"Dr. Shun?" Sidetracked by that, Xhemin frowned and thought about Dr. Cyan Shun's intentions. Why would Doctor Cyan Shun do such a thing? "But the valets said it was your orders"

"Servants tend to say that all the time" He pointed out with a grimace, seeming to recall something particularly unpleasant "Have you not talk to Dr. Shun about it?" ​​

"Dr. Shun haven't come home yet" Xhemin did nothing to hide the confusion in her eyes as the feelings of resentment he had for the boy abased. She thought of all the possible reasons why Dr. Shun had to send her home like that. But Darryl's explanation made some sense, Dr. Shun was the one who hired her and was her immediate superior, so he had all the authority over her entirely independent from the forest mansion's management.

"I went to asked him the day after Dannah's welcome party and he said he needed to send you home. That it was something personal" Darryl continued his words as he watched the girl in his arms succumb into her own thoughts "I was also about to send you an invitation to masquerade ball, but he told me your grandfather might not like it, so I was a little shock when I saw you earlier"

"Ziggy's bodyguard couldn't come. I had to come in her behalf" Xhemin shifted her attention to Darryl's words. If Dr. Shun said it was something personal, then she thought she might have known the reason why.

"Any idea why Dr. Shun had to send you home?" Darryl asked, his previous tensed up muscles was now rather calm, but his anger haven't totally eloped yet. There was still something that's bothering the boy sponsored by the feeling he saw when the Diamond prince had stolen his woman during the first dance.

"The gathering…." Xhemin murmured avoiding Darryl's hazel eyes. She was all feeling guilty about her unfounded accusations with the boy and that stroke out some uncomfortable feelings within her, apart from the fact that her insides were not steady because their bodies—Darryl and hers—were technically brushing off against each other "…The gathering that day, did you have special guests?"

"Just a few, all from the elite class" he responded tonelessly, fiercely feeling unhappy of how the girl's face grimaced and how everything turned not well tonight for the two of them. If he only knew she was coming, then things would have been a lot better.

"The gathering that was the reason why he sent me off, I guess" She concluded but was still unsure of it. "He was afraid someone from the elite might notice me"

"And why is that?" Curious of the girl's answer, Darryl's thick eyebrows rose to a notch.

"You see my grandfather didn't like me associating with the elites. He doesn't like me going to elite parties and don't like me being seen by any elites" She explained as she raised her eyes to him only to realize the boy had his eyes all over her with intensity "The Shun family knows this fact, probably the reason why doctor Shun needed to send me home that day"

"But the Montarini prince and the Montreal youngest sire are also elites" Not getting the thought of this nonsense household rules, Darryl was confused even more. Also, his curiosity about Dr. Miles and Xhemin's weird circumstance got him thinking a bit.

While everyone was doing their best to get invited to elite parties, Dr. Miles had specifically banned his granddaughter out. Was the threat to their life that serious that doctor Miles had to shut her out from the elite community where she was supposed to grew up into?

"They are an exemption to the rule" Xhemin held a deep breath before she gave him a smile, watching his tall, well built form as he was moving to the rhythm that they were both following.

"Your grandfather was very keen in keeping you away" Darryl commented as he tried to hide off the curiosity that was lingering in his head.

"He was just protecting me" She said, now aware of how sudden their earlier argument turned the other way around, she was feeling a bit relaxed "My grandfather is a great doctor, a lot of people is after his skills"

For a while Darryl thought of it and realized that there was somehow sense and truth in the girl's belief. Dr. Miles indeed was a great doctor, even the Lagdameo's themselves cannot deny such and had respected the doctor for that. Of course, a lot of great families would kind of wish they have doctor Miles on their side because his skills is very beneficial, unfortunately, the doctor was dedicated to devoting his skills to the poor rather than dealing with the wealthy elites.

"When did you realized that I was gone" she asked, pulling up Darryl out from his thoughts.

"The night when you left" He answered.

"So, you only remembered to visit me at the exact same day I left?" Xhemin asked with sarcasm. Even though Darryl had explained himself fully why she was sent away, she was still kind of feeling bad with the fact that Darryl never once visited her for weeks.

Darryl took a pause and Xhemin's lips twitched a little when she realized that her statement shut him off. She was wondering what he would reason this time around, for clearly, he was kind of lost for words.

"You sleep mostly at 11:30 and wake up exactly at six. Your alarm is that unruly recorded voice of youngest Montreal's voice screaming at you to get up" Darryl started.

"How did you—" Appalled, Xhemin gaped before him.

"You don't study on Sundays, so you wake up late those days…" he added and as if amused of something, he laughed inwardly pausing his previous sentence before he continued "…and sometimes, you wake up in between sleeps just to eat strawberries"

Xhemin blushed shamefully at Darryl's revelation. The things that he said were all true—those were her daily routine for the last weeks she spent in the herb garden. How come Darryl knew this stuff? Was he sneaking every now and then at her bedroom?

How come she didn't notice him?

Was he doing it every night?

Did he sleep in her bedroom again?

How many times did he went to see her?

"Oh, by the way there something more interesting I figured out" He said with a ferocious grin in his face. The tone of his voice suggested that the boy was trying to suppress his laughter and Xhemin knew her fate for tonight was doomed.

"What?" She asked, deadpanned. She was trying to brush off his tease and pretended that the recent conversation was boring her.

"Well the first time you wake up at night to eat some strawberries…. that kind of caught me off guard so before you could even notice my presence I hid of in your closet and…." He confessed as his hazel eyes glowered with so much amusement.

"So?" Xhemin displayed an annoyed look, even though the truth was she was hoping fervently he had found nothing shameful in her closet.

"Well, I just realized how you love strawberries so much when I hid in your closet"

"Whatever!" She said, trying to shut the conversation off.

Darryl laughed at this and the view of Darryl laughing sent some chills under Xhemin's spine. What was it that he found?

"F*ck off Darryl! Why don't you just say it to my face now than kept me hanging here loosely?" She exclaimed almost ready to grope him. She had enough drama for tonight, and to be honest the mixture of emotions that she had gone throughout their dance routine was exhausting her. And now, the sight of Darryl laughing at her was terribly exhausting her further.

"Your panties had strawberry prints in them" Darryl said, winking at his girl who immediately halted dancing when she heard him. Her face turned red in just a split of seconds.