The mysterious figure halted on his tracks...

Minutes went by... he remained rooted on the spot staring at the couple in the bed. His face registered shock, unbearable pain, and rage. ​​

Then... he disappeared from the room in seconds.

Three hours later.

Graven woke up and about to leave going back to his room when he saw the rose petals scattered on the floor. His heart was beating frantically in his rib cage. He remembered that his twin brother Luke always leaves a red rose in Laura's room every time he visits her.

The crushed petals on the floor only mean one thing, his twin brother visited Laura's room tonight and saw them naked in the bed together!

Damn!

He was caught betraying his brother on the back!

He shut his eyes... the shit already hits the fan! Now that it comes to this... he'd better get prepared for his brother's wrath.

But the fact that his brother left without waking them up and doing something harmful to them he must be suffering heavily right now.

He left without doing anything to them but it doesn't mean that he isn't angry, upset, and sad.

The thing that he dreaded the most is finally happening!

And now he's at loss on what to do with Laura?

From now on he would no longer touch her, to avoid hurting his twin brother's feelings! It may be too late to do just that...

He sighed heavily.

But he was doubting his words, can he avoid Laura for real?

He looked at her sleeping form for a few minutes, memorizing every line of her face, then he closed his eyes for a few seconds and left the room feeling the pain every step of the way.

He would always love her come what may. He bends down and picked up the crushed petals and puts them into the pocket of his pants.

He went back to his room and tried his best to sleep.

>>

The following day.

Laura woke up alone to a rainy morning. She wondered why Graven was no longer by her side?

Where is he?

He must be outside.

She shut her eyes again, waiting for his return. He always brings their breakfast inside the room.

A few minutes later.

The rain starts to falter and finally stop.

She left the bed and went to the window, looking outside.

Her face brightened up, the rain has finally stopped falling! She smiled broadly.

Graven entered the room holding a food tray in his hands, he put it on the table and looked at her. "Good morning!" he greeted her with a smile.

"Good morning!" she returned her greetings cheerfully.

"Let's have breakfast," he said.

"Okay," she replied and sat on the chair.

They eat breakfast consisted of stir fry beef with vegetables and fish steak, along with hot cocoa.

"The rain finally stops!" she said excitedly.

"Yeah," he said in a lukewarm voice.

Laura stared at his face for a few minutes. There's something wrong with Graven's aura today. He looks alright... but there's an air of difference about him... she can feel it but she can't put the right words to describe it.

"Are you okay? Did something wrong happened out there?" she asked, suddenly a knot was formed in her belly.

Graven released a deep sigh. He was debating whether to tell her about what happened last night or just hide it from her? Which is which?

But since they're on it together and willingly embrace each other, she deserved to know the truth.

He fished out the crushed petals from the pocket of his pants and put them on the table. "I found them scattered on the floor before I left your room..." he said.

Laura looked at the rose petals, a crease appeared on her forehead. "Where did it come from?" she asked, confused.

"I found these crushed petals on the floor when I woke up this morning, does it ring a bell to you?" he repeated.

Laura's brows furrowed, she was lost in her thoughts, then her mind finally connected the dots. The red rose inside her room symbolizes Luke's spirit visiting her room! Oh, no! Luke was here last night?

Her face turned pale. Her heart was beating faster in her rib cage, she went to Graven's side in alarm, seeking his comfort. "Oh, no! Luke's spirit caught us naked on the bed last night?" she gasped in fear.

"Yeah," he replied. He wrapped his arms around her, she was like a scared rabbit trying to seek his protection.

"I'm scared!" Laura's voice filled with panic.

"Don't be. My brother loves you so much! He won't hurt you!" he assured her.

"He will get angry at the two of us! He will retaliate!" she insisted.

Graven sighed and embraced Laura's trembling body. "Shh...calm down...the fact that he left the room without disturbing us last night means no matter how he feels towards us, he won't harm you. He couldn't bring himself to hurt you," he said confidently.

"B-but I'm scared of him now!" she said burying her head deeper into his chest. She tightened her hold on him. She was scared of Luke's wrath because she knows that she is guilty of betraying him behind his back. She blamed herself because she can't resist Graven's charm and she was falling madly in love with him.

The room fell into a tense silence.

Graven continues rubbing Laura's back in a soothing motion, trying to put her into a relaxed mood. "I'm so sorry that I have to put you into this difficult position. We will try to find a remedy to this problem..." he said reassuringly.

He cupped her face. "Are you 100% sure that you want to be with me for life?" he asked her to be sure what she felt inside.

Laura nodded her head joyously. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" she said, beaming.

"Alright, I'll try to talk to my brother and begged him to let go of you. I can't promise you anything but I will try my best to plead for our love," he said.

"B-but where? How can you find his spirit?" she asked, confused.

"I'll go to the cave and visit him there. I'll try to beg for your freedom - for the two of us," he said earnestly.

"I'll go with you!" she offered.

Graven shook his head. "No need. Just stay here inside the room," he said.

"When are you going to go to the cave?" she inquired.

"Today," he said. "I'll be back sometime in the afternoon," he replied.

"Okay, you take care of yourself," she said hugging him tightly.

They embraced each other for a few minutes. Trying to give warmth and strength to each other.

Graven disengaged from their embrace. "Time to go... don't venture outside this room...there are many men outside," he warned her. "I will instruct the driver to send your lunch here to your room so that you don't have to go out. I'll have my men watch over your safety, while I'm away," he added.

"Okay, I will not venture outside. I'll wait for your return," she said, trying to assure him so that he can go to the cave with peace of mind.

"Good girl!" He rose to his feet. "I'll head to the cave now while it's still early in the morning," he said.

"Please, take care of yourself!" she said.

"Yes, I will!" he replied, walking to the door and exited the room.

Laura released a deep sigh the moment Graven was out of the door. She shut off her eyes for a moment, trying to shake away the fear rising in her heart. She feared that Luke will return anytime and kill her and Graven.

Getting romantically involved between two brothers is indeed terrifying, and stressful and she only has herself to blame for bringing this madness all to herself.

Outside.

Graven went back to his room and locked the door. He went to the closet and took the bottle of oil that has special concocted ingredients that can repel the snakes and put it inside the pocket of his black pants.

Although he can teleport outside the cave, he can't teleport directly to the chamber where Luke's coffin was located. His power does not work in full capacity inside that cave, he can only rely on the oil to repel the snakes from attacking him.

He closed his eyes for a few seconds and started the teleportation process in his mind... a moment later... he vanished from the room.

He reappeared in the middle of the forest.

He looked ahead and saw the mouth of the cave, concealed behind the wild bushes. He took the bottle from the pocket of his pants and smeared the oil all over his body.

A few minutes later, he was done putting the oil on his body, he put the bottle back inside the pocket of his pants.

He picked up a stick lying on the ground and walked towards the mouth of the cave, he was using the stick to push away the thick bushes out of his way.

He finally reached the mouth of the cave and stepped inside.

He can hear the hissing sounds of snakes as they began to scamper out of his way after smelling the repulsive fragrance emanating from his body.

He went deeper inside the cave and roamed his eyes around him, he found no noticeable changes at all.

After a few minutes of navigating the inside of the cave, he finally reached the entrance of the chamber where Luke's floating coffin was placed.

He stood rooted on the spot for a few minutes.

He began to ponder what he's going to tell his brother? Luke already knew that he and Laura had an affair behind his back. The least he can do is apologize for his behavior, admit his mistake, tell him the truth that they both love the same woman and...

Dammit!

It sounds cruel...but he wants his brother to let go of Laura. He's here to beg his twin brother to set Laura free.

Only one of them can have Laura's love!

He knew that pleading for Laura's freedom would destroy their close sibling relationship. He will lose a brother that is dear to him but he will also gain the woman he loves. It's okay, he already reconciled with the fact that no one can have it all.

If you want something really bad, you are willing to sacrifice something in return.

He entered the chamber and saw the coffin still floating in the water, he walked towards it.

When he reached the coffin...

He grabbed both sides of the coffin effortlessly and carefully lowered it into the dry ground, then he lifted the cover...