Chapter 123
Valencia’s POV
I blinked, momentarily thrown off by Seven’s admission.
He wants me to call him Seven?
Wasn’t that the name Celeste had given him?
<87%8
I had only called him that by accident the first time we met. But I guess, in this timeline, I was the first one to say it.
“Oh…” I hesitated. “Are you sure?”
Seven nodded quickly, almost sheepishly. “I don’t really like the name Daniel.”
I sat up a little straighter, a frown forming on my lips.
Right.
I had been so preoccupied with my own self–pity–feeling restless, useless, lost in my emotions–that I hadn’t even thought to check in on him properly.
I had made sure he was comfortable, that he was healing, but… had I ever asked him what he wanted?
Did he need a therapist? Surely, after all he had been through, there was trauma.
I softened my voice. “By the way… I’m sorry for asking this late…but, do you want to go back to your home? Maybe find your parents?”
Seven’s lips pressed together, his gaze dropping to his fisted hands in his lap.
“I don’t remember my parents,” he admitted, voice barely above a whisper. “I was only five when I got sold from my orphanage.”
A deep, hollow ache formed in my chest.
Five years old.
He had been thrust into slavery at five?
I exhaled slowly, steadying my voice. “I’m sorry.”
Seven shook his head, as if brushing it off. But I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way he held himself stiffly, like he was waiting for the conversation to end.
I decided to shift the subject.
“Do you have any plans for yourself in the future?” I asked gently. “Something you want to do?”
Dante had already signed his freedom certificate and had sent a request to the SNC council to process his ID and change his status. However, that was going to take months to be finalized so in the meantime he would be staying here with us.
Seven hesitated. “I… I don’t know.” His hands clenched slightly. “I didn’t think about it. It’s already huge to move around without chains…I’ve just been serving people my whole life, so…”
1/5
12:21 Mon, Feb
Chapter 123
Aiden, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke.
“Well, you’re only a teenager,” he said, setting his phone down. “Kids your age should still be in school.”
Seven’s eyes widened in alarm. “But… I don’t even know how to read properly.”
I smiled reassuringly. “That’s not an issue. You can learn.”
“But isn’t school expensive?” Seven asked hesitantly.
Before I could respond, Aiden snorted.
<87%
“Kiddo, money is the least of your issues staying here,” he said. “Dante didn’t even blink spending almost two hundred grand on you when Valencia asked. As long as she says something, he’ll get it done.”
I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t help but smile.
Seven, on the other hand, looked shocked. His mouth opened slightly, then closed.
“Two hundred-”
Before he could finish his sentence, the dining hall doors burst open.
Dante strode in, his suit jacket slung over his shoulder, which the butler immediately took from him. One of his sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, and he unbuttoned the cuffs of the other as he walked, his eyes scanning the room until they locked onto mine.
The second he saw me, his expression softened into a smile.
I barely registered moving–I was on my feet in an instant, my excitement getting the best of me.
“You’re back!”
Dante’s steps quickened, and before I could take another breath, his hands were on my waist, pulling me in for a deep, warm kiss.
I melted into him, my arms instinctively wrapping around his neck.
He had spent last night in Velhaven City, working on some new project that he had been excited to tell me about- something Caius would be leading.
So I had spent the night alone with Castor.
I had missed him.
Behind him, Marcelene entered, looking haggard and exhausted, while Caius followed behind her–smirking, a cocky grin plastered across his face.
I felt relaxed seeing him back to his usual self after so long of the same neutral expression
But what caught my attention wasn’t him.
It was the fact that he was holding Marcelene’s hand.
A slow, knowing grin spread across my face.
12:21 Mon, 17 Feb
Chapter 123
Marcelene, as if sensing it, immediately shot me a warning glare.
“Do not make assumptions,” she hissed.
I raised my hands in mock surrender. “I didn’t say anything.”
Dante chuckled under his breath as we all took our seats.
The maids swiftly began serving lunch–Arabic cuisine, something I had taken a liking to lately.
As the table settled into easy conversation, I found my gaze flickering toward Aiden.
He seemed… oddly relaxed here.
“Does Lethia know you’re here?” I asked, watching for his reaction.
Aiden shook his head. “No. I just told them I was staying with a friend tonight.”
That made me pause.
“Oh,” I murmured, narrowing my eyes slightly. “Last time, when you were… held up here, did you tell her you were in Steele pack territory?”
He shook his head again. “No, I didn’t. Why?”
I hesitated. “At the engagement… she asked me why you were here.”
Dante immediately turned to me. “And what did you say?”
I scoffed. “I just told her I didn’t know. What else was I supposed to say?”
His gaze flickered with something unreadable before he nodded.
I turned back to Seven, whose plate was still half full.
“Is the food not to your liking?” I asked.
Seven immediately shook his head. “It is! It’s just… a lot.”
I smiled, reaching over to make him a smaller plate. “Here, try these.”
I placed shawarma, falafel, and a small portion of hummus in front of him.
His eyes widened slightly. “I can’t eat all of this.”
Aiden cut in, “No one’s asking you to. Just eat however much you can.”
Seven hesitated for a moment before nodding.
I watched as his gaze flickered back toward Aiden.
And once again his ears turned red.
Oh.
+13
13
12:21 Mon, 17 Feb
Chapter 123
I never saw him reacting this way towards anyone in my past life. But this was the second time I had seen him blushing while looking at Aiden.
Interesting.
I was about to comment when Aiden changed the subject.
“Back on topic,” he said, turning toward me. “Mom believed you?”
I snorted. “Of course not. She called me a liar and almost slapped me.”
Dante’s entire expression darkened.
His glass hit the table with a loud thud.
“She did what?”
I held up a hand quickly. “I said almost. She didn’t get to. August interrupted.”
Dante’s glare shifted to Aiden, his posture rigid with barely contained anger.
I sighed. “Don’t look at him like that. He’s suffered just as much as me.”
Aiden exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m sorry. I should’ve been more careful. But I made sure this time–no one is trailing me.”
Caius, with his mouth stuffed with flatbread, finally spoke.
