Todays song is "Daddy Issues" by The Neighbourhood (feat. Lana Del Rey)
Now ENJOY
The day started... normal.Well, normal for everyone else.
I hadn't slept at all. My brain decided to run a full-length movie starring Alex and all the chaos he brings. I must've created ten fake scenarios in my head. Some sweet. Some—well, let's just say I hit a new level of overthinking. Schizophrenia unlocked.
By the time Adele knocked on my door with new clothes, I was already dressed—emotionally unstable, but dressed.
Breakfast was in the garden, with Adele, Louise, George, and Leonelly.But not Alex.
Of course.My eyes kept drifting to the garden doors like a psycho. Waiting. Hoping.
"Don't bother," Louise muttered low so only I could hear. "You can stare at that door all you want—he's not coming."
"What? I wasn't looking at anything," I said, trying to act all casual. Totally convincing. Not.
"Right." He smirked.
I focused back on the food. Omelets, turkey on the side, orange juice, warm pineapple bread with raspberry jelly. Heaven.
"Mmm, by the way," Louise said mid-bite, "when exactly were you planning to tell me what happened last night?"
"Soon. Just… not now."
He tilted his head. "It's not like you two fu—"
"LOUISE!" I nearly choked on my bread.
He stared at me. Hard. "You did. You totally did."
My face turned redder than Adele's strawberry jam.
"No! I mean—it wasn't like that!"
"So it happened." He grinned like a demon. "Wow. And you didn't even tell me? Petal, I thought we were besties."
"It's not what you think—don't read too much into it!"
"Was it good though?" he asked, sipping his drink like we were discussing the weather.
"I—WHAT?!"
"So it was good," he cackled.
I punched his arm. "You're impossible."
"Ohhh, that is so freaky," he laughed, nearly falling off his chair.
By the time Adele scolded us, I was about five seconds away from launching my plate at him.
But the worst part?
He was right.
The rest of breakfast was a blur, mostly me pretending not to be dying inside.Still no Alex.
"Hey Aunt," Louise finally asked what I was dying to, "any idea where the Majesty went?"
Everyone turned to Adele like she had a tracking device on him.
She shrugged. "No one's seen him since yesterday."
"I saw him early morning," said George, cutting into his toast. "Looked like he was leaving. Seemed busy."
"Where to?" I asked before I could stop myself.
"Dunno, sweetie. But I'm sure he's fine," he replied.
"That poor boy," Leonelly sighed. "Always working. He's never had a real life."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Oh, that child's been through hell," George began. "He used to be so sweet, remember, Leonelly?"
She nodded with a sad smile. "Like a little angel."
"What happened?" I asked.
"Well, some say it was the constant 'corrections' of the late king," George whispered.
"Others say it was the sudden death of his parents," Leonelly added.
"But no one really knows. The royal family disappeared for almost a decade."
"What about you, Ms. Adele?"
She looked down, voice heavy. "They dismissed all the staff before it happened. The castle was silent for years. Even I don't know what truly occurred. Only the young king does—and he's never said a word."
That's… horrible.
"But he turned the kingdom around," George said. "He came back a man. Cold, yes—but strong. In two years, he fixed everything."
"The kingdom owes him," Leonelly said.
I was stunned. He started ruling at what—21?No wonder he's... like that.
"He isn't social, but he has a good heart," Adele added softly.
I kept silent, processing it all. Louise nudged me.
"Oh! Why doesn't Louise take Lilith on a tour of the palace?" Adele suggested.
Louise and I locked eyes. His said: You're gonna spill everything.
God help me.
A few minutes later, we were walking through the halls.
"Sooo," Louise smirked. I rolled my eyes.
"Don't start."
"Come on! Give me something. Did he grow fangs? Did you guys levitate?"
"Nope. Not today." I snorted.
"Boring." He pouted. "Fine. I'll spill instead. Remember Alena?"
"The redhead at the gala?"
"Yup. She left intact, don't worry. Nothing kills that woman. She's number one in the military academy."
"Wait—seriously?"
"Yup. Daughter of two generals. I thought she could help you train, since Obrovsky's schedule is full."
My eyes lit up. "Louise you fucking angel!"
He smirked, soaking up the praise. "What would you do without me?"
"Rot in a ditch, probably."
"Facts."
We laughed, walking toward a hallway that got creepier with each step.
"Where are we going?"
"To meet someone. You'll love her. Grandma Raquele."
Oh well why not
What could possibly go wrong
(i am always wrong)...
The door creaked open and I instantly regretted breathing.
We entered a dark, dusty library straight out of a horror novel.Candles flickered. Animal skulls lined the shelves. The books looked like they'd curse you if you opened them.
"Louise?"
"Don't worry, Petal."
"Oh sure, I feel so comforted."
In the center sat a woman in a rocking chair, whistling.
Louise made some bizarre hand gestures, and suddenly a book smacked into her chair.
"You little rascal," the old woman said.
A second later—THUD—a book flew and smacked Louise in the head.
"OW!"
I burst out laughing.
"Grandma?!"
She turned toward us, smiling like a mischievous cat. "Jeje, gotcha."
She eyed me from across the room. Her expression shifted.
"Who's this?"
She raised her hand and the room filled with warm candlelight.
Her dress was stunning—aged lace and wilted roses, like moonlight stitched into fabric. She looked like a spirit pulled from another world. Timeless. Powerful.
"Come closer, dear," she said.
I stepped forward. Her smile fell. Her eyes widened.
"This… this is impossible," she whispered. "You should be dead."
Louise froze. "Grandmother—"
"Renara?" she gasped. "Is that really you? But we saw you die…"
"Grandma—no, this is Lilith. Not Renara."
She clutched her chest, eyes brimming with tears.
I bolted.
It felt like walking out was the best idea so i did
Outside, I leaned against the cold stone wall, chest rising and falling like I'd just run a marathon.
Renara.That name hit like ice water down my spine.
My head buzzed.My palms were sweating.My heart? Doing backflips.
Renara.She said I was Renara.Alex's mother.
That wasn't just some random mix-up.That wasn't someone saying I looked like her.That woman—the legendary "grandmother" of the Cerberus Kingdom—looked me dead in the eyes like I was a ghost.Like I'd crawled back from the grave.
I tried to breathe, but all I could hear was my own thoughts screaming over each other.
She should be dead.We saw her die.You are Renara.
What the actual hell.
And then it hit me.That one night.That one moment when Alex, in the dark, voice trembling, whispered something that didn't make sense at the time.
"Mother…"
The door creaked open behind me.
"Petal," Louise said gently, walking toward me. His voice was soft, serious for once. "I didn't think she'd react like that. I swear, I had no idea…"
I didn't answer. My eyes stayed fixed on the floor, heart still sprinting.
He took a step closer. "Are you okay?"
I laughed. Short. Hollow. "What do you think?"
He frowned. "I know it was intense, but she's old, Lilith. She gets confused—"
The silence between us turned from awkward to suffocating.
"She wants to apologize," he finally said. "She asked if you'd come back in."
I didn't answer right away. I just stood there, dizzy, confused
But i agreed at the end
"Yeah. Let's go."
Back inside, Raquele greeted me with a warm smile—but that flicker of fear still danced in her eyes. Like she was trying to decide if I was a guest… or a ghost.
"I'm truly sorry, dear," she said, her voice soft and weathered. "You just reminded me of someone... someone long gone."
I nodded. "No worries. Happens more often than you'd think."Too often, actually. Someone get me a 'Not Renara' name tag, please.
"Lilith, is it?" she asked, gently taking my hand. "Such a beautiful name."She leaned in slightly, her tone lowering to something… witchy. "Did you know it means night creature?"
"…Seriously?"
She chuckled like she'd just told me I was cursed. "Oh yes. Lilith—the first woman. Strong. Wild. Untamed."
Great. I'm literally named after a demon with commitment issues. Fitting.
"All names carry their meaning, darling," she added with a wink.Then she turned toward Louise."Even yours."
Louise tensed. "What's my name supposed to mean?"
She smirked. "In ancient mischief tongue? It translates roughly to 'one who talks too much, flirts too hard, and causes at least three headaches a day.'"
I snorted. "Accurate."
"Highly offensive," Louise grumbled, crossing his arms like a sulking prince. "You made that up."
"Did I?" Raquele said, eyes twinkling. "Or did the stars just finally expose you?"
Louise muttered something in dramatic fake betrayal. I was too busy laughing.
"And where did my dear Louise find such a lovely girl?"
"Has he been treating you well?" she winked.
I gave her the flattest look. "Meh. He's a pain in the ass."
"HEY." Louise gasped like I'd just slapped him with a Bible.
"Oh, I knew it!" Raquele cackled. "That boy was the devil in diapers."
"Still is," I muttered, not missing a beat.
"Woman," Louise groaned, massaging his temples like this was a personal attack.
Raquele beamed like she'd just won a bingo game. "How about some tea, hm?"
Louise started to protest, but I beat him to it.
"Yes. Absolutely. Please. I want all the tea—literally and emotionally."
He blinked at me. "You traitor."
I grinned. "I want to hear every terrible, embarrassing story. Bonus points if there's nudity or public crying involved."
Raquele smirked like I was her favorite grandchild now. "Oh, I should still have those old photo albums… even the one where he—"
"NO," Louise blurted. "Nope. We are not opening that cursed book."
I turned to him, slow and dramatic. "You're already dead to me. Might as well let me roast your ghost."
"Someone please end me," he muttered.
Raquele and I? We just clinked our teacups like witches plotting a hex.