Aselia hid her face with both hands listening to Rivan’s words. Xiran chortled and bent down laughing at her reaction.

"Oi! Rivi, come inside, you got to see this," he called Rivan and the door opened. Rivan entered with a smirk on his face, his eyes darting from a laughing Xiran to an embarrassed Aselia.

"She is embarrassed that you heard us kissing, tell her how many times you have seen me do so much more than that," Xiran snickered and kept laughing and Rivan couldn’t contain his laughter.

"Xirannnn, unbelievable. Fucking unbelievable, you will never have any shame," Aselia threw him a horrified look and smacked his shoulder.

"Aselia, I was only joking, didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable," Rivan replied apologetically while Xiran kept snickering, his beautiful laughter filling the whole room.

"No, I was just caught off guard, and he decided to make it all more awkward," Aselia replied shaking her head.

"Well, that’s his specialty to tease everyone, come now the food will get cold," Rivan replied with a smile and Aselia shot one deadly look at Xiran, who winked at her in return. They headed downstairs.

Irlana was waiting for them at the dinner table. Everything had been set up, she and Rivan had baked a scrumptious-looking pot pie and chicken rice. The aroma filled the whole house and Aselia’s mouth began to water.

Rivan and Irlana sat down on one side while Xiran and Aselia settled on the other. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Everything looks so delicious," Aselia exclaimed looking at the food in front of her. Irlana smiled and said:

"Dig in, hopefully, you will like the taste," and she began to help everyone with food. Unknowingly she served her brother the biggest portion of food.

Aselia noticed it and smiled, her heart felt at ease to see Xiran would have someone who will care for him, deeply.

The food was indeed delicious. Xiran and Aselia couldn’t stop complimenting Irlana, who was smiling ear to ear.

"I helped too," Rivan cleared his throat, seeing everyone giving all their attention to Irlana.

"Yeah, yeah, I know what help you would have given. Your cooking skills are no better than Aselia’s," Xiran chuckled earning annoying looks from both his girlfriend and his best friend. Irlana laughed and added:

"Rivan helped me a lot," she offered him an appreciative look and he nodded.

The lunch ended on a joyous note. Aselia and Xiran decided to clear the table as Rivan and Irlana had cooked but Irlana didn’t let her brother do it. She insisted on doing the dishes. Aselia requested her to take some rest but she was adamant.

So guys moved to the living room with a bottle of red wine and glasses and the girls began to clear the dishes.

"So, can I ask you a question?" Aselia reluctantly asked while drying up a glass Irlana had handed her.

"Of course, anything. I am reluctant to talk to you because I don’t want to have any information related to you in case father tried to extract it from me, but you can ask me whatever you like."

Irlana added with a sad smile. Deep down she wanted to converse openly with the beautiful girl with turquoise eyes who seemed to hold her brother’s heart.

"Yes, I understand your predicament. Hopefully one day we can talk freely," Aselia placed the glass on the glass rack.

"I hope so too, what you wanted to ask?"

"Do you have traits of both vampires and elves?" Aselia asked.

"I only drink blood like them, that’s the only trait I inherited along with my looks. I don’t have heightened senses or speed like them. In my father’s eye, I am a disappointment," she replied with a sad smile.

"I am sorry, didn’t mean to make you sad. I was just curious how a hybrid between two mortal enemies works," Aselia replied apologetically.

"Yes, I feel like an abomination," she spoke so slowly that Aselia was hardly able to hear her, it hurt her seeing that Irlana thought so lowly of herself.

"Please, don’t think like that. You are your own person, don’t let others define you or their words put you down. Keep your head high and show the world what you are," Aselia encouraged her.

"I try to act so confident but deep down I feel like a failure, like a coward. I can’t even protect my mother or meet my brother up till now. There were so many occasions I wanted to meet him, especially when father said I was like him."

Irlana spoke her heart out as she dried her hands with a towel.

"You are not a failure, you are fighting your own battles. And I know Xiran, he will protect you at every cost," Aselia reassuringly placed her hand on her shoulder and Irlana nodded.

Getting done with the dishes both girls made their way to the boys and settled down. Xiran poured them drinks. All four of them chatted some more and enjoyed the red wine.

"We should get going now, Irlana will stay with me and keep working under me," Rivan finally announced.

Xiran turned to Irlana and spoke with brotherly love:

"You don’t have to return to father if you don’t want to, you can always stay with me."

"I don’t think that will be wise, brother. I can’t leave my mom, so it’s better that I stay with Rivan and know as less about you as possible. In this way, father won’t be able to use me against you," Irlana replied with a heavy heart.

"Then I will have to take your memories of Aselia, father can never know my connection to her. Rivan will later tell you she is one of my contracted girls and that’s the only answer you will give him." Brian explained and Irlana agreed. He then took her face in his hands, his heart drowning in sorrow as he stared at his sister.

"It’s for the better," Irlana gave him a weak smile as he erased her memories of her recent interactions with Aselia, only remembering her as one of the girls her brother owned.