Alaric's eyes scanned the information on the phone screen, and a mysterious glint sparked in his gaze as he read the details. His gaze lingered for a moment, weighing the importance of the message before Alaric face turned to look at Luzella. The little chick, lay peacefully in his arms, her gentle breathing a soothing contrast to the intensity of the moment. Alaric's eyes softened as he gazed down at her serene face. He didn't have the heart to disturb her rest, so he nodded his head in agreement, silently giving Butler Halley permission to handle the situation, all while being careful not to jostle Luzella.
Meanwhile, Rowan watched the scene unfold from the doorway, hesitant to enter the room again. He observed how Alaric's gaze softened as he looked at Luzella in his arms, and it was clear that a protective layer had enveloped him. Rowan surprise was palpable as he pieced together the unexpected scene before him. Yes, He is the one who had provided Alaric with all the information about Luzella, but he hadn't anticipated this kind of connection. As he wondered who this lady could be to warrant such tender behavior from Alaric, and a sudden realization dawned on him, and his expression turned unbelievable. Then he shook his head and thought to himself 'Maybe I'm wrong' his mind racing with the possibilities.
As Rowan remained lost in thought, Butler Halley slipped out of the room, closing the door softly behind him before nudging Rowan's arm. Rowan jolted back to reality, his brow furrowing in annoyance. "What?" he snapped, his tone laced with irritation.
Butler Halley gave Rowan a pointed look, his eyes scanning him up and down for a moment before he spoke. "Don't you think time is running out? We need to hurry. Instead, you're standing here, lost in thought, zoning out in your own world."
With a sudden jolt of awareness, Rowan realized the urgency of the situation and promptly fell into step beside Butler Halley, following him out of the mansion to tackle the task at hand.
As they settled into the car, Rowan turned to Butler Halley with curiosity. "Halley, do you know who might be the lady in Alaric's arms is?" he asked, his voice low and inquiring.
Halley shot Rowan a side glance before responding, "She's Luzella. She's going to be staying here from now on. You weren't aware, but Alaric ordered a whole new wardrobe for her this morning. I was puzzled when ladies' clothing started arriving at the mansion, specifically on Alaric's floor. Then, when he brought her home at dusk, it all clicked into place that someone was moving in, and it was her. You can imagine how shocked I am." Halley's words trailed off as he recounted the unexpected turn of events.
Rowan's annoyance simmered just below the surface as he realized he hadn't gotten the information he was looking for. He opened his mouth to respond with a sarcastic remark, but before he could utter a word, Butler Halley continued, "But then a thought occurred to me." Halley's glanced at Rowan, his expression thoughtful.
Rowan's eyes sparkled with curiosity as he turned to Halley, his voice laced with anticipation. "I thought you'd lost your mind for not getting the main point Halley," he said with a hint of amusement. "Now spill it to me and prove you've got a brain, what's that?"
"What do you think?" Butler Halley's knowing glance hinted that he was aware of Rowan's eagerness to hear more.
"Oh, c'mon, stop your drama and spill it," Rowan said, aware that if he pushed Halley's buttons with his remarks, the butler Halley would clam up, so he opted to play it cool until he got the information he wanted.
"Playing it safe, huh?" Butler Halley countered, one eyebrow arched in amusement as a smirk danced on his lips as he said "I thought maybe it's the girl Alaric has forgotten."
Rowan's expression remained neutral, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of curiosity. "What makes you think that?" he asked, his tone casual despite the intensity of his gaze.
Butler Halley's smirk grew wider. "Just a hunch, Master Rowan. For your information, I asked Alaric to confirm." He paused, deliberately piquing Rowan's curiosity, and as expected, Rowan immediately asked, "What did he say? Did he tell you it's her? Is she really her?"
"Why don't you guess?" Butler Halley playfully asked Rowan, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Don't you think it's interesting?" He winked at Rowan, a low chuckle rumbling in his throat.
Rowan narrowed his eyes and replied, "Maybe if we acted up earlier in the mansion, Alaric might have killed us for disturbing the peace. But now that we're on the road, there's no one to worry about disturbing. Do you want me to play a little violent game with you?" His tone was serious, implying that Butler Halley would face the dire consequences, if he didn't get the answer he wanted about Alaric's response.
Butler Halley's smirk faltered for a moment before his eyes locked onto Rowan's, a hint of amusement dancing in their depths. "Well, I don't have the mood to play with you now," he said, pausing for a beat. "Alaric confirmed it that it's really her." His words hung in the air, the truth finally out in the open.
"For heaven's sake!" Rowan blurted out, his eyes wide with astonishment as he stared at Butler Halley in disbelief. "It's really her!" The words tumbled out of his mouth, laced with a mix of shock, excitement, and a hint of trepidation about what might transpire if it was really her.
Butler's gaze drifted slightly as he spoke, his tone measured. "Yes, he's still got no recollection of her, but he's certain it's her." A hint of intrigue danced in his eyes, as if the mystery itself was almost fascinating. "Despite the gaps in his memory," he added, "he's unwavering in his conviction about her."
Rowan's lips curled into a sly smile as he said, "She's here now, and I'm curious what drama will unfold before us. We weren't there when he was entangled with her, but now we get to witness the spectacle."