VIELLA POV

When I woke up, the sunlight was way too bright for my eyeballs to handle. My vision blurred, and for a second, I thought I’d crossed over into the afterlife.

But nope. Just the golden morning light... and something warm around me?

I blinked slowly, realizing a soft blanket was being carefully draped over my shoulders.

Wait. What?

My eyes fluttered open, and-

Lucian.

Lucian. Mr. Ice Emperor. My cough beloved older brother.

He was standing there, very awkwardly, very suspiciously not looking at me, with both hands still on the blanket.

The moment our eyes met, he jerked back like I’d caught him cuddling a puppy.

He cleared his throat so aggressively I thought he was about to choke.

"You’re late," he said in his usual cold tone, completely ignoring the fact that he’d just tucked me in like a sleepy kitten. "Go wash up and come down."

I blinked again. "Uh... what?"

"Your fiancé is here."

Hold up. WHAT?

I shot up from the desk

"HE’S WHAT?!"

Lucian didn’t even flinch. Just pointed toward the guest room like he hadn’t just dropped a bomb.

"There. Hurry up and fresh up before he barges in and drags u out"

I scrambled into the room in full panic mode. Inside, I found a wardrobe-and when I opened it?

My. Exact. Size.

Clothes. Shoes. Even a cute hair tie in my favorite color. All arranged by occasion.

I paused, then smirked.

"Pfft. Stupid tsundere."

"You totally love your baby sister," I whispered to the clothes, snickering as I slipped into a soft sweater and jeans. "Too bad you suck at showing it."

---

I checked my phone as I pulled my hair into a quick bun.

5 missed calls from Dante.

Five.

Even getting one is a red signal. Let.ALONE. FIVE.

"Oh, I’m dead."

---

By the time I came down, Lucian was sipping coffee like this wasn’t the beginning of my end.

And there he was.

My dear fiancé, Dante, Emotionally unavailable. Terrifying and currently sitting in the living room.

His sharp gaze landed on me the second I stepped down the stairs. For a moment, his tense face relaxed just a little-until his eyes dropped to my outfit... then lingered on my eyes.

He looked away immediately.

Rude.

"Uh... hi, dear fiancé?" I offered with a weak laugh.

He stood up, didn’t even look at me, and said in that dangerous calm voice of his: "Let’s go."

"Huh? Wait-where? Why?"

"Don’t make me repeat myself."

Excuse me?

I glanced back longingly at the breakfast table, stacked with food.

So unfair.

---

The moment we got in the car, I turned to him.

"Okay, care to tell me now where we going?"

He didn’t miss a beat. "Why didn’t you go home last night?"

I blinked. "Why do you-"

"And why were you at Lucian’s house?"

We both spoke at once.

I fake-coughed. "Ahem... gentleman first?"

He scowled. "We’re buying flowers."

I stared. "You’re joking."

He wasn’t.

"You caused this level of chaos for flowers?!"

He looked at me "Answer. My. Question."

I threw my hands up. "Fine! But how did you know I didn’t go home? Or that I was even here?!"

His silence was telling.

Too telling.

"I didn’t know you and Lucian were that close," he muttered.

Okay. Pause.

Yes, I was staying at Lucian’s. But like, hello? He’s my brother.

Except... not everyone knew that. And Viella and Lucian weren’t exactly sibling-of-the-year material in the original plot.

"Uh... he’s my brother?" I said, trying not to sound like a whole red flag. Nor I want him to find out about our maid master deal ehh 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Dante’s jaw ticked.

Just as I opened my mouth to defend myself, a loud grrRRrgle echoed from the depths of my stomach.

I froze.

He raised an eyebrow.

"...I skipped breakfast cuz of your flowers, okay?!"

---

Five minutes later, we pulled up to a fancy restaurant.

"Wait-I thought we were getting flowers?"

He opened the door for me. "Get out. Or I have to carry you?"

"Okay, okay! I’m getting off!"

Inside, the waiter smiled and handed us menus.

I smiled back.

He returned it-until Dante looked at him.

The poor guy stiffened like he’d been hit with a death glare and nearly dropped the menu.

Yup. Scaring waiters before 9 AM. Definitely Scary Male Leads vibe

---

I finally got my food and basically inhaled it.

Meanwhile, Dante? He didn’t touch his plate. Just sat there. Watching.

His eyes kept flicking to my lips.

Then my face.

Then away.

Then back again.

Is he planning to kill me inside his head?

---

"So," I said, sipping my juice. "We gonna talk about how you tracked me down for flowers this morning, or nah?"

"Flowers are for Grandma. She’s coming today, and she insisted to see my fiancée," he said with that same cold, steel-cut voice and mafia glare. "So we’re going to pick her up. With flowers."

I choked.

Wait. Hold up. I know this part.

Dante’s grandma.

The same grandma who thinks Viella’s the devil of Dante’s life. The one who calls me "the spoiled mob Barbie" and ships Dante with Alina like she runs a fan account.

In the book, she literally tells Dante to dump Viella and marry Alina. Then Viella spirals into one of her villainess meltdowns and hunger of revenge getting her on the hit target list.

Nope.

Not today

I flashed my best smile. "Aww, that’s great! What kind of flowers does she like?"

Dante looked...bothered.

"Anything works," he said like he had no idea.

I side-eyed him. Tsk.

No wonder Alina didn’t fall for you in the original book.

---

The flower shop?

Gorgeous.

Vines tangled around wooden beams, the scent of roses and jasmine in the air. I actually paused to stare.

"Wow," I whispered.

Dante stood beside me, arms crossed.

I was too busy admiring the flowers to care about his existence.

Suddenly, a little girl tugged on Dante’s coat sleeve.

He blinked and then kneeled down, letting her whisper something.

"wife is really pretty,"

Dante smiled

I looked back at them

Excuse me?

Who is this? And where is Mr. Stoneface?

I didn’t even know Dante could kneel let alone smile???

He said something to the kid, soft and low, and she giggled before running off. I stared.

Okay...so he can smile. He chooses violence, but is capable of softness. Noted.

He looked up.

"Choose something. I’ll be waiting."

"Oh, so now I get to make decisions?" I mumbled, walking into the greenhouse section.

I scanned the options

White tulips (classy)

Peonies

Pink ranunculus

Baby’s breath (looks like sad popcorn)

I picked up a bouquet with white tulips, lavender sprigs, and soft green eucalyptus.

Holding it out to Dante like a peace offering, I asked, "This okay?"

He stared.

For a long beat.

Like the bouquet had a hidden bomb or something.

"Any problem?" I blinked.

"No," he said finally, voice clipped. Then snatched the flowers and stomped off to pay.

Tsk Rude as always

---

I turned back to admire a few roses when-bam-I bumped into someone.

"Oh, I’m so sor-" I stopped. Blinked. "You?!"

Elias.

Smiling

"Seems like fate’s got a thing for us," he chuckled, hands in pockets.

I laughed awkwardly. "Right. Bumping into you twice now."

"You’re here to buy flowers for someone?" he asked.

I nodded, then hesitated. "You?"

"Yup. Just moved into a new area. Thought I’d greet my neighbor properly. But I’m clueless about flowers. Got any suggestions?"

I raised a brow. "What kind of lady are we talking about?"

"No clue," he shrugged. "Just tell me your favorite."

I paused, then smiled. "White tulips. They’re pretty and calm."

He nodded, thoughtful. "Then it’s perfect. Are you sure though?"

"Uh yah I am. Any problem?" I asked confused.

"I was just making sure you know" he said with casual smile but eyes saying something else.

I felt little bit odd but brushed it off.

The bouquet he picked was actually gorgeous. The guy had taste.

"Thanks," he said, brushing a hand through his hair. "Hope she likes it."

"Let me know," I replied casually.

Then-

"For that, I’ll need your number."

Cheeky.

Like too cheeky.

But my idiot fingers moved before my brain could say "Danger, girl!" and I actually gave it.

Lord help me.

And that’s when the devil himself reappeared.

Dante.

Expression? Deadly

Aura? Murderous.

He didn’t even greet Elias. Just strode over, grabbed my hand, and turned me.

Elias blinked. "Ah, Mr. Dante, don’t you think it’s rude to ignore people like this?"

Dante turned, cold and composed.

"I don’t think I have any business with you. Nor does my fiancée. We’re late for an important appointment."

He added, eyes narrowing, "Farewell, Mr. Elias. Also-keep your hands away from what isn’t yours."

With that he dragged me away.

"Does he hate Elias or something?" I muttered under my breath, still feeling the chill from Dante’s frosty glare. I peeked over at him. His jaw was clenched so tight.

I mean-I get it, you’re moody, but what did Elias even do to you?

In the original story, Dante barely acknowledged Elias as anything more than air. Background noise. Not someone worth wasting a single blink on. So why was Mr. Mafia Boss suddenly acting like Elias just stole love of his life?

Then my eyes landed on the bouquet.

He was holding it.

I reached over casually. "Here, let me hold that-"

"No." His voice was sharp, cold, like winter air right before a storm. "You won’t touch it."

...Okay, what?!

It’s just some flowers for your grandma, you think I will do something to them?

Silence.

"Tsk. You know what? Fine." I huffed and turned away from him, my face placed dramatically against the glass window like a sulky pigeon.

"I didn’t even want to hold your stupid bouquet anyway."

I mumbled under my breath.

He didn’t say anything.

This is the part where the girl usually blushes and realizes she’s falling for him but no-I just wanna eat strawberry pancakes and avoid death flags.

Still fuming, I crossed my arms and glared out the window.

What the hell is his problem? One second he’s brooding like usual, then smiling at little kids, then going full Dantezilla the moment Elias shows up?? Like hellooooo.

And I swear he gripped my hand like he was about to snap Elias’s neck.

Seriously-does he hate me that much?

I stole a glance at him.

Still brooding. Still gripping the steering wheel .His knuckles were white.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever," I muttered under my breath.

I hate you.

I thought, loud and clear in my head.

And just as I did, he turned his head slightly. His eyes flicked toward me.

...Did he hear that?

Nah, impossible. He’s not psychic. Right?

Still. I looked away again. I was not going to risk dying over telepathic insults.

But as we drove off, bouquet resting safely in his lap, I couldn’t help thinking-

Why do I feel like I’m in trouble for something I didn’t even do?

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TO BE CONTINUED