"Bonnie, let's not tell Elena and the others about this for now," Ron said seriously as they left the conversation behind. "This outcome doesn't really affect them, but if they know too much, someone might accidentally slip up. If Anna catches wind of it, things could get messy."
"Alright," Bonnie nodded in agreement.
"Mrs. Bennett, we'll meet again once we've got the spellbook," Ron said politely, turning toward Bonnie's grandmother. "I've got other things to take care of, so I'll head out for now."
"Of course, dear," the old woman replied with a warm smile.
After leaving the Bennett house, Ron drove to a small restaurant for dinner. He'd barely started eating when someone slid into the seat across from him.
"Hey, Ron," Anna greeted with a casual smile.
"Anna?" Ron raised an eyebrow. "What a coincidence. Or did you come looking for me?"
"I came to talk," she said directly.
"What about? The tomb?" Ron asked, his tone already wary.
Anna nodded. "Actually… Katherine isn't in the tomb. I saw her in 1983, back in ZJG. She knows Damon and Stefan are here — but she doesn't care."
Ron froze for a moment before letting out a quiet chuckle. "So, there are only twenty-six vampires sealed in that tomb after all. And you kept this a secret so Damon would help you open it?"
"Yes," Anna admitted honestly. "That was the plan. But the reason I'm telling you now is because I know how much you hate Damon. Telling him this truth… would be the most painful punishment you could ever give him."
Ron leaned back, a faint, cold smile forming. He could see through her plan instantly — this wasn't about truth. It was about leverage. If he personally dragged Damon into that tomb and showed him that Katherine had never cared, it would destroy him completely.
"Well, aren't you clever," Ron said, smirking. "Fine. I'll take Damon into the tomb myself and make sure he sees the truth with his own eyes." He gave her a light tap on the head — more taunting than friendly.
Anna laughed softly, brushing her hair aside.
"So, anything else?" Ron asked, returning to his meal as he watched her sit silently.
"Not really. Just thought I'd let you know — after you left, I told Elena and the others about the spellbook," Anna said. "Turns out, Emily's grimoire was passed down through Elena's ancestors. Once she finds her ancestor's journal, she'll know where it is."
"Then you'd better go keep your little boyfriend Jeremy company," Ron said with a teasing smirk. "You two seemed pretty cozy last time I saw you."
"He's not my boyfriend," Anna replied immediately, rolling her eyes. "His ancestor betrayed my mother. I'm only getting close to him to find that journal — guiding him to discover the vampire truth so I can get it from him later. Anyway… once you're done eating, want to take a walk with me?"
Ron chuckled, half amused and half suspicious. "You know I don't exactly like vampires. And I just broke up with Caroline — the girl sitting with me earlier."
He remembered what Stefan had once said: after turning into a vampire, emotions and desires magnify — every spark becomes hunger. Maybe that's why vampires were so drawn to passion; even mild attraction could twist into lust, especially in a place like this.
"Oh, come on. You're single now, what's the problem?" Anna teased. "And from what I heard, the breakup was because of your immortality. Think about it — Stefan's a vampire too, and Elena still loves him like crazy. Maybe Caroline's feelings for you just weren't that deep."
"Not that deep, huh?" Ron gave a wry smile. "You might be right. The fact that I accepted the breakup so easily says a lot. Still… we only met three times, and honestly, none of them were great. Anyway, I made a promise to help you, and I don't go back on promises — so you don't have to test me."
Anna's lips curved into a playful smile. "Relax. You're more charming than you think."
She wasn't lying. Having watched him from the shadows for months, she knew Ron's kind of morality was rare — especially in this town. Stefan had wronged him more than once, and any other man with Ron's power would have already wiped him out.
"Alright then," Ron said finally. "This town's not that big anyway. Let's go sit at the bar for a bit."
"Sounds good to me," Anna replied, grinning.
After finishing their meal, Ron drove her to the Mystic Grill. They ordered drinks and sat in a quiet corner.
"So," Ron began after a sip of his drink, "once you free your mother, what's next? Planning to stay in Mystic Falls?"
"I'll decide when the time comes," Anna said after a pause. "Depends on what my mom wants."
Just then, a familiar voice interrupted them.
"Hey, Ron."
It was Caroline. She had come to meet Matt but froze when she spotted Ron and Anna together.
"Hey, Caroline," Ron greeted casually.
"Is there… something new with the tomb plan?" Caroline asked uncertainly, her tone mixed with confusion and discomfort.
"Nothing like that," Anna replied quickly, before Ron could speak. "Just two single people having a casual chat."
Ron chuckled, finishing his drink. "You're here to see Matt, right? Anna and I were just about to head out anyway."
"Right. See you around," Caroline said awkwardly, forcing a small smile.
Ron gave her a polite nod, then led Anna outside.
Once they got back in the car, he asked, "So, where to next?"
Anna tilted her head, smirking. "How about your place?"
Ron shot her a sideways glance. "You serious? Once you're in my house, you might not be able to leave that easily."
"Oh really? What, are you planning to eat me?" Anna teased, baring her fangs with a playful grin. "Or maybe I'll be the one eating you."
Ron laughed, shaking his head. "You think I'm scared? Let's see who eats who."
He stepped on the gas, the car roaring toward his house.
"Come in," Ron said once they arrived, holding the door open.
Anna followed without hesitation.
"Take the couch," Ron said, closing the door behind her. "Want something to eat?"
"Anything's fine. Not really hungry," Anna replied, slipping off her jacket and settling comfortably on the sofa.
Ron nodded, grabbed a few snacks and two drinks from the kitchen, and placed them on the coffee table before sitting beside her. Then he picked up the remote and turned on the TV, the soft flicker of light filling the quiet room.
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