"Dark Love Beneath the Shadow of Death"

Magnus Von Eisenhardt stood on the balcony of his estate, his hands resting lightly on the armrests of his chair as he gazed at the river. His face was as calm as ever, his posture composed. In his hand, he held a delicate cobalt-blue goblet—the finest wine shimmering inside.

Yet his eyes were not on the water's gentle flow. Instead, his gaze was fixed on the two silhouettes beyond it.

Layla and Jasper.

Jasper, as usual, was cheerful, his movements carefree and unrestrained. But Magnus's attention lingered on Layla a little longer.

The wind played with Layla's golden hair, making it flutter like wings. Bathed in the sunlight, she appeared almost ethereal.

His closest servant, Felix, entered the room and bowed . "my lord, your orders?"

Without taking his eyes off Layla, Magnus spoke in a low voice. "Summon the gardener. The flowers need to be replaced."

Felix cleared his throat slightly and steadied his stance. "my lord., the gardener is unwell. He will not be able to work."

Magnus remained silent for a brief moment. Then, with the same tranquil tone, he said, "In that case, call for Edric Belmont. He is a man worthy of the task."

Felix nodded and left the room.

Magnus's gaze returned to the river. By now, Layla and Jasper had already moved farther away.

With his fingers, he lightly tapped the wooden armrest of his chair, then whispered under his breath:

"Sometimes, fate brings us together with someone… or perhaps, that meeting had already been written long ago."

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̴"Childhood Memories"̴

 Jasper and I reminisced about our childhood, laughing as we shared stories. Each memory grew more vivid, and our forgotten laughter echoed once again. Yet, no matter how much I tried to focus on our conversation, an unsettling feeling wouldn't leave me.

It felt as if someone was watching us from deep within the forest. A pair of unknown, cold eyes…

As we walked, we came across a large apple tree and instinctively stopped. The air was still, yet the wind carried a whispering sound, as if the trees themselves were speaking.

"Layla, do you remember?" Jasper asked with a mischievous grin. "Back when we used to steal apples from this tree and then stand in front of your grandfather with the most innocent expressions?"

I placed a hand on my hip and squinted at him. "Jasper, you were the one stealing. I was just an observer. The guilt is all yours!"

Jasper burst into laughter. "Oh, is that so? Well then, shall we relive our childhood today?"

I smirked and nodded. "Of course. But this time, we share the blame equally."

Taking a step forward, we reached up and plucked the biggest, ripest apples from the tree. Jasper took a bite of one, then turned to me with a satisfied smile.

"Still, the best apples grow on this tree," he declared.

I bit into my own apple and nodded in agreement. "You're right."

Yet, despite the warmth of nostalgia, my unease did not fade. The shadows of the trees stretched longer, as if creeping closer to us. A strange whisper drifted through the forest, barely audible.

I shivered.

Jasper, however, seemed completely unaware.

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̴"Unexpected Encounter"̴

 As we approached my grandfather's house, we saw him sitting on a wooden rocking chair, reading a newspaper. He slowly set it aside, but the moment his gaze landed on Jasper, his expression changed.

 "You, boy... what are you doing here?" he asked, his sharp eyes fixed on Jasper. "How did you know Layla moved here just yesterday? I never told anyone about it."

Jasper shrugged, trying to maintain his usual cheerful demeanor. "Edric, Grandpa, I found out by chance. I just wanted to see my old friend, that's all."

Grandfather eyed him suspiciously. "By chance, you say? Layla, had this boy contacted you beforehand?"

I turned to look at Jasper. He was as cheerful as ever, yet something in his eyes seemed concealed, as if he was holding something back.

"No, Grandpa," I finally said. "I wasn't expecting to see Jasper here."

Grandfather took a deep breath and placed a firm hand on Jasper's shoulder. "Layla is a reserved girl. I need to know who she spends her time with."

Jasper, sensing the weight of the moment, straightened up and tried to appear composed. "I'm just a good friend, Grandpa. I would never harm Layla."

Grandfather's lips curved into a faint smile, but his grip on Jasper's shoulder didn't loosen. "I believe you, but that doesn't mean I won't keep an eye on you, boy. A man must always be responsible."

Jasper squinted slightly and let out a light chuckle. "Learning from you, sir, would be an honor."

Grandfather responded to his joke with a half-serious, half-smiling expression. "We'll see…"

I handed him the finest apple. "This is the sweetest one, Grandpa."

As he took the apple, a warm smile appeared on his face. "Now, this is more like it. If you're willing to share your favorite apple with me, it means you're still a good girl."

Jasper smirked and sat down beside him. "So, being a good girl means sharing apples?"

Grandfather raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Everything in life must be shared, Jasper. Even secrets."

Jasper's smile remained, but for a brief moment, something unreadable flashed in his gaze.

Grandfather picked up his newspaper again, but his eyes lingered on Jasper. The wind whispered through the trees, carrying with it an unspoken mystery.

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̴"The Glutton's Punishment"̴

The somber forest loomed around us, the wind rustling through the leaves with an eerie murmur. The towering trees bent ever so slightly, as if watching us from above.

I turned to Jasper, and my eyes widened in shock. He was devouring the apples one by one, chewing with absolute delight. In his hands, only four apples remained.

Without thinking, I snatched them all from him.

"Jasper! You told me to bake an apple pie, and now you're eating all the apples yourself?!"

Jasper chewed the piece of apple in his mouth and shrugged. "Layla, I was only trying to pick the sweetest ones. But it turns out… they were all delicious!"

Grandfather set his newspaper down on the table and gave Jasper a look as if he were staring at a foolish child. "I don't know if this boy will die of hunger one day or sheer greed. Jasper, you remind me of a gluttonous ox from my childhood!"

Jasper laughed but immediately straightened up when he caught the sharpness in Grandfather's gaze. "Grandpa, I was simply conducting quality control."

Grandfather shook his head. "Quality control, you say? A true nobleman stands by his word. Now, you'll help Layla and bake that pie together."

 Jasper placed a hand over his chest and gave a playful bow. "Your orders shall be carried out, Grandpa. Today, I shall be a chef!"

Grandfather smirked slightly. "Just know this, Jasper—if the pie turns out bad, you'll be picking apples from the entire orchard!"

Jasper's eyes widened in disbelief. "That's blackmail!"

Grandfather chuckled. "No, that's fair punishment."

I couldn't help but laugh at the look of despair on Jasper's face. The wind whispered through the leaves, and the trees seemed to murmur as they watched us. The forest remained silent, yet deep inside, I felt the presence of an unseen observer.

A strange feeling stirred in my chest.

This forest... was hiding something.

The Arvendale Forest kept its secrets well hidden.

And this was only the beginning…