Half an hour later, Alice was picked up from her home and quietly slipped into the car, careful not to disturb Veil, who appeared to be sleeping in the backseat. She sat beside him, her mind heavy with unspoken worries, her usual cheerfulness replaced by a somber silence.
Even after they arrived at their destination and stepped out of the car, Alice trailed behind Veil, her head down, her thoughts clearly elsewhere.
Before them lay the ruins of Starlight Orphanage, its once-familiar structure now reduced to rubble. Veil walked slowly, stopping in front of a lone swing that had somehow survived the demolition. Alice, lost in her thoughts, bumped into him from behind.
"What's wrong? You seem distracted," Veil turned, gently patting her head. His voice was soft, almost tender. "Did someone bully you? Tell me, and I'll make them regret it."
Alice looked up, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Young Master, why has Roy become like this? Today, he not only followed me but also accused you of things. Miss Murphy mentioned he's been slandering you to her too. And then…"
She hesitated, her voice trembling. "This evening, a huge sum of money suddenly appeared in my bank account. I think it was from Roy. What does he think I am? That I'm only with you because of money?"
In Alice's heart, Roy had always been like a younger brother. She had imagined his return, their reunion, even finding him a kind and beautiful girlfriend. But now, all those dreams had shattered.
Roy had not only developed ulterior motives toward her but had also resorted to slandering Veil to get what he wanted. And now, he was trying to buy her affection with money.
What did he think of her? That she was some gold-digger who stayed with Veil for his wealth?
Alice's disappointment wasn't just anger—it was a deep, aching sadness. Roy, the boy she had once seen as family, had become someone she barely recognized.
"People change over time," Veil said, pulling her into a warm embrace. His chin rested on her shoulder, his voice a soft murmur in her ear. "It's just how life is."
He didn't mention the money Roy had sent, choosing instead to focus on comforting her.
Alice froze for a moment, her cheeks flushing. She didn't pull away, nor did she feel the urge to. In fact, being held like this, especially in her moment of vulnerability, filled her with a sense of trust and warmth she hadn't realized she needed.
"You've changed too, Alice, though you might not see it," Veil said, pulling back slightly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a slightly rusted metal box, holding it up for her to see. "Do you remember this?"
Alice's eyes widened in surprise. "Young Master, where did you get this?"
The box was something from her childhood. Back then, she had been a dreamer, writing down her wishes and hiding them away. She couldn't afford a fancy wish bottle, so she'd used this old metal box instead.
Over time, she'd forgotten about it, never imagining it would resurface in Veil's hands.
Without answering, Veil opened the box and pulled out a piece of paper. The writing was still legible, though the characters were a little crooked—evidence of a young Alice's hand.
He began to read aloud:
"Today, Grandma the headmistress said we're running out of money again. I want to grow up and earn lots of money so Grandma won't have to worry about it anymore."
"Today, a kid in the orphanage found a coin and bought two ice creams. They looked so happy eating them. I want to earn lots of money too, not just for Grandma, but also to buy myself ice cream."
"Grandma said girls should find a good boyfriend when they grow up, someone who will treat them well. I want to find someone like that."
"Today, I saw a girl and her boyfriend at the amusement park on TV. They looked so happy. I want to go to the amusement park too, with a good boyfriend like Grandma said."
As Veil read each wish, Alice's face turned increasingly red, the blush spreading to her neck. She felt like steam might start pouring out of her ears.
"Stop it, Young Master!" she pleaded, reaching out to snatch the papers from his hands. "These are just silly things I wrote as a child. They don't mean anything anymore! Please don't read them!"
But Veil held the box just out of her reach, his expression softening as he looked into her eyes.
"To you, these might just be childish wishes, but to me, they're something special. They're the dreams you once held dear. Even if they're from your childhood, I want to help you fulfill them."
He took her hand, his gaze steady and sincere. "Alice, I'm greedy. I have so many requests. I want to eat ice cream with you, go to the amusement park with you, watch the sunrise with you…"
"I'm so greedy that I want to help you fulfill every single one of your wishes. So, will you let me?"
For a long moment, they simply stood there, gazing at each other.
Alice was frozen in place, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. It wasn't anger or sadness that filled her—just pure, overwhelming emotion. She didn't know how to respond, her mind blank except for the warmth spreading through her chest.
Veil took a step closer, his presence enveloping her.
Instinctively, Alice closed her eyes, her lips parting slightly as she leaned in, waiting.
A soft chuckle broke the silence.
"Little troublemaker."
Alice's eyes flew open at the teasing tone, her face flushing crimson as she realized what she'd just done. "Young Master!" she whined, hiding her face against his shoulder. "You're so mean..."
Veil pinched her nose playfully. "I just didn't want you getting too addicted to my punishments. We've got a lot to do tonight, and if we're late, the amusement park will close before we even get there."
Alice nodded eagerly, clinging to his arm as they walked back to the car. Even under Kai's amused gaze, she refused to let go. Being teased was nothing compared to the comfort of staying close to Veil—the warmth in her heart threatened to overflow otherwise.
.....
The amusement park at night was a glittering spectacle, alive with neon lights and the laughter of couples strolling hand in hand.
Veil and Alice, arms linked, should have blended right in.
But they didn't.
Veil's effortless charm drew glances wherever he went, and tonight was no exception. Young women nudged their boyfriends, whispering behind their hands as they eyed Alice with poorly concealed envy.
"Seriously? Guys like that go for girls like her? She's pretty, but I've got way more going on up top."
"Pretty face, flat chest. What's the big deal?"
"Ugh, why can't I be the one on his arm?"
The comments, loud enough to reach Alice's ears, made her grip on Veil's sleeve tighten. She glanced down at herself, her lips pursing in quiet dismay.
She knew Veil preferred curves. Why else would he insist on her drinking papaya soup every day? She'd been dutifully following his "orders," even feeling a faint warmth in her chest at night—as if something were growing.
But it wasn't enough.
A pang of insecurity made her loosen her hold slightly, not out of reluctance, but fear—what if Veil noticed? What if he decided she wasn't enough?
Her heart ached at the thought.
They stopped at a dessert stand, each picking up an ice cream cone before heading toward the Ferris wheel.
Alice barely touched hers, lost in thought until Veil leaned over to take a bite of her melting treat.
"Not hungry?" he asked, licking a stray drop from the corner of his mouth.
Alice shook her head, then absentmindedly licked the spot where his lips had been.
Veil followed her gaze, realizing with amusement where her attention had drifted.
So that's what's bothering her.
He leaned in, his breath warm against her ear as he whispered, "See something interesting down there?"
Alice jolted, her entire body flushing scarlet. The sensation was so overwhelming she nearly dropped her ice cream, her knees wobbling as if her soul were about to float right out of her body.
"Young Master!" she squeaked, shrinking into herself.
Veil chuckled, pressing a kiss to the shell of her ear. "It does look nice. I like it."
Alice bit her lip, her voice small. "You're just saying that. You made me drink papaya soup before… You like them bigger, don't you?"
The admission was tinged with sadness. She wasn't small, but she certainly wasn't what those girls had.
Veil's lips brushed the corner of her mouth in a quick, stolen kiss. "You're right," he murmured. "I do like them big."
Alice's heart sank.
Then his voice dropped lower, his breath hot against her skin.
"But you know what I like even more?"
Alice shook her head, wide-eyed.
Veil's grin turned wicked.
"Watching them grow in my hands from small… to just right."
Alice's whole body went weak at his words. Her bright, lively eyes shimmered with panic, yet she couldn't look away. Part of her was embarrassed, but another part suddenly felt like a knot in her heart had been untied?
Veil took her hand and boarded the Ferris wheel with the staff's guidance. As the enclosed cabin gradually rose, the space for just the two of them seemed particularly small.
The moon hung high in the sky, stars dotting the night. From the height of the Ferris wheel, the dazzling lights and luxurious night view of Veyport City spread out before them.
The traffic on the roads seemed more congested than usual, with police cars occasionally weaving through at high speed, as if dealing with some major incident under urgent investigation.
"Has it started already?"
Veil watched the increased police presence with a cold smile. That old bastard Kosdy Murphy was truly going crazy - this was just the beginning and he was already flexing his influence like this?
It was actually good for Kosdy Murphy to conveniently become one of his chess pieces. And of course, it was even better for Veil himself.
When Julia had been kidnapped before, even if it was just for show, why hadn't Kosdy been this frantic? This level of favoritism toward sons over daughters was really something else.
As he pondered, Veil collected his thoughts and turned to look at Alice sitting beside him. Head bowed, she was playing with her fingers absentmindedly, appearing lost in thought. But the way she occasionally peeked at him from the corner of her eye betrayed her inner turmoil.
"Young Master~"
Alice let out a soft cry as she was suddenly lifted up before she could say anything, finding herself seated on Veil's lap. Leaning back against his warm chest, she hunched her shoulders nervously like a little rabbit.
Remembering what Young Master had said earlier on the walk, her heart pounded faster and faster. She was afraid - just having Young Master rub her belly before had already felt so wonderful and exciting. What would happen if he really touched her other places? Or if Veil wanted to put something inside her body - would she even be able to handle it?
"The higher you stand, the farther you can see. Although Veyport City isn't the most prosperous, its night view is truly first-class." Veil wrapped his arms around her slim waist and pointed out the window. "From where you were sitting inside, you could only see the amusement park. From here, you can see the whole city."
Cuddled in Veil's embrace, how could Alice possibly focus on the night view? Her cheeks burned so hot she could barely lift her head from embarrassment.
Here Young Master was earnestly showing her the night scenery, while her mind kept wandering to all sorts of inappropriate thoughts. This was really too shameless!
Looking at Young Master who seemed to be seriously admiring the view, Alice felt her thoughts becoming increasingly abnormal. She didn't know why, but every time she was alone with Young Master, her mind would conjure up these shameful fantasies.