Danna entered the house, shoulders heavy, the day's weight dragging her steps. She dropped her bag and sank into the sofa, rubbing her forehead.
A voice pierced the silence almost immediately.
"Where were you? And why weren't you picking up my calls?"
Her mom stood in the doorway, arms crossed, worry mixed with frustration all over her face.
Danna looked up, her expression unreadable, the exhaustion buried deep in her eyes.
"Mom, Garson wasn't well, so I stayed with him," Danna said, her voice low but steady. "And… my phone battery died."
Her mom's expression shifted slightly — still stern, but now tinted with concern.
"The Garson who helped you the other day?" her mom asked, her voice softer now, laced with concern.
"Yes, Mom," Danna nodded slowly, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. "He was in high fever… I couldn't just leave him like that."
Her mom sat down beside her, the tension melting from her posture.
"You did the right thing," she said gently, brushing Danna's hair back. "But next time… let me know, alright? I was so worried."
Danna gave a small nod, resting her head briefly on her mom's shoulder.
"Okay."
"Mom… he lost his mother," Danna whispered, still leaning on her. "And… he looked really dull today. Like he hadn't slept, hadn't eaten... like he was carrying something way too heavy."
Her mom took a deep breath, her fingers pausing in Danna's hair.
"Oh, Dear…" she said softly. "That kind of pain doesn't go away easily."
Danna nodded. "I know. That's why I stayed."
Her mom pulled her into a light hug. "You did something kind today. That matters, even if no one else sees it."
"Dad also left like that," Danna whispered, her voice barely holding together.
Her mom looked at her, eyes softening instantly.
"Today… I got to know Garson lost someone precious too," she continued, blinking back the sting in her eyes. "And maybe that's why… my heart stayed."
Her mother reached out and held her hand, a quiet understanding settling between them.
"Because you saw yourself in his grief," she said gently.
Danna nodded, silent, her thoughts far away — with the boy who smiled through pain, just like she used to.
"Okay, Mom… I'm going to sleep," Danna said quietly, picking up her bag.
Her mom just nodded, watching her daughter disappear up the stairs — slower than usual, a little more thoughtful, a little more fragile.
The hallway was dim, and Danna's steps echoed gently as she reached her room. She closed the door behind her, leaned against it for a second… and exhaled.
Sometimes it's not the body that's tired — it's the heart.
It was morning, and Danna was almost ready for university when Garson's face flashed through her mind — pale, tired, and in pain.
Without thinking much, she picked up her phone and called Aiden.
"Is Garson okay now?" she asked, trying to sound casual, though the curiosity in her voice gave her away.
"He's better," Aiden replied. "Resting at home. Why?"
Danna hesitated for a second. "Could you… drop me to his house?"
Aiden paused. "His house?"
"Yeah… when he collapsed yesterday, a necklace fell from his pocket. I forgot to return it in all the panic," she explained softly.
"Oh, the necklace!" Aiden sounded surprised. "He was searching for it everywhere yesterday — even refused to go home. I had to drag him back."
Danna's fingers tightened around the small necklace in her hand.
"Okay, I'm coming. Just message me your address," Aiden said before hanging up.
Danna stared at the necklace in her hand — silver, with a delicate rose in the center, its petals and leaves finely crafted.
She liked its quiet beauty, but a question lingered in her mind: Who could it belong to?
It looked like a woman's necklace, but somehow, holding it felt like holding a piece of a hidden story.
Aiden arrived in no time, parking his car outside Danna's house.
Danna grabbed her bag and the silver necklace, stepping outside into the fresh morning air.
"Ready?" Aiden asked, already buckling up.
She nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Let's go."
As they drove, Danna couldn't help but wonder about the story behind the delicate rose — and the person it belonged to.
Aiden stopped the car in front of Garson's mansion.
Danna's eyes widened as she took in the grand, imposing house — tall gates, perfectly trimmed hedges, and windows that gleamed in the morning sun.
It was a world away from the quiet pain she'd seen in Garson's eyes yesterday.
She couldn't help but wonder what secrets hid behind those walls.
Aiden pressed the doorbell, and a moment later, a voice came through the security speaker.
"Who's there? What's your business? Whom do you want to see?" the guard asked, his tone cautious but professional.
Aiden answered calmly, "It's Aiden. I visit Garson often. We're here to see him."
There was a brief pause, then the guard replied, "Alright. Please wait. I'll inform Garson sir about your visit."
Danna and Aiden exchanged a quick glance as they waited by the gate, the quiet hum of the estate around them.
"You can go," the guard said, opening the gate.
Danna stepped inside, momentarily stunned by the mansion's grandeur — polished marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and walls lined with expensive art.
Garson's father wasn't home; he was at the office. James had gone out with friends, and Garson's stepmother had left for shopping. The house was silent except for the faint sounds of footsteps and distant music.
Aiden gently guided Danna toward the grand staircase. As they climbed the steps, a maid appeared and knocked softly on Garson's bedroom door.
"Sir, you have visitors," she said.
Garson's voice came from inside. "Allow them in."
Garson looked up to see Danna standing there, wearing a red shirt and blue jeans, her hair tied in a neat bun. His heart skipped a beat — just for a moment.
"Hey man, how are you doing?" Aiden greeted casually as he sat down beside Garson.
"I'm fine," Garson replied, his eyes narrowing slightly. Then, with a smirk, he glanced at Danna. "What brings you two here this early? Especially you," he said, voice dripping with playful challenge, "bringing my enemy into my house."
"This 'enemy' of yours helped you yesterday, for your kind of information," Danna said, rolling her eyes with a smirk.
"Oh, oh, before you two start," Aiden interrupted with a grin, "Garson, she wanted to give you your necklace. And second — I have to leave; need to pick someone up. Danna, you can tell Garson to drop you at university."
He winked at Garson, who raised an eyebrow.
"But you can't just leave me like this!" Danna called out as Aiden headed for the door.
She was about to follow when Garson's voice stopped her cold.
"Miss Coffee, stop right there."
Danna turned back, her heart pounding as Garson's sharp gaze pinned her in place.
"Where's my necklace?" he asked, his voice low and steady — commanding, yet somehow soft beneath it all.
Danna pulled the necklace from her bag and held it out.
"Here," she said softly.
Garson smirked, eyes glinting with mischief. "Okay, come closer. How else am I supposed to take it?"
Garson extended his hand for the necklace.
Danna carefully placed it on his palm, but their fingers brushed softly—an almost electric touch.
Their eyes locked—his sharp gaze piercing, hers wide and vulnerable, those hazel depths shimmering with a hint of something unspoken.
Feeling the weight of his stare, Danna quickly pulled her hand back, her heart fluttering.
"Okay, I'll go now," Danna said, trying to keep her voice steady.
"You can't," Garson replied with a slow, teasing smirk.
Garson's eyes locked onto hers — deep, unreadable, and burning with something she couldn't name.
For a second, Danna forgot where she was, who she was… his gaze made her forget her very existence.