𝑾𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒛 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑨𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒍𝒔 & 𝑫𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒔 | 𝑬𝒍𝒊𝒋𝒂𝒉 𝑴.

|𝟏𝟐| |𝐄ᴠɪʟ 𝐍ᴇᴠᴇʀ 𝐑ᴇϙᴜɪʀᴇs 𝐀ɴ 𝐈ɴᴠɪᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ 𝐓ᴏ 𝐒ᴛʀɪᴋᴇ.|

𝐓ʜᴇ 𝐍ᴇxᴛ 𝐌ᴏʀɴɪɴɢ

𝐁ʟᴏᴏᴅwᴏᴏᴅ 𝐑ᴇsɪᴅᴇɴᴄᴇ.

𝐓ʜᴇ 𝐒ᴜɴ 𝐌ᴀᴅᴇ 𝐀ɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ 𝐌ɪʀᴀᴄʟᴇ 𝐎ғ 𝐌ᴏʀɴɪɴɢ 𝐋ɪɢʜᴛ 𝐓ᴏ 𝐓ʜᴇ 𝐋ɪᴛᴛʟᴇ 𝐓ᴏwɴ.

The two half-Cretan siblings sat silently in their kitchen and enjoyed the breakfast that Alexandra had made for them while chatting with her older brother about last night's secret meeting with the town's Council.

"So, they seek after the Gilbert watch," acknowledged the sister before putting two eggs on Nathaniel's plate.

"That they do," he agreed and took a bite from his plate. "Carol believes that Elena claims that it must have been packed away in her parents' things," he took a sip of his grapefruit juice before looking at his younger sister. "And I think she was right, to be honest."

"You're very well aware, that the specific watch is passed down to the Gilbert men for years," toned the brunette. "Chances are, Jer-Jer did not wish for it to be shown at the heritage display yesterday and Cupcake respected his request." She was taking a sip of her strawberry juice when she noticed Nathaniel looking at her with his brows raised. "What?"

The eldest Bloodwood laughed at her innocent expression. "Nothing, you just have a nickname for everyone," he exhaled another chuckle before tasting one of the chocolate biscuits that his sister had made.

Alexandra smiled. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No, it's just-" He gave a nervous laugh before bringing a memory to his mind. "When you were little, you couldn't say big words and since most of our names were quite mouthful," he reminded, "you started referring to us with the first syllables of our names and ever since you started making a nickname for each and everyone you cared about." He looked at her sweetly. "And it remains to be as cute as it was back then..." He cupped her cheek and stroked it lovingly. Alexandra leaned onto his hand and closed her eyes while her face was adorned with a smile of peace before Nathaniel leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

"I wish Gabe was here too..." Whispered the female, the tears threatening to escape her eyes - the cracking quite obvious in her voice.

The brother sighed deeply and supported his head against his sister's while caressing her dark-brown head of hair. "I know Alex... If he could attend, you know he would."

Alexandra laughed bitterly and pulled away from her brother's grasp. "Who are you trying to deceive Nate, me or yourself? Just admit that he did not want to come and encounter me, even accidentally."

When the Bloodwood firstborn tried to object, the youngest sister of the three, prevented him from doing so.

"You and I both know, that deep down Gabriel agrees with our mother about what happened with uncle Christian..." She looked at him with pain in her eyes. "He believes that I'm responsible for his death."

Nathaniel couldn't say that it was a lie. Gabriel always had a soft spot for Vivienne and most times he would take her side in everything. And since that tragic event, it was not only Vivienne that changed her attitude towards her daughter, but Gabriel's towards his sister as well.

"But I do not!" He urged her to believe him by the serene tone of his voice. "No matter what our crazy mum says or what our stubborn brother believes, I will always be on your side. And you know I'm being honest with you on this."

His favourable smile got married to her sad one due to her previous silent crying state.

Nathaniel frowned once he noticed Alexandra finding more interest in her nails. "What aren't you telling me, Alex?"