"You're fun to tease. My bad, bro, I'm just kidding. Don't take it too seriously." Vincent said then his expression turned serious. "When are you going to visit your mom?"Klaus sighed. "I don't want to remind her of my dad.""Jesus! Klaus, she didn't mean that word. You behaved like an asshole that night, and she snapped at you.""I really do remind her of my dad. My existence hurts her. She's happy without me," Klaus interjected."You say things you don't mean. You do that all the time. Do you know how many times you've tried to push me away? I've just learned how to snap you back to your senses during your mood swings.""So what's your point exactly?" Klaus snapped back."Visit her. She misses you. I saw it in her eyes the last time I was there," Vincent countered."And when was that?""The last time I saw her was definitely the last time i saw her last," Vincent replied, and the room fell silent.They both burst into laughter."The fuck did you just say?" Klaus said, his smile fad
"Uh... no, you misheard," Ava stammered, making Klaus frowned harderm"Mom, we all heard it. Who's getting married?" Morticia asked, intrigued.When Ava didn't respond, Klaus stood and dialed a number."Klaus," Ava tried to stop him, but he dashed out. Luckily, the person on the other end picked up just in time."Hello, son.""Dad," Klaus kept his voice steady. "Mom told me about the wedding. How's it going?""She did?" His father's tone was surprised, and Klaus frowned. "I'm sorry, son. I needed a woman in my life, and your mother isn't...""Fuck! You're getting married?!" Klaus yelled, his fury igniting."What? We are divorced, Klaus.""Divorce? Are you fucking kidding me?! After all the shit you put her through, you're going to marry another woman? Are you insane?!""Klaus, you should talk to your mother before lashing out at me like this. This isn't my-""Fuck you!" He spat, ending the call."Klaus!" Morticia called, worried, as she watched him turn away. Ava was panicking, Jamie
He was doing it again, driving her crazy with his words. Everything he did seemed to have that effect on her. But no-she couldn't fall for this, not after she had promised Jamie.Forcing her attention to the messy room, she began to clean up."What are you doing?" he asked."What does it look like I'm doing?" she shot back.He stared at her for a moment before joining in, rearranging the clutter and putting misplaced items back in their places. She tried to turn on his lamp, but it was broken."Leave it. I'll buy another tomorrow," he said, and she nodded in agreement.After several minutes, they finished tidying up. He looked up at her."Thanks.""You're welcome," she replied, her gaze falling on his bleeding knuckles. "Where's your first aid kit? You're bleeding."Klaus glanced down at his wound. "No, I'm fine.""Where is it?" she pressed again, and when he didn't respond, she recalled where it was stored and headed to the drawer in the corner, pulling out the box."Sit," she ordere
Morticia glanced under the table, her lips pouting as confusion etched across her face. She sat back up and searched her bag."You cool?" Jamie asked after ordering snacks for them."I can't find my phone," Morticia complained as she continued searching."Maybe you left it with Rhea," Jamie suggested.She sighed in frustration. "Can I have yours? I need to check.""Alright." He pulled out his phone, unlocked it, and handed it over to her.Morticia’s eyes landed on his wallpaper — it was a picture of her reading in the library. It seemed recent."I'm your wallpaper?""You're my girlfriend... so why not?" He grinned, his aura cheerful.Instead of calling her number, she opened Jamie's gallery, and her eyes widened when she saw so many pictures of herself, taken without her knowledge. She scrolled down and found plenty more.She frowned."When did you take all of these?""Is it wrong?"Morticia’s lips twitched as she slid the phone back to him."I have something to tell you," she said. G
"Hmp..."Moans and groans filled the room as Klaus’s lips moved against Morticia's, passionate, hard, and possessive. His fingers trailed down her spine, sending electric currents through her body.He broke the kiss and gazed at her with those dark, metallic eyes."Do you like my touch?" he asked, repeating the motion and pausing at the hook of her bra. She swallowed hard, feeling his breath against her skin.She nodded, unable to find her voice. His touch had stolen her breath, and all she could think about was kissing his lips again."C'mon, say it, Bunnie. I want to hear it from those full lips of yours. Use them," Klaus whispered, his words stirring something deep inside her—desire."Yes..." her voice came out hushed, more like a soft moan. He smiled, clearly enjoying the way her body trembled under his touch."Yes, what?" he teased, leaning closer and brushing his lips against her chin as his hand slowly unhooked her white lace bra."Yes, I like your touch, Klaus," she replied, f
Klaus sighed and stepped out reluctantly."Let him in, then," he said, but when Mr. Liam checked again, there was no one."Uh, he’s gone," Liam informed Klaus, who frowned."What?" Klaus mumbled. "Is he getting old or something?""I have to go," Morticia said from behind him."Are you sure? It’s pretty dark already. You can stay the night if you want," he offered. She badly wanted to agree, but Ava must be waiting for her. Vincent would be home tonight, and they might start to suspect something.She didn’t want anyone to know what was going on between her and Klaus. Not yet.Klaus seemed to understand. "I’ll walk you home, then.""No, you should go back and have your dinner before it gets cold. Goodnight," she said, walking away as his gaze followed her until she was out of sight.However, someone else’s gaze was on her as she crossed the street."Why didn’t Klaus come out, huh?" Jamie mumbled, glancing down at the gun in his hand. He chuckled, running his fingers through his hair.He
Rhea was watching a movie when her phone buzzed. She sat up, seeing the caller ID, and answered quickly."Did you get it?""Yeah, he had some childhood mental disorder. He grew up in Chicago with his grandmother, I think... He visited a psychiatric hospital during that time and was eventually discharged..." her friend Thane, a crazy hacker, said over the phone."What?""Yeah, and a nurse once wrote a statement that violence or losing something he loves could trigger his brutal side. That's all I could find. Who is this guy? If you know him, stay away... cases like this rarely heal."Rhea's face paled. She finally recalled where she had seen Jamie... in Chicago.Recalling how Morticia had mentioned Jamie acting strange when she broke up with him, Rhea felt a wave of dread."Oh no..."She quickly called Valerie, asking if Morticia was there."No, she's not here. Is everything okay?" Valerie asked.Rhea didn't respond and hung up, leaving Valerie frowning. Valerie thought for a moment, g
Rhea tried calling Klaus again for feedback, but he wasn't picking up. She tried Vincent's line too, but he wasn't answering either. She was freaking out, beads of sweat cascading down her face.Morticia better be alright. She had to be.How could she have remembered Jamie this late? It was years ago when her father took her to Chicago to visit her mother and spend a few days with her.In the park, little Rhea watched kids playing. She had no friends; most of the kids barely talked to her as if she were a misfit. Her skin was darker at that time.A particular boy around the age of nine caught her attention, young and cute. He was playing with his white cat, caressing it with all the gentleness in the world.. His eyes filled with love and adoration.A woman in her early fifties was making a call nearby."Grandma, I think Lily is hungry," the boy said to the woman, who waved her hand, indicating she'd attend to him soon.The boy set the cat on the ground, desperate to get his grandmot
"So, how's Klaus?" Rhea asked Morticia as they spent time together."I..." Morticia sighed, taking a deep breath. "I don't know.""What do you mean?" Rhea asked."We haven't talked," Morticia replied. It had been more than a week since Josephine's death, and the last time she saw Klaus was at the funeral. He left before the ceremony was over.She had searched for him at his apartment the next day, but found no sign of him either. The only place remaining was Mr. Finn's mansion, here in Washington.Rhea sighed. "I hope he's okay then. What about your mother?""She's watching movies more than she can handle. She's trying to distract herself. My brother is taking care of her," Morticia croaked. Everything felt as though it was falling apart since Josephine's death.Rhea reached out to hold her hand, giving her an assuring squeeze."Everything will be fine, okay? Perhaps he's just trying to get himself together and doesn't want to hurt you," Rhea said."That's what Vincent said. He said h
Morticia staggered backward, her head spinning at the scene. Oh heavens! This should be a dream!Josephine can't be dead. This was surreal. The doctor mentioned she was responding, and her chance of survival was slowly rising.How could she have died just forty minutes before her last surgery?Klaus was unconscious, lying on the bed. Finn had hurt his head pretty badly, and the nurse was treating him.Wait. Ava.Morticia spun around, her eyes scanning the hall with no sign of her mother."Mom?" she panicked."She's in the ward at the end of the hall," Katie responded."What!""She passed out after hearing the news of her death."Morticia spun, rushing toward the ward. There, on the bed, Ava had an oxygen mask on her face, unconscious."She will be fine, miss. She just went through a shock and will wake up tomorrow morning," the nurse assured.Morticia burst into loud cries, sliding to the floor, her fingers tangling in her hair as she pulled it in frustration.It was too much! How cou
"Klaus, you have to try this," she said, bouncing with excitement as they stopped before the game Dance Upon Revolution.Klaus crossed his arms, towering over the machine with a skeptical look. "You really expect me to jump around on that thing?""Yes! It's fun!" Morticia grinned, pointing at the screen. "The goal is simple: step on the arrows as they light up to match the rhythm of the song. Easy.""That's literally jumping, not dancing," Klaus muttered, his brow furrowing."It's not about looking cool; it's about not falling off the platform."Klaus huffed, stepping onto the platform reluctantly. Morticia joined him on the second pad, cracking her knuckles like a seasoned pro."Let's start with an easy song," she said, scrolling through the menu. She picked a cheerful, mid-tempo tune.The music began, and the arrows on the screen started scrolling upward in time with the beat. Morticia's feet moved fluidly, hitting each step with precision. Klaus, meanwhile, hesitated, stomping awkw
SURGERY 1 SUCCESSFUL...Klaus couldn't stop smiling as Morticia chattered animatedly around him. His Bunnie could talk all day, and he loved every moment of it. Her presence was everything.The first surgery for his mother had been a success, but there were still two more to go. The next surgery was in twelve hours, and Josephine would be unconscious until all three procedures were completed.Klaus leaned in and placed a swift kiss on Morticia's lips, playfully silencing her. "That's enough," he whispered, his voice hoarse."I... I haven't told you how he got to won the competition yet!" "A bonus?" She gasped. "How did you know?""Because we watched the movie together," he chuckled, and Morticia blinked at him with wide eyes."How come you're telling me this now, just as I'm about to finish telling you about the entire movie?""I just love listening to your voice," he replied softly, capturing her lips in a gentle kiss as she settled on top of him, his fingers caressing her back.T
As they continue hugging, the door creaked open silently, revealing Vincent, whose gaze landed on them. The scene stirred something deep inside him as he silently watched. He decided not to disturb them. Exhaling, he closed the door softly and stepped away from the room. He met his mother's worried look. "They're fine. Morticia is taking care of him," Vincent smiled and walked away before she could reply. Ava's mouth hung open; it seemed Vincent knew what was going on between Klaus and Morticia. Light sobs caught her attention, and she traced the sound to find Evie crying silently in an empty ward room. Spotting Ava, Evie quickly wiped her tears and greeted her. "Hi." Ava let out a small smile. "Are you okay?" Evie stayed silent for a moment before shaking her head. "No, I'm not. But I will be once she's awake." Ava nodded and sat beside her. "She's the strongest woman I know. She's going to make it." Evie nodded, wiping the tears that fell freely down her cheeks. "Thanks a lo
However, day by day passed with neither of them contacting each other. Morticia focused her time on studying for exams and spending time with Rhea.All this while, she didn't see Klaus.But once, when she visited Josephine with Ava, Klaus wasn't present. Deep down, she wished he was.Perhaps she should contact him and ask how he was doing. She wanted to; she couldn't deny that.~It was finally the day of surgery. Klaus was with Josephine at the beach. The surgery was going to take place in three hours.Though Josephine acted as though she wasn't scared, Klaus could see right through her. He wasn't unscathed either.The surgery was scaring the hell out of him. He just had to act strong for her."I've been waiting for this moment, Klaus," Josephine started after they both stared at the sea for a long while."Me too." Klaus looked at her calm face. "You're going to survive; I know that."Josephine smiled. "You've finished your final exam; you'll soon graduate. How could I not survive to
Vincent ran his fingers through his hair, his gaze on the ceiling as he struggled to sleep.All he wanted was to see his family again. He missed them so much, but he never expected to meet everything so screwed up.His phone buzzed, and he picked it up to check.His eyes widened at the message, and he sprang up from his bed."What?" Vincent mumbled.Klaus, who had also received the same message, sat on his couch with a stunned expression.~Simon, Dimitri and their other accomplice eliminated for breaking the rules~The message was from a strange, untraceable number, accompanied by a picture of Simon, Dimitri, and others lying dead.The rules.Was it because they tried to kill Klaus?"Void," Klaus and Vincent muttered simultaneously in their respective rooms.-Old Evan tapped on his counter machine, trying to make it work."What bad timing, you little punk," he mumbled and hit it again. The customer before him let out an awkward smile; the old man looked scary when frustrated.Nica ru
"Kill who?" Ava asked again when they all remained silent, staring at her. She stepped further into the room."Are you just going to stand there and say nothing? I just asked you both a question!" she snapped.Klaus made to speak, but Vincent stopped him and began explaining instead. Ava's eyes widened with every word, and she instinctively stepped back in shock."After a year of working for him, he didn't release us. He threatened to go after our family if we didn't continue to work for him," Klaus added.Ava shook her head in disbelief. "Are you both serious right now? What in the hell did this so-called Simon do to drag you both into this? And why didn't you tell me?! What could he have possibly used to threaten you?!""It was because of you!" Vincent snapped at her for the very first time.Klaus gave him a look, silently urging him not to say it.Ava's mouth hung open. "Because of me?""August 19th, last year. What happened that night?" Vincent questioned, and the color drained fr
Klaus woke up late the next day, his eyes fluttering open to a slightly familiar room.Slowly, he sat up, meeting Vincent's blank gaze from the corner of the room. He glanced around but saw no sign of Morticia."She's home with my mother," Vincent clarified, sensing Klaus's confusion. "So Ava won't suspect anything and make Josephine worry.""Oh," Klaus muttered, and a long silence settled between them."How is she?" Klaus finally asked, breaking the stillness.Vincent raised a brow."I know you're mad at me, bruh. I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Klaus said. "I planned to once you got back, and I never meant for you to find out like that."Another heavy pause hung in the air before Vincent spoke. "I'm not sorry for hitting you. But I'm sorry for not being there sooner."Klaus studied his friend. There was still anger in Vincent's eyes, burning fiercely. But beneath the rage was something else-something unfamiliar. It was the first time Klaus couldn't read him."I'm not gonna hurt her,"