7

The next morning felt deceptively calm. Lucas was gone before the sun had even risen in the east. Lilith sat alone at the breakfast table, barely touching the breakfast that had been prepared for her since she woke up an hour ago. Lilith's mind replayed everything that had happened the night before. The portraits, the paintings, the deep red eyes, and Lucas's unusual powers.

Lilith sighed for the umpteenth time. She had no appetite this morning, and now she just stared lazily at the breakfast in front of her. Her mind was filled with all the things that had happened last night. Lilith rubbed her forehead, which felt dizzy again, and her body, which had been weak since she arrived at the mansion.

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The sound of footsteps began to echo from the mansion's foyer. Lilith furrowed her brow, sensing that the footsteps did not belong to Lucas. Lilith had memorized Lucas's heavy footsteps, while the footsteps entering the mansion sounded much lighter and more relaxed. Lilith immediately turned toward the sound of the footsteps and saw a man approaching her.

The man walked toward the dining room, where Lilith began to stand up from her seat. Lilith also began to look confused at the stranger who seemed very relaxed as he walked into Lucas' mansion. The man had a face that was slightly similar to Lucas, with the same sharp jawline and dark hair.

But even so, there was a clear difference between them. Where Lucas was cold marble, this stranger felt like a warm fire with a friendly smile on his face from the moment he walked into the dining room. Lilith stood there a little nervously, not knowing how to react, because the mansion was very quiet.

“Hi, good morning!” he said, smiling easily, when he was close enough to Lilith, who was still standing there nervously.

“Hi... um, who are you?” Lilith tried to appear normal, hiding her nervousness.

“I'm Noah. Lucas's younger brother,” he replied as he sat down casually on one of the chairs near the dining table, then grabbed an apple and took a bite.

Her stomach tightened a little bit. “Oh... Lucas left early this morning and hasn't come back yet,” she said.

“I know that. He always leaves and avoids people in the morning,” Noah said very casually, eating the apple in his hand while looking at Lilith, who was still standing in her place.

“You look very nervous. Don't you want to sit down again?” he observed.

“No...” Lilith shook her head slowly. “Maybe it's because I don't know you. I just arrived at this mansion, so I don't know much.”

“That's normal.” Noah leaned back in his chair and placed the apple he had taken a bite out of on the table. Meanwhile, Lilith continued to watch Noah's movements with a sense of caution.

“You really are back, huh? Hm, very interesting,” Noah muttered dismissively.

“What do you mean?” Lilith furrowed her brow even deeper.

Noah didn't immediately answer Lilith's question, but instead stood up from his seat and stood quite close to Lilith. Noah lowered his head slightly and took a long breath, making Lilith even more uncomfortable. Lilith even tried to move away from Noah, who was smiling cynically.

"Nothing. I think Lucas has a very specific type of woman. Long hair, eyes that always look curious but also fearful, and also... a body odor that is still very intoxicating."

“You! Don't be rude to me! I don't know you at all! So don't say things about me that aren't true! Or I'll report you to Lucas!” exclaimed Lilith, feeling that Noah's words had really insulted her.

“Hah... unfortunately, he already knows I'm here, so you don't need to bother reporting me to my own brother. Besides, he never said anything to you about me being his sister, right?” Noah guessed.

Lilith was silent for a moment, then lowered her head slightly and shook it with a subtle movement. “No...” She whispered hesitantly.

Lilith was uncomfortable with Noah, but her curiosity about Lucas seemed to keep her there, waiting for Noah to say something new. Noah chuckled softly, sounding like a subtle mockery of Lucas.

“Of course he didn't, he never does that.” There was something charming about him, but it was dangerously charming.

“He tends to leave out important details, especially the parts that make him look bad.” Noah continued casually as Lilith's pulse quickened.

"I don't care about that at all. I have no business with you, my business... is only with Lucas. That's all. So actually, what do you want here?" said Lilith, trying to appear firm.

“To meet you in person, of course.”

“What? Why?” Lilith furrowed her brow even deeper.

Noah didn't answer immediately and began to look closely at Lilith's face. “Hm, exactly the same. As fascinating as the paintings make you look.”

Lilith gasped. He saw them all. He knew it. He must have known something. “What do you mean?” She asked again, more carefully.

Noah's smile softened, but his eyes turned more sharpened. “Lucas keeps a secret that is much bigger than what you've seen before. Did you know that Lucas has another mansion?” He said lightly.

Lilith clenched her palms tightly. She tried her best not to believe everything Noah had just said about Lucas. “No... I'm not sure if you're telling the truth,” said Lilith.

“Of course it is.” Noah nodded slowly.

“But if you really want the answer, then come to the northern forest not far from here. Lucas keeps his secrets and important things in that mansion.”

Noah paused for a moment, a crooked smile appearing on his lips as he looked at Lilith, who seemed to be thinking about what he had just said. Lilith seemed hesitant to truly listen to Noah's words. But the curiosity she had been holding back since last night because Lucas wouldn't give her any answers made Lilith uncertain.

“Haven't you wanted the truth since last night, Lilith?”