"He Annoys Me… But Why Am I Smiling?"

The next day, I woke up in my bed. It was dark. From my window, I could see the weather outside—windy and cloudy. Heavy rain was falling from the sky, and the sound of raindrops hitting the glass was loud, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

I sat up, rubbing my eyes, and slowly walked to the door, my thoughts still hazy. Why did I wake up? What time is it…? I answered my own question by glancing at the clock above my bed. 1:11 AM.

"That's creepy…" I muttered to myself.

I sighed and decided to get some water before going back to sleep. As I stepped out of my room, I noticed how silent and dark the mansion was. It felt… unsettling. As I reached the first floor, a quiet voice coming from the kitchen caught my attention.

Curious, I walked in and saw Damien. He was on the phone, speaking in a calm, controlled tone. But the moment he noticed me, his expression shifted slightly—just a flicker of surprise before he masked it again.

"I'll be there in an hour," he said before hanging up. He slipped his phone into the inner pocket of his suit and turned to me.

"Why aren't you asleep?" he asked, his voice low.

"I don't know… I just woke up all of a sudden and decided to get some water," I replied sleepily, rubbing my eyes. Then, I hesitated for a moment before asking, "Why are you here?"

He smirked slightly. "Am I not welcome in my own house?"

I rolled my eyes. "Just answer the question."

His expression softened. "Just some work… and a bit of trouble. Nothing you need to worry about." He glanced away, looking out the window.

"Got it…" I mumbled, grabbing a glass from the shelf and filling it halfway with water. I took a small sip, the cool liquid waking me up slightly.

"Go back to sleep," Damien said after a moment. Then, with a teasing smirk, he added, "Or if you can't, I could read you a bedtime story—like you're six years old."

I could barely make out his smirk in the dim light. The only illumination came from the moon and stars outside, casting a silvery glow through the window. His dark eyes studied me as he took a step closer, and for a brief second, I saw a small glint in them.

I glanced at the full moon before turning my attention back to him.

"I think I'm good," I said, shaking my head. "I can sleep just fine without bedtime stories."

"Alright then. I'll be back by morning," he said, turning and walking out of the kitchen, heading toward the main entrance.

I watched him go, a strange feeling settling in my chest.

"…Okay," I murmured, making my way back upstairs.

But in the back of my mind, something gnawed at me. What if something happens to him? What if… what if… what if… My thoughts spiraled into endless possibilities, each one more unsettling than the last. I didn't know why I was so worried. I barely understood what was going on in my own head.

And that scared me even more.

Eventually, exhaustion overtook me, and I drifted off to sleep.

I woke up to the obnoxiously loud chirping of birds outside my window. They were so noisy that, for a brief second, I wanted to march outside and silence them myself.

"Fucking birds… AGHHH!!" I groaned, forcing my eyes open.

Reluctantly, I got up, got dressed, and went to the nearest bathroom to freshen up. The day passed quickly—too quickly. But something kept nagging at me.

Damien had only shown up once in the morning before disappearing again.

Where is he? I wondered. Why has he been so busy lately?

And then… another thought crept into my mind.

Why am I even thinking about him?

Annoyed with myself, I grabbed the book I had picked up earlier and flopped onto my bed, trying to focus on reading. The door to my room remained open—just in case.

What does he even expect me to do with all this free time? I thought, growing frustrated.

"Bastard," I muttered aloud.

And then I heard a voice.

"From the part where you called me a bastard," Damien said casually.

My eyes widened in horror as I looked up and saw him standing in the doorway, his expression unreadable.

"FOR HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN THERE?!" I practically yelled.

He smirked. "Long enough."

Embarrassment flooded me, and I quickly opened my mouth to explain myself, but he cut me off before I could say a word.

"Shh…" he said, amusement flickering in his gaze. "I don't want to hear it."

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving me fuming—and slightly flustered.