"What?!?! You turned him away?" Niles questions in disbelief.

I pour Lord of Ashenvale a drink as he sits back down.

"Baby Alek somehow tracked you down and you turned him away?!"

"One, he's most definitely not a baby anymore. And two, I didn't turn him away."

Niles looks at me accusingly.

"You told him there's no Evelyn around here."

I pour myself a cup as well.

"And he believed me. He doesn't remember who I am."

Niles crosses his arms in contemplation. He obviously was dissatisfied with my lack of interest on the topic, but his face suddenly lights up.

"I have to go now," he says, downing the last drop of wine in his cup.

"You just got here," I say, a bit disappointed that he has to go already. It's rare for Niles to drop by out of the blues and I would be lying if I said I disliked his company.

"I'll be back again next time Sister Mary cooks!" he shouts back, obviously in a rush.

As the door closes behind him, a familiar silence fills the room. The other sisters are busy cleaning up. Since Niles is visiting, they let me slide.

"Evelyn."

I turn at the sound of my name and in front of me stands the handsome visitor from earlier. His golden gaze falls gently on me as he tests out the name once more.

"Evelyn."

"Can I help you?" I ask, a bit annoyed that I responded so quickly without a care. There are normally no other male visitors besides Niles.

"Do you remember me?"

"Of course." He seems excited by my answer. "You're from earlier."

He chuckles as he pulls out Niles's chair and sits across from me.

"Do you know who I am?" he asks, lifting an eyebrow, expecting me to take him a little more seriously.

"A visitor?"

"Miss Evelyn, please take me seriously."

I look in his eyes to search for any possible confusion but don't find any.

I finally give up.

"For what business has Lord Dietrich come?"

His expression suddenly dropped a little.

"Did I address you incorrectly, my Lord?"

I know I addressed him correctly. I specifically didn't call him Aleksandar because he absolutely detested it since he was young, but still, he didn't seem pleased by my choice of words.

"No, nothing like that."

The bashful look doesn't suit him, but it definitely made me comfortable the second I saw that such a look can still exist on his perfect face.

He didn't change too much. He still possesses his humbleness from his mother's side. Alvena would be proud.

"Evelyn, I want to find my birth mother."

I cross my arms and lean back on the chair. I couldn't help but feel a bit relieved.

"Okay. So why are you here?"

His head tilts a bit to the side, perhaps surprised that I suddenly got so comfortable talking to him. After all, he's a Pureblood that everyone practically bows in the presence of.

"I heard...you're very close with her and you were the last one seen with her."

"Says who?"

"Rumors."

Figures. This boy is just testing the waters. Rumors—impossible. The Elders and Lord Killua shut everyone up from even mentioning the incident.

All records with Alvena and me were practically erased. It was too shameful to keep in the books.

"I don't know where she is," I comment as I pour myself a drink.

"Please don't make me compel you to answer me. I promise your safety won't be compromised if you just cooperate."

"You can try but my answer would be the same," I say, much to his disappointment. "The answer I gave your father is the same as I had given you. I really don't know where she is."

He stares at me intensely for a good few seconds before getting up from his seat in defeat.

"You are my only lead," he says solemnly. "No one else would dare mention her in front of me. Not even my own father..."

I don't give him any response.

"It's utterly pathetic that I can't even remember her name."

I look back up at him as he laughs pitifully.

"Then why bother?" I ask out of confusion. However, he doesn't seem affected by my casualty.

"Something in here," he says as he points at his chest, "aches." He smiles a sad smile as he rises to leave.

I watch him walk gracefully to the door before turning to give me a final nod.

"Sorry Miss Evelyn for taking your time."

Taking the handle, he pushes the door open.

"Alvena."

He stops midway.

"Alvena Fairburn."

He turns around to look at me with an indescribable look on his face.

"If you want to talk about her, I can help you with that."

"You would?" he asks, eyes gleaming like a child.

Everyone else is forbidden to talk about her. However, I received no such order. And even if I did, I no longer have a master and so, I'd still talk about her.

Because I want to.

"When I feel like it."

His lips break into a fanged smile—a most beautiful smile indeed. Just as breathtaking as his father.

No.

Even more so.

One that I thought I'd see only in my dreams.

"I like watching the sunset by the foot of the church, Lord Dietrich."

"Then I will see you there tomorrow," he states confidently.

I make a slight dip of the head before turning my attention back to my unfinished drink.

"And Miss Evelyn...I've been meaning to say, but never found the appropriate time," he starts then stops.

I raise an eyebrow.

"You have the loveliest pair of eyes."

Before I have a chance to say anything back, he disappears from sight.

And as soon as I thought I would be able to finally get my alone time, Sister Lydia comes rushing in. She must've just finished washing the dishes. Always the slowest I guess.

"Evelyn! Are you drunk? Your face is red."

I stare at my cup of wine.

Untouched.

So I wasn't hallucinating all this.

Nero is real. And he's come to find his mother.

I let out a laugh which slightly scared Lydia.

The Elders would be so furious if they found out what their precious little Pureblood is up to and who he's associating with.

Life is just getting better and better.