-=Martina's Point of View=-I felt like a jerk afterward when I realized how rude I was to Zeke, who was only doing his job, but the worry and dread I felt for Kian's condition was making me irrational, not to mention the deadline of my confession to Zion, which should just happen in a few days.I felt like a ticking timebomb was planted inside me, and I only had a little time in order for me to detonate it, or else everything would fall into a rumble.After realizing my attitude toward Zeke, I tried to take a deep breath to calm myself before talking again."I thought you agreed for me to see Zion?" I asked, sounding calmer."Of course, mistress, however," he said, his voice stopping mid-sentence.I decided not to say anything for fear that I might start to snarl at him again, and it didn't take long before he continued talking."Master Zion isn't in his room," he replied."What do you mean?" I asked, feeling confused.The thought that Zion left without my knowledge worries me, becau

-=Martina's Point of View=-I didn't know how to react to what she said, and thinking that I just heard it wrong, I opted to ask her."I'm sorry, but I didn't think I heard you right," I said.She took a deep breath, and from the way her eyes shifted, I felt like it was either she was feeling guilty about something or she was worried, but whatever it was, something was definitely bothering her."I said that you didn't have to confess to Zion anymore, that you can keep your relationship with Kian a secret, and I promise you will not hear anything from me regarding it," she promised, which only added to my confusion.Listening to her remarks perplexed me; it seemed inconceivable that Annie, the Annie I knew so well, could keep such lies and betrayals. I couldn't understand how she could overlook lies and infidelity, especially when it concerned someone she admired and cared about, and I knew for a fact that she saw Zion as their savior.From how she fidgeted, I could tell that something

-=Martina's Point of View=-I opened my eyes the following day, and even though I had just woken up, I felt like all my energy had been drained for some reason. I reached for my head and felt the sweat from my forehead, which was weird considering that my room is quite cold. I sighed deeply as I remembered my dream. It was still about Kian and Esmeralda, and there was someone I couldn't see no matter what. However, the voice was familiar, even though I was certain I had only heard it in my dreams. The dreams have been recurring for reasons unbeknownst to me, and in each of them, I feel a tremendous emptiness in my chest that I can't explain. No matter how hard I try, I can't come up with a plausible explanation for why I dream this way. "What is my connection with Kian and Esmeralda, and why do I keep having dreams about them? Is the Kian I see in my dreams the same Kian I met and learned to love while staying on this island?" Those were only a few of the thoughts racing through m

-=Martina's Point of View=-"Finally!" I thought as the time to leave came. It seemed like a long-awaited release, a turning point I had been looking forward to.I took a moment to check my reflection in the mirror to ensure that my appearance was not too casual but also not too formal. As I looked at the image reflecting back at me, a smile instinctively formed on my lips.When I checked the time, it was exactly eight p.m., and I realized Kian was probably waiting for me at our secret rendezvous location. The anticipation of our secret encounter heightened the intensity of the moment.Reflecting on that hidden passage reminded me of the day I dug into the enigma, hoping to discover the truth behind its existence, but only to fail miserably.I still couldn't get any answers about how a secret passage was built inside this castle going to what everyone considered the most dangerous place on this island, but I didn't think much of it anymore because I was ripping the benefits of having

-=Martina's Point of View=-I probably stared at her for a couple of minutes, looking at her with a dumbstruck expression on my face, before I finally snapped out of it and managed to speak."You are?" "Yes, let me just change my clothes before we leave, and you might want to tell Zeke that we are heading out," she answered nonchalantly, and even before I could say another word, she just turned around and walked away, just like that.I kept staring at her until she vanished from view, and it seemed to me that I must have been staring at her with awe-struck eyes, like a deer in a spotlight.I surveyed my surroundings, flushed with embarrassment, hoping that no one had witnessed my awkward moment, and thankfully, no one was in sight."Zeke, right," I muttered to myself.I started to walk, trying to locate where Zeke was, when I met one of the maids, who graciously told me where Zeke was.I walked to the second floor of the castle and walked to where Zion's study room was. When I arrive