Chapter 452: Forgotten problem

Seraphina's POV

I was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling like it was going to suddenly give me answers if I looked hard enough, but the more I thought about it, the more everything just kept circling back to the same question that refused to leave my head. The voice I had heard when I was leaving the Ashwyn mansion definitely wasn't something I could just brush off as my imagination playing tricks on me.

It had sounded real, clear enough to make my heart stop for a moment, and most importantly, it had sounded exactly like Yuna. That was the part that refused to sit quietly in my mind, and no matter how many times I tried to tell myself that I could have been mistaken, that maybe I just wanted it to be her so badly that my brain made it up, it didn't work. I knew what I heard, and I knew I wasn't wrong.

The problem was that knowing something and proving it were two completely different things, and right now, I had no idea how I was supposed to confirm something like that without looking like I had completely lost my mind. Yura had made it painfully clear that I wasn't welcome in that house, and even if I somehow managed to get back in, it wasn't like I could just walk around opening doors and checking rooms until I found Yuna hiding somewhere.

If I were wrong, then I would look insane, if I were right, then I still had no idea what I was supposed to do about it. Either way, it felt like I was stuck in a situation where every option led to something complicated, and I hated that feeling more than anything.

I let out a slow breath, turning onto my side as I buried my face halfway into the pillow, trying to shut my mind off for just a moment, but of course, that didn't work. My thoughts just kept running, jumping from Yuna to Iris, from Iris to Electra, and from Electra to the way things had ended between us before I left. I clenched my eyes shut for a second, trying not to think about that part too much, because the more I thought about it, the more frustrated I felt.

I didn't even know how she was doing now. I didn't know if she was okay, if she had eaten, if she had slept, if she even noticed that I wasn't there anymore. And as much as I hated to admit it, there was still a small part of me that was waiting, hoping that she would call, even if it was just to ask something simple like where I had gone, even though that hope was slowly but surely starting to fade away.

Right as that thought crossed my mind, my phone rang.

My heart jumped immediately, and I didn't even have to think before I reached for it, my chest tightening slightly with a sudden, stupid kind of hope that I couldn't control. For a split second, I really thought it might be her. That maybe she had noticed. That maybe she cared enough to ask, but the moment I looked at the screen, that hope dropped just as quickly as it had appeared.

It wasn't Electra, it was Darius.

I stared at the name for a second, the disappointment settling in my chest in a way I didn't want to think about too much, before I finally let out a small sigh and answered the call. "Hello?"

The moment I picked up, Darius's voice came through, light and teasing as always. "Wow," he said, dragging out the word slightly. "So this is how you treat someone who helps you leave a kingdom to another one? Not even a single call to say you're alive?"

I pushed myself up slowly, sitting up in bed as I ran a hand through my hair, already feeling a little tired even though the day had barely started. "I'm sorry," I said honestly, my voice softer than usual. "Yesterday was… a lot. I didn't even think about calling anyone."

There was a small pause on the other end, like he was taking in my tone, before he let out a quiet chuckle. "You sound exhausted," he said.

"I am," I admitted without hesitation, leaning back slightly against the headboard. "It was a long day."

"That bad?" he asked, his tone losing a bit of its teasing edge and becoming more curious.

I hesitated for a moment, my grip tightening slightly around the phone as I thought about everything that had happened, everything I had seen, everything I still didn't understand. "Something like that," I said finally, deciding not to go into details.

There was another short pause, and then he spoke again, his voice lighter this time. "Well, I guess I'll let it slide then," he said. "But you owe me."

I let out a small, tired smile at that. "I know," I said. "You've already done a lot for me. Honestly, I don't even know how to thank you properly. When I get back to Aldoria, I'll make sure I repay you somehow."

He laughed softly at that, and I could almost picture the amused look on his face even without seeing him. "You don't have to sound so formal with me," he said. "To the rest of the world, you're still my fiancée, remember? Helping you is part of my job."

I rolled my eyes slightly at that, even though he couldn't see me. "That doesn't mean I shouldn't be grateful," I replied.

"And you are," he said easily. "Which is enough."

There was a brief silence after that before he spoke again. "So," he continued, "are you planning on coming back to Aldoria anytime soon?"

I blinked slightly at the question, caught off guard for a second. "I'm not sure yet," I admitted. "Why?"

"Well," he said, his tone turning slightly more serious, "you've been gone for a while, and as much as I understand that you have school and your entanglement with the Elmerian princess, you still need to show your face once in a while."

I frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"

He let out a small sigh before answering. "Your aunt," he said simply. "You might want to remind her that you're still very much alive and still the rightful heir to your father's estate."

The mention of my aunt made something twist uncomfortably in my chest.

Gianna.

For a moment, I just sat there, staring ahead as the realization hit me properly. I had been so caught up in everything else, in Electra, in Yuna, in everything happening at Elysium, that I had completely forgotten about her. Completely forgotten that she was still in my father's house, still living there like she belonged, and most likely doing whatever she wanted without anyone stopping her.

"Right," I muttered quietly, more to myself than to him.

"You forgot about her, didn't you?" Darius asked, his tone amused again.

"…Maybe," I admitted, rubbing my temple slightly.

"Well, she hasn't forgotten about you," he said. "Trust me."

I shifted slightly, sitting up straighter now as my thoughts started to shift again, this time toward something I had neglected without even realizing it. "Has she caused any trouble?" I asked, my tone more focused now.

There was a small pause before he answered, and when he did, his voice was calmer, more measured. "Not openly," he said. "She knows I'm keeping an eye on things, so she's being careful."

That didn't sound reassuring.

"But," he added, and I immediately felt my stomach tighten slightly, "I don't trust it. She's definitely up to something. I just don't know what yet."

I let out a slow breath, my grip tightening around the phone as I stared down at the sheets. Gianna had never been the kind of person to sit still and behave, especially not when there was something to gain.

"Great," I muttered under my breath.

"Hey," Darius said lightly, though there was a hint of seriousness under it. "Don't worry too much about it. I'm watching her, so she's not going to get away with anything major."

"I know," I said, though my voice didn't sound as convincing as I wanted it to. "It's just… annoying."

"I can imagine," he replied.

There was another brief silence, and for a moment, I found myself staring at nothing again, my mind juggling too many things at once. It felt like everything was happening at the same time, and I didn't know where to focus first.

"Hey," Darius called softly, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Are you still there?"

"Yeah," I said quickly. "I'm here."

"You sound like your mind is somewhere else," he pointed out.

I let out a breath. "It is," I admitted.

He didn't press me for details. "Just don't get yourself into trouble, okay?" he said instead.

I almost laughed at that, though there was no real humor in it. "I'll try," I replied.

"Good," he said. "Because I'd rather not have to come over there and drag you back myself."

"That sounds like a threat," I said lightly.

"It is," he replied without missing a beat.

I shook my head slightly, a small smile forming despite everything, before letting it fade again as my thoughts drifted back to where they had been before the call.