Montenorie

It was already deep into the night when the birthday celebration finally began to fade.

One by one, the guests departed the Montenorie estate, their cars disappearing beyond the towering gates as the grand ballroom slowly emptied. The music had stopped, leaving only the faint murmur of servants clearing glasses and gathering abandoned plates.

Tala had been searching for Venisa for several minutes.

He checked the ballroom first, then the adjoining sitting rooms.

Nothing.

He was about to ask one of the attendants when he heard quiet footsteps behind him.

He turned.

Venisa was standing there. She looked exhausted.

The elegance she had carried throughout the evening remained, but the weariness was impossible to hide now. A few strands of her hair had fallen loose, and her expression had softened from the composed face she had shown the guests all night.

Tala studied her for a moment.

"There you are."

Venisa raised an eyebrow. "Looking for me?"

"Yes. We're leaving."

She glanced toward the nearly empty ballroom.

"Already?"

"It's well past midnight."

Venisa sighed quietly. "I suppose it is."

Tala was about to say something when another voice came from behind them.

"She's not leaving."

They both turned.

Code stood several steps away.

His tuxedo was still immaculate despite the long evening, his expression unreadable beneath the dim corridor lights.

Tala frowned.

"What?" Code's gaze settled on Venisa.

"She'll stay here tonight."

Venisa looked at him.

"Excuse me?"

Code didn't look away.

"It's too late to send her back to the manor."

Tala gave him a skeptical look. "She has a car."

"She also looks exhausted."

Venisa opened her mouth to object, but Code continued calmly.

"My father already arranged a guest room for her."

Tala glanced toward Venisa.

For a moment, she looked between the two men.

Then she sighed.

"I am tired."

Code's expression softened almost imperceptibly.

Tala noticed. He didn't like it.

"You really want to stay?"

Venisa nodded. "Just for tonight."

Tala hesitated before finally exhaling.

"Fine."

He looked at Code.

"But I'll come back for her in the morning."

Code's eyes remained steady. "Of course."

Tala turned back to Venisa.

"Get some sleep."

"I will."

He gave her one last look before walking away. Venisa watched him disappear down the corridor.

When she turned back, Code was still standing there. The estate had become almost completely silent.

For the first time that evening, they were nearly alone.

Code gestured toward the staircase.

"Come on."

Venisa frowned. "Where?"

"Your room."

She stared at him.

He gave her a faint, tired smile. "Unless you'd rather wander around the manor until sunrise."

Despite herself, Venisa almost smiled.

He walked beside her as they headed upstairs, neither of them saying what they were both thinking.

Tonight, unlike the years before it, Venisa wasn't leaving.

She would be staying under the same roof as Code.

And neither of them knew what the night would bring.

They had barely taken a few steps toward the staircase when a voice suddenly echoed through the quiet corridor.

"VENISA IS STAYING?!"

Ruby appeared at the far end of the corridor.

For one second, she simply stood there, staring at them.

Then her eyes widened.

"YOU'RE STAYING TONIGHT?!"

Before Venisa could answer, Ruby screamed again and came running toward them like someone had just announced the greatest news of her life.

"VENISA!"

Venisa instinctively took half a step backward.

"Ruby—"

Too late. Ruby grabbed both of Venisa's hands and nearly bounced on her feet.

"You're staying!"

"Apparently."

"You're actually staying!"

"Hey Goblin, you're screaming." its was Code

Ruby looked completely unbothered.

"She's staying in my room."

Ruby said it as though the matter had already been decided.

"No."

Ruby turned around.

"She'll take the east guest room."

Ruby stared at him in disbelief. "Why?"

"She is our guest."

"No, she's my bestfriend."

Ruby emphasized her name as though that settled everything.

"She was my best friend before you made everything complicated."

Code's eyes narrowed, already knew he wasn't going to like it.

Ruby crossed her arms.

"What exactly is your relationship with Venisa now?"

Silence.

"Aside from being her former bully?"

Code's jaw tightened.

Ruby continued. "That's what I thought."

Code sighed.

"Ruby."

She grabbed his arm. "Come on."

"What?"

"Let her stay in my room."

"Why?"

"Because I'm telling her she can stay with me."

Code pulled his arm free. "She can decide for herself."

Ruby paused.

Then she smiled. Before she could answer, a tired voice came from behind them.

"Then I'll stay with Ruby."

Both of them turned.

Venisa stood a few steps away, one hand resting lightly against the banister. She looked exhausted now, her shoulders slightly relaxed after the long evening.

Ruby's face immediately lit up. "See?"

Code stared at Venisa.

"You've decided?"

Venisa nodded. "Yes."

Ruby slipped her arm through Venisa's.

"Perfect. Come on."

Code frowned. "You're too tired. Ruby will keep you awake all night."

Venisa's lips curved faintly. "I think I'll survive."

Code had no answer. Ruby smiled triumphantly and pulled Venisa toward the hallway.

"Come on, I'm going to make sure you're comfortable."

Venisa glanced over her shoulder. "Good night, Code."

He watched her disappear with Ruby.

"Good night."

Code exhaled through his nose.

"Little menace."

From farther down the hallway, Ruby's voice immediately rang out. "I HEARD THAT!"

Code shook his head.

"Of course you did."

He glanced toward the corridor where she had disappeared. "Goblins have sharp ears."

There was a brief silence.

Then Ruby's voice came flying back.

"I'm not a goblin, you Buffalo!"

"Hey" Venisa's voice echoed softly.