Davian.

Excitement thrummed through my veins the moment my eyes flew open. Today was finally here, Vanessa’s birthday. The day we had all been waiting for. The day we would crown her joy, drown her in affection, and make sure nothing, absolutely nothing, tainted her happiness. A smile tugged at my lips as I sat up, the anticipation buzzing so loudly in my head that sleep became impossible.

I wasted no time. I rose from the bed, took a quick bath, letting the cool water wash away the remnants of sleep, then dressed carefully in a royal blue cloak that signified celebration and honor. Today wasn’t just any day, it was her day. Once I was done, I dashed out of my room, my steps light, almost eager, heading straight for my brothers’ quarters. We had planned to meet early, to be the first voices she would hear, the first faces she would see.

Instinctively, my feet carried me toward Adrien’s room first.But the moment I reached the corridor outside his chambers, I slowed to a halt.

Someone was coming out.

My eyes narrowed instantly as recognition hit me like a sharp slap. Her. The spy. Maria.

What in the moon’s name was she doing in Adrien’s room at this hour?

She stepped out quietly, her movements slow, her appearance disheveled in a way that instantly set my nerves on edge. Her clothes looked rumpled, her posture tired, almost drained. But I didn’t care about any of that. I didn’t care how exhausted she looked or why. All I could see was danger wrapped in flesh.

The moment she was far enough down the corridor, my heart began to race violently.

A single thought consumed me.

Could she have killed him quietly, thinking no one would notice?

Cold fear surged through my chest, swift and merciless, stealing the air from my lungs as if invisible fingers had closed around my throat. My pulse roared in my ears, loud and frantic, drowning out every rational thought. I didn’t stop to think, didn’t stop to breathe. Without another second of hesitation, I rushed into Adrien’s room, shoving the door open with more force than necessary. It slammed against the wall, the sound sharp and violent, echoing my rising panic.

"Adrien!" I shouted the instant I crossed the threshold. The name tore out of me, raw and unsteady, panic seeping into my voice despite my desperate attempt to sound composed. I hated how fragile I sounded, how fear betrayed me so easily.

Silence answered me.

It pressed down on my shoulders, thick and suffocating. My gaze darted around the room wildly, searching, scanning, clinging to every detail as if it might explain the emptiness gnawing at my chest. The curtains hung still. The desk was untouched. Then my eyes landed on the bed.

Untouched.

Empty.

My heart skipped painfully, the sudden drop in my chest almost enough to make me stagger. A sharp chill crawled down my spine, settling deep in my bones. Where was he? The question repeated itself over and over, louder each time, beating against my skull like a warning bell.

My thoughts spiraled, each darker than the last. Images I didn’t want flooded my mind, unwanted and relentless. My breathing turned shallow, uneven, as I stood there frozen, caught between calling his name again and the terrifying thought of hearing nothing in response. My fingers curled into fists at my sides, nails biting into my palms as if pain might anchor me to reality.

I was just about to call his name again, louder, more desperate, when movement caught my attention.

The bathroom door opened.

For a heartbeat, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe.

Adrien stepped out casually, as if the world hadn’t just tilted off its axis for me. A towel was draped over his shoulder, his hair damp, skin untouched, whole, completely unharmed. He looked normal. Calm. Alive.

The sight hit me like a physical blow.

Relief slammed into me so hard my knees almost buckled. All the tension holding me upright vanished at once, leaving my body weak and trembling. My lungs finally drew in a deep, shaky breath, then another, as if I’d forgotten how to breathe while he was gone. My heart pounded wildly, but now it was from release rather than fear.

For a moment, I could only stand there, staring at him, my chest rising and falling too fast. The fear didn’t disappear immediately, it unraveled slowly, reluctantly, leaving behind a lingering ache and the sharp awareness of just how close I’d come to breaking.

"Why are you shouting my name, Davian?" he asked, lips curving into a teasing grin. His tone was light, almost amused. "Do you miss me that much?"

I let out a sharp breath, anger quickly replacing fear. "Hell no, bro," I snapped, striding closer. "What the fuck was Maria doing in your room this early in the morning?"

The teasing expression vanished instantly. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Adrien went still.

For a brief second, something unreadable flickered across his face before he masked it effortlessly. "Maria?" he echoed calmly. "Isn’t she our personal maid?" He shrugged lightly, reaching for his clothes. "I called for her. I needed some cleaning done."

"Oh." The word slipped out of me before I could stop it.

Just oh.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

My shoulders relaxed, though unease still lingered faintly in my chest. I studied him closely, searching for any sign that something was wrong, but Adrien appeared perfectly fine, annoyingly calm, even.

I finally nodded. "Alright then." I turned toward the door, gesturing impatiently. "Come on, get dressed. Let’s meet the others. We need to be the first to wish our queen a happy birthday."

Adrien chuckled softly, the earlier tension dissolving. "Alright," he replied with a nod, already slipping into his clothes.

As I stepped back into the corridor, my excitement slowly returned, pushing aside the brief scare. Today was too important to be ruined by suspicion.

Today belonged to Vanessa.

The moment Adrien finished dressing, there was no need for words between us. We moved in sync, our steps quick and purposeful as we headed straight for Aidan’s room. I knocked once, twice, impatience humming beneath my skin, and when he answered, already alert and dressed as if he too had been waiting for this moment, we repeated the same process with Damien. No explanations were needed. Today was special. Today mattered.

Within minutes, the four of us were moving together down the corridor, our strides long, our hearts light. The air itself seemed different, brighter, warmer, charged with anticipation. Vanessa’s door stood before us like the gateway to something precious, and for a brief second, I slowed, savoring the moment before it unfolded.

I lifted my hand and knocked.

Almost immediately, the door opened.

Vanessa stood there, framed by the soft glow of her room, her hair slightly tousled, her eyes widening in surprise before melting into pure delight. Time seemed to pause. In that instant, nothing else existed but her.

I didn’t wait for anyone else to move. I stepped forward and pulled her into my arms, hugging her tightly. Her warmth seeped into me, wrapping around my skin, sinking deeper, settling somewhere close to my heart. She felt real. She felt safe. She felt like home.

"Happy birthday, Vanessa!" we echoed together, our voices blending into one.

Her reaction was immediate. Her lips parted slightly, and then her face bloomed into the most beautiful smile I had ever seen, radiant, genuine, priceless. It was the kind of smile that erased exhaustion, doubt, and darkness in one breath. The kind of smile a man could ruin himself for, just to see again.

Something inside me snapped, not violently, but softly, like a final thread giving way.

Before I could stop myself, I reached up and gently cradled the back of her neck, my thumb brushing against her skin. I leaned in, my lips finding hers without hesitation. The kiss was instinctive, natural, as if it had always been meant to happen in that exact moment. I deepened it slightly, pouring everything I felt, joy, affection, relief, into that single connection.

My heart swelled painfully in my chest.

When I finally pulled away, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes shining. She looked shy, almost bashful, and that alone made my chest tighten. I scratched the back of my head, suddenly self-conscious, a grin tugging at my lips as heat crept up my neck.

Behind me, my brothers chuckled knowingly.

One after the other, they stepped forward, each taking their turn, gentle kisses, warm embraces, soft laughter filling the corridor. Vanessa accepted it all with glowing happiness, her smile never fading, her presence anchoring us all in that moment.

When it was done, when the laughter settled and the excitement steadied into something warm and steady, I looked at her again, really looked at her.

"Happy birthday once again, Vanessa," I said softly, my voice sincere.

She nodded, still smiling, and in that simple gesture, I felt certain of one thing.

No matter what today held, no matter what challenges lay ahead, this moment, she, was worth everything.