The next morning — 6:30 a.m.
The first sunlight slipped through a large window with sheer ivory curtains, drawing golden lines across the calm wall.
The room was still… except for the steady sound of breathing.
Amory was sleeping deeply in Bella's arms, his head resting on her chest, one arm wrapped around her waist in a natural, protective hold. The blanket covered half his body — leaving his shoulder and his toned, muscular arm exposed.
Bella lay on her back, wearing a tight black tank top. Her right athletic arm was curled around Amory's shoulder as if instinctively holding him even in her sleep, while her left arm was slightly raised to shield part of her eyes from the sunlight.
Complete stillness… warm… steady.
Then — the alarm rang.
(A repetitive digital beep slicing through the quiet with rude enthusiasm.)
She didn't even move. She just reached out with a barely audible groan and shut off the alarm with one tap without opening her eyes.
Silence returned — but Bella's mind woke up a little, even if her body refused to.
After a few minutes of heavy quiet and slowly gathering awareness, Bella finally opened her eyes. She didn't move right away — she just lay there listening to Amory's steady breathing before exhaling slowly, as if convincing herself to start the day.
She decided to get to the bathroom before Amory woke up.
Carefully, she freed herself from his arm wrapped around her waist. She moved his hand very gently, then pulled the blanket back over him with care — making him look more like a sleeping child than a terrifying businessman.
She lowered her legs off the bed and sat at the edge.
And with the first stretch of her shoulders and arms pulled back — the curve of her athletic back showed in a smooth, elegant line… a brief movement, but enough to make anyone waking behind her lose all traces of sleep.
She finished stretching… sighed… and then —
She felt a warm arm pull her by the waist.
She froze for a moment before hearing a rough, half-asleep voice:
Amory (sleepy, muffled against her back):
"Where are you going…?"
Bella (dry sarcasm):
"To the bathroom, not Mars."
Amory ignored her answer and pulled her closer, as if his brain rejected all logic:
"Come back. Five minutes only. The world won't stop without us…"
Bella (eyes raised to the ceiling):
"I'm not your secretary… I'm your wife."
Amory (with dangerously childish joy):
"And that's exactly why… no one dares question our absence. Come… let's sleep a bit more."
Bella smiled despite herself — not from joy, but from the ridiculous stubbornness he was gifted with.
She placed her hand gently on his arm wrapped around her waist and tilted her body slightly to slip free without hurting him with a sudden move.
Bella (quiet, calm, but sarcastic):
"If you keep pulling me like this, I'll have to remind you I'm not your pillow."
Amory didn't respond — he only pressed himself closer for a moment… clearly pretending not to understand on purpose.
His voice came out soft, sleepy:
"You're more comfortable than any pillow on this earth."
Bella closed her eyes for a second and gave a small sideways smile — she wasn't annoyed… but she knew if she didn't end this now, she'd be stuck in this bed till noon.
She leaned in, bringing her lips near his ear, and whispered:
"Amory… if I don't go now, I'll lose my mind later when I find a whole line of meetings waiting for me."
It was obvious his brain heard her… but his body refused to act.
His voice returned, even softer, breaking between sleep and stubborn affection:
"Then… stay for one minute. Just one minute… no more."
Bella smiled — triumphant and a bit mischievous.
She took his hand by the wrist and moved it slowly until it let go of her.
She didn't fight him harshly — but in a way that left him no room to resist.
As if saying: I respect your sleep, but I also have a schedule.
Once she freed herself, she covered him again up to his shoulders, just as she had done minutes ago.
She whispered softly, her voice carrying an unseen smile:
"Sleep quietly… before I change my mind and drag you back to reality."
He didn't answer.
His voice faded completely.
His breathing returned to a slow, steady rhythm.
He surrendered.
Bella finally stood up, pushed her hair behind her ear, and walked lightly toward the bathroom door.
And with her last step before closing it…
she couldn't stop herself from glancing at him one last time…
and whispered almost inaudibly:
"Sometimes… I pity you more than I expect."
Then she closed the door — quietly.
---
A few minutes later
Bella was standing in front of the large mirror near the corner of the room, the morning light slipping through the half-opened curtain and softening the tone of her skin.
She was wearing a yellow sweatshirt with two black stripes on the sides, and loose fiery-orange shorts reaching mid-thigh, with a small logo on the side: a broken heart with feathers beside it.
She tied her hair back in a messy, unplanned way — yet it looked like a deliberate magazine-cover hairstyle.
In her hand was a foundation sponge, tapping lightly on the side of her neck, hiding a very obvious bite mark from the previous night.
The shade was an exact match to her skin tone — a clean, healthy white. A formula she created herself, from her own brand. When she launched it years ago, it caused an instant worldwide sensation.
She was fully absorbed in her task until Amory's voice came — drowsy, warm, the voice of someone who'd just woken up:
Amory (behind her, quietly puzzled):
"…What are you doing?"
She didn't turn. Just let out a quiet, short laugh:
Bella: "Burying the evidence."
Silence for a moment… then he sat up straight on the bed, looking at her with a half-smile as if the sun had just woken up in his eyes.
Amory (with pure childlike eagerness):
"Let me help you."
Bella raised an eyebrow at him through the mirror — a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
Bella, gently sarcastic:
"Since when do you know how to do makeup?"
He tilted his head slightly, smiling far too brightly for someone that wealthy:
Amory:
"I don't know how… but I want to."
Only then did she allow a faint smile to appear — that rare one no one else ever sees. He practically bounced with joy when he realized she didn't refuse.
---
Elsewhere
Downstairs, Lucien was sitting at the dining table, waiting for his breakfast with a patience that looked a lot like defeat. His posture was straight, one leg crossed over the other, scrolling through his phone with no real interest.
He wore a T-shirt blending red and yellow, a light green jacket on top, and wide pants in a matching shade. The look would've been strange to anyone else… but on Lucien it looked annoyingly normal.
It didn't take long before a shout came from the kitchen:
"Lucien! Go wake the sleepers up, now! Breakfast will get cold!"
He closed his eyes with a deep sigh. Put his phone back in his pocket, stood up slowly, then walked toward the stairs like a man being dragged toward an unwritten life duty.
In his mind, he muttered sarcastically:
Why do I always feel like the official servant of this house?
He reached the upper floor. Stood before Bella and Amory's door. Lifted his hand… hesitated. Not out of respect, but out of fear of Amory's morning glare — the one that feels like an official threat.
He knocked twice. No answer.
He decided to risk it — opened the door a little and stepped inside carefully:
"Good morning… uh… are you—"
He froze.
The scene in front of him looked like it belonged to an entirely different movie.
Bella lying on the bed… and Amory sitting beside her on the edge, leaning over her with intense focus. His shirt was lifted halfway up his back to avoid staining it with product.
And from Lucien's angle, the scene looked… extremely suspicious.
Lucien jerked his head back immediately, hand raised awkwardly:
"Sorry! I didn't know you were—"
Amory turned around fast. The calm look from moments earlier vanished; replaced with that silent, icy threat he was infamous for.
But before Amory spoke, Bella's voice came, perfectly calm, as if everything were normal:
"Good morning, Lucien. Come in, it's fine."
Lucien stood frozen, unsure whether to obey or jump out the nearest window.
Amory shot her a sharp look… one that clearly said: Are you joking?
Bella, unfazed, lifted her sweatshirt slightly to adjust it as Amory applied foundation to her shoulder and the side of her neck.
The edge of her green-and-black sports bra showed.
Her body looked powerfully athletic and familiar: defined shoulders, visible abs, the physique of someone who trains daily.
With a small shift, part of her long tattoo came into view — a trail of dark, richly colored flowers descending smoothly down her side. The colors were deep, strange, and beautiful all at once. A design that belonged to Bella and Bella alone.
Amory tensed immediately and pulled the blanket over her shoulder again, saying firmly:
"No. He's not coming in."
Bella laughed lightly: "Calm down, drama Queen. It's just Lucien."
Lucien raised both hands nervously:
"If… if this is a bad time, I can come back—"
Bella cut him off, gentle and steady:
"No, stay. We need you."
Lucien froze.
He never expected to hear that sentence in his entire life.
Amory slowly turned his head toward him… a long, silent, terrifying stare.
Clear message: Enter… and you're risking your life.
Lucien swallowed hard.
Bella sat up a bit more comfortably, then gestured to him:
"Come. We just need an extra pair of hands."
Lucien asked in a weak voice:
"…For what exactly?"
Bella smiled kindly:
"We're not asking you to kill anyone. Just a simple makeup assist. Amory will handle the shoulders and neck… and you help with the legs. It'll take half the time if we split the work."
Amory turned to her in stunned silence:
"We?"
She looked at him innocently:
"Yes, we. Balanced division of labor. Don't tell me you're against efficiency."
A brief, deadly quiet.
Then Amory said, slowly and coldly:
"If he touches her leg at the wrong angle… I'll break his hand at the correct one."
Bella burst out laughing and patted his shoulder:
"Conditional threat! Excellent, that's emotional growth for you, Amory!"
Amory stared ahead like he was questioning reality itself.
But… he didn't stop Lucien.
And Lucien understood that instantly:
You're allowed… but your life is hanging by a thread.
He exhaled slowly and stepped closer, still ready to run at any second.
Bella motioned with her hand:
"Before you sit… the foundation and sponge are on the vanity. Bring them, please."
He practically sprinted like he escaped a bomb. Grabbed the tools and returned hesitantly.
He approached cautiously. Sat at the edge of the bed as Bella indicated, quickly removing his shoes.
Bella said:
"Start with a light line from the top of the leg down to the ankle. Just evenly. Amory, continue from the top."
And before Lucien could touch her with the sponge, she turned to him with an encouraging smile:
"Don't worry… I'm not going to bite you."
From behind her, Amory muttered coldly:
"She might. I won't."
Lucien lifted the hem of her shorts slightly to avoid staining the fabric.
Slowly — very slowly — he raised the sponge toward Bella's athletic thigh, moving cautiously, as if one wrong move would cause chaos.
At the same time, Amory moved to the opposite side, holding the blanket carefully as he worked on her shoulder and neck — precise, focused, almost surgical.
But he didn't take his eyes off Lucien for even a second, watching him from across the same task.
Lucien began applying the foundation very slowly, as if every move were dangerously sensitive.
Bella's playful voice cut through the tension:
"Good job, Lucien… don't shake, the product isn't going to run away from you."
Amory, without lifting his eyes, said in a low tone that felt more like a warning:
"Don't worry… if I run away, civilization will collapse first."
Bella let out a soft laugh.
"Wow. Emotion. Impressive."
Lucien, almost whispering:
"Bella… are you sure this is comfortable for you?"
She looked at him through the mirror with a light smile:
"Yes. You're acting like I'm some forbidden museum artifact. It's just foundation."
Then she added with gentle sincerity:
"Besides, I trust you. You don't look at me the way others do."
Amory froze for a moment, his eyes locking with Lucien's.
The air tightened instantly.
To break it, Bella clapped her hands lightly:
"Alright, you two, you are officially a glam team. Lucien, focus on the legs before the product dries.
Amory, stop calculating angles of survival with your eyes."
Amory replied calmly while continuing his work:
"I don't kill with my eyes. I simply evaluate performance accuracy."
Lucien swallowed and kept going carefully.
Slowly… his fear actually began to fade.
Bella's calmness made everything less terrifying, until his only focus became doing the technique right — not the social danger.
As for Bella… she smiled to herself.
The room finally shifted from a silent battlefield to a quiet, absurd little scene —
the kind only a chaotic, strangely balanced family could create.
---
A few minutes later, they were almost done.
Bella was lying in a position that made it easy for them to reach all the areas that needed coverage.
The white blanket was placed carefully to cover anything unrelated to the task.
Lucien was in deep, stunned silence.
"When did she get these tattoos? Where? Why? And why don't they ever show in photos?"
He had never seen them — not in pictures, not at events, not anywhere.
Her skin always looked perfectly clear, like porcelain.
And the tattoos…
The colors were breathtaking.
Not black, not faded gray — but rich, deep, glowing shades.
Alive, like something painted from a mythic painting.
"Are tattoos even allowed to look like that? Is this legal?
Did a human even make this?"
Bella, who could pick up people's wandering thoughts as if they were written in the air, gave him a small side-smile:
"If you want to ask… ask. I don't hide things from you if you genuinely want the answer."
Lucien hesitated —
Amory shot him a murderous silent glare.
Then —
The dam broke.
Lucien blurted out everything at once:
"When did you get this tattoo? Why doesn't it show in photos?
Is it permanent or temporary? Is it art? Magic?
Does each flower have meaning?
Why these colors? Does it hurt?
Did you do it in a certain country?
And why hide it in the first place?!"
Amory shut his eyes slowly, as if wishing Lucien would evaporate.
"Oh boy... "
Bella smiled, a mix of mystery and humor:
"The tattoos?"
She said coolly, as if correcting a small mistake.
"Well… I was born with—
I-I mean… I got them six years ago, when I was twenty."
She looked at Lucien, eyes glimmering:
"And why they never show in photos? I always cover them with this foundation.
No noble family lets someone walk around with tattoos."
Then, half-mysteriously:
"And yes, they're permanent.
Sometimes I wish they'd disappear…
but I've realized I like them more than I thought."
About the artwork:
"A real tattoo artist in America made them…
I can't reveal the exact place.
I've never bothered to assign meaning to each flower…
And I don't know how the colors turned out like this.
And no, it didn't hurt."
Lucien shrank in on himself, stunned — and even more thrown off when Bella added:
"Nothing I said is made up…
or maybe I should say:
lies can look like the truth…
but they're still not true."
Amory, on his side, muttered under his breath, repeating her words but in his own version:
"Same words… same phrasing… but not the way I know it…
Her same tone…
just like she told me before…
Exact…
Which is strange."
Bella finally smiled and winked at Lucien — a mix of charm and mischief:
"You can try to explain everything…
or just choose to believe me.
Or not."
Lucien was stunned, caught between trusting her and doubting her.
Amory simply watched — he knew this dance well, and for once, he wasn't angry.
Bella ended with a playful, childish smile:
"Alright, your curiosity isn't done yet…
but I won't reveal everything… not yet."
The air turned into a warm mix of confusion and curiosity.
When they finished, Amory sat silently beside her.
Lucien backed away as if he'd completed a "technical mission."
Bella slowly slipped back into her sweatshirt.
She lifted her head — noticing both of them drifting off into their own thoughts.
The atmosphere was heavy, still, about to turn awkward.
Suddenly — she smiled.
That smile that resets entire rooms.
"Okay! You guys, stop spacing out — you look like a fish trying to remember something even though it literally can't."
The tension cracked instantly.
Her energy alone pushed air back into the room.
She stood up from the bed, stretching her arms high like someone recharging after a long session of work — or rather, relaxation.
Lucien stood too, returning the items to the vanity.
Bella walked toward the bathroom but paused halfway.
She turned to Lucien, curious:
"Oh… right, Lucien?
What were you trying to tell us when you walked in?"
Lucien blinked, confused — then suddenly remembered his purpose in life:
"Oh — breakfast is ready. The cook asked me to call you both."
Bella nodded immediately, thanking him with a smile:
"We'll be down in a bit.
But you — go now before you're late to class."
It hit him like lightning —
his university life.
He panicked:
"O-oh! Right!"
He gave a half-military bow and thanked Bella,
while she headed toward the bathroom laughing at his reaction.
But before she closed the door, she called softly:
"Lucien."
He lifted his head.
Bella was turned away, her back to him —
almost like she didn't want him to see her face.
"Don't tell anyone.
Anyone.
Even the person you trust most.
What you saw… the tattoos…
this stays between us only."
He went silent for a few moments. He couldn't understand how she suddenly became that serious.
Inside, Lucien thought:
"Why does this feel like… a life-or-death matter?"
She repeated his name, a little louder — like she was snapping him back.
He answered immediately, "Alright."
She turned her face toward him, finally smiled — then said:
"Good boy."
Bella stepped into the bathroom.
But Lucien… froze.
He froze because, for just a second, he caught something strange on her face before she closed the door.
Amory, the whole time, had been shifting his gaze between Bella and Lucien, watching a real-life drama unfold. Eventually he ended up staring at the bathroom door Bella disappeared behind. Then he turned toward Lucien and noticed him spacing out. For a second… he lifted his eyes with icy impatience:
"Get out."
But Lucien kept staring at the door.
"Lucien."
This time his voice was sharp.
Lucien snapped out of it — "Ah! Yes! Yes! See you later!" — and scurried off in a childish, ridiculous way that left Amory baffled.
He left the room.
Silence returned.
But while walking down the hallway…
he stopped.
Inside Lucien:
"What was with that sly smile?
And why was she whispering to herself?
Like she knows something… and she's waiting for it?"
He had noticed — just before Bella walked into the bathroom — a sly smile flicker on her face, as if she was hiding something no one else knew. And he caught her lips moving… soundless, like she was whispering to herself.
•••
Some time later
Bella walked down the stairs with Amory. He was the only one dressed for work, while she still wore her earlier clothes. His expression showed annoyance, unlike Bella, who was glowing with her usual bright smile.
Amory said sharply:
"Why didn't you stay in bed with me for five more minutes? Since you're not going to work anyway, you basically lied just to avoid me."
Bella answered simply, scrambling for any excuse so he wouldn't think she didn't love him anymore:
"My dear, it's not what you think. I was already running late… It's eight in the morning."
Amory raised an eyebrow, curious:
"And why exactly aren't you going to work today?"
As they headed to the dining room, Bella replied:
"There are other things I need to take care of first. And we also have to prepare ourselves for tonight's dinner."
A short silence fell before Amory said, pretending to remember:
"Ah… yes, the family dinner. Of course I didn't forget. How could I?"
He let out a forced laugh. Bella narrowed her eyes; she knew him too well. She sighed—he obviously forgot, he was terrible at acting around her.
She entered the dining room and didn't see Lucien. As a brown-haired maid named Nozumaki passed by, Bella turned to her and asked:
"When did Lucien leave?"
The maid answered with a calm smile:
"He left an hour ago, my lady."
Bella said reassuringly:
"Good. You may return to your work."
Nozumaki bowed respectfully and headed upstairs.
Amory, annoyed, followed Bella into the room and said:
"And why do you care when that stupid little kid leaves?"
Bella approached the table and sat across from the already prepared breakfast, saying indifferently:
"Of course I care. He's still a young boy I practically took from his family. It's my duty to be his family now, just like I did with the previous three. And you should be a good father to him as well. But I see you're more attached to Valentina."
Amory sat beside her and began eating, replying casually without looking at her:
"Obviously. She's the first and only girl among them."
Bella laughed softly and said while looking at her plate:
"So your fatherly affection appears only because she's a girl? You don't get jealous of her getting close to me, but you get jealous of the other three boys, don't you?"
Amory fell silent for a few seconds, continuing to eat as if he hadn't heard her. Bella turned her head halfway toward him with a sly look and said:
"What? Did what I said bother you?"
He didn't answer, so Bella chuckled sarcastically and continued eating.
A few moments later, Amory finished his meal, wiped his mouth with a napkin, then set it aside. He looked like he was deep in thought.
He took a slow breath and turned his face toward Bella. He hesitated before speaking in a quiet voice:
"If… if one day…"
He stopped mid-sentence, as if the words got stuck in his throat. Bella noticed his nervousness but ignored it so she wouldn't make him tenser. She said calmly:
"If one day what? What day do you mean?"
Amory exhaled shakily and took her hand that was holding the knife. Bella let go of it and held his hand gently instead — she knew how delicate he became whenever the subject was her.
He spoke with a fragile voice, trying to hide the ache in it:
"If the day ever comes when… we have to leave each other…"
Bella interrupted deliberately, calmly:
"Like divorce?"
Amory's hand tightened around hers — a mix of anger, fear, and worry all at once.
Bella couldn't stand seeing him like this, so she pulled him into her arms. She hugged him tightly, still holding his hand, rested her head on his shoulder, and said softly:
"Shhh… don't worry, Amory. That day will never come. Don't be afraid of something that won't happen."
He whispered in a cracked voice:
"I'm not scared of the day itself… well, maybe a little… but what terrifies me more is that your feelings toward me might change after it… that someone else might replace me… someone like…"
He stopped. Bella kissed his shoulder and said gently:
"Like who? Go on, say it. Don't be afraid, Amory."
He answered quietly:
"Like Lucien."
Bella went silent for a few seconds, then sighed. She straightened up and cupped his face with both hands, forcing him to look into her eyes. They held each other's gaze for a few moments before she leaned in and kissed his forehead.
Then she pulled back slightly, only to gently bring him close again and kiss his lips softly. Amory closed his eyes, surrendering to the moment, and Bella closed hers too.
After a few seconds, they pulled away to catch their breath. Bella rested her forehead against his, smiling faintly.
She whispered, just for him to hear:
"Amory… I don't know what the future holds. I can't promise we'll never separate. But I do know that if we build a strong wall together, nothing will be shaken. We've only been married for a year and a few months… but I'm sure we'll continue — seven years, maybe even a lifetime. What do you think?"
Amory's expression shifted from sadness to relief — like a broken puppy finding its owner's arms again. He smiled shyly, making Bella smile too. She playfully nudged his nose with hers, and Amory let out a soft laugh as she kept teasing him.
And in that moment, behind the dining room door, a black-haired maid stood quietly, watching the scene with a mocking expression.
She stepped away slowly and whispered as she walked off:
"When will Miss Bella understand that this man doesn't suit her… and that the previous master was better for her?"
---
Bella was walking with Amory, accompanying him to the front door. Amory was getting ready to leave, and as they walked, they talked about the upcoming family dinner party for the Leclair family — Bella's family.
They discussed the preparations and arrangements for the event that would take place next week.
When they reached the door, Amory sighed sadly and said,
"I wish I could spend more time with you… but time shows no mercy."
Bella laughed lightly and tapped his shoulder gently.
"I know, but you act as if we don't spend all our time together already."
A small pout appeared on Amory's face, which made Bella smile at his childish behavior.
She lifted her hands and rested them softly on his cheeks. Their height difference wasn't big — she reached just below his mouth — and Amory leaned slightly toward her, just enough to close the distance between them.
They exchanged a small kiss on the lips. Short, but filled with unspoken meaning.
Then they pulled away a little. Amory opened the door and left, waving at Bella with a smile, while she waved back cheerfully.
Once he disappeared completely from her sight, Bella closed the door quietly.
She let out a soft sigh as she listened to the silence of the apartment, then smiled faintly, slipped her hands into the pockets of her shorts, and headed back to her home office.
•••
Somewhere else
By noon, warm sunlight filtered through the tree leaves in the university courtyard.
Lucien and Louis sat together on one of the stone benches in the garden, paper coffee cups beside them, and the light breeze rustling the papers spread out in front of them.
They had just finished their morning lectures and were waiting for the rest of their friends who were still in class.
Louis leaned back lazily and said,
"I still can't believe we won the match last week. The other team was really strong."
Lucien chuckled as he took a sip of his coffee.
"Strong? Maybe in defense. But their offense was a total mess. If they hadn't scored that lucky goal at the end, things would've turned out differently."
Louis nodded with a smile.
"True… but at least we made the team proud."
A brief silence settled for a few seconds, then Louis glanced at Lucien curiously.
"By the way, I never asked you about your job at Velora… how's it going there? How do they treat you? And Miss Bella — how does she treat you?"
Lucien looked at him, a bit surprised, then smiled faintly.
"How's the situation? Honestly, normal. Not bad, not perfect. The company is very organized, everything is calculated precisely."
He hesitated for a moment before continuing:
"As for Miss Bella… She's a bit strict at times, but she's fair and kind, and cheerful too. If your work is excellent, she has no issue. But if you slip up even a little, she notices immediately."
Louis laughed and raised his eyebrows.
"Sounds like she's very meticulous. But honestly, I didn't expect you to work directly under her. Do you work in her office or another department?"
Lucien opened his notebook and skimmed through a few notes.
"Sometimes I work in her office, but not always. Most of the time I'm in the administrative department, reviewing files or coordinating simple projects."
Louis leaned forward with increasing disbelief.
"Wait, you mean… the same Miss Bella everyone talks about? The countess from the ducal family? The one titled 'The Most Beautiful Woman in the World' for nine consecutive years? And married to Mr. Amory?"
Lucien raised an eyebrow calmly.
"Yes, the same."
Louis fell silent for a moment, then spoke in a low voice:
"I don't know why, but I feel like the place you work in must be… heavy. With family, money, politics… Everything sounds like pressure."
Lucien smiled softly, looking up at the sky.
"Maybe. But that's life, Louis. There's no place without pressure. What matters is knowing how to deal with it."
Louis nodded in agreement, then suddenly laughed and shifted the topic:
"Anyway! When are you going to invite me to visit your company? I want to see the people you deal with every day!"
Lucien chuckled and closed his notebook.
"Trust me, Louis… you wouldn't survive an hour there."
Both laughed, their voices blending with the background chatter of students scattered around the garden, as campus life moved quietly through another ordinary afternoon.
After a few minutes, Louis leaned forward, excitement rising in his voice.
"Lucien… I thought about it. Why don't we go today to see Velora? Seriously, I want to see the place you always talk about."
Lucien hesitated.
"Today? Louis… this isn't my work time, it's not appropriate, and I didn't get permission from anyone — not from upper management, and definitely not from Miss Bella. Also, I'm not even sure they allow tours without arrangements."
Louis frowned a little.
"But Lucien, there's no better time! You're busy every day, and even your café time has become too short."
Lucien shook his head with a warning tone.
"I know… but breaking rules is risky. I can't work like that."
Louis flashed a childish, annoying grin and began pleading dramatically just to tease him:
"Come on… please! Just a little. I only want to see the place. I won't do anything, I promise!"
Lucien sighed deeply, clearly annoyed, but he knew Louis wouldn't rest until he agreed. At last he said:
"Fine. On one condition. We take a short tour only, see the allowed areas, and leave immediately."
Louis's face lit up instantly.
"Deal! Let's go now!"
Lucien asked cautiously:
"And our other friends?"
Louis grinned mischievously.
"I'll text them that we're heading out — but I won't say where."
Lucien nodded, then pulled out his phone and called his personal driver, Mr. Simthel, whom he viewed like a grandfather.
"Uncle Simthel, please prepare the car. Louis and I are going for a short tour at the company — only in the allowed areas."
Mr. Simthel's calm, steady voice replied:
"Very well, young sir. The car will be ready in minutes."
Lucien looked at Louis and smiled lightly.
"Ready? Remember: short tour only — and don't wander off."
Louis burst out laughing.
"Alright, alright… I promise!"
And just like that, the two of them prepared to head out — turning a simple, random idea into a small, exciting adventure between friends, against the calm backdrop of a typical university afternoon.
To be continued…
Wait for the next part 2…