of alcoholic drinks, opting instead for tea and coffee.In front of her, Raven and Jasper were deep in conversation, their heads nearly touching as they discussed something.The interior of the plane, with leather seats arranged facing each other, resembled the living room in Raven's house from before."I'll finish this now," Jasper said, shifting away and reaching for his laptop, signaling the end of their work discussion."And why do you sound like you're sighing? This is the sixth time you've taken a deep breath." Raven turned to look at Gia, who was indeed frowning in annoyance."It's nothing. I'm fine. Just eager to see Katastari."Raven chuckled. "Let me guess. You're annoyed because I won't answer your questions about last night's attack."And Gia was grateful Raven couldn't see her reaction. To her, he seemed almost like a mind reader. His accuracy at guessing her thoughts was uncanny. Hearing her silence, R
NGUUUUNG!The loud noise, resembling the sound of a drill, made Gia frown. As her eyes opened, she realized she was in an unfamiliar place.The room was beautiful—minimalist decor, white paint, and a large, four-poster wooden bed. White drapes hung from each corner, creating a classic look that matched the room's overall theme. Gia blinked, trying to recall the last thing that happened to her.KATASTARI!Gia sat up, taking in her surroundings more clearly. To her right was a wide glass wall revealing a stunning blue sea, bringing a smile to her face. Raven hadn’t lied about how beautiful this place would be.NGUUUNG!Gia jumped. The humming of machinery sounded again. "What is that noise?" she thought.“Is it bothering you? I can tell them to stop if you like.”Gia turned her head quickly to the right. Raven stood beside the bed with his cane.“When did you get here?” Gia quickly recovered from her surprise.“Before you woke up.”“Doing what?”“Training, of course.” Raven raised his c
"Yes. Just a few days ago,” Gia answered smoothly, without hesitation. Quite convincing.“And you?” Martha pointed at Matteo. “What happened to Dion?”Gia didn’t know who Dion was, but based on the context, he seemed to be Haakon’s usual bodyguard.“He’s sick. Resting,” Matteo answered coldly and briefly.The sunglasses hid almost all of his facial expressions. The other bodyguard glanced at Matteo. He surely knew it was a lie, but he didn’t interfere.“Really? I didn’t know he was sick. He seemed fine yesterday,” Martha said, looking surprised. She trusted Matteo but was puzzled by the sudden illness.“A severe flu,” Matteo added to clear Martha’s remaining doubts.“What about Natalie?”After hearing Matteo’s reasonable explanation, she turned back to Gia. This time, Gia knew that Natalie was the name of Mette’s usual assistant.“She had a sudden family emergency. They couldn’t be left alone. She left unexpectedly yesterday.”Gia inwardly groaned as she realized she had unintentional
Svvere laughed as he listened to Gia’s criticism.“It’s not pleasant at all. I hate it too,” Svvere said.“Does it have to be like this every year?” Gia questioned the gloomy tradition, secretly wishing Svvere didn’t have to go through it annually. It would be too sad if he did.Svvere nodded with exaggerated enthusiasm. “It’s annoying, isn’t it? But thankfully, Mamma replaced it with another party.”“What do you mean?”“When the formal party ends, Mamma hosts a second birthday party the next day. It’s more relaxed, with just cousins and a few close relatives attending.”“That’s wonderful!”Svvere nodded and smiled, knowing the additional party was meant to cheer him up. No wonder he grew up to be such a cheerful young man despite enduring such odd traditions. Mette had ensured that Svvere’s childhood was as normal as possible.Gia’s admiration for Mette grew a little more. At first, she had judged the family for holding such a stiff and formal birthday party.But while they adhered t
Gia hugged Al one more time before handing him over to Marlow. Sophie and Marlow would take care of them. Eventually, Marlow was summoned back to Geirangerfjord, leaving Sophie unable to handle them alone.Fortunately, Al and Frey no longer relied heavily on breast milk since they ate complementary foods. The frozen breast milk supply was also enough to last for a week.Frey immediately reached out his hand as soon as Gia freed hers. He always felt jealous whenever his older brother received more attention, whether from Gia or Raven.Sensing Gia’s unease, the little girl nestled her head against Gia’s neck and wrapped her arms around it in silence, offering comfort and reassurance.“I’ll be back soon, sweetheart. Wait a little longer. I’ll bring Daddy home,” Gia whispered.Frey missed Raven the most. He often cried and became fussy at night, his only way to express how much he missed his father. Gia understood the meaning behind those cries, which made her feel even more devastated.W
“I think this works,” Sophie said, pulling out two suits—one in blue and the other in black. "Go ahead, try them on."Gia nodded obediently and took the two suits into the fitting room. She complied because she understood the necessity of it all. After checking herself in the mirror twice, Gia finally nodded. The suits Sophie had chosen fit her petite frame perfectly."How is it?" Sophie asked."I think they’re fine," Gia replied."Great! Now all we need is to find a party dress.” With quick movements, Sophie handed the two formal suits to the sales assistant for processing."Add these too," Sophie said, pointing to two more outfits she had picked earlier.Gia was already content with the first two suits, but Sophie thought two were far too few. There was no point in arguing with Sophie about the number of clothes. Gia had to comply, or things would drag on unnecessarily.After paying for the purchases, they moved to another boutique specializing in evening and cocktail dresses.Choos
While waiting for Haakon, they enjoyed lunch. Al and Frey needed extra attention during the meal. Mette happily took over Sophie’s role and helped feed Frey. Matteo, on the other hand, wasn’t exceptionally skilled at this.It was clear that Svvere adored Freya. As he sat beside his mother, watching her feed Frey, his eyes never left her. Several times, Gia noticed him gently stroking Frey’s head with affection.Svvere even tried feeding Frey himself, though his hands were clumsy. When he succeeded, he clapped his hands like he had just won a prestigious competition. Frey’s laughter matched Svvere’s excitement, filling the room with joy.Seeing this warmed Gia’s heart a little. She truly hoped that Haakon would provide the answer she was longing for.“She doesn’t want to anymore. You don’t need to force her,” Gia explained, noticing Svvere’s sad expression when Frey refused to open her mouth again.“Is she full?” Svvere asked.“And she’ll probably feel sleepy soon,” Gia replied, explai
Mette’s residence was just as Gia remembered it, though perhaps a bit livelier now that flowers were beginning to bloom in the garden in front of the house. The last time she visited was during autumn when the garden looked much barer.“He’s the prince of Norway?” Matteo still seemed unable to believe that Gia could be close to someone of such stature. He had underestimated Lindgren’s influence before.Gia nodded. “Haakon, Mette’s husband, is the heir to the throne of Norway.”“Let’s see how this unfolds,” Matteo ended the discussion as the car stopped.Al clung tightly to Gia as they got out of the car. The boy always seemed uncomfortable in unfamiliar environments. On the other hand, Frey didn’t seem to care—especially since he was fast asleep in Matteo’s arms.The staff welcomed Gia the first time she visited. Today was special. She saw Mette standing at the main door; naturally, Svvere was with her.“Gia!” Svvere shouted, running toward her. The noise disturbed Frey, but Matteo ca
“It’s colder here,” Gia murmured. She had gotten used to Italy’s climate and forgotten that Norway was several degrees cooler.Italy’s spring temperature hovered below twenty degrees Celsius, but Norway was likely below fifteen. Gia was thankful she had dressed Al and Frey warmly enough.Jasper greeted them on the runway with Max. Their group was quite large, so he had prepared two cars. Besides Matteo, Gia brought Sophie along, as she was the only one who could help her manage the twins. Marlow had stayed behind in Italy and would only join them if necessary.“Geirangerfjord.”Gia pronounced their destination fluently as the car started moving, recalling how patiently Raven had taught her to say the name correctly.A wave of nostalgia hit Gia. Although she had left this country over a year ago, her memories of Norway remained vivid.She remembered how chaotic her emotions were when she first came here. Yet this country was also where she and Raven had gotten married, and it held a sp
Gia’s hands trembled as she listened to the dial tone. The long-distance call only played monotonously, indicating that Caius wasn’t answering.“Is he ignoring you?” Matteo asked.Gia wanted to say yes, but she trusted Caius more than that. So she called again.“Maybe he’s busy,” Gia said, trying to comfort herself while giving Matteo an excuse.The second call nearly crushed Gia’s hope. It, too, was nothing but an endless ringing tone without an answer. But just as the call was about to end, she finally heard a response.“Gia.”“Caz…”“I can’t help you.”Before Gia could even State," her request, Caius cut her off. He had already heard about Raven and guessed why Gia was calling.“I’m not asking for much. I just want to meet your father.”Caius let out a dry, bitter laugh at Gia’s request. “He won’t even meet me, Gia. How could I possibly get you an audience with him? He’s furious because I sided with Raven and didn’t take Willow’s side. I could’ve initially reported your marriage to
Gia honestly forgot about it. The warmth and happiness that had enveloped her these past few months made her unwilling to recall such unpleasant memories.Her mind effortlessly sorted out the fact that Raven was a fugitive and buried it deep in the back of her head. She refused to let that thought disrupt her happiness. But now, that very fact struck her, shattering the beautiful picture of her life at an unexpected moment. It destroyed the perfect world she had tried so hard to maintain.Gia crouched, crossing her arms over her chest, squeezing her arms and shoulders to keep herself conscious.She couldn’t allow herself to faint. Gia kept hurting her own body to stay awake. The pain from her tight grip was enough to hold on to the fragments of her sanity, preventing it from being consumed by panic and fear for the future.“Gia, what’s wrong?” Aria asked when she saw Gia’s phone fall to the floor. She got up and approached her, clueless about what was happening.“What’s wrong? Don’t d