19

"Yes, that's right. But now, Devan is technically part of our family because he's Papa's wife's biological brother."

"So, I can't marry Uncle Devan?" Salvia asked innocently.

"It's not impossible, sweetie. But it would be strange to have a 'son-in-law is my brother-in-law' situation. Just find another guy, okay? Plus, you're still in school, and Uncle Devan is much older," Darian gently explained to avoid any misunderstanding. He didn't want to disappoint his daughter with this rejection.

Darian knew Devan was a great guy, a mature man with everything going for him. Any parent would jump at the chance to marry their daughter to someone like him. However, the situation was complicated now. Devan was like a brother-in-law, and while there was no rule against their marriage, it would still feel odd for everyone involved.

"But I'm seventeen, you know, Daddy. I'm of legal age."

"That's true," Darian said, still hesitant. "But you should focus on your school first, okay, darling? Don't think about love or marriage yet. It's too soon."

"You can like anyone, even Uncle Devan, but it's just admiration. He's your uncle, your mother's younger brother."

"So, you don't give your blessing?" Salvia asked, her face falling.

"I'm sorry, honey," Darian said, grimacing slightly as he saw her growing disappointment. He didn't want to hurt her, but he couldn't allow it. It wasn't because Devan didn't meet the standards or their age difference. Darian didn't want to give Salvia false hope, especially since Devan had mentioned wanting to introduce another woman recently. Without that conversation, Darian might have considered it.

 ****

"Uncle, why have you been coming home so late lately?" Salvia asked in surprise, glancing at the time on her phone. It was almost eleven o'clock at night.

Normally, he never came home after seven in the evening. Although lately, he had been coming home later than seven, it was never this late. So, it was natural for Salvia to feel surprised.

"Uncle has a lot of work at the office, so I've been working overtime," he answered as he locked the door and adjusted the slightly open curtains.

Salvia nodded, understanding that her uncle might be busy with work. Although, to be honest, she was still a bit surprised, considering she often saw Devan working from home. But never mind, the most important thing was that Devan was home and she wasn't alone.

"Have you eaten?" he asked.

Salvia shook her head. "I was waiting for you to come home so we could have sushi, but you never came," she pouted.

Devan grimaced slightly, then stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"Sorry," Devan said, genuinely feeling guilty for forgetting about her. He had been so wrapped up with Sagitta, who had recently gotten busy with a new job, that he hadn't realized Salvia might be waiting for him. He felt even worse knowing she hadn't eaten because of him.

"Do you still want to go out for sushi now?" he asked, hoping to make it up to her. He knew Salvia could get whatever she wanted without waiting for him, but he still felt like he had let her down.

"But it's already late," she said, nodding.

"It's really no problem. I don't mind," Devan insisted, trying to reassure her. He didn't want her to miss out on something because of his fatigue.

"Okay, if you're sure you're not too tired," Salvia replied. Devan meant it when he said he wasn't tired, even though coming home this late wasn't just about work. He was busy with Sagitta, and he didn't want Salvia to feel neglected.

"It's okay. We're leaving now."

"But you just got home from work. You must be tired," Salvia said softly, noticing the tired lines on his forehead.

Devan smiled at Salvia's concerned tone. He gave her one last kiss on the top of her head with a hint of excitement. "You should go change now," he said, glancing at the short nightgown she was wearing. It was very revealing, and it made Devan quite frustrated. He couldn't help but wonder how long she had been dressing so provocatively.

"Uncle?"

"Uncle needs to change clothes first," Devan replied.

Salvia's gaze, filled with desire, was clear to Devan.

"Are you really serious about going? It's almost midnight—aren't the usual places closed by now?"

Devan reassured her, "But tonight, we're going to a Japanese restaurant owned by a friend of Uncle's. It's open twenty-four hours."

Salvia's eyes lit up with renewed enthusiasm as she nodded eagerly.

Devan's guilt towards Salvia felt far heavier than his guilt towards Sagitta, whom he had clearly betrayed. Although Devan had crossed boundaries with Salvia, it was never to the point of fully possessing her. He had penetrated her and enjoyed her warmth, but his heart ached at the thought of causing her more pain.

He often found himself imagining his passionate moments with Sagitta being shared with Salvia instead. It felt like an unforgivable betrayal, and yet, he couldn't deny that these thoughts only heightened his excitement. Salvia's influence on him was profound, to the point where he felt consumed by his own conflicting emotions.

Damn it!

Devan knew he couldn't avoid facing the reality of his actions. He was, after all, a jerk.

"Uncle? Are you okay?"

Blinking slowly, Devan focused on Salvia, who was standing in front of him. He had been looking at her all along, but his mind had been elsewhere, lost in daydreams. His distraction had prompted Salvia to reprimand him.

"Like I said, we should go for sushi tomorrow! You need to rest after a long day at work. I don't really need sushi right now. I can wait until tomorrow, or whenever you have some free time."

Devan smiled at Salvia's words, though he couldn't help but grunt slightly at her insistence that she didn't really want sushi. In reality, Devan could see that she was hungry and very much wanted to go out for sushi. Her words didn't match her true feelings, and he could tell that she was eager for the meal.

"It's okay, Sal. I'm not tired."

"What a lie!" Salvia retorted, though her tone was more playful than critical.

"Seriously, darling. I'm not tired. I was just mesmerized by the way you eat," Devan said with a smile. "You look like a child savoring your favorite treat." He wasn't entirely lying; Salvia did look adorable while eating. Her lack of elegance only made her more endearing in Devan's eyes, and he found himself oddly charmed by the sight.

"You're so annoying!" Salvia huffed, trying to hide her embarrassment. Unfortunately, the redness in her cheeks betrayed her. Devan noticed it immediately and couldn't help but smile. He reached across the table, gently touching the corner of her lips where a bit of sauce remained, and then placed it in her mouth.

Salvia suddenly lifted her head and looked at Devan with unreadable eyes.

"Open up," Devan said gently, his tone so soothing it compelled Salvia to comply. Moments later, she tasted the sweet and spicy flavor of the sauce from Devan's finger in her mouth.

"You're all grown up, yet you still eat like a kid!" Salvia teased, though Devan simply responded with a grin. They continued eating, interspersed with conversation. Salvia was particularly chatty, and Devan didn't mind at all. In fact, he enjoyed hearing her talk. Her many expressions fascinated him, making him both excited and captivated.

He wasn't sure when it had started, but Devan realized he liked everything about Salvia. There was a happiness he couldn't quite explain whenever she was around.

Devan often felt a pang of reluctance at the end of their time together. Being with Salvia made the world seem more vibrant. He couldn't quite place this feeling, but he knew he wanted to be selfish, to keep Salvia close without having to let go of Sagitta, whom he loved deeply. He didn't want to consider the complexities of their family relationships.