Primrose visits her parents a few days later after she comes back from Forgotten Hollow with Caleb and expresses her gratitude that they had prepared her for the mess at House Cents's party.

"Well, I'm just glad that you are safe." Rosalina takes a sip of her tea "We were very worried about you."

"I know, but I was saved, thanks to you and your gift."

Primrose smiles when she remembers what Lumera and Marlin gave her before the Duello against Seraphina. Her mother nods, expressing that she has sensed danger coming, and asks her mentor to deliver the weapon to her. The raven head is surprised to hear this, but such preparation sounds exactly like how Rosalina would do. Her mother has such a high intuition and she admires her for that.

She continues to talk about Forgotten Hollow and how different that town is compared to anywhere she has seen before. The mystery veil that wraps around the dark and eerie town of Forgotten Hollow is a complete contrast to the whimsical, floating island of Glimmerbrook School of Magic. Primrose mentions the Vatore estate and how beautiful their rose garden is, a vast whiteness that stretches beyond the horizon, pure and elegant, imprinting the whole estate with its lovely fragrance.

"And their reading room is absolutely gorgeous, Mom!"

"Ah, I see. I was waiting for you to tell me that." Rosalina smiles "It would be very weird if an estate doesn't have a reading room."

"And all the books. Oh, they are just so beautiful…" her eyes twinkle in joy as she remembers the extended collection of books at House Vatore's reading room "I just wish I could have more time reading them."

"Well, I would assume that you will be back there soon, considering how he has introduced you as his…" the older woman clears her voice, finding the word too awkward to say "…mate…"

Primrose's face turns bright red at her mother's words. She is too caught up with the town and its people and the duel between her and Seraphina that she has completely ignored the fact that Caleb has introduced her to all the vampire nobles as his mate, his future bride. She is honored with the title and she has fought her way to prove herself worthy of such a name, but Caleb and her are still…

"Don't tell me that you guys are not dating yet…?" Rosalina picks up her daughter's uncomfortable behavior, raising a brow "Primrose?"

"N-not really. Back then, we weren't even dating and when we got back together, Caleb and I just picked up where we left off, so…"

"But he sees you as his mate, and you told me that you can't let him go. Where does that leave you guys? Getting to know each other? Dating? Engaged? What is it?"

The raven head just sighs, shaking her head in response. She wishes to speak up about this small confusion but even she doesn't know where they are at. They have not even said they love each other, let alone clarify their current relationship. The feelings they hold for each other are strong to the point Primrose believes she can move mountains with them. But at the same time, it is fragile, like a precious gem that can break even with the smallest movement.

Caleb is very patient with her and while her affection for him only grows stronger, she is afraid of taking the next step…

"What is it that you are scared of, Primrose?" Rosalina asks her "Is it because he left you in the past and now you are afraid of committing to this relationship?"

"Maybe, I don't know. But…"

Once she is committed to this relationship, and then what? The unknown future is full of surprises and yet, Primrose doesn't know if she is brave enough to face them with him. But she is too far in to back away from this, so the only thing the raven head knows how to do is just allow herself to be comfortable with the current situation, whether they are dating or not.

"Then allow me to ask you this question. Do you love him, Primrose?"

She stares at her mother, almost surprised at her words. Of course, she does, why would she do all of this if she doesn't…

"You can not let him go, but that doesn't mean you love him. You can let him go because you love him so much. Your feelings may be strong, but are they just an admiration for Caleb Vatore?" Rosalina continues to press on the matter of her heart "Do you see him as the man who you are willing to commit to for the rest of your life?"

Primrose bites her bottom lips, fingers rubbing against each other as she allows her mother's words to sink in. Is she just mistaken these feelings for love? Maybe her affection for him is just an admiration she held on to since her teenage years. But if that is the case, then why is her heart beating fast whenever she sees him? Why does his embrace always feel so warm and safe, despite his nature as a vampire? Why is it that she is willing to face all obstacles just for him?

"I…"

I love him…

But she is too afraid to say those words, fearing that the weight of them will eventually break the fragile connection she shares with him…

"If you truly love him, Primrose, don't hesitate to tell him. For love is the most beautiful thing you can give to a person you hold dear…" Rosalina holds a hand to her heart, smiling fondly when she thinks about Edward and everything that he did to be with her.

Primrose nods, feeling grateful for her mother's support, but their conversation is cut short. A loud voice booms in the still air, drawing their attention. It is Nathaniel and he has arrived along with Edward, who just got back from work.

The moment the blond sees Primrose, he feels his anger slowly flare up again. The young mage is completely oblivious to her younger brother's concern, telling him about her time in Forgotten Hollow. In her mind, she is just sharing her experiences as she enjoys her stay at the Vatore estate a lot. Edward smiles at his daughter's words, while there were some unexpected events at House Cents's manor, everything seemed to be fine overall.

But Nathaniel is not so happy about it. He grows even more concerned when she tells him about the duel between her and Seraphina, wondering what makes Caleb Vatore so special that she is willing to fight for him. Despite his girlfriend's words coming to his mind about how choosing to leave Primrose was Caleb's only option, the blond can't help but feel like his sister is being taken advantage of.

"Primrose, you are a fool!"

She raises an eyebrow and her lips form a thin line, very taken aback by his comment.

"I thought that you were much smarter than this. But you are a fool."

Rosalina sits up straight, planning to intervene. But Edward stops her, motioning her to stand by.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Primrose raises her voice, now standing up from her seat.

"What you are doing is literally digging your own grave, Prims. And you know what I mean." he turns to her, slamming his hand on the kitchen counter "He is using you for his own gain and you are just one of many of his pawns. Once he is done with you, he will throw you away, just like how he did before."

Her voice hitches at her brother's cruel words, biting her lips tightly to the point it is threatening to bleed. What he just said was uncalled for.

"This is my life and my choice. You don't have any say in this!" she yells back defensively "Mind your own business, Nathaniel!"

"It is my business to stop you from going on the wrong path. He hurt you before, and he will do it again. History will repeat itself Prims, whether you like it or not."

"Caleb has changed, he is not the same person as he was before. And I'm willing to give him a second chance." her grip tightens, her knuckles turning white and the flame inside her grows stronger each moment passes by.

"Alright, that is enough!" Edward steps in, standing between his children and sending them a warning look "We all know that you are worried about her, but Primrose is an adult. She can figure things out for herself. You need to trust her, Nathaniel."

The blond scoffs at his father's words. He knows that their parents will side with Primrose on this, bringing Caleb Vatore over to persuade them with such honeyed words. They might fall for that but not him, Nathaniel refuses to give in when he can clearly see how this so-called relationship would end for her.

"Gullible fool! Don't come crying to me when he breaks your heart again." barking at his sister, Nathaniel's face flares up as he balls his fist, landing the final nail to the coffin.

"Nathaniel!"

Her heart sinks the moment those words come out of her younger brother's mouth. It hurts, such cruelness he has for her and Caleb. She thinks that he will understand where she is at and support her decision, but Nathaniel does something much worse. He who called himself her protector has broken her heart. It is not Caleb Vatore but her beloved brother, Nathaniel Emberlynn.

Her eyes well up, her chest tightens with tremendous pain, and her whole body tense as the lump in her throat proves to be difficult to swallow. Nathaniel does not hurt her with his words, he just stabs her heart with a dagger and breaks it into pieces.

Nathaniel's harsh words, the reality of her relationship with Caleb, the stress of proving herself to everyone, everything becomes too much for her to bear. The pain she feels, along with the distress has sent her body to its breaking point. Her vision becomes blurry as Primrose holds onto the kitchen counter, hoping to keep her balance. But her legs give in and everything in front of her begins to spin.

"Primrose, Primrose!"

She can hear Nathaniel's voice calling her, but even that is too painful for her ears. Her eyelids become heavy and before Primrose knows it, everything turns black…

When Caleb receives a call from Edward informing him about what happened to Primrose, his heart just comes to a stop. He appears in front of Primrose's parents' house as soon as he can, marking this drive as one of, if not, the fastest he has ever done in centuries of living in this world. The urgency to be by Primrose's side is overwhelming, and he arrives as quickly as possible to be with her.

"Lord Vatore…"

"Caleb is fine." panting as he steps foot inside the house, he turns to Edward with a grim expression "Mr. Emberlynn, where is she?"

"She is in the living room with her mom right now, but she is still unconscious."

His heart sinks at the news as he makes his way to where Primrose is resting. There is an unwelcoming air when he is next to her and Caleb knows that that pair of blue eyes are gluing on him, watching his every move. But he does not have time to worry about that right now…

His brows knit at the sight of her, pale face as if she is sick and tears still welling up in the corner of her closing eyes. Whatever causes her this much distress has to be very serious and Caleb already has an idea of what is going on, especially when the young blond is leaning against the wall, arms crossing as he watches his sister with guilt in his eyes.

"Did you check her blood pressure?"

"We did. It went down a little bit." Rosalina informs him "But it is best to bring her home now, considering…"

Eyeing at her son, she sighs again. Nathaniel and Primrose have arguments here and there but never to the point of her fainting like this. The moment that insult came out of his mouth, she cursed herself for not fast enough to stop him from saying it. Primrose has been through enough, especially after what happened at the party she attended with Caleb. The last thing she wants to hear is her own brother berating her like that.

"Primrose, can you hear me?"

Caleb stays by her side, speaking softly to the unconscious raven head. Her response is with a soft groan, making him sigh in relief. Primrose is still able to make out his voice.

"You're going to be okay, beloved. I promise you that."

Planting a kiss on her forehead, he slowly and carefully cradles her into his arms, allowing her head to rest against his chest. Nathaniel's watchful eyes are still on him, on his sister, skeptical about Caleb's actions and guilty of what he has done to her. Even now his heart is still racing, worried for Primrose's sake yet he knows that nothing he says and does can erase the pain he has caused her.

How ironic…

It is not Caleb Vatore who causes her to cry, it is him, her kin, her beloved younger brother…

While he still holds a prejudice against the vampire lord, he remains silent, watching everything unfold in front of his eyes. Caleb says goodbye to her folks, bringing her to his car and sitting her down carefully in the passenger seat. Rosalina follows, helping him with his belongings as she wraps the white doctor's coat around her daughter, hoping that the family scent of Caleb will provide comfort.

"Thank you."

"No, thank you." Rosalina sighs, thinking to herself a little bit before continuing "Please, you must forgive Nathaniel. He…he just wants to protect his sister…"

"I understand, I hold no grudge against him." Caleb nods "I just hope that he would find a place in his heart to forgive what I did to Primrose."

"He will. I can promise you that…" her smile is rueful, knowing that Edward is now letting Nathaniel have a piece of his mind "Please drive safe."

"Thank you, ma'am."

Caleb drives off, careful and steady, knowing that the last thing Primrose needs right now is a bumpy road. The silence grows louder and his hand seeks for hers, holding onto it tightly in hopes that the warmth of her fragile body can ease the tension in his heart. Caleb steals a glance at her every 5 minutes, checking the rise and fall of her chest, ready to steer his wheel to the hospital if anything happens.

When they arrive at the apartment building, Caleb acts hasty, bringing her into his apartment instead of hers. She can not stay alone in this condition. Laying her on his bed, he tugs her in, putting a few bottles of water on the nightstand for her to use when she wakes up. Lilian, her best friend and his coworker, texts him, asking if everything is okay. She is worried the moment she hears Caleb informs her about what happened to Primrose.

"Caleb…"

He shifts his attention to her, noticing that she is mumbling deliriously, and even when she is unconscious, Primrose still calls out his name.

"I'm here, beloved. I'm right by your side now."

Patting her head gently, Caleb sighs, a wave of emotions washing over him. He is glad that she seeks out for him and yet, seeing her pale face pains him. While he believes that whatever happened between her and Nathaniel is the main reason for her to be unconscious, he feels like there is a bigger picture than this. Primrose has proved herself to be emotionally resilient, a disagreement between her and the blond can not possibly lead to this.

A soft groan escapes her lips as onyx eyes slowly open, tired and exhausted. Where is she…?

"Primrose, you're awake."

Caleb exhales in relief the moment he sees those lovely orbs flutter, she is still dazed but manages to make out his face amidst the blurriness.

"Caleb…?"

"I'm here, beloved. I'm right here…"

She blinks a few times, her vision becomes clearer as she finally sees his handsome face. Her thoughts, although scattered, slowly piece together as she recalls the heated argument between her and Nathaniel. His hurtful words and cruel remarks about her and Caleb together…

Thinking about it makes her eyes well up again…

Her brother, her beloved younger brother, has hurt her deeply…

But it is not only that. She thinks about her future with Caleb, how many obstacles she has to face on this path, can she even succeed or not, the emotional toll is too much for her body to withstand. And Nathaniel's insult is the final nail in the coffin for her…

"Caleb…"

With a trembling hand, she reaches out to him, knowing that his embrace is the only thing that can ground her to her sanity. He holds onto her, tangling their fingers together as he sits on the bed, his lips grazing on her forehead with a comforting kiss.

"My brother…He…"

"Look at me, look at me now, beloved." her eyes search for his silver orbs, there is still a hint of distress as she stares at him "Don't think about anything else. You are safe with me."

She nods softly, tears streaming down as she allows herself to have a moment of vulnerability. Primrose has been crying a lot lately ever since she met him again in that nightclub. She knows that crying is for a weak heart but she can not help herself. The emotional turmoil that keeps bubbling inside her threatens to explode anytime and crying is the only way she knows to soothe herself and the dilemma resides in her.

Primrose feels weak, she feels vulnerable. She is scarred by her past and scared of what has yet to come…

A hand caresses her cheek as his finger graciously brushes her tears away, silently holding her close as he lays on the bed with her, offering his comforting embrace. Brushing her hair and massaging her scalp, she hums in response, enjoying the affection he gives her with closing eyes.

She squeezes his hand with the little strength she has left, an act of gratitude. It is only in times like this that she finds solace in his embrace, enjoying their moment together. There is no political turmoil, no duel for his heart, no family members disapproving of her choice, it's just her and Caleb in each other's arms, feeling at peace and content with what they are sharing.

"I love you…"

Her eyes widen at the confession. It comes out of the blue, unexpected, unprepared, and yet, so genuine. He holds her closer, resting his chin on her forehead. The confession still hangs on the air, waiting for an answer. Maybe he is pushing her too much, maybe he is being selfish, maybe he is being insensitive, Caleb doesn't know. Primrose just regained her consciousness and yet, he chooses this time to express his feelings. It makes him want to curse at himself for ignoring her needs, but instead of any rejection, he feels a trembling hand holding onto his shirt. Her face, bright red, is hiding in his chest, overwhelmed by his declaration of love.

So he says nothing, holding her close and pressing his lips on top of her head, another reassuring kiss. The night is still young after all…