Love, Laughter, and a Little Competition

Saraphina had barely taken two sips of her morning coffee when Caelum strolled into the design studio, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed. His piercing gaze swept over her with the kind of curiosity that made her pause.

"Alright, spill it," he said casually, but there was an unmistakable edge of mischief in his voice.

Saraphina frowned, setting down her cup. "Spill what?"

"You and Lucian." He stepped inside, pulling out a chair and sitting across from her. "Are we going to pretend something isn't happening between you two?"

She sighed, rubbing her temples. "We're just friends, Caelum."

Caelum scoffed. "Friends who go out to dinner at exclusive rooftop restaurants, friends who exchange smoldering glances across the room, friends who 'accidentally' keep running into each other?"

Saraphina shot him a dry look. "Yes, because smoldering glances are totally a thing."

Caelum smirked. "With Lucian? Absolutely."

She rolled her eyes. "I have nothing more to say, Caelum."

But her twin brother wasn't one to back down. He leaned forward, elbows on the table. "Okay, fine. Let's say Lucian does confess that he likes you. What would you do?"

Saraphina fell silent for a moment, her fingers tracing the rim of her coffee cup. Then, with a quiet but firm voice, she said, "I'd tell him the truth."

Caelum raised a brow. "The twins?"

She nodded. "If he likes me, he has to know about them. And if he's not ready to cater to someone else's children, then it ends there."

Caelum studied her, his smirk softening into something more thoughtful. "You've really thought this through."

"I have to," she admitted. "I'm not some starry-eyed girl hoping for a fairytale, Caelum. If Lucian isn't ready for that kind of responsibility, then there's no point in even trying."

Her brother exhaled and leaned back in his chair. "You really don't make things easy, do you?"

She gave him a wry smile. "Life isn't easy, Caelum."

He chuckled. "Fine. But I still think you're doomed. That man is halfway in love with you already."

Saraphina didn't reply, but the thought lingered in her mind longer than she wanted to admit.

The Road Trip That Wasn't Planned

Later that day, Lucian showed up unexpectedly at the Vale estate, leaning against his sleek black car with a boyish smirk.

"We're going on a trip," he announced the moment Saraphina stepped outside.

She blinked. "Excuse me?"

"A road trip," he repeated. "I have the perfect spot in mind. Fresh air, open space, no distractions. You game?"

Saraphina hesitated. She had been planning to spend the afternoon finalizing her collection, but the idea of getting away for a little while was tempting.

"Where exactly are we going?" she asked suspiciously.

Lucian only grinned. "Trust me, you'll love it."

And somehow, that's how she found herself speeding down a quiet countryside road with Lucian, the windows rolled down, wind tangling in her hair.

The drive was filled with laughter, ridiculous arguments over music choices, and Saraphina dramatically threatening to jump out of the car if Lucian played another one of his detective-themed playlists.

"You can't blame me for loving my job," he said, smirking.

"You have no taste in road trip music, Drax."

"Says the woman who wanted to play nothing but love ballads."

Saraphina gasped. "First of all, love ballads are a classic. Second of all—no, actually, first of all should be enough."

Lucian chuckled, shaking his head. "Fine. Next time, you drive, and I'll suffer in silence."

"Deal."

A Horse, A Designer, and a Detective

When they finally arrived at Lucian's so-called "perfect spot," Saraphina was greeted by something she hadn't expected—a stable full of horses.

She turned to Lucian, expression blank. "You're joking."

Lucian smirked. "Nope. Welcome to horse riding 101."

Saraphina's eyes narrowed. "You planned this, didn't you?"

"Obviously," he said, clearly enjoying himself. "You wanted inspiration for your designs, and what's more elegant than horseback riding in the countryside?"

She groaned. "Lucian, I swear, if I break my leg, I'm suing you."

"Noted," he said, handing her a riding helmet.

The first five minutes were an absolute disaster.

Saraphina's horse—an annoyingly graceful creature named Apollo—refused to move at first, and when he did move, he decided to move fast. She clung to the saddle, screaming as Lucian laughed so hard he had to lean against a fence for support.

"I hate you!" she yelled, barely keeping balance.

"No, you don't!" Lucian called back, still grinning.

By some miracle, she managed to regain control, and after what felt like an eternity, she started getting the hang of it. Lucian rode beside her, his movements effortlessly smooth, looking infuriatingly at ease.

"Show-off," she muttered.

Lucian chuckled. "Some of us were just born talented."

Saraphina huffed, deciding she needed revenge. "Fine. If you're so confident, let's see how well you do in my world."

Lucian raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

She smirked. "A design challenge. You versus me. Let's see if you can put together an outfit without it looking like a clown's wardrobe."

Lucian pretended to think. "Hmm… do I get bonus points for creativity?"

"No. Because I know your creativity will be chaotic."

The Ultimate (Disastrous) Fashion Showdown

Back at the stable's small lodge, Saraphina set up a mini workstation with spare fabrics she had in her car (because a designer is always prepared).

Lucian, meanwhile, stood in front of the fabrics looking completely lost.

"Alright, Detective Drax," Saraphina said smugly. "Make me a dress."

Lucian cracked his knuckles. "Easy."

Twenty minutes later, Lucian stepped back, hands on his hips. "Done."

Saraphina turned to look at what he had put together… and instantly burst into laughter.

It was a mess. Somehow, Lucian had managed to create something that looked like a cross between a medieval knight's tunic and a bird costume. The colors didn't match, the stitching was uneven, and he had somehow added a ridiculous feathered collar.

Saraphina wheezed. "Lucian, what is this?"

Lucian huffed. "Fashion."

She doubled over in laughter, wiping away tears. "Oh my God, I can't—"

Lucian grinned, watching her, and for a brief moment, he didn't care that he had lost.

Because seeing Saraphina laugh like that?

It was worth every second.