As dusk settled, the hospital corridor glowed under bright, sterile lights.A deep, inky blackness colored Seth's eyes. His voice was cool and low. "That won't be necessary."Zaria pouted, muttering under her breath, "I knew you'd say that. Ethel's great and all, but you two broke up years ago. It's time to move on."Just as Ondine pushed open her mother's door to head to the restroom, shefroze, catching Zaria's words completely by surprise.Seth's gaze shifted to her the moment she appeared.Zaria turned as well. "Ondine, you're done already? Don't you want to chat with your mom a bit longer?"Ondine avoided Seth's eyes, feeling a pang of guilt, like she'd been caught eavesdropping, even though it was an accident."I'm just going to the restroom.""Oh, okay, go ahead," Zaria said.Ondine walked past Seth without a single glance in his direction. He watched her slender form disappear down the hallway, his expression unreadable.After spending a little more time with her mother, it was past nine o'clock when Ondine finally left the hospital.Boreal's winters were harsher than Riverdale's, with the temperature hovering around ten degrees below zero. A bitter wind, carrying fine particles of snow, whipped past her. Ondine shivered, pulling the collar of her down jacket tighter around her neck.A Rolls-Royce Cullinan pulled up to the curb, and the driver got out to open the rear door."Ondine, you get in first," Zaria said. "My brother will take you to your place. I have something urgent to take care of.""Alright."Ondine slid into the back, and Seth followed, settling into the seat beside her.The Cullinan moved silently through the night, the neon lights of the city streaking past the windows. The back of the car featured two separate captain's chairs, and Seth leaned back, closing his eyes to rest.Ondine spoke softly, breaking the silence. "Seth, thank you for arranging such excellent medical care for my mother."The man's eyes slowly opened, but he didn't turn to look at her. "It was nothing."Ondine opened her mouth, wanting to say more, but the words wouldn't come. The quiet hum of the car filled the space between them, the silence stretching until it was thick with unspoken thoughts. She caught the faint, rich scent of oud clinging to him, a fragrance she had always found captivating. It reminded her of a visit to the Thorne family estate, where Zaria had given her a tour of a room dedicated to their perfume collection. It was a massive space lined with glass display cases, each filled with countless bottles.Ondine knew nothing about perfumes, but Zaria had eagerly introduced her to her favorites, spritzing them onto paper cards that filled the air with sweet, floral notes -scents perfectly suited for girls their age.But Ondine had found herself drawn to only one: the deep, complex aroma of oud.After a long moment, Seth's voice cut through the quiet, as clear and cool as a mountain spring. "I'm not hung up on her."Ondine blinked, taking a second to realize he was referring to what Zaria had said back at the hospital about Ethel."Why bring that up now?" she wondered. "Is he worried I'd get the wrong idea?"She didn't understand. They were in a marriage of convenience. Even if he was still in love with Ethel, it wasn't her place to say anything Yet his simple words, dropped into the quiet of her heart like a smaltstone, sent ripples spreading through her. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn find{n}ovel.netShe chanced a glance at him. His expression was placid, as if he were merely an observer in his own life. But hadn't he admitted that he hadn't dated anyone for years because of his first love? So why deny it was Ethel now?Could it be that his first love was someone else entirely?Her thoughts tangled, Ondine didn't know how to respond and simply murmured a soft, "Oh."Seth said nothing more.About fifteen minutes later, the car stopped in front of a restaurant with a charming, old-world facade. For her first dinner in Boreal, Seth had brought her toa place famous for its regional specialties.They were seated in an elegant private dining room adorned withoriginal artwork. Outside the intricately carved windows, the branches of an old oak tree swayed gently in the wind. This was the first time she and Seth had ever eaten a meal alone together, sitting face to face. Seth pushed the menu toward her and recommended a few of the restaurant's signature dishes. Ondine chose two, and he ordered the rest.The food was exceptional. The meat was tender and flavorful without beinggreasy, and the vegetables were crisp and fresh. Both possessed impeccabletable manners, and they ate in comfortable silence.After the meal, Seth asked, "Did you have enough?"noveldrama