Something In The Way-SYLUS X MC X ZAYNE

Chapter 12 "The Marked Heart"

I stirred awake, the warmth of the morning sun filtering through my curtains, wrapping around me like a soft blanket. The faint scent of coffee wafted in the air, mingling with the lingering essence of sandalwood from the candles Sylus had lit the night before. I stretched, feeling pleasantly heavy and relaxed, but as I turned over, my heart sank a little.

The space beside me was empty.

A wave of melancholy washed over me as I sat up, glancing around my room. It felt strangely hollow without Sylus's presence. We had shared such an intimate moment the night before—filled with laughter, vulnerability, and an unspoken connection that had ignited something deep within me. The absence of his warm body next to mine left a void I hadn't anticipated.

My eyes landed on my nightstand, and my heart fluttered at the sight of a coffee cup perched there, steam still rising from it. Next to it was a sticky note that read, "You snore adorably, kitten."

A smile tugged at my lips, a bright spark of joy cutting through the morning haze. Sylus had left me a playful note, a reminder of his teasing nature that somehow made me feel cherished. I picked up the note, tracing the playful scrawl with my fingers, then threw myself back onto the bed, burying my face in the pillow.

"Adorably?" I muttered, a soft chuckle escaping my lips. It was absurd to think that anyone could find my snoring cute, but the way Sylus had said it—teasing yet affectionate—made my heart swell. The very idea that he had been there, watching over me as I slept, filled me with warmth.

I inhaled deeply, allowing myself to get lost in the lingering scent of coffee and the faint traces of Sylus's cologne that still lingered in the fabric of my pillow. It was surreal how quickly he had become a part of my life, igniting feelings within me that I had thought were long buried beneath layers of grief and obligation.

Rolling onto my back, I stared up at the ceiling, my thoughts swirling like a gentle tide. What does this mean? The question echoed in my mind, reminding me of the turmoil still simmering beneath the surface. I had spent so long building walls around my heart, but Sylus had a way of breaking through them, piece by piece.

But then there was Zayne—the steady, unwavering presence in my life who had always been there, my childhood friend turned confidant. The thought of him tugged at my heartstrings, a conflicting pull that made me feel guilty and confused. What am I doing? I groaned, throwing my arm over my eyes.

After a few moments of battling my emotions, I decided to push myself up. If Sylus was gone, it meant he had left me a gift—a cup of coffee and a playful reminder of our night together. I needed to embrace that, even if it complicated my feelings.

Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and padded over to the nightstand. I picked up the coffee mug, still warm in my hands, and stared at the sticky note again, my smile lingering. Something about Sylus's playfulness had a way of disarming me, even in moments when I felt so confused. I admired the note for a second longer before turning it over out of curiosity.

There was more.

"Open your laptop," it read in his familiar scrawl. My eyebrows shot up. Sylus had left me a little surprise, and knowing him, it could be anything.

Setting the mug aside, I crossed the room and sat down at my desk, my fingers hovering over the laptop. I glanced at the note one last time before powering it up, feeling a twinge of excitement mixed with unease. The screen flickered to life, and immediately, a browser window opened to an article—no doubt the one Sylus wanted me to see.

As I read the headline, my heart dropped.

"High-Profile Murders at Opulent Ball: Victims Connected to Underworld Crime Syndicate."