Silence Between Us

Dylan paced around the grand room, tension hanging in the air. "Tell me, what happened?" he asked Butler Feng, his voice sharp but controlled.

"Sir, you ordered these dresses for the young lady," Feng responded, holding a neat stack of elegant garments.

"Yes," Dylan nodded. "They're for her. Go and put them in her wardrobe, but make sure she doesn't find out." His tone was firm, leaving no room for questions.

Butler Feng hesitated for a moment. "Are you asking me to hide them or just not tell Miss Ember that you bought them?"

"Just do as I say," Dylan cut in. "She'll figure out who bought them in time."

Ember, meanwhile, had been busy and was feeling exhausted. She finally finished her task and approached Dylan. "Dylan, I've done it. Can I take a break now?" Ember's voice was tired, almost pleading.

"Just hurry up, okay? Before she enters her room," Dylan instructed. "I'll keep her distracted for a few minutes."

Butler Feng gave a respectful nod. "Understood, sir."

---

**In the Garden**

The soft rustling of leaves and the gentle hum of the breeze filled the air as Ember sat at a small study table, her head resting on her arms. She had drifted off into a deep sleep, the weight of her day pulling her eyelids shut.

Dylan arrived, only to find Ember already fast asleep, her chest rising and falling softly. "She's fallen asleep," he whispered, a smile tugging at his lips.

He leaned closer, watching her peaceful face. "She's sleeping so soundly," he murmured. His phone suddenly rang, shattering the tranquility of the moment.

Quickly, Dylan silenced it, not wanting to disturb her. Ember, still in her dreamlike state, muttered in her sleep, "Dylan, stop it... I don't want to study anymore..."

Dylan chuckled softly. "She's too cute," he said under his breath before stepping away to answer the call.

---

**On the Phone**

"Hello, sir," Dylan greeted politely.

The director's voice came through, slightly hurried. "Mr. Dylan, we need some photos for the film's announcement. The actress is arriving in an hour, and we need you here as soon as possible. It's urgent."

Dylan sighed, glancing back at Ember, who was still fast asleep. "Sir, I respect you. You don't need to make requests. Just give me an order. You're my boss, after all , Emir."

There was a pause on the other end, followed by a familiar voice. "Dylan, call me 'Director,' not Emir. I know we're friends, but this is business."

Dylan chuckled. "Okay, Director. I'll be there soon."

"Good," Emir, or rather, the Director, said. "We're waiting for you at the set."

With a glance at Ember one last time, Dylan sighed and began to make his way to the film set.

Ember yawned softly, her voice groggy as she called out, "Dylan... Dylan..."

Her sleepy eyes scanned the room, trying to locate the familiar voice she had just heard. As she blinked away the drowsiness, she spotted someone standing nearby.

"Dylan?" she asked, her voice a little clearer now. "Why are you just standing there?"

She moved toward him, still in a sleepy daze, and without warning, her foot slipped. "Ahhh!" she gasped, feeling herself losing balance. In a heartbeat, Dylan pulled her to his side, and they both tumbled down, Ember landing right on his lap. Their faces were just inches apart, the world narrowing to only the two of them.

"Thank you for catching me," Ember whispered, her cheeks warm with embarrassment.

"You're welcome," Dylan replied, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Are you fully awake now?"

Ember nodded, suddenly very aware of how close they were. "Yes... totally awake now."

"So, what's your plan?" Dylan asked, a playful smile forming on his lips.

"Plan? About what?" Ember blinked, trying to remember if she had forgotten something. "Wait, did I forget something?"

Dylan smirked. "When are you planning to get up from my lap?"

Ember's eyes widened in sudden realization. "Oh! Right! Sorry!" She scrambled to her feet, her face flushed. "Sorry... sorry!"

Dylan stood up with a chuckle. "Don't apologize for that. If you like sitting on my lap, just tell me next time. No need to be in such a hurry."

Ember gasped in mock indignation. "Dylan!"

Just then, Butler Feng appeared at the door. "Sir, the car is ready."

Ember turned to Dylan, curiosity filling her voice. "Where are you going?"

"I have an urgent photoshoot today," Dylan replied, glancing at her. "You stay here and study, alright?"

In the back of his mind, Dylan thought, *Say you don't want to leave me. Tell me you want to come with me.* But his lips never formed the words.

Ember, feeling a little disappointed he hadn't asked, simply said, "Okay..." She turned around to leave, feeling a strange sense of longing. *Ask me to come...* she thought, hoping he'd stop her.

"Bye," Dylan said casually, watching her retreat. *Such a stubborn girl.*

Ember paused, then turned back. "Wait."

Dylan raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you want to come. I'm not taking you with me."

Ember crossed her arms, pretending to be unbothered. "I don't want to go to your photoshoot. I was just going to ask if you could drop me off at the library."

Dylan smirked. "Why?"

"I want to practice some dance routines," she replied, her tone light but determined.

He laughed, his chuckle warm and teasing. "Alright, alright, go get ready."

Ember turned to leave, then stopped and glanced back at him. "Wait, you should change too. You're still in your night clothes."

Dylan grinned, glancing down at himself. "Yeah, I know. I'll go change."

"Bye!" Ember called, heading toward her room.

"Butler Feng, tell the driver to wait," Dylan instructed.

"Yes, sir," Butler Feng replied obediently.

---

**In Ember's Room**

Inside her closet, Ember paused, her eyes narrowing at the sight of too many clothes. She rummaged through the dresses and stopped, recognizing a few of them.

"Why are all these dresses here?" she whispered to herself. "I remember these. When I went shopping with Dylan, he rejected them for the party..." She frowned, confusion settling in. "But why are they in my closet now? He didn't want me to wear them then, so why would he put them here?"

Her fingers brushed against a package at the bottom of the pile. "What's this?" she murmured, curiosity piqued as she picked it up.

---

Ember's fingers traced the edges of the package as she gently pulled it open. Inside, a folded letter caught her attention. Her heart fluttered as she saw the familiar handwriting, a smile forming on her lips.

**The Letter:**

"Dear Sweetheart, 

I wanted to give you these dresses because you look beautiful in everything you wear. You're probably wondering why I rejected them when we went shopping together—it's just that these are more casual, and I wanted to surprise you by buying all of them for you. Do you like it? 

Love, 

Dylan."

Ember's cheeks warmed as she read the letter, her heart swelling with affection. "Oh, that's so sweet..." she whispered to herself, feeling a soft flutter in her chest.

She reached into the package and pulled out a stunning ocean-blue dress adorned with delicate silver pearls, sparkling like the sea under moonlight. It was elegant, long, and graceful—perfect for a special occasion.

"I'll save this for something special," she mused, carefully hanging it up in her closet.

---

**Meanwhile, in Dylan's Room...**

Dylan stood in front of his closet, running his hand through his hair as he pondered, "What should I wear?" His eyes fell on a small box tucked away on the shelf. "What's this?" he wondered aloud, pulling it down to examine.

Sitting on his bed, Dylan opened the box, revealing a beautifully crafted silver brooch. Embedded with diamonds, it was inscribed with the initials "E" and "D" intertwined, and below it, the word *"Forever."* His heart skipped a beat.

There was a letter inside.

**The Letter:**

"Dear Honey, 

I know you get a little sad when you think I give gifts to someone else, but that's not true. I got this gift for you first, and then I decided to get something for the birthday boy too. So, don't be jealous of your friend. It's you, and only you, that I love. 

Sending you lots of kisses and hugs, 

Yours, Baby."

Dylan's face softened, his usual cool demeanor cracking as warmth flooded his chest. "She wrote this for me?" he whispered, a mixture of surprise and joy lighting up his expression. He chuckled softly, his voice filled with affection. "She called me 'baby'... That's so cute."

Just then, Ember's voice echoed from the hallway. "Dylan, I'm ready! Let's go!"

Dylan quickly tucked the brooch and letter back into the box, standing up. He smiled to himself, his heart still basking in the affection of her words. "Coming," he called back, a secret smile playing on his lips as he left the room.

*I'm not going to tell her about the brooch... not yet,* he thought, his heart light with happiness as they prepared to leave together.

**In the Car**

Silence filled the air, the hum of the engine the only sound between them. Ember sat quietly beside Dylan, her mind racing with thoughts.

*Why isn't he saying anything?* she wondered, stealing a glance at him. *He's always so talkative, but today... something feels off.* She could see a subtle happiness in his expression, the corners of his mouth twitching as if he was holding back a smile. *Why is he hiding it from me?*

Ember's heart clenched, doubt creeping in. *Is he happy because he's going to meet someone else? Someone he likes? No... I'm overthinking, but... he's definitely hiding something.*

Dylan's voice suddenly broke the silence, startling her from her thoughts. "Have you seen enough of me?" he teased, leaning in closer, his voice low and playful. "You're staring at me like you're waiting for a kiss... or maybe something more."

Ember's eyes widened, her cheeks flushing. "Stop!" she protested, but her voice wavered as he moved even closer.

Before she could react, Dylan leaned in and kissed her, catching her completely off guard. She gasped, pushing him away with a startled cry. "Ugh! Dylan, stop!"

"Huff... Huff..." Ember struggled to steady her breathing, her hands trembling slightly.

Dylan immediately pulled back, concern etched across his face. "Hey, Ember, breathe. Just breathe."

She turned away from him, pressing her hand to her chest as she tried to calm down. "Don't... don't do that again..." Her voice was shaky, and the vulnerability in her tone was unmistakable.

"I'm sorry," Dylan whispered, guilt flickering in his eyes. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Ember took deep breaths, her heart slowly settling. Dylan handed her a bottle of water. "Drink this," he said softly.

She took the bottle, drinking slowly, her hands still unsteady. "Mm-hmm..." she nodded, feeling a bit better.

"Slowly," Dylan reminded, his voice gentle.

The driver finally spoke up. "Sir, we've reached the college."

Ember glanced out the window, her mind still a swirl of emotions. She turned to Dylan, her voice calmer now. "I'm okay. You can go now. You've got work to do."

Dylan, still looking remorseful, nodded. "I'm really sorry about before."

"Don't say sorry," Ember replied, her voice soft but firm. She looked down, avoiding his eyes. "Can I take the water bottle with me?"

"Of course," Dylan said, watching her carefully.

Ember nodded, still unable to meet his gaze. "Okay... I'm going. Bye."

"I'll come pick you up later. Call me when you're done," Dylan offered, his tone gentle.

"Okay..." Ember muttered before quickly turning and walking away, her pace fast as she tried to distance herself from the confusing whirlwind of emotions inside her.