SWNOVELXO CHAPTER 98 - Unknown Intruder.
The moon hung high in the evening sky, casting its silvery glow over Alex's mansion. The night was serene, broken only by the soft rustle of the wind against the balcony curtains of Alex's room. Inside, Alex lay in deep slumber, his breathing steady, unaware of the presence of another person standing mere inches away.
The woman standing beside his bed was breathtaking, her voluptuous figure draped in a sleek black gown that shimmered faintly under the moonlight. Her jet-black hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing her golden eyes that sparkled with mischief and intrigue. She gazed at Alex's sleeping face, her lips curling into a playful, almost seductive smile.
"Even while sleeping, you look so perfect," she murmured, her voice a soft purr. Her golden eyes lingered on his face, her thoughts wandering to dangerous places.
Her golden eyes traced the lines of his face, lingering on his chiseled jaw and serene expression. A shiver ran through her as thoughts she shouldn't have crept into her mind. She bit her lip, suppressing a chuckle. "Those looks of yours... they're enough to make a woman think things she shouldn't."
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She stood there for a moment, lost in her musings, then shook her head and waved her hand. A chair materialized beside her, its surface a strange grey, almost ethereal material. She settled into it, crossing her legs as she continued to observe Alex with an amused smirk.
"Would Vanessi get angry if I took him for myself?" She wondered aloud, her voice a sultry whisper. But the thought of Vanessa brought a shiver to her spine, the memory of their last conversation fresh in her mind.
The woman chuckled nervously, recalling the palpable chill that had filled the air. Even now, she could almost feel the icy pressure in her bones.
"I will kill you if you try to involve my child in your power games," Vanessa had said, her voice as cold as the frost creeping up the walls.
The woman had tried to reason with her. "Alex's potential is unmatched. He could solve everything, Vanessi, if you'd just—"
But her words had died in her throat when Vanessa unsheathed her sword—a clear warning to stay away from her son.
"Sheesh... so cold to an old friend," she muttered, shaking her head. "What a possessive mother." Her gaze returned to Alex, who lay undisturbed, his chest rising and falling with each breath.
She leaned forward, her fingers brushing against his cheek as her expression softened. "What if he agrees to help me himself?" She mused but sighed the next instant, withdrawing her hand. "No... I don't want to manipulate him. Just looking at him is enough to make my heart flutter. There's no way I could use him—not that he seems the type to be easily manipulated anyway."
Her eyes then suddenly fell to his lips, and a dangerous thought crossed her mind. 'How would they taste?'
Startled by her own musings, she pulled back slightly, biting her lip. "He's dangerous for women... too dangerous."
But temptation gnawed at her resolve. 'Nothing will happen with just one kiss, right?' Slowly, she leaned closer, her golden eyes fixed on his face as she moved toward his lips.
However, just as her breath brushed against his skin, the balcony curtains fluttered violently. She froze, her head snapping toward the sound. Instinctively, she rose, and with a flick of her wrist, the chair dissolved into a spear that shot toward the curtain, tearing it into two.
Her golden eyes scanned the empty balcony, her heart pounding in her chest. After a moment, she sighed, lowering her guard. "Paranoid," she muttered, shaking her head. "I'm just feeling guilty for sneaking around like this."
She turned back to Alex, but before she could take another step, the cut curtain fluttered again. This time, as the wind pushed it aside, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was a woman with flowing white—almost icy blue—hair and icy blue eyes that seemed to freeze the very air around her.
The intruder froze. She didn't even have to turn around to tell who it was, the cold energy emanating was enough to make her shiver despite her strength. 'Vanessi...' She thought, inwardly sighing.
It was Vanessa Drakathor—Alex's mother.
The woman slowly turned around, but as she saw Vanessa, her body tensed as she sighed, 'Ah... fuck...'
Just from the look in Vanessa's eyes, she was sure that her words wouldn't work right now, but she still tried.
"V-Vanessi," she stammered, a nervous smile creeping onto her face. "Can we talk this out?"
Vanessa, however, didn't respond, her gaze unyielding as she stepped forward, a silver artifact shaped like a plate appearing in her hand. The tension in the room was suffocating. The intruder sighed again, defeat flickering in her eyes.
"Guess not..." She muttered under her breath.
Vanessa's eyes briefly softened as they flickered to Alex, her expression betraying a rare gentleness. But it lasted only a moment before her icy gaze returned to the woman.
With a sudden surge of energy, both women vanished from the room, leaving behind only silence and the faint chill in the air.
...
Next Morning.
The first rays of sunlight filtered into Alex's room, illuminating his serene face as he stirred awake. He blinked groggily, stretching slightly, only to notice an unexpected sight.
'Huh?' His mother, Vanessa Drakathor, was seated by his bed, her head resting on the edge as she slept soundly.
For a moment, Alex was stunned. 'When did she arrive?' 'Did something happen?' 'She didn't even tell me...' Questions flooded his mind, but none found answers.
'Sophie, do you know something?' He questioned inwardly, frowning a bit as this was the first time this had happened. He could only disturb Sophie, who was lying comfortably on her bed in dream space a while ago.
[H-Huh? No, I'm as surprised as you are.]
Sophie, however, wasn't any better.
{W-When did she arrive? I wasn't able to sense her!} She exclaimed inwardly, as even she was startled, sitting up straight in her bed.
Vanessa used to come here almost every two or three days later—Sophie knew it, but she didn't tell Alex until now. It was not because she wanted to hide it, but because Vanessa didn't seem to have any ill intentions and was just here to look at her son sleeping without wanting to be discovered.
Sophie was just letting Vanessa's little sneaking secret a secret.
The key point was that Sophie had always been able to sense Vanessa's presence when she came. Today, however, she couldn't!
Alex, on the other hand, just sighed. His gaze softened as he looked at his mother. "She looks tired," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
Without saying anything else, he carefully slid off the bed, taking a blanket and draping it over her. Vanessa stirred slightly but didn't wake, her expression softening as she relaxed under the warmth.
Alex stretched. "I need to do my exercise," muttering, he moved toward the bathroom, seemingly brushing aside lingering questions for now.
Behind him, Vanessa's eyes fluttered open. She watched him quietly, her gaze lingering on his retreating figure. Her hand clutched the edge of the blanket, and for a moment, her lips trembled as though she wanted to smile. But no smile came.
Soon, she closed her eyes as her body ached in pain and exhaustion weighed her down, and before she knew it, she had slipped back into the solace of sleep.