Viviana's bodyguards insisted she should sleep in the guest room. But Viviana insisted on sleeping with Elyza. She didn't mind at all, after all, she had just won Elyza's heart over her own grandfather's. She smirked smugly at Vincent, who pouted like a puppy. Viviana laughed proudly, as if she'd just won a trophy.
Elizabeth guided her father back to his bedroom, while Elyza led Viviana upstairs to her room.
The house was four stories tall, and Elyza's room was on the third floor. They decided to take the stairs instead of the elevator, Elyza was athletic, after all. She secretly played basketball with her uncle, father, and friends. Her crush included.
Viviana didn't mind the stairs, even though her bodyguards kept offering to help her up because of her age.
"Don't remind me I'm old," she snapped flatly, brushing them off. "I'm still capable of doing what youngsters can do these days." Her tone was rude and arrogantly defiant.
They finally reached Elyza's room. Viviana was secretly panting, and Elyza noticed.
"Grand Aunt, are you okay?"
Viviana quickly straightened her back and walked forward as elegantly as possible. "I'm fine, peasant," she scoffed. Her pride wouldn't let her admit otherwise.
Elyza opened the door to her bedroom. Compared to Viviana's usual standards, the room wasn't that big. Viviana, obsessed with power, wealth, gems, and luxury, was used to rooms the size of entire penthouse floors, bedrooms equivalent to ten or more apartment units, filled with expensive things. But Elyza's room? It felt tiny in comparison.
For most people, though, the room was huge. It was roughly the size of four apartment units, just for her alone.
Bookshelves lined the walls, with a basketball perched on top. A hoop was mounted above the door. Several musical instruments rested on one side. Her bed sat near the large window, and a sofa was positioned close to the entrance. The walls were painted a cool blue, and printed posters decorated them, not of K-pop idols or Hollywood celebrities, but of her favorite characters from video game.
Her biases weren't real-life stars.
They were fictional legends.
"I'll take the sofa. You can have my bed, Grandaunt," Elyza said, settling onto the sofa while Viviana gracefully sat on the edge of the bed.
"Just ask whatever," Elyza added, practically glowing with excitement as she reached for a thick book on the shelf.
Viviana raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"
Despite her usual poker face, Elyza looked as bright as the morning sun. "Oh, you might not recognize it because of the new cover, but this is that old novel that was super famous back in the 1980s. Grandpa never really got it, he's such a nature guy. But apparently, this novel was adapted into a game."
Viviana leaned back into the bed, relaxing against the pillows. "I'm aware. Vin always grumbles about how obsessed you are with your phone. Should I confiscate it?"
Elyza shook her head furiously. "No, please don't! I'm sure you'll understand me, Grandaunt, because…"
She pointed to the posters on the wall, seven in total.
"Those guys up there," she said proudly, "they're the seven male leads from the novel."
Viviana's eyes followed her finger. "You mean… from that novel?"
Elyza nodded with enthusiasm, her voice filled with reverence. "Yes!"
Viviana sighed as she wrapped herself in a blanket.
"Do you want to know how I first read that novel?"
Her tone was no longer rude or arrogant like usual. This time... it was calm and composed.
The clock read 10:20 p.m. Elyza leaned against the sofa. Her face remained expressionless, but anyone could tell, she was curious.
"Hm?" she murmured.
Viviana let out a bitter laugh. "Because your great-grandmother gave me that same novel as a gift on my 17th birthday. It was the last gift I received from my mother before she passed."
She smiled bitterly as she turned to look at Elyza.
Elyza blinked and gently set the thick book aside. Then, without saying much, she handed Viviana her phone.
"Well… I'm sorry, Grandaunt. I heard this novel was really popular back in the 1980s. It's still super popular now," she said, trying to encourage her by bringing up the novel's relevance.
Viviana smiled warmly, sincerely, this time. She looked beautiful in that moment.
"You see, little girl," she began, her voice softer now, "I read that novel out of curiosity. And… it was good. Really good. I was addicted to it. Especially the male leads."
She chuckled, her eyes glinting with nostalgia.
"I was fangirling over them."
Elyza beamed despite her usual poker face. Her eyes widened.
"Right? Which one is your favorite male lead?" she asked in the excited tone best friends might use.
"I think I preferred the exiled Emperor of the fallen empire… Zeuz Venozoir, right?" Viviana chuckled, her voice nostalgic.
"Uh-huh? And why's that?" Elyza asked, her imaginary dog tail practically wagging from excitement.
"First, because he's an Emperor. I love money and power," Viviana said proudly. "But secondly… I didn't like how the world saw him as a criminal when he was really just a victim. I pitied him."
"So you liked him out of pity?" Elyza asked, hugging the book to her chest.
"No, it's not just that," Viviana replied, shaking her head. "It's the way he talked… his looks… I mean, he was so fine. And he treated the female lead with such respect."
She turned away, a light blush coloring her cheeks.
"Damn it, Elyza. I'm too old for this stuff. Besides, that was when I was young."
Elyza smirked a little.
"Oh yeah? Then tell me, Grandaunt, why didn't you ever marry anyone? Who was your first love?"
That question startled Viviana. Her eyes widened, and she immediately cleared her throat, searching for an excuse.
She pointed toward the clock.
"Look, it's almost 11. You don't want to look haggard at tomorrow's event, right? The entire Carsten family will be there, your cousins and the other relatives. It's your great-grandmother's death anniversary."
Elyza pouted as Viviana closed her eyes.
Without saying another word, Elyza lay down on the sofa.
Eventually, both of them drifted off to sleep.
To be continued...