Page 9

The night was crisp, the cold air wrapping around the city, its chill biting at exposed skin as the streets buzzed with life.

The glow of streetlights cast a soft, golden hue over the wet pavement, reflecting the silhouettes of people moving in and out of the bars and clubs.

There was a gentle hum in the air—laughter, voices, the occasional shuffle of footsteps, blending with the distant murmur of traffic.

As Lilith stepped out of the bar, the chill barely registered, warmth from the alcohol still humming under her skin, making her feel pleasantly detached from the world around her.

"Where do you live?" Valentina asked, looking down at the blonde girl beside her.

Lilith giggled, swaying slightly. "Oh, my apartment is not far."

"I'll order you an Uber," Valentina said, her voice smooth and final. "Just wait for a moment, I'll take care of it."

She reached for her phone with a calm, practiced motion, but before she could even tap the screen, Lilith immediately protested.

"I'll walk." she declared, stubbornly.

Before Valentina could utter a word that would no doubt put Lilith in her place, the girl was already off, laughing loudly as she skipped down the street.

Valentina sighed. If the girl was telling the truth about her apartment being close, a short walk wouldn't hurt. But the moment she saw Lilith skipping ahead, she regretted not dragging her into the car.

Then Lilith almost tripped.

For some reason, she suddenly had the overwhelming urge to run. Why did she always want to run and giggle like a psychopath whenever she was drunk?

Valentina, noticing the shift in Lilith's stance, strode forward. Before the girl could even attempt to dart away, Valentina grabbed her collar and yanked her closer. "Do not even dare to run off, or I'll leave you here alone."

Surprisingly, Lilith obeyed. But she found Valentina's stern tone oddly...hot. The woman looked like some villainess who would haunt people just for fun.

As they walked along the pavement, the golden streetlights casting soft hues over them, Lilith mumbled "I bet you don't even have fun. You look like you're too serious all the time."

In truth, Lilith was more curious than she let on. She wondered if Valentina ever let her guard down, if there was a side of her that wasn't all sharp edges and control. She couldn't help but think about how Valentina had been with the red-haired woman earlier.

Valentina's lips quirked slightly. "And you're making a lot of assumptions for someone who can't even walk straight."

The night air felt calmer now, the earlier chaos of laughter and movement settling into a quiet rhythm.

Lilith had stopped skipping, now walking closely beside Valentina, her shoulder occasionally brushing against the older woman's arm.

Everything sounded softer—the distant hum of cars, the muffled voices from nearby apartments.

"Were you always like that?" Lilith asked, looking up at Valentina. Her side profile was so beautiful, the sharp lines softened by the golden glow of the streetlights.

"Like what?" Valentina responded, glancing down at her.

Lilith hesitated before answering. "So grounded, you know? Stable. I kind of crave it in my life, even though I'm not that chaotic."

Valentina let out a soft laugh. "Not chaotic?" she teased, the memory of Lilith nearly running off just minutes ago still fresh in her mind.

Then, her expression softened. "It takes a lot of time, searching for some kind of peace," she admitted. "But as soon as you have it, life can be pretty enjoyable."

Lilith nodded, humming as if mulling over her words. "I'm not sure where to search for it, though." She pouted slightly before giggling. "But you're thirty, after all."

Valentina raised an eyebrow, tilting her head slightly. "So Iwas the one spying on you?"

Lilith blushed instantly, looking like she'd been caught in something embarrassing. She quickly defended herself. "I was just curious if the internet has the same opinion on you as me."

Valentina smirked at that, but before she could say anything, Lilith added with a dramatic flourish, "And maybe I discovered a new passion for architecture." A small smile played on her lips.

"Did you?" Valentina asked, her voice amused.

Lilith nodded. "Oscar always complains about the clients" she mentioned casually before glancing at Valentina. "Are they that bad?"

Valentina let out a soft laugh, as if she related to the frustration. "They can be pretty difficult. Asking for things that aren't possible since they have no knowledge."

Lilith nodded again, the soft rhythm of Valentina's voice wrapping around her like a comforting blanket. It wasn't just that her voice was attractive—it was soothing, steady, and calm in a way that made everything else fade into the background.

If Valentina ever started a podcast, Lilith would definitely be her number one listener.

"Did you always like it?" she asked.

"Architecture? Yes." Valentina's voice held a certainty. "My parents are the founders of SALVARE."

Lilith nodded once more, her curiosity growing. She hesitated for a moment, hoping she wasn't being too nosy or, worse, annoying. She just wanted to know. She liked to know.

"But as a CEO, you're not being an actual architect, right?" she asked, tilting her head curiously.

Valentina smiled faintly. "Luckily I can do whatever I want," she said. "But it's not mainly playing in The Sims. I design projects only for important people."

Lilith smiled warmly, pleasantly surprised that the woman remembered her reference to the game.

But before she could ask another question, Valentina turned to her. "And do you pore over case studies all the time?"

Lilith's heart skipped. The woman asked her a question—about her.

She wasn't sure if it was just out of politeness, or if Valentina actually wanted to know. The question lingered in the air, making her feel like the moment was more significant than it probably was.

"Not that often, actually. I cry over statistics, usually."

Valentina laughed, the sound soft and amused. "Not very good at math?"

Lilith only nodded, smiling, slowing down in front of her apartment complex. She didn't want this night to end. She felt good—really good. She had even forgotten about the situation with her mother.

And she was certain it wasn't because of the alcohol. It was because of Valentina Salvatore.

They stopped. Lilith looked up at the woman with her big blue eyes, the streetlight catching the soft shimmer in them.

She looked like a puppy staring up at its owner.

"Don't you want to come inside and judge it?" she asked, her voice quiet, almost hopeful.

Lilith was confidently sure that Valentina would like her apartment. Even though it wasn't big or expensive, the woman seemed like someone who appreciated cozy, warm places just like her.

Valentina laughed, genuinely, her expression softening. "Drink water before going to sleep," she said, her eyes drifting to Lilith's hands. "And you should really take care of those cuts. Your fingers are too swollen."

Her voice was so gentle. She turned, her heels tapping lightly against the pavement as she walked away. "Goodnight, Lilith."

The girl opened her mouth to speak, but the woman was already too far to hear it. So she just whispered goodnight quietly to herself.

She wasn't sure why she paused like that.

Was it because the woman had remembered about the cuts and noticed them again throughout the night?

Or was it because she cared about the hangover she was probably going to have tomorrow?

Maybe it was how her name sounded from Valentina's lips once again, the way it seemed to carry weight, making her feel like she was more important than she let herself believe.

Valentina got into an Uber, shaking her head with a faint smile at how messy and adorable the girl was.

And Lilith? She fell asleep with a smile on her face, drinking the water just like Valentina told her to and deciding to take care of her cuts in the morning.