LIANAI stood there, stunned by Leonel's admission. "What? You intentionally booked the same hotel as me?"Leonel shook his head quickly, his expression earnest. "No, no, this one is a real coincidence. I meant the restaurant and café.""How did you even find out?" I asked, trying to process his words.He sighed, looking slightly sheepish. "I wanted to meet Zaylen that day at the office, but I couldn't gather the courage. On his way out of the office, I overheard him talking about his plans to someone. He mentioned to someone that he wanted to bring someone named Liana to this restaurant and then to the café."My mind reeled with this new information. "So you actually wanted to meet Zaylen, to begin with?" I asked incredulously, still trying to piece together the implications of his confession.I listened intently as Leonel continued to explain. "Yes, I did want to meet Zaylen. But then he canceled on your plan. After that, I stopped expecting it and was just casually talking to you.

LIANANoelle crossed her arms, her expression a mixture of disbelief and curiosity. "You and Zaylen? Am I seeing this right? Really?"I nodded, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. "Yeah, really."She shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips. "I can't believe I had to see that. When did this happen?"I laughed, feeling a sense of relief at her reaction. "It's a long story. But for now, let's just say it was a long time coming."Noelle rolled her eyes playfully. "Well, you better spill the details. I need to know everything.""Deal," I agreed, linking my arm with hers. "Now, how about we get inside and wait for Zaylen to come back? I can tell you whatever you want to know during this time.""Sounds like a plan," Noelle said, her initial shock giving way to excitement. "But seriously, Liana, you and Zaylen? My brother being romantic? I can't imagine that. This is going to be interesting."I chuckled, feeling a sense of contentment settle over me. "Yeah, it sure is."Once we were in he

LIANAI lounged around in Zaylen's bedroom, absentmindedly flipping through a book I found on his nightstand. The room felt warm and comforting, a stark contrast to the cool night outside. Just as I started to lose myself in the pages, I heard the door creak open. I looked up to see Zaylen stepping inside, his expression a mix of surprise and something else I couldn't quite place."Hey," I greeted him with a smile, closing the book. "Why do you look surprised? Did you forget I said I would be waiting for you?"Zaylen chuckled lightly, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. "Yeah, kinda."Immediately, I could tell something was off. His usual confidence seemed shaken, and there was a tension in his shoulders that hadn't been there when he left the house.I put the book aside and got up, crossing the room to stand in front of him."Are you okay?" I asked softly, searching his face for any hints. "Did something happen?"Zaylen sighed deeply, his eyes meeting mine with a mixture of frust

LIANAAs Zaylen walked into my hotel room, I couldn't help but rush to him, wrapping him in a warm hug. The feeling of his arms around me brought an instant sense of comfort and relief."So, how was it? Talking to Leonel?" I asked, pulling back slightly to look into his eyes.Zaylen's smile was radiant. "It was great. We talked about almost everything," he said, his voice carrying a hint of exhaustion. "I am sorry you had to stay up this late.""Oh, no, it's fine," I reassured him with a wave of my hand. "I was just researching some apartments."His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Without me?"I couldn't help but chuckle. "No, silly, I just decided to shortlist some and show them to you."Zaylen's smile softened, and he kissed my forehead tenderly. "Show them to me now.""Sure," I said, feeling a little flutter of excitement in my chest. "But first, I want to ask, are you sure you don't want to talk about anything?"Zaylen shook his head. "Yep. I am at peace now. I'll tell you what Leo

ZAYLENI sat at the head of the expansive oak table, flanked by Elder Sophia, Elder Marcus, and other esteemed members whose wisdom was only matched by their concern etched deeply into their faces. The room buzzed with an anxious energy as everyone waited for me to reveal the latest developments."We have a critical update," I began, my voice carrying an urgency. I placed the premium, unreleased edition of Leonel's book on the table, its cover gleaming under the dim light of the council chamber. "This is the book we have found at the investigation site near a victim."The premium edition of Leonel's book lay before everyone, its pages holding secrets that could tip the scales in our favor—or lead to our downfall.Marcus leaned forward, his brow furrowed. “This could lead us somewhere."I nodded solemnly. "Absolutely. Not only have we secured the book, but we have also confirmed a troubling detail. The victims have all attended the same high school." I paused, letting the revelation