SWNOVELXO CHAPTER 100 - Hiding Something?
Alex stood by Vanessa's bed, his breath slow and controlled as he stared down at her, looking at her as her body moved along with her breaths.
Despite his efforts to focus on his date with Mira, despite knowing that Vanessa wasn't in any danger—she wouldn't be in so much pain for him to worry about—he just couldn't walk past her.
Clad in a light blue shirt and black pants, topped with a casual black coat, Alex had spent the last few minutes preparing himself for what should have been a relaxing day. But just looking at Vanessa's uncomfortable posture made him unable to walk away just after a glance.
A sigh escaped him as he stepped closer. Slowly, Alex knelt beside the bed, his hands careful as he gently lifted Vanessa in his arms. Her eyes fluttered slightly, and for a moment, he thought she might wake, but she only shifted, a soft breath escaping her lips. She hadn't opened her eyes, nor did she seem to resist.
'Good, I don't want her to wake up anyway,' he muttered inwardly, seemingly having guessed that she would pretend to stay asleep again. Alex, though, was relieved that she didn't make any attempt to protest, as he knew that her walking right now would make him question her situation and the conversation would stretch on, delaying his date with Mira.
So, after Alex tucked her in with practiced ease, ensuring she'd be warm and comfortable, he straightened, his gaze lingered on her for a moment. Then, with a soft exhale, he turned and left the room, his footsteps quiet as he moved down the hallway.
The corridor was quiet, save for the faint rustle of the morning breeze slipping through the windows. The sunlight bathed the walls in warm hues as Alex made his way toward the stairs. His thoughts, however, were elsewhere.
'Sophie.'
The mental call was calm yet firm, his tone making it clear he wasn't in the mood for evasion. He had been feeling it—a feeling of Sophie hiding something from him—for a while from the unknown connection that lets him feel Sophie's emotions.
There was a pause, as Sophie, for some reason, felt like she was caught before her voice echoed hesitantly in his mind.
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[Y-Yes, Alex?]
Alex didn't slow his pace. 'You've been hiding something from me.' His tone made it clear that he wasn't asking it—he was stating it.
Sophie stammered, hearing his words. 'H-How did he find out?' was all she could think of as her composure faltered.
[I—I don't know what you're talking about!]
Alex, however, just let out a dry chuckle. 'You're a terrible liar, Sophie. Start talking.'
He couldn't tell her that he could tell from her emotions that she was lying or being dishonest, so he just went with whatever came to his lips. Not like he couldn't tell that Sophie was panicking right now.
When her silence stretched on, Alex pressed further. 'Don't force me to make you spill it out, Sophie.'
Finally, Sophie relented with a sheepish confession.
[I… may have been watching you bathe earlier. You looked… nice.]
Alex nearly tripped, his brows furrowing in disbelief. 'Sophie.' He was shocked by the discovery. He really was, but it was not something that serious. He knew she did it a lot of times.
[What? It's the truth!]
Sophie replied, a hint of indignation in her voice.
Alex pinched the bridge of his nose, exasperation evident in his tone. 'You know perfectly well I'm not talking about that. I mean what you've been hiding about Mother.'
The shift in her tone was immediate, her voice turning somber and hesitant.
[Oh… that.]
Sophie wasn't sure if she should say it. She felt like she shouldn't, but knowing Alex's personality, she knew he would make her speak no matter what, so she just sighed.
Alex stopped at the top of the staircase, waiting.
[It's about her visits to your room...]
Sophie was still hesitating.
Alex frowned. 'What about them?'
When Sophie didn't immediately reply, noting something, Alex's voice suddenly rose. 'Wait—visits? What do you mean visits?'
Wasn't it the first time Vanessa came?
Sophie, sighing again, replied in a quieter voice.
[She's been coming to your room at night... for two years, every two or three days. She'd just sit there and watch you sleep.]
Alex's steps faltered as he descended the stairs. The revelation caught him off guard, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say.
"Why didn't she come during the day?" he wondered aloud.
Sophie answered softly.
[You wouldn't understand... a mother's love. Especially one who feels she's failed her child and doesn't know how to express herself. She probably thought this was the only way she could stay close to you.]
Alex remained silent, the weight of her words settling heavily in his chest. He imagined Vanessa sitting silently in the dark, watching him with emotions she couldn't voice. The image was both heartbreaking and bewildering.
He knew she loved him; he wasn't the same child who thought otherwise anymore. Alex was sure that Vanessa knew that as well, so why?
"Next time," he said after a moment, his tone resolute. "I'll catch her. We need to talk this out."
Alex didn't want Vanessa to have even the slightest bit of doubt anymore. He wanted to tell her that he did love her again and again until she was satisfied, and he wanted to tell her that she was a very good mother—much better than he could ever hope to get.
He kept thinking about it as he reached the bottom of the stairs, but noticing the relief in Sophie's emotions, as if she had succeeded in hiding something, he frowned again and spoke. 'Sophie. Continue.'
[Continue?]
Sophie's confusion was evident as she asked that, but Alex just took a deep breath and spoke, 'Don't play dumb. You're still holding back.'
Sophie paused for a bit, now for real feeling something deeper at play here as she couldn't tell how Alex could tell so easily that she was hiding something, but in the end, she resigned with a sigh.
[Fine. She's been visiting you like this for longer than you think. Even before you came to Academy City.]
Alex's brows furrowed. 'How long?'
[Since you were a small child. She's been watching over you all these years... even during times you don't remember. It was her daily routine.]
Alex's footsteps slowed as he was now sure that Sophie had told him everything, but there was this sinking suspicion that there was something hidden in those words. He focused for a while, and as he did that, something flashed past his mind—a very embarrassing moment.
'Sophie... during the time I awakened the system... she was there, wasn't she?' Alex questioned in a very low tone.
Her hesitation was all the confirmation he needed.
'Was she there when I...' He swallowed hard. 'When I first had sex with you in the dream space?'
Sophie's voice was barely above a whisper as she replied.
[...Yes.]
Alex froze, his eyes widening in disbelief.
'And... my first wet dream?'
Another pause.
[...Yes.]
A long sigh escaped Alex as he rubbed his temples. "I can't even... face her anymore."
He walked down the stairs thinking about how he was going to keep up a straight face the next time he saw Vanessa. But as he walked down the stairs toward the garden, he was caught off guard by the sight of Mira, who was left waiting for him in the garden.
Mira was standing near Nyxia, gently caressing the large owl's head. And although Mira's expression remained as unreadable as always, Alex could see the subtle way her fingers tightened on her dress, the corner of her lips trembling as Nyxia leaned into her touch, making it clear that she was loving it.
Alex sighed again as Mira looked nothing more than a pitiful girl right now—all because of her physique.
He felt pity for her not because she was just someone he knew, but because he had been closing in the distance between them slowly—Alex was letting himself like her. Neither he nor Sophie were dumb enough to not understand that Mira loved—or at least liked—Alex. They had noticed her subtle glances, the way her eyes lingered on him.
Mira's expression never changed, always that same unreadable mask, but Alex had long since learned to read the subtle shifts in her gaze—which only happen when she's close to him.
Alex had sensed it from the moment he first saw her—the way her eyes flickered with something more than just curiosity. He had, at first, thought of it to be curiosity. He didn't know that Mira was capable of feeling anything else because the first emotion she felt in the novel was curiosity.
But he learned later that it wasn't curiosity, but love. Mira cared for him in a way that Alex hadn't expected.
'I guess I should take responsibility,' he had chuckled the first time when he realized what was happening. But it wasn't a joke—he was serious. He was an anomaly in the plot, and Mira's changes were probably related to him. So, he needed to take responsibility.
So he decided to not let go of Mira and care for her not just because she's his mother's disciple but because she likes him as well.
Mira was one of the best girls in the world after all. So, with a smile, he walked toward her, leaving other thoughts in the back of his head and deciding to focus on Mira for the whole day.