Chapter 5: The Encounter

As the door clicked shut behind Kael, signaling his temporary exit, the room seemed to collectively exhale.

As soon as Kael left the room, all eyes turn to Seren.

"What?" Seren asked as she sipped he drink.

Seren turned her gaze back to Thalina, who was still regarding her with an almost childlike curiosity.

"Are you really his fiance?" Thalina asked, her eyes widen with curiosity.

"Well, not yet but will soon be"

"How was your first meeting like?" At this question, even Elliot was paying rapt attention to what Seren will say, after all of them can't help but wonder what a dinner date with the frost king will be.

"Dear Thalina, it was really very interesting." Seren said

Thalina blink her eyes with wondering look, gacing deeply at Seren before she asked gently, "Are you being force to do this?"

Seren stare at her with surprised look wondering why she will asked her that.

"Not really, it was willingly." But Seren was overcomed with great curiosity at the reasion why she'll asked her that question.

"Willingly?" Thalina echoed, her head tilting slightly as though trying to decode Seren's tone. "Are you sure? Because, no offense, but Kael doesn't exactly scream 'approachable.'"

Elliot leaned forward, smirking. "This is getting good. I've been dying to know what it's like to sit across from him for an entire dinner. Please, Seren, enlighten us."

Seren couldn't help but chuckle at the earnest anticipation in Thalina's wide eyes and the teasing glint in Elliot's. She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "Well, since you're all so curious, I'll share."

Maya and Vivia exchanged amused glances, clearly intrigued as well.

"It started with him being late," Seren began, her voice carrying an edge of humor.

Thalina gasped. "Kael? Late? That's shocking already!"

"Right? I thought the same thing," Seren said, leaning in conspiratorially. "Turns out, he'd been in a meeting that overran. But when he finally arrived, the entire restaurant went dead silent. It was like the air changed the moment he stepped in. I swear, even the waiters didn't dare breathe too loudly."

Elliot laughed. "Classic Kael. Intimidating by just existing."

Seren nodded. "Exactly. And when he sat down, he didn't even bother with small talk. Just straight to the point. 'Let's discuss what needs to be discussed,' he said." She mimicked his frosty tone, eliciting chuckles from the group.

"That's so Kael," Thalina said, shaking her head with a grin. "But what did you do?"

"Well, I wasn't going to let him control the entire narrative," Seren said, her eyes gleaming with defiance. "So I matched his energy. I told him, 'Sure, but let's order first. I'm starving.' And you should've seen his face. It was like no one had ever interrupted him before."

Vivia burst out laughing, slapping the table. "You interrupted Kael Velyne? That's gold!"

"Wait, there's more," Seren said, her grin widening. "He stared at me for a full ten seconds—no blinking, just full-on Frost King mode. Then he nodded and said, 'Fine. Order whatever you want.'"

Elliot clutched his chest dramatically. "The man has no chill. Zero."

Thalina leaned forward, her chin resting on her hands. "But did he... warm up at all? Like, did you manage to get him to relax even a little?"

Seren tilted her head, pretending to think. "Hmm... define 'relax.' If you mean not looking like he was plotting my demise, then yes, maybe a little."

The room erupted in laughter again, and even Maya, who had been quiet so far, couldn't help but smile.

"What did you talk about?" Thalina asked eagerly.

"Business, mostly," Seren said with a shrug. "But I did manage to slip in some personal questions. Like what he does for fun."

"And?" Elliot prompted, leaning closer.

"And he said, 'I don't believe in wasting time on frivolities.'"

Vivia groaned. "Of course he did. The man's allergic to fun."

"But here's the kicker," Seren said, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "When I asked him if he ever let loose, he looked at me dead in the eye and said, 'That's not relevant.'"

The group dissolved into laughter, and even Seren couldn't help but join in.

After the laughter subsided, Thalina's expression grew serious again. "But Seren... are you happy with this? I mean, Kael isn't exactly the easiest person to deal with."

Seren paused, taken aback by the question. "It's not about easy or hard," she said carefully. "It's about... what makes sense. And this arrangement? It makes sense for now."

Thalina's eyes softened. "I get it. But if it ever stops making sense, promise me you'll walk away. No one should be stuck in something that doesn't bring them happiness."

Seren smiled faintly. "I appreciate that, Thalina. Really."

Elliot, sensing the shift in mood, clapped his hands. "Alright, enough seriousness! Let's talk about something more fun—like why Maya hasn't responded to my charming advances all evening."

Maya rolled her eyes. "Because they're neither charming nor advances. They're just noise."

The group burst into laughter again, and the atmosphere lightened once more.

As the door opened and Kael returned, his frosty presence immediately silencing the room, Seren couldn't help but glance at Thalina. The young girl gave her a reassuring smile, and Seren nodded subtly in return.

Kael's cold blue eyes swept over the table before he resumed his seat. "What did I miss?"

"Oh, nothing much," Elliot said, smirking. "Just your fiancée regaling us with tales of your sparkling personality."

Kael raised an eyebrow but didn't respond, his gaze briefly flicking to Seren. She met his eyes without flinching, a hint of rebellion in her smirk.

The Frost King might be intimidating, but Seren Delyth wasn't one to back down.

When it was getting late, the group trickled out of the bar, the night air crisp and laced with the faint scent of rain. Kael walked ahead, his imposing figure cutting through the mild crowd like a glacier parting an ocean. Seren followed reluctantly, her heels clicking against the pavement.

As they neared the entrance, a familiar voice broke through the ambient noise, smooth and tinged with false warmth.

"Well, well, if it isn't Seren Delyth," the voice drawled.

Seren froze, her lips pressing into a thin line. She turned slowly to see Cassian Thorne leaning casually against a nearby lamppost, his smirk as irritating as she remembered.

"Cassian," she said, her tone devoid of warmth.

Cassian's dark eyes flickered past her and landed on Kael. His smirk faltered briefly, but he recovered quickly, inclining his head. "Young Master Velyne," he greeted, his voice carefully measured.

Kael barely glanced at him, his icy blue gaze skimming over Cassian as though he were part of the scenery. He continued walking without acknowledging the man further.

Cassian's jaw tightened, but he quickly masked it with a grin as he turned back to Seren. "It's been a while. How've you been?"

"Better," Seren said curtly, stepping forward to follow Kael.

Cassian moved slightly to block her path. "No need to rush off. We haven't caught up properly. Remember the good old days?"

Kael stopped a few steps ahead, his hands sliding into his coat pockets. Without turning, he spoke, his voice low and cutting through the tension like a blade. "Move."

Cassian stiffened, his face paling slightly. "Of course, Young Master Velyne," he said quickly, stepping aside with a forced chuckle.

Kael resumed walking, and Seren followed, throwing one last icy glance over her shoulder. Cassian remained where he was, watching them leave with a mixture of frustration and unease.

The car waited at the curb, its sleek, dark form blending into the night. Eric Vaughn, Kael's head of security and driver, stood by the door, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings.

"Young Master Velyne," Eric greeted, opening the door.

Kael inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment and slid into the backseat. Seren hesitated for a moment before following, her movements slow and deliberate.

The car glided onto the road, the hum of the engine filling the silence. Seren stared out of the window, her thoughts spinning.

Eric glanced in the rearview mirror. "Everything alright, Young Master Velyne?"

Kael's gaze remained fixed ahead. "Drive."

Seren snorted softly. "So you really don't talk unless absolutely necessary. Fascinating."

Kael didn't respond, his profile as stoic as ever.

Seren tilted her head, studying him. "You didn't even flinch when that... Cassian addressed you. Do you even know who he is?"

"No," Kael said simply.

Seren turned fully toward him, her brows lifting in disbelief. "You really don't know? Cassian Thorne?"

Kael remained silent, his attention seemingly glued to the passing cityscape.

"He's..." She paused, unsure how to phrase it without sounding petty. "He's someone who thrives off other people's success. And yours, apparently."

Kael's lips twitched, but not into a smile—more like an acknowledgment that he had heard her. "If he's unimportant, why bother mentioning him?"

Seren blinked, caught off guard by the bluntness. "Because he's not as harmless as he looks."

Kael finally turned his head, his icy blue eyes meeting hers. "Harmless or not, people like him are irrelevant. Unless he dares to make himself otherwise."

The weight of his words hung in the air, the veiled threat clear. Seren found herself oddly reassured by his absolute certainty.