Arthur noticed a precise black tattoo etched beneath the skin, curling like a thread of smoke. It seemed out of place in this context, but he said nothing this was not the time for questions.
Roger, however, a flicker of hidden astonishment in his eyes, suddenly asked, "When did you get that?"
Kayden didn't answer immediately. He lowered his gaze, his eyes dim, then whispered, "When Arbella came… she said I had gotten rid of that desire…"
He didn't mention the source of the tattoo.
"That's enough," Arthur said firmly. "George, Roger, get him out of the bathroom. I'll wait outside."
Arthur stepped out and sat heavily beside Isabel, who looked as though her soul had been drained.
He gently lifted her chin. "Raise your head. There's no reason to break… your son is alive. And strong."
Isabel looked at him, tears still clinging to her lashes, her eyes red, her face pale as if she had lost a lifetime within the past hour.
Arthur gestured toward Adele, who stood silently at the other side, her expression tense. "You… you broke the door and nearly the wall as well. Get a hold of yourself."
Meanwhile, Mary cleaned the mess in silence and efficiency. Isabel and Adele withdrew to wash the blood from themselves, returning only minutes later.
Kayden lay on the bed, properly covered. His features were exhausted, but he slightly opened his eyes when Isabel entered.
He looked at her weakly, then closed them again, as if staying awake required more strength than he had.
Adele watched for a moment, then suddenly said, "I heard there was another suitor."
George stepped in to explain, listing the details and the investigation that had been conducted, but Adele remained silent, distracted.
Arthur spoke simply, "I rejected him. He doesn't suit you."
Then he stood, drawing a firm line under the harsh chapter. "Now, let Eden rest. Henry, stay with him."
He left with the others after fixing the door Adele had broken.
Henry sat quietly on a chair beside the bed. He said nothing, only watched Kayden's uneven breathing. The silence between them was comfortingpainful, yet honest.
In the corner, Colton returned to his human form. He sat silently on the floor beside the bed, his face heavy with guilt. "I didn't notice anything… I didn't even suspect it. I was a fool."
Kayden murmured softly, like a passing breeze, "It's alright… I didn't remember it either…" Then he drifted into a deep sleep.
Henry remained where he was, unwilling to move, as if physical and emotional exhaustion had stripped him of the ability to think.
With the first light of the next morning, Kayden woke slowly.
His body ached as though he had fought a war, yet he breathed with relief.
He looked to his right and found Henry asleep at the foot of the bed, wrapped in a light blanket. Colton sat on a chair, quietly reading a book, calm as if standing guard.
Kayden smiled faintly, then shifted slightly, waking Henry at once as if his soul were tied to his brother's.
"Henry…" Kayden whispered, "remind Adele about Colton."
Henry rubbed his eyes and said with a tired smile, "She already handled it. Father agreed he can't refuse her anything. Colton is now here as an official guest, pretending he knew nothing… and I arranged everything. We made it look like he came to visit you without knowing what happened. He acted as if he had just returned from the hotel to finish some business, and only then heard the news so he came to check on you."
Henry gestured toward the door, where Colton sat quietly.
"Father had been refusing to receive any guests lately, but this time he allowed him in. Not only that, he told me he would assign him the entire guest house for his stay… and that he intends to formally recommend him to the Sylvester family."
Kayden let out a soft laugh. "You're deceitful… it's gone as far as a recommendation? That's insane."
Henry laughed as well. Colton stood and rang the bell, and Mary entered with a tray of light food.
Kayden couldn't eat much—he barely tasted a few bites before falling asleep again, this time in peace.
Colton closed his book and glanced toward the lady. "He doesn't remember everything? What did Kayden even do before he died…?"
On the third day…
Kayden woke to soft sunlight filtering through the heavy curtains. He remained lying there for a moment, quietly studying the ceiling as though seeing it for the first time.
A heavy feeling rested on his chest but it was different this time. Not pain, but a strange calm, as if his body had finally begun to surrender to rest after weeks of tension and suffering.
He sat up slowly, feeling some stiffness in his muscles, yet stood anyway and walked quietly toward the lower floor. The wooden steps creaked softly beneath his feet, and the air carried the scent of tea and flowers just as Isabel liked to arrange every morning.
Halfway down the stairs, a gentle yet firm voice stopped him. "You're not leaving the house, Kayden."
He turned toward the voice to find Isabel standing at the bottom of the stairs, a cup of tea in her hand, her expression strict yet filled with warmth.
"Your friend is here too… what reason do you have to wander outside? You're stubborn—and troublesome as well… sit, please."
Kayden smiled tiredly, descended the rest of the stairs, and sat quietly on one of the sofas. He glanced around, noticing the silence that filled the house.
"The house is still closed…" he murmured thoughtfully, then looked at her and asked, "Why are you still keeping it closed?"
Isabel gently set her teacup down on the table and looked at him for a long moment before answering.
"So the Church doesn't start suspecting you. Are you foolish or mentally unwell?" she said bluntly. "You're under observation now. There are still those who doubt you, Kayden. If what happened is exposed… they could accuse you of treason or corruption. And the punishment would be severe you know that."
Kayden nodded slowly. He didn't like restrictions, but he understood that the danger hadn't passed.
Isabel's expression softened into a faint smile. "By the way, your friend Colton… he's remarkably intelligent. He had an answer for nearly every question. He helped Adele a lot during her training without a single complaint, and he even guided Henry through the recent meditation sessions. But tell me… is it normal to treat your friend like a punching bag?"
Kayden let out a quiet laugh. "Colton… I didn't approach him randomly. He's been through a kind of hell you can't imagine. He's lived a hard life that's why he knows so much…"
Then he paused and asked, "Where's Henry?"
"He went to request leave from work," Isabel replied, setting the cup aside.
Silence lingered between them for a few minutes. Isabel studied her son's face and noticed his eyes slowly drifting shut. She smiled as she watched him surrender to sleep once again.
Elsewhere…
Henry sat across from Mr. Ayrton's desk. Fatigue was written all over his face, his eyes reddened from lack of sleep.
"My brother is very ill he can't work. And I have final exams this week… I just need a short leave."
Ayrton was silent for a moment. He set his pen aside and asked calmly, "Is Kayden alright?"
Henry shook his head slowly. He didn't want to go into details the image was still chaotic in his mind.
Ayrton gave a faint, sideways smile and joked, "I heard Adam made him pay for the drinks… Adam is scary. Did he curse him?"
Henry laughed despite his exhaustion. "Adam… paid? That's a miracle."
Ayrton replied as he scribbled something on a paper, "Adam isn't what he seems. He holds grudges—more than he ever shows. But as for the payment… ask Kayden when you get back."
Henry nodded and left the office. Outside, he ran into Fiona, who was speaking with Charlotte.
He greeted them and briefly told them what had happened between him and Ayrton. Fiona hesitated for a moment, then quickly regained her composure.
"Kayden is strong… he'll recover. Next week, I'll announce the results of what I've been working on."
Henry smiled at her appreciatively, then headed straight to the university. On the way, the air felt heavier than usual. Fatigue was beginning to eat away at him from the inside.
' For two weeks, I've been pushing through in silence… just a little more, just a little ' he thought, a tightness in his chest growing as graduation drew closer.
That evening…
Henry returned home and threw himself onto the couch without even changing his clothes. Isabel looked up at him and asked, "How was your day?"
Henry let out a tired breath. "Why didn't you hit me when I said I wanted to study medicine?"
Isabel laughed softly, then answered with the calm of a mother who knew her son had grown more than she ever expected, "You're the one who chose it. Everyone has to bear the weight of their decisions… even when it hurts."
The week passed quickly for Kayden. Most of his time was spent resting, meditating, and training. Despite the effort he put in, he still wasn't eating well. Food repulsed him—as if his body had rejected ordinary life, or perhaps something inside him had yet to heal.
In his spare time, Kayden returned to working on his flower project.
He spent hours in his room, observing the transformation of petals, watching the changes in seeds and outcomes. The experiment fascinated him, yet he had no one to share his excitement with.
Henry was buried under exam pressure, and Colton… had already been part of nearly every step of the research. There was no element of surprise left for him.
Still, Kayden wanted to tell someone. He wanted to be seen—to be heard—someone to look at him and say, "What you did is remarkable."
At the start of the week, he and Henry returned to work.
Kayden stood before the mirror, dressed in an elegant black suit. He adjusted his collar carefully, then turned to Henry and tossed him a similar one.
"Kayden! Why do I have to wear this?" Henry protested, staring at the suit.
Kayden smirked, leaning casually against the door. "Because I want to annoy everyone. So be obedient—for once."
Henry glared at him tiredly as he put on the shirt. "Aren't you supposed to be sick? Why are you going back already? And stop bothering people."
Kayden walked down the stairs with confident steps, as if he had never been ill, laughing lightly. "I'm fine, don't worry. Do you want a break? I can talk to George and arrange a trip somewhere with no exams… or patients."
Henry muttered under his breath, starting to suspect something. "You're in a strange mood today… you're definitely planning something insane."
When they arrived at work, everyone welcomed them.
Kayden felt warmth seep into his chest, as if returning to normal life was the remedy he had needed all along.
But his eyes kept searching…
He was looking for Fiona.
He had something he desperately wanted to share with her. He couldn't suppress his smile.
"Your jaw is going to break if you keep smiling like that all of a sudden," Henry muttered as he followed him up the stairs.
Kayden laughed without turning. "I did something incredible while you were busy. I'll tell you later—you'll be amazed."
But Henry didn't wait. He quickened his pace, eager to see what had put his brother in such a strange mood.
When they found Fiona, they greeted her enthusiastically.
She looked at them curiously, studying Kayden with careful attention. "You look much better…" she commented, her eyes scanning his complexion, his gaze, even his tone.
Kayden sat, watching her, feeling like a seven-year-old waiting for praise from his teacher.
"My dear aunt… my beautiful lady, that color suits you perfectly, doesn't it, Henry?" he said playfully.
Henry glanced at her dark blue dress tinged with black and said in an exaggerated tone, "As if it were made just for you… absolutely enchanting."
Fiona laughed lightly. "I chose it carefully. Anyway, Kayden—I read your message… and I brought the chicken. But how did you get my address?"
Kayden smiled confidently. "I have my ways… secrets aren't revealed so easily."
Fiona rested her hand on her chin, studying them. "I feel like I'm finally starting to tell you apart."
Henry suddenly pointed at himself and said seriously, "Actually, I'm Kayden."
Fiona stared at him in shock for a moment—then burst into laughter.
"That doesn't matter! You're both obsessed—in completely different ways. There's nothing you don't know."