As the plane flew on, Vincent's demeanor changed. He became distant, his eyes fixed on some point outside the window. I tried to talk to him, but he barely responded, his answers monosyllabic.
I felt a pang of uncertainty, wondering what I had done wrong. Had I hurt him by pulling away? I didn't know, and Vincent's silence wasn't helping.
The rest of the flight was tense, the air thick with unspoken words. I tried to distract myself by reading a book, but my eyes kept drifting back to Vincent.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the plane began its descent. I looked out the window, watching as the Canadian landscape unfolded below us.
As we landed and taxied to the gate, Vincent's silence continued. He stood up, his movements swift and fluid, and gestured for me to precede him.
I walked off the plane, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. We were finally here, in Canada.
As we made our way through customs and immigration, Vincent's distance continued. He barely spoke to me, his answers limited to yes or no.
I felt a pang of frustration, wondering what I had done wrong. But I didn't have time to dwell on it, as my phone rang, shrill in the quiet airport.
I answered, smiling as I heard my sister Blue's voice on the other end. "Hey, sis! Have you landed?"
I laughed, feeling a sense of normalcy wash over me. "Yeah, we just got here. How are you?"
Blue chattered on, telling me about her day, and I listened, smiling. It was good to hear her voice, to feel connected to someone who didn't seem to be mad at me.
As I talked to Blue, I glanced over at Vincent, who was standing a few feet away, his eyes fixed on me. For a moment, our eyes met, and I felt a jolt of electricity run through my body.
But then he looked away, his expression cold and detached. I felt a pang of sadness, wondering what I had done wrong.
I finished my call with Blue, promising to call her later, and then turned to Vincent....
As we drove through the winding roads, the silence between us grew thicker. Vincent's eyes remained fixed on the road ahead, his jaw clenched in a tight line.
I sighed inwardly, feeling a pang of frustration. What had I done wrong? Why was Vincent being so distant?
Finally, we pulled up to the mansion, its grand facade gleaming in the fading light. I felt a surge of relief.
As we stepped out of the car Lily rushed out to greet us. Her warm smile and open arms were a balm to my frazzled nerves.
"Blossom, darling! It's so wonderful to see you!" Lily exclaimed, enveloping me in a tight hug.
I hugged her back, feeling a lump form in my throat. It almost felt like a second home.
Just then, Adriel emerged from the mansion, a warm smile on his face. "Welcome back, Blossom," he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
Vincent nodded curtly at Adriel, his eyes still fixed on some point beyond us. "Let's discuss the issue," he said, his tone brusque.
Adriel nodded, falling into step beside Vincent as they walked towards the study.
Lily watched them go, her eyes filled with concern. "Don't mind him, dear," she said, turning to me. "He's just stressed with work."
I nodded, feeling a pang of uncertainty. Was that all it was?
Lily took my arm, leading me towards the stairs. "Come on, let's get you settled in. I'll help you with your bags."
As we climbed the stairs, Lily chattered on about everything that had happened while I was away. I listened, smiling, feeling a sense of comfort wash over me.
But as we reached my room, Lily's expression turned serious. "Blossom, how are you coping?" she asked, her voice soft with concern. "With your father's death, and everything that happened..."
I took a deep breath, feeling a lump form in my throat. It was still hard to talk about, to process everything that had happened.
Lily's eyes filled with compassion. "I'm here for you, dear. If you need to talk, or just need someone to listen..."
I smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards her. "Thanks, Lily. That means a lot to me."
As we finished arranging my belongings, Lily turned to me with a curious expression. "So, how was London? Other than the burial, I mean."
I took a deep breath, trying to summarize the whirlwind of emotions I'd experienced. "It was...good, I guess. I mean, it was nice to see everyone again, and Vincent was...different."
Lily's eyes sparkled with interest. "Different? What do you mean?"
I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But Lily's kind face put me at ease. "He was more...attentive, I guess. More caring."
*Until the plane incident at least.*
Lily's expression softened. "That's wonderful, dear. I'm so glad to hear that."
But then my mind flashed back to the reunion, and Rion's strange behavior. "Lily, something weird happened at the reunion," I said, my brow furrowing in concern.
Lily's eyes locked onto mine. "What happened?"
I took a deep breath, trying to recount the events. "Well, people started shipping me and Rion, and he...he tried to kiss me."
Lily's expression turned surprised. "Oh, dear! What did you do?"
I shook my head. "I refused, of course. But then he got angry, and blamed it on Vincent."
Lily's eyes narrowed, her expression thoughtful. "That's strange," she said. "Why would he get angry at you and then be blaming it on Vincent?"
I nodded, my mind racing with questions. "Exactly! And that's what I don't get, Lily. How does Rion even know Vincent? What's their relationship?"
Lily's expression changed, her eyes darting away from mine. "Oh, um, I don't know, dear," she said, her voice hesitant. "I'm sure it's nothing important."
I felt a surge of curiosity, my senses on high alert. Why was Lily being so evasive? What was she hiding?
"Lily, come on," I pressed, my voice gentle but insistent. "You must know something. What's going on between Rion and Vincent?"
Lily's expression turned uneasy, her eyes darting around the room. "I...I really don't know, dear," she repeated, her voice firm but unconvincing. "Let's just drop it, okay?"
I felt a pang of disappointment, but I knew better than to push Lily further. For now, I'd have to let the mystery drop, but I was determined to get to the bottom of it eventually...