<h4>Chapter 189: The Little Stubborn Girl.</h4>


    Renn traced his fingers along her face, still unable to believe what had just happened between them. It felt unreal, like a dream so beautiful he never wanted to wake from. His heart knew the peace of it, but his mind reminded him that his brothers would soone, angry and disappointed, maybe even ready to break his door down. He had already prepared himself for that.


    It wasn’t his fault, he told himself. Fate had only chosen him to be the first, and he couldn’t stop himself from feeling lucky. He leaned down to kiss her forehead, watching her sleep, hershes resting softly against her cheeks. She had been asleep for hours, her body worn out, and he had not dared to wake her because she needed that rest.


    When her eyes fluttered open atst, Renn’s chest tightened. He cupped her face gently, his voice soft with affection. "The queen is awake."


    Her gaze on him brought a rush of surprise, and for a moment he feared she might not remember what had happened, or worse, that she might regret it. The thought alone made his heart ache.


    "How long have I been sleeping?" Ang asked, her voice quiet as she tried to focus her eyes. She caught the faint shadow in his expression, and it made her wonder if he thought she didn’t want to be there with him.


    "Three, maybe four hours. It’s evening now," he replied.


    "I overslept," she murmured, moving closer to him until she was nestled in his arms. She tilted her face up at him, and his lips curved into a smile as he held her tighter, making sure there was no space between them.


    "No, my love. You needed it." He pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, his words filled with warmth. "I’m the reason you’re tired."


    Ang smiled, her voice barely above a whisper. "It was worth it."


    "Do you regret that I’m the one who took your virginity?" Renn asked as he stared into her eyes. His voice was low, but inside he was terrified of what she might say.


    "No," Ang whispered softly, drawingzy circles on his chest with her fingers. "I wanted this, remember?" He gave a small nod and she smiled faintly before adding, "I enjoyed it."


    Renn let out a heavy breath, relief washing over him. He pulled her closer, shifting her gently until she was lying on top of him. She gave him a surprised look but didn’t resist, her lips curving because she liked the way it felt. "Go on, say it," Renn teased. "That I’m a beast."


    Ang raised a brow. "Are you reading my mind?"


    "Not exactly," he murmured. "But now that I’ve imed you, our bond is stronger. If my brothersplete it too, it will be stronger than ever. There are things we’ll be able to do that you can’t even imagine."


    Her curiosity lit up her face. "Like what?"


    "For example," he exined, "if you were in a faraway ce, even in another continent, and my brothers and I were here, we’d still be able to find you through the bond."


    Her lips parted slightly in surprise, her eyes shining with interest. She slipped off his chest and sat up, staring at him with eagerness. "I want to know more about what else we can do if the bond ispleted."


    Renn sat up too, brushing his hand across her arm. "It’s not easy to exin, but what you should know is that we’ve be one. Once my brothers also im you, everything will make sense. You might even unlock powers you never knew you had."


    Ang nodded slowly, her mind racing, before asking the question that lingered in her heart. "And what about what you said before? About the one who ims me first?"


    Renn’s gaze softened. "I don’t know yet, but we’ll find out soon." His hand slid to the back of her neck, drawing her close until their lips met again. This kiss was deeper, filled with love , as though he wanted to remind her that no matter what happened next, she was already his.


    *****


    Principal Valois lifted the bottle of water and drank deeply before closing it again. Her eyes returned to the letter in her hands, and her heart sank. She still could not believe that the Patriarch had sent her a reminder that time was running out. His words echoed in her head like a curse she could not shake.


    She ran her hand through her hair and let out a heavy sigh. How long could she go on living like this, always afraid, always waiting for the next blow to fall? One problem ended, and another immediately began. It was endless.


    The sleepless nights were starting to wear her down. For a week she had barely closed her eyes, her mind restless, filled with questions she could not answer. Should she hand Ang over to her father and seek refuge in him? But what if he turned out just like the Patriarch? What if he refused to help her at all, and the Patriarch finds out that she handed Ang over to Marcus. It would be over for Renn and her.


    No, she told herself firmly, that could not happen. She would never allow it.


    Valois pushed herself to her feet and grabbed her car keys. She needed to leave, needed to breathe, needed space to think. But just as she stepped out of her office, one of the female staff stopped her in the hallway.


    "I wanted to ask if I could clear Mr. de’s office and let another staff member have it," the woman said politely.


    Valois gave a quick nod without a word and hurried toward the parking lot. When she finally sat inside her car, she let out a long, trembling sigh. The weight she carried on her shoulders was crushing. Running the academy was no easy task, and she now understood why it had been left to her. The board had known how hard it would be, and deep inside she knew the truth. This was their way of punishing her for what happened years ago.


    Yes, that was it. They wanted her to suffer.


    Her phone beeped, pulling her out of her thoughts. It was a message from one of the men she had sent to trace Mr. de. He had vanished from the academy without a single trace. His office was still untouched, which only made the whole thing more suspicious. Thest time they had spoken about resignation, he had made it clear that he had no intention of leaving his job as a teacher. Yet a weekter, he was gone, and he had not even bothered to send in a resignation letter.


    The men she sent after him had nothing. They could not trace him anywhere. It was as though Mr. de had never existed. No wife, no children, no family, not even a lover to reach out to. He was a mystery, and Valois could not help but wonder if he had gotten himself into some kind of trouble.


    Her chest tightened as she gripped the steering wheel, and without thinking twice, she started the car and drove straight to the sportingplex. From there she went to thebat hall, searching for Ang. The examiner told her that Ang had been injured and was taken to the hospital.


    Valois wasted no time and went there, but when she arrived the nurses shook their heads. They imed that no student had been brought in. Confusion struck her. Why would the examiner say otherwise? Her thoughts turned dark. Did Ang lie just to get away? If that was the case, then this time the little girl had gone too far. Valois clenched her jaw, a cold decision forming in her mind. If Ang wanted to y games, she would punish her the only way she knew how...by giving her to the person who was meant to have her.


    With that thought burning inside her, she got back into her car and turned the wheel toward the west house. A bitter smile curved on her lips as she pressed harder on the gas. If she was right, Ang was probably there already, enjoying herself in Kaito’spany.