My Vampire Beloved Husband
Chapter 84: Tell Me

Chapter 84: Tell Me

A week had passed, and Naomi hadn’t seen Zylan since that night. She stood quietly in front of the garden, her gaze fixed on a sunflower swaying gently in the breeze. The stillness of the garden mirrored the apathy clouding her mood—distant and unfeeling. Every morning, this had become her routine: stepping into the garden, observing the flowers, walking aimlessly, asking Rylan a few questions, watering the plants, and then retreating back to her room. The rhythm was monotonous, her only escape from the storm of memories threatening to consume her.

Sleep had become her sanctuary, albeit a fragile one. But no matter how hard she tried to bury herself in slumber, her mind betrayed her the moment her eyes closed. The words she had spoken to Zylan echoed endlessly in her thoughts, a mantra of regret. I hate you.

Her lips trembled as she bit down hard, the sting grounding her in the cruel reality of what she had said. How could she have been so cold? So unkind? The guilt festered inside her like a wound, raw and aching. She pressed her palms against her chest, willing the pain to ease, but it lingered—a constant reminder of her mistake. Despite everything, all she truly wanted now was to see him again, to know he was safe.

The rustling of leaves broke her trance, and she blinked, returning to the present. The garden’s peaceful atmosphere seemed almost mocking. She reached out, brushing her fingers against the sunflower’s soft petals, wishing she could feel anything but this emptiness.

Her reverie was interrupted by a soft voice.

"Mrs Naomi, would you like some tea?" Rhea asked gently, her tone laced with concern.

Naomi shook her head without looking up. "I’m fine, Rhea. Thank you."

Rhea hesitated, her eyes scanning Naomi’s pale features before stepping back. "Alright," she said quietly, though her concern lingered in the air.

It had become the norm—Naomi always needed space, and the household had learned to respect that. But even solitude didn’t bring her peace.

Moments later, Rylan arrived, his usual composed demeanor slightly flustered.

"Miss Naomi," he said, his voice steady despite the unease flickering in his eyes, "it seems we have a visitor."

Naomi frowned, turning her gaze toward him. "A visitor?" she repeated, her tone tinged with both curiosity and reluctance. She wasn’t in the mood to see anyone, let alone entertain guests. Who would even visit her here? Apart from her best friend, Rose, no one would know to find her at Zylan’s home.

"Who is it?" she asked, her voice edged with weariness.

Rylan hesitated, his gaze shifting briefly toward the path leading to the front of the house. "It’s—"

Before he could finish, a loud, piercing scream shattered the stillness. Naomi’s heart leapt into her throat, and she spun around, her breath hitching.

That voice. She recognized it instantly.

"Rose!"

Her heart raced as she turned toward the source of the scream, and sure enough, a familiar figure came running toward her. Rose’s vibrant presence seemed to cut through the gloom like sunlight piercing storm clouds.

"Naomi!" Rose called out, her voice filled with unbridled joy.

Naomi’s lips curved into a genuine smile for the first time in days. All the sadness weighing her down seemed to dissipate as Rose threw her arms around her in a tight, exuberant hug.

"Rose," Naomi whispered, her voice trembling with relief.

Without hesitation, Rose lifted Naomi off the ground and spun her around, laughter bubbling from both of them. For a fleeting moment, everything felt normal again.

"Oh my goodness, I missed you! I missed you so much!" Rose exclaimed, cupping Naomi’s face with both hands and peppering her cheeks with playful kisses.

"Be careful, Miss Rose," Rylan’s calm yet firm voice interjected from a distance, his tone laced with quiet disapproval.

Rose barely spared him a glance, rolling her eyes. "Mr. Rylan, as you can see, she’s not complaining," she said dismissively before turning back to Naomi. "So, how have you been?"

Naomi hesitated, her gaze flickering between Rose and Rylan. Something about their interaction felt oddly familiar, as if they shared a history she wasn’t privy to. She pushed the thought aside and forced a small smile. "I’ve been... good."

Rose studied her intently, her playful demeanor softening. "You look so dull. What’s wrong?"

Naomi remained silent, knowing Rose could see through her facade. Her friend had always been perceptive, and there was no point in pretending otherwise.

Sensing the tension, Rose brightened and clasped her hands dramatically. "How about we take tea in the garden, milady?"

Naomi chuckled softly, the corners of her lips lifting despite herself. "I wouldn’t mind that, milady."

Rose beamed and took Naomi’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Perfect!" She turned toward Rhea. "Could you bring us some tea, please?"

Rhea nodded silently before leaving,

While Rylan gaze lingered on Rose for a moment longer than necessary. Naomi noticed the subtle exchange and felt a flicker of curiosity.

As Rose led Naomi toward a quiet corner of the garden, she nudged her playfully. "Thank goodness you’re no longer looking as dull as before. It was breaking my heart!"

Naomi laughed again, a sound that felt foreign yet welcome.

When they reached a secluded spot, Naomi turned to Rylan, who had been trailing behind them. "You don’t need to come with us, Rylan. We’ll be fine."

Rylan hesitated, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he nodded and stepped back, though Naomi didn’t miss the way his gaze lingered on Rose.

Once he was out of earshot, Naomi leaned closer to Rose and whispered, "Do you two know each other?"

Rose froze, her cheerful demeanor faltering. The sudden shift in her expression only fueled Naomi’s curiosity.

"Ah-ha!" Naomi teased, narrowing her eyes. "What aren’t you telling me?"

Rose avoided her gaze, her cheeks turning a faint shade of pink. Naomi’s jaw dropped. Rose—bold, unapologetic, and never one to shy away from the truth—was blushing.

Naomi nudged her shoulder playfully. "Come on, tell me, my lady!"

Rose sighed, her face still flushed. She shifted uncomfortably before finally muttering, "If I tell you, promise you won’t shout."

Naomi raised an eyebrow, suspicion swirling in her mind. "I can’t make any promises," she said, crossing her arms.

"Naomi," Rose warned, her tone uncharacteristically meek.

"Fine, fine," Naomi relented, though she doubted she could hold back her reaction. "I promise."

Rose exhaled deeply, her gaze darting around the garden as if ensuring they were truly alone. After a moment’s hesitation, she blurted out, "We... we just kissed."

Naomi’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Kissed? You kissed?" she exclaimed, her voice rising with each word.

Rose lunged forward, clamping her hand over Naomi’s mouth. "I told you not to shout!" she hissed, glancing nervously in the direction Rylan had gone.

Naomi pulled Rose’s hand away, her curiosity burning brighter. "How do you two even know each other?"

Rose hesitated, biting her lower lip. "Long story short... we met during the time of your escape."

Naomi blinked, her mind racing. Rose had known Rylan for that long? Questions swirled in her head, but one stood out above the rest. "So... do you like him?"

Rose’s cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink, and she quickly looked away, a flicker of discomfort crossing her face. "No, I don’t," she said quietly, but the hesitation in her voice betrayed her uncertainty.

Naomi tilted her head, studying her friend’s expression. A slow, knowing smile spread across her lips as she crossed her arms. "You do. You like Rylan."

Before Rose could muster a response, Rylan’s calm voice cut through the air. "Miss Naomi, the watering of the sunflowers will happen in 30 minutes."

Naomi turned sharply, startled by his sudden appearance. Her face flushed slightly, and she instinctively stepped back. Had he overheard their conversation? The timing was just too perfect, too convenient.

"Thank you. You may leave," she said quickly, her tone sharper than she intended.

Rylan gave a polite nod, his expression unreadable, and then retreated without another word. Naomi couldn’t shake the feeling that his presence had been intentional—his timing was far too coincidental.

Once he was out of sight, Rose spun toward Naomi, shooting her a playful glare. "What did I tell you?" she muttered, her face still flushed.

"I’m sorry!" Naomi said, raising her hands in mock surrender, trying to hold back a laugh. "I didn’t mean to startle you."

Rose crossed her arms, her face still pink from the earlier conversation. "Do you think he heard?"

Naomi shrugged nonchalantly, though the uncertainty gnawed at her. "Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows?"

Rose groaned, burying her face in her hands as if trying to block out the embarrassment. Her usual bravado was gone, replaced by something more vulnerable, something Naomi wasn’t used to seeing from her friend.

Naomi studied her closely, a small smile tugging at her lips. Whatever was happening between Rose and Rylan, it was clearly more complicated than Rose wanted to admit. There was a tension in the air, an unspoken understanding between them that neither of them seemed ready to confront.