"Was that a dream?" she whispered to herself, her voice trembling.

Ariel sat up slowly, her teary eyes scanning the alien surroundings. The cave she found herself in wasn't of this earth—it shimmered with an ethereal glow. A gentle stream flowed nearby, the water reflecting silver light, and the chirping of unseen birds echoed like a celestial symphony.

Her gaze shifted, and she froze. A heart-shaped lake stretched before her, its surface glimmering with liquid starlight. Around it, glowing rose petals floated and scattered, bathing the cavern in a soft, otherworldly luminescence. Night ruled here, painting everything in shades of magic and allure.

A deep, resonant voice suddenly sliced through the serenity.

"You're finally awake."

Ariel's head whipped around. Standing before her was a man with piercing hazel eyes, arms crossed over a broad, muscular chest. He wore a long black hood that draped from head to toe, yet even in the shadows, his chiseled face glimmered with striking intensity.

He smirked, his voice laced with mockery.
"Look at you… such a frail thing. You look like you've been crying for years, tsk."

Ariel's chest tightened with fear, yet something in his presence demanded her attention. She managed to whisper,
"Wh—who are you?"

✿ Even in silence, our hearts find each other — drawn by a pull no soul can break. ✿


🌹🌷🌹🌷🌹🌷🌹🌷🌹🌷🌹🌷🌹🌹🌷🌷🌹🌷🌹🌷


Ariel's jaw dropped the moment she saw it — Horace, calm and cold, rejecting the gift so sweetly offered to him.


Why would he reject such a sincere gift? she wondered, confusion knitting her delicate brows.


"Why, brother Horace? You don't like it? I can make another one if you don't like this one," Eva said quickly, her tone eager, hopeful.


Horace's lips curved faintly. "No, dear Eva. You should keep it. It's beautiful — and it suits you. Besides, you're the one who loves pandas."


Then, leaning slightly closer, his voice dropped into a soft whisper only for her ears. "I already have mine," he murmured, his ocean-blue eyes flicking toward Ariel's hiding place.


Ariel's heart almost leaped out of her chest. She ducked back instantly, pressing a trembling hand over her mouth.


Chapter 78 - MY WOLFIE 2