Frila quickly got up and after offering a slight bow, left the room. Xiran turned to Aselia once she was gone and said in a serious tone:

"Aselia! I have spoken to Rivan and he will be here in a short while to take you away with him. Under the given circumstances, it’s safer to stay with him while I am not here." His body postures told her he was extremely tense.

"Xiran, what’s going on? Why do I need to stay with Rivan? You need to tell me." Aselia was so confused right now so she spoke her mind.

"It’s my family drama, the less you know the better. Believe me. I will explain a bit when I will get back. Promise me you will take care of yourself and listen to Rivan." He instructed her as he stepped closer, decreasing the distance between them.

"Ok, I will try." She said in a small voice, she didn’t have a good feeling about this.

"Pack your essential things or whatever you want to take with you. Frila will help you." That being said he pulled her into his embrace and hugged her with a need to never let go. There was so much want in his embrace. She hugged him back. He deeply inhaled her sweet scent as if storing it inside him for an unseen future.

Cupping her face he kissed her forehead and then he abruptly let her go, it took a lot of sheer power to do that. He stepped back and opened the door.

Before stepping out, he turned toward her and she was flabbergasted by the turbulent emotions his eyes held as he spoke softly: "If I don’t come back, remember Rivan will keep you safe. Don’t forget I love you with all my heart." She was rooted to the ground at his words and before the gravity of it sunk in and she rushed to the door, he was gone.

’Why would he leave me with such foreboding words? Where has he gone?’ She thought to herself but there was no answer. He had disappeared for days before but this time it was different.

"XIRAN..." she called after him from the corridor but there was no response. Her heart was going crazy in her chest and all it wanted to do was chase after him but her brain knew it was futile. She couldn’t feel her legs anymore and before she could crumble to the ground, Frila came running and steadied her.

"Where has he gone?" She asked Frila, her voice trembling and words got hitched in her throat.

"I am sorry, Aselia. I don’t know." Frila’s face was strewn with worry. "Let’s go inside." She took her in and sat her down on the bed. Aselia flopped on the bed, her mind racing with thousands of questions.

"Señor will be back, don’t worry." Frila tried to reassure her.

"He better," Aselia replied with gritted teeth trying to rein in the stormy emotions her eyes and heart held.

"We should pack, Señor Rivan will be here soon." Aselia didn’t budge at her words, she was too lost at what he had said. What if something was to happen to him? She couldn’t bear to even think about it. Every part of her body ached at the thought of him never coming back. Unintentionally she held the pendant he has given her and pressed it against her skin. She felt so cold, that man always took the warmth with him. Leaving her cold.

Frila took out a hand carrier and began to pack Aselia’s essentials. She understood Aselia was not in the right frame of mind.

Time crept at a snail’s pace for Aselia and every passing second felt like a burden, a burden she wasn’t ready to bear.

She didn’t realize the knock on the door. Frila went to answer it. She returned after a minute and shook Aselia: "It’s time to go, sweetie."

Aselia got up like a zombie and made her way to the cupboard. She took out Xiran’s coat and held it closer for a while before wearing it.

"Let’s go," she said quietly to Frila and made her way to the door. Frila carried her hand carrier as they both reached the dungeon hall. Rivan was waiting for her.

"Hello! Aselia, how are you?" Rivan offered her his signature smile.

"Hey! I am good. How are you?" Aselia tried to smile but couldn’t.

"I am awesome as always, good to see you are doing so much better now. Shall we head out?" He inquired softly and Aselia nodded in return.

They arrived at the basement parking lot where Rivan’s latest model electric grey car with black glass windows was standing. Rivan opened the back door for Aselia and she got in. Frila handed over her carrier to Rivan’s chauffeur and waved to Aselia before heading back.

Rivan sat beside her in the back seat and soon they were off. Rivan glanced at her and saw her face contorted in worry and then he noticed the oversized white coat she was wearing. Her hands were bandaged from where she had hurt herself. She turned towards him and asked: "Will he come back? Tell me the truth." Her voice was pained and he could see the stress she was under.

"His family reunions are always hard but I am sure he will come back. Don’t worry, he is tougher than you can imagine." Rivan smiled slightly.

"He said he might not and then just left. Who does that? I am going to kill him myself when he comes back." With that being said she averted her gaze and went back to staring outside.

Rivan had to suppress a smile, Xiran definitely had his hands full with her. No wonder he didn’t need anyone else, she was enough on her own. Rivan knew from the moment he met her the first time that she will give Xiran a tough time but he hadn’t anticipated that Xiran will get so smitten by her. There had been so many girls in his life coming and going, and although he showed care and concern for all of them he had never been so crazy about anyone.

"Ignore him, I am sure he was being over dramatic but his family is a bit unhinged and they destroy a part of his soul every time he goes to meet them. I am surprised he still has so much kindness inside of him. For they had forever tried to destroy it and turn him into a killing machine." Rivan watched her intently to see what reactions she would show. Her body stiffened at his words and she took a deep breath to keep herself calm.

Aselia knew his father had put him through hell but she didn’t expect it was still continuing. What the hell did his father want? And why Xiran needed to obey his commands?

"Why can’t he refuse these meetings?" She finally spoke up.

"Because his father is very powerful and is hundreds of years old. He has links to higher-ups and can disrupt our lives. Xiran doesn’t want disruption, he prefers peace. To maintain that he doesn’t say no to his father." Rivan explained, not giving her too much information but giving her enough to understand why he suffers. Besides, Xiran had asked him not to tell her the real reason he was going under any circumstances.

"What does his father do to him?" She asked him with a blank expression and a steady heart. Rivan was perplexed at her, how was she so calm?

"It’s better that I don’t tell you that. If he hasn’t then it’s for the best that I don’t as well."

"I see," Her lips formed a thin line and she maintained her calm demeanour. She didn’t speak much after that.

After a few minutes, Rivan asked: "Are you hungry? I can pick something up on the way."

"I am not, thank you for asking." She was playing with her pendant.

She noticed the scenery had changed and they had left the busy city behind. They reached a mountain that had a tunnel carved into it. The car entered the tunnel which was lit with numerous lights all over the ceiling. They exited the tunnel and found themselves in a vast expanse of land with orchards on both sides of the road.

There was a small hut on the right side of the road. As the car approached, the hut moved to one side on its own and an underground passageway was revealed. Aselia’s eyes flew open in astonishment.

"Woah!!! You have a hideout?" She glanced at Rivan who smiled in return before speaking:

"I am Xiran’s best friend. Did you expect something less from me?"

"Nops, certainly not. But didn’t expect to be brought here. Is this your home?" She inquired as the car went inside and the hut moved back to its original position.

"It’s one of my secret homes. Xiran asked me to bring you here." The car slid down the passageway which was lit by blue lights, embedded in the tunnel’s walls. Aselia looked ahead and she almost cried out aloud.