The air between them stands still, peaceful and frightening at the same time. The grip Primrose has on his shirt doesn't cease to loosen, her onyx orbs stare at him, glistering with tears. Waves of emotion wash over her, confused, scared, and yet hopeful. She knows that Caleb is at his limit, hours of stressful work are taking over him and she can see the exhaustion in his eyes. She knows she is being selfish, keeping and trapping him like this, but she needs an answer from him.

She needs clarity from him and no one else…

Caleb's hands are on her shoulders, he has a tight grip but not enough to hurt her physically. There is a mixture of emotions running through his face when she inquires him about his decision years ago, hesitant, worried, and more that Primrose can't seem to put her fingers onto. She prides herself on knowing the depth of a person's heart, but there is something about Caleb that no matter how much she searches within his eyes, she can't seem to see through him. It's scary yet alluring, the mystery sprouting around him only draws her in even more.

But Primrose is here for an answer and as the silence grows louder, so are her tears.

Is her question something of a taboo? That the answer she is seeking is beyond their grasp?

The young lord feels a tug in his heart, his fingers graze on her cheek, brushing away the falling tears. Even though she is beautiful with a tearful face like this, Caleb doesn't want to see this side of her. Primrose is the most adorable when her face is adorned with a sweet and loving smile, not such sadness that even he finds it hard to ease.

The night weather sinks in, cold and clear, wrapping around them like a blanket. The gentle breeze caresses their skin, bringing in a scent of freshness and a hint of industrial as the cityscape extends beyond their reach. Caleb looks at her, silver eyes shining with worry, fear, and most of all regret. Her onyx orbs match the color of the night sky, dark and velvety, he can see the blanket of stars reflecting in them, and along with that, his own emotions too.

Caressing her cheek with his hand, he takes in a deep breath, ready to tell her what she wants to know and the truth she deserves.

"Leaving you was my only option, Primrose. The war and my people, I couldn't bear to see those things harm you." his voice is full of remorse and tenderness "Bringing you into my world, my mess, would only drag you down. You were young, Primrose, like a flower bud that was slowly blooming, I could not take the risk…"

His delicate fingers graze on her skin, brushing away the fallen tears as he continues to speak.

"In my darkest time, meeting you was like finding a light at the end of the tunnel. You were the light that shone through the dark and gruesome world of mine. Your optimistic, untainted views about the world were the only thing that grounded me in my sanity. I could not bear to lose you, nor I could destroy your innocence with my own hands." he shakes his head "I couldn't…"

The grip on his shirt slowly loosens as Primrose contemplates his words, confused and unsure how to respond. She had thought that he didn't care, that he was a coward for running away, but now…

Now what…?

"Why didn't you tell me?" her voice, barely a whisper, tired of everything that has happened until now "You turned down my confession, and then, you're just gone, vanishing in thin air. You made it seem like you didn't even care…"

Tears fall down even more, her eyes become puffy and red, but she keeps going. This is her only chance to know the truth, even if it means to open up the wound in her heart again.

"I deserve to know what happened. But you and everyone else kept me in the dark, the vampire civil war and everything." her sobbing increases "Was I that much of a burden to you too?"

"No, you were never a burden to me." almost as if he is panicking at her accusation, Caleb brings her closer to him, his eyes finding their way to her own "Beloved, you were nothing of that sort. There were complications, and expectations that needed to be met, including my duty as head of House Vatore. While we were able to defeat Vladislaus Straud, the prejudice against mortals was still there. And bringing you with me at that time would only hurt you even more."

"But I'm not…"

"I knew you were strong, back then and even now. Your magic was beyond anything that I knew about mages. But I could not take the risk, I couldn't let them hurt you…" his gaze softens "Winning the war was my only chance to end the cycle of the strong preying on the weak and allow vampires to live in harmony with humans. That was not only my dream, Primrose, but that also was my family's legacy and I had to do everything I could to make it happen."

Primrose stays silent, she doesn't know how or what to say. She is naïve to think that he did this to benefit himself, but now that she understands the depth of his decision, it makes her realize how selfish and out-of-touch she is to his world.

"However my decision caused the pain that you never deserve to experience. And for that, I'm sorry, beloved…" as his lips touch her forehead, his feelings soar high and seek their way to her heart "Leaving you was the biggest mistake of my life…"

His earnest words pull the strings of her heart. While Caleb was out there battling his way to turn his vision into reality, she was sitting in the comfort of her family's arms, blinded by the resentment and confusion she had for him.

Facts don't have feelings. The truth, while hurtful, serves as her way to understand Caleb's heart even more. Tears stream down her face, a mixture of sadness and relief. Sad by the fact that that was his last resort to protect her and in turn, causing the pain that she doesn't know if she can fully recover from it. Relief as she finally has the closure she desperately seeks, the truth about his disappearance and where his heart lies.

But the pain he has caused her is beyond repair. Even years later, she is not able to move on from the heartbreak and her life, while flourishing with all the achievements she has in her career, is never strong enough to welcome another person into it.

"Caleb, I…" she tries to speak up, hoping that her voice is calm enough to hold the conversation "It hurts, and I need time. Even years after what happened, I could not move on from the past and what you did. I, I…"

"I know, I fully understand, Primrose." his hold never loosened around her "My feelings for you have never changed, beloved. And I will wait, no matter how long it takes, I will wait for you."

They sit in silence, allowing the weight of their emotions and turmoil to sink in. The night brings an air of tranquility and wraps around them like a blanket. Time stays frozen in their embrace for the young couple to savor the moment of truth, pain, and a spark of hope for the future that has yet to come.

Lumera adds another herb to her potion and stirs the concoction using her magic. The soft floral scent coming out of the cauldron brings a soothing sense to Primrose and her overthinking mind, but the color of that substance is another story…

"So Caleb will be your date to the company's event?"

"He said yes, so…" the raven head circles the teacup in her hand "We had a conversation the other day..."

"How did it go?"

Primrose nods, recalling their heartfelt discussion of what happened in the past and how they could move on from it. While she still has her heart guarded at the possibility of being close to Caleb, how he conveyed his answer adds a light to their strained relationship and a spark of hope for reconnection.

Caleb's words aren't just fleeting thoughts that he made up to ease the tension between them, they hold weight and the determination to make amend to past mistakes. The way he held her close, how tender his kiss was, how he allowed her to see his reasons without pushing them onto her, thinking about it brought a small smile to her face.

The confusion she has carried all those years is slowly defused with each word coming out of his lips. While the heartbreak still resides within her, hearing the answers directly from Caleb allows her to have a broad scope of the current situation. The issues she has with him and their relationship are brought to daylight, allowing her to view them in a more objective way instead of relying on her own feelings.

And finally, his promise to wait for her, no matter how long it takes. If she is a normal girl who carries no weight of her past, that line will bring her down to her knees. It's the classic line in most romantic stories she has created and come across, one that captures the heart of anyone who receives it. But even when Primrose has walls around her heart, she can't deny the tingling and fuzzy feelings that make her heart skip a beat. His words, simple yet firm, are a vow that is meant for her and no one else.

"That sounds like a lovely conversation, my dear." Lumera smiles kindly at her.

"I think so too, but somehow…" touching her chest with one hand, she sighs "I can't seem to shake off the idea that he was the reason for this pain."

Lumara, still focusing on her potion, nods and hums in response to her statement. As someone who has seen both sides of their story, she has a more objective view of how and why Primrose is still carrying the foul feelings in her heart. She gets the shorter end of the stick after all and it will take time for Primrose to fully comprehend the scope of what happened between her and Caleb.

"It's normal to feel like that, Primrose." she turns to her pupil, softening her gaze "Up to that point, the only answers you have received are from me and Marlin. So when you hear Caleb's side of the story, it's only natural that you are skeptical about that."

"But I feel like I'm actually making a mountain out of a molehill…"

"It's your instinct trying to protect you. You were presented with a different story that was in contrast to what you believed." her mentor continues "While I'm not fond of the idea between you and Caleb's budding connection, I believe that you will make the right choice."

Primrose lowers her head, giving Lumera a light nod. Unlike Marlin who has an open mind about Caleb's circumstances and tells her to give him a second chance, stands her ground but keeps an open mind about the vampire lord and his quest for Primrose's heart.

With the upcoming event, the raven head's mind is torn between anticipation and nervousness. It will be the first time after years of separation that she allows Caleb to be with her in a close and intimate way, being her date to the company event. Maybe with this, she can see through her clouded mind and get a clear answer to her guarded heart.

But before she can think about what she needs to do with her date, there is something she must discuss with Lumera, particularly the overly bubbly concoction that is threatened to explode at any second.

"Lumera, that concoction…"

"It's beautiful, right? Just look at how vibrant the color is and how much bubble it's generating!"

's amethyst orbs shine brightly at the sight of her creation. The bubbles begin to overload the cauldron, spilling onto the floor. Primrose blinks a few times before moving her hand up, two water shields appear in front of her and Lumera, and before they can grasp on what happens next, the cauldron explodes.

A small flame lights up in her office as students of the Glimmebrook School of Magic are screaming and running out to the hall, pointing at the potential threat of a big fire on the school grounds. Primrose with her water magic put out the fire as quickly and efficiently as possible, she is glad that none of the substance of the concoction got onto her and the kind medtor.

"Lumera, are you okay?"

Marlin runs to his wife and does a full body check to see if there are any scratches on her. When he heard the explosion, the blond mage already knew what was going on. Primrose sighs, shaking her head to express her concern. She has seen Lumera's potion-making passion in action before, but this one is reaching a whole new level of explosion.

"My potion…" she cries out dramatically.

Despite the immediate danger subsides, Lumera's office is ruined by the bright yellow substance of her failed concoction. Yellow goo sticks onto any surface it lays on, the floor, the table, the drawers with potion ingredients, and more. Primrose wears a disgusting expression when the goo drips down from the ceiling, almost gagging at how horrible it looks.

"Maybe you should really consider taking advanced classes for potion crafting, Lumera…" the raven head eyeing her now failed result with a worried face "And another new office…"

"Nonsense, my crafting works perfectly fine!" she is quick to dismiss the idea and defends her craftsmanship.

"By fine, you mean bringing the whole school down with the explosion?" Primrose pinches the bridge of her nose, at least her water can put out the fire in time.

"You should take one too, Primrose. Haven't you already failed at the first two attempts?"

Primrose is baffled at her mentor's words, calling his statement uncalled for. There is no doubt that she has a low proficiency in potion crafting, despite hailing from the Minamoto family who are notorious for their skills in the art. Marlin shakes his head, both of these ladies do need a crash course in potion crafting before he even allows them to come near the cauldron again.

And this is the fifth cauldron his lovely wife has broken this year…