Secret Talk in the Basement

The basement was a small, dimly lit room.

There were two rows of bookcases, a sofa and a desk. The empty walls were covered by old newspapers and the desk was covered in dust. It did not seem to be used often.

Noble took a seat on the couch in one corner of the room and tilted his head slightly, motioning for me to sit across from him.

After I sat down, he scanned me from head to toe and asked in a cool voice, "Cecily, how was your first week at school?"

I was a little surprised that Noble would be concerned about my situation. I'd always thought a daughter like me was dispensable to him.

I was stunned for a moment before replying, "Not bad."

I didn't want to complain or ask for help from a cold father like him, so I adopted the most distant stance.

Noble frowned slightly and lit a cigar. "Have you been interacting with the vampires?"