c32

Rais Pov

"King, we have some leads on where she's studying, it's only a matter of time before we find her," said a man in a black suit, kneeling in front of a man sitting in a chair.

The man in the chair smiled, "Very good, I like it when you are efficient. And that traitor, Yves?"

"We found his hideout, King."

The man in the chair stood up, and the man on his knees shook slightly. Seeing this, the man standing had a grin on his face, just like when he was sitting, the whole of his face could not be seen, it was as if some kind of mask prevented it, and the darkness and lack of light did not help. Only his smile could be seen, a smile that made anyone who crossed his path and knew who he really was, feel nauseous.

Then he buttoned his jacket before saying, "Well, you did a good job. Damien!"

A man emerges from the shadows and says bowing, "Yes, King."

"Call Jack and tell him it's time to get rid of these vermin."

"As you wish, King."

"And show, this wretch, the way out," he said before heading for the door.

"Very well, King."

The man was shot before he could even breathe a sigh of relief. Without knowing the 'why or how' of this act.

…

6:00 A.M.

Sylvia's pupils moved and she slowly opened her eyes. She blinked a few times, moved slightly, and felt an arm tighten around her, she panicked, then remembered that she wasn't sleeping alone on the bed and let out a sigh of relief.

She carefully released Chloe's arm, and Chloe suddenly stirred. Afraid she would wake up, Sylvia froze. Then she sighed as Chloe changed position, rolling over on the other side of the bed, still asleep.

She slowly got out of bed, stretched, and then her eyes landed again on Chloe asleep. She watched her for a few minutes with a complicated expression on her face, as if something was bothering her, and went to the bedroom bathroom to get ready.

After finishing her makeup and changing her clothes, she came out of the bathroom. Her makeup was light, you couldn't tell a big difference between her bare face and with makeup, her eyelashes were more visible, and she had put on some eyeliner and some lipstick, so her lips were a little more pink than usual.

After picking up her phone and putting her things in the bag that the butler had brought back to her room yesterday, like everyone else, she left the room, closing the door gently after giving Chloe a light kiss on the forehead, taking care not to leave a trace on it. She had dressed herself, a black t-shirt tucked into her jeans, white socks, and the bunny slippers she had been given yesterday.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she met Corine still in her pajamas, a pink shirt and pants with koala prints, and koala slippers. Sylvia noticed that she was also wearing a carrot-patterned apron and holding a duster. She thought her outfit was very cute.

"Hello Corine!" she said, smiling at her. Corine looked at her quickly, then lowered her head and answered very weakly.

'Still shy...but she is making progress,' Sylvia thought while smiling, she knew that when Corine was near her, Valerie, or whoever else, she was very shy and never looked them in the eyes.

All she would have known about her was that she was very shy, that she had red hair like her, but unlike her, hers was curly, that she wore bangs and glasses that covered her face, and that she kept her head down most of the time. But since she was friends with the other three girls, she opened up a lot and made progress with her shyness.

And Sylvia could finally give a picture of her face, her face was round, she had fat baby cheeks, big doe eyes, a button nose, and a slightly high bridge nose. She was very cute, but the most striking thing about her was the color of her eyes.

Her deep emerald eyes were breathtaking, and this added to her harmlessness and made you want to protect her.

But since they were rarely seen when she was spoken to, it looked like we had dreamed that color on her.

"You're up early this morning..." she said, Corine nodded as she quietly twirled the feather duster on her hand, Sylvia noticed, smiled, and said again, "Are you helping the maids?"

Corine nodded and surprised Sylvia by saying, "I'm also visiting all the rooms we haven't seen yet." She looked up at her with excitement in her eyes, "There's even an arcade, a room with a big projector and lots of seats, with like couches and other types of seats where you can sit or lie down, and next to it is a room where there are two popcorn machines, you can choose the flavor you want with lots of other snacks, it's like a cinema."

Sylvia listened in silence without interrupting her, smiling, it was the first time she had seen her so excited, even though her tone of voice was always so calm.

"There's also a pool and a Jacuzzi. I haven't finished my tour yet, but I think there are other interesting rooms I haven't seen yet. I thought the mansion was big, but this is clearly huge." She whispered the last sentence, but Sylvia had heard her, then Corine looked up, and her face suddenly blushed, and quickly lowered her head again.

She had just realized that she had only been talking about her discoveries, without realizing that she had gotten excited herself. Sylvia raised an eyebrow and laughed. Hearing this, Corine looked up slightly and was shocked to see the smile in Sylvia's eyes.

'She is pretty,' she thought, but when she realized what she had just said, she blushed even more and lowered her head again.

Then she heard someone call her name, she looked up and saw that it was Lucie, who had told her to wait for her while she finished arranging her schedule with Grace.

Lucie came in smiling, "Hello Sylvia!"

"Good morning, Lucie," Sylvia replied and then took a quick look at Corine's apron and Lucie's bunny print apron, and she also had a feather duster in her hand and asked, "Are you the one showing Corine around?"

Lucie smiled and nodded, "She also helps me check that everything is in order. Well, we'll have to leave you, we have more rooms to inspect."

Sylvia nodded and said, "Okay."

"Let's go, Little Koala," Lucy said, smiling, and took Corine's hand, who still had her head down.

Corine gently said goodbye to Sylvia and was led away by Lucy. Sylvia shook her head at Lucy's enthusiasm and went to the kitchen to prepare some food.

She then met Grace and suggested that they prepare breakfast together, despite Grace's refusal.

...

One hour later

Chloe slowly got up and when she felt that it wasn't her bed, she suddenly opened her eyes and sat up. She then remembered that she had come to Sylvia's room yesterday and despite her initial refusal, Sylvia had finally agreed to let her sleep with her.

Chloe rubbed her hair in frustration as she grunted and then began to bang her head against the mattress while screaming in frustration. Suddenly she stopped and began to smell the bed and smiled when she smelled Sylvia's scent. She took Sylvia's pillow in her arms, but deciding that it wasn't enough to calm her troubled heart, she got out of bed and fixed the first two buttons that had come undone on her red wine silk pajamas.

She pulled on her pink fluffy slippers and left the room. She couldn't sleep last night. Thinking that Sylvia was only a few steps away from her room, her brain and heart had been in a fierce battle. Being exhausted and needing to be in shape for the next day, she had finally decided to go to Sylvia's room, even if it meant sleeping on the sofa, the armchair, or the carpet.

She was really sleepy, but finally, Sylvia decided to let her sleep on the bed with her, she was a little worried thinking that she would surely be too excited to sleep but in the end, as soon as she put her head on the pillow and smelled Sylvia's soothing perfume, tiredness took the upper hand-over excitement.

Her frustration came from the fact that she couldn't stop herself from getting close to Sylvia and wanting her around. She was afraid that she was too much for Sylvia. She already liked her very much, it would break her completely if she inadvertently became the cause of her distance.

She ran into Tia after she had washed her face and asked her if she had seen Sylvia, and Tia told her she was in the kitchen with Grace.

She went to the kitchen, opened the door, walked in, and saw Sylvia with her back to her, Grace was not there, so she approached her.

"What are you doing, Sylvia?" asked Chloe, her voice hoarser than usual. She yawned and started to rub her eyes.

She felt her hand being taken, "Don't rub your eyes," Sylvia said quietly before turning and continuing what she was doing.

Chloe smiled, her eyes filled with tenderness. She moved closer to Sylvia and wrapped her arms around her waist.

Sylvia, who was beating the egg whites, stopped for a moment and continued. Seeing that Sylvia did not reject her gesture, Chloe smiled triumphantly.

"You haven't answered my question: what are you doing, my beauty?" said Chloe, making sure to blow lightly in Sylvia's ear to tease her.

"Stop it, I'm making pancakes. And I want you to know that I don't belong to you." She continued what she was doing.

Chloe watched her do it, tightening her grip slightly without bothering Sylvia, "Not for long," she said with a grin on her face.

"Is that what you tell all the girls you've been with?" asked Sylvia as she finished what she was doing.

Chloe was about to answer, then stopped and began to think back if she had ever said that to any girls.

In that brief moment, Sylvia's movement stopped, and she turned around, pointing the fork she had grabbed on the counter in Chloe's direction and said, "So that story Valerie said yesterday about you being a playgirl was true," Sylvia said in a threatening and slightly jealous tone.

Chloe didn't dare to lie, so she stepped back with her hands raised in front of her, palms facing Sylvia, and said nothing at all.

This gesture confirmed to Sylvia that she was right. "You thought I forgot," she said, raising an eyebrow threateningly.

Seeing that she was getting closer, Chloe quickly told her while stepping back, her voice a little shaky and shaking her head.

"That is all in the past, I promise you. You are the woman of my life. You've changed me for the better. And I wouldn't dare to go back to that bad phase of my life. Especially since I didn't know you before.

Sylvia stopped and looked at her, shocked by what Chloe had just said. Seeing this as an opportunity to run away, Chloe quickly left the kitchen.

In the living room

Corine then saw Chloe come in with a flushed face,

"You look like a tomato."

"Huh?"

"You're red." Corine just said before continuing to watch the cartoon on the TV.

Chloe, on her side, understood what she meant and tried to calm her heart that was pounding in her chest.

In the kitchen

Grace, who was back in the kitchen, asked Sylvia,

"Are you done with the preparation?"

Sylvia flinched slightly before nodding and saying,

"Almost."

"Okay, I'll help you with the rest, and don't refuse this time," Grace said with a serious expression.

Sylvia nodded her head again.

"Are you hot?" asked Grace suddenly, Sylvia looked at her confused, then shook her head and answered no.

"Then why are your ears all red?" After this remark, Sylvia felt the blood rush to her head and her whole face turned red again.

Grace, amused by her reaction, smiled and said, "Let's put the pan on the fire."

"She's indeed changed a lot since she's been back here, her habit of going out without warning, to who knows where, is gone," she said as she opened a cupboard full of pots and pans and took a pan which she rinsed.

She turned off the water and turned to Sylvia, "Then don't worry about her sincerity. Because I can assure you that she was very sincere when she told you that you changed her. Now, enough of the chitchat, we need to finish this before everyone wakes up."

...

At half past eight, Cassandra woke up with Adélaïde still in her arms.

A smile formed on her face, she kissed her on the head and enjoyed the moment for a few moments, then 5 minutes later she decided it was time to get ready before waking her babies.

She gently picked up Adelaide, who started to stir, so she lightly patted her back to calm her down, so she could go back to sleep.

Then she gently patted Harmonie, who had her back to them, on the shoulder. Harmonie groaned slightly but turned to face her and came closer, not opening her eyes but humming to show that she was listening.

Cassandra moved her head closer to Harmonie's and whispered in her ear, "Take the little one, please."

Harmonie raised her hand and rubbed her ear, and Cassandra saw that and smiled.

Harmonie then stretched out her arms, and when they reached Adelaide, she lifted her off Cassandra despite her moans, placed her on top of her, and began gently stroking her back, Harmonie's eyes still closed.

Cassandra sat up and kissed Adelaide's forehead, then Harmonie's. Seeing that Harmonie was asking for a kiss by pouting her lips, Cassandra gave her a quick kiss and then got up to get ready, not forgetting to take a picture of both of them before going to the bathroom.

After leaving the shower, she took care of her oral and facial hygiene. Then she left the bathroom with a towel over her head. She went to her bag with her change of clothes and put on mascara and lipstick. She figured that since she would be in the water most of the day, there was no need to do her full routine.

She took off her towel and put on a baby-pink crop top and pink shorts to get ready for breakfast.

After she finished dressing, she looked up and saw that Harmonie was watching her, her eyes blinking softly, drowsiness and tiredness still apparent. Seeing that Cassandra had seen her, she gave her a sleepy smile and closed her eyes again, curling up with Adelaide in her arms.

Cassandra smiled and took her phone from the coffee table and looked at the time. The phone said ten to ten. She decided it was time to wake her two babies.

She walked over to them, stood on the bed, and stroked Harmonie's hair, "It's time to wake up, sleepyhead," she whispered in her ear. Harmonie straightened up slightly and then rolled over on her other side, making sure to rub her ear on the bed before going back to sleep.

Cassandra lifted her head, smiling as she shook her head, then began to gently scratch Adelaide's back as she spoke sweet words to her, telling her to wake up, Adélaïde moaned as she moved closer to Cassandra's body.

"Open your beautiful eyes, my love," she whispered in her ear, Adelaide then rubbed her ear with her hand and Cassandra laughed slightly. They both had sensitive ears.

Cassandra leaned back against the headboard and picked Adelaide up and placed her on her lap. Adelaide laid her head on her chest and Cassandra grabbed her pacifier and put it in her mouth, Adelaide began to suck her pacifier and rub her face against Cassandra as she continued to rub her back.

Boom! Something had fallen.

Adelaide was startled in Cassandra's arms and opened her eyes wide. Cassandra was surprised as well but knew how to control her reaction. She turned her head to see that Harmonie was missing and heard moans of pain. She was quickly worried, "Harmonie?"

"Hm," she heard from the other side of the bed.

"Dada?" Adelaide said through her pacifier as she rose from Cassandra's chest.

"Hmm," she replied again.

Cassandra fixed Adelaide's position and got off the bed to the other side, "Are you okay?"

"Hm."

"How could you fall out of bed when it's so big, and you still had a room on your side..." Cassandra stopped when she saw that Harmonie was lying on her stomach, her eyes closed, apparently still asleep.

Adelaide wriggled in Cassandra's arms to get her down. Once she was on the ground, Adelaide sat on Harmonie's back and began to think of Harmonie as her horse, while giggling. Suddenly, Harmonie grabbed her, sat up, and began to tickle her.

And the child's laughter echoed through the room, "No... no... 'top... 'top..." she said with a laugh.

"You thought I was your horse, and you think I'm going to stop?" she said as she continued to tickle her.

"No!... No!" she said shaking her head as hard as she could, "Mommy, he'p!"

Cassandra froze, then quickly came to her senses, quickly going to help her new baby. She tickled Harmonie's side, and Harmonie jumped as she was ticklish, to get revenge she attacked Cassandra who was also very ticklish.

Adelaide, finally able to catch her breath, looked at them tickling each other, giggled, and went to help her mommy against her dada.

...

In the living room

Valerie found Chloe and Corine sitting on the couch, still in their pajamas, watching a movie. "I thought I was the only one still in pajamas."

She was wearing blue silk shorts and a shirt with a "V" sewn in cursive on the pocket, and dark blue slippers.

Chloe and Corine turned to her, "We'll change after eating," Chloe replied, and they continued watching the movie.

She came closer, sat down next to Corine, and patted her legs. Corine nodded and after some hesitation, Valerie took her in her arms.

"What kind of movie is it?"

"Action," Chloe replied as she turned around to see Corine sitting on Valerie's lap with Valerie's chin resting on her shoulder, Corine's cheeks were a little pink. Chloe's eyebrows were raised slightly, but there was no surprise on her face.

"Are you comfortable?" she asked curiously. Corine blushed even more, embarrassed, even though she knew Chloe wasn't trying to make fun of her.

She nodded and concentrated on the movie, then she felt Valerie gently telling her to relax, tapping her lightly, and she tried to do so.

Chloe focused on the TV again.

Yesterday

They, those who didn't know, had discovered that Corine liked to be held by Harmonie. It was surprising because she didn't necessarily like to be touched, but Chloe wasn't surprised by this news. She knew it, and so did Cassidy.

"She likes it when she feels comfortable with the person."

Harmonie had then begun to gently explain to Valerie, Hazel, Cassandra, and Sylvia.

"Have you ever held her?" Valerie had asked, and Harmonie had gone over to Corine, who was standing in front of the food with Cassidy, and had taken her in her arms and lifted her up. Corine had instinctively wrapped her legs around Harmonie's waist and hidden her face in her neck.

Harmonie had then walked over to Valerie, who was sitting, and put Corine on her lap, "Here, you who likes to baby people.

And she had gone to sit down again. Corine had surprisingly wrapped her arms around Valerie's neck and moved closer to her, hiding her face in her neck. Valerie smiled and patted her back, "She's strangely still and quiet," Sylvia had noticed.

"She's tired."

"Because she's tired."

"It's the tiredness."

Cassidy, Chloe, and Harmonie had responded to Sylvia's comment at the same time.

"She feels comfortable with you." Cassidy had said, sipping her juice and looking at Valerie.

"Since we found out she likes it, we tend to hug her every time," Chloe had said simply, shrugging her shoulders.

Since Valerie had found a receptacle for her overflowing love, she had taken it upon herself to spoil Corine with cuddles.

Seeing Corine on Valerie's lap and Chloe at her side, all watching television, Harmonie, Cassandra, and Adélaïde arrived in the living room. Chloe stood up, smiling, and took Adélaïde from Cassandra's arms.

"Hi, baby!"

"Hi, 'unty," Adélaïde said with a smile, and they sat down to finish the movie that was coming to an end.

Lucrezia arrived in the living room, "Time to eat," she said and then went to warn those who were missing.

"You eat breakfast late," Corine remarks gently as she rises from Valerie's arms.

Chloe nods and says, "Most of the time we only go with Adélaïde in the morning, so she can have breakfast in the dining room, it's not really our thing to eat in the morning."