"In the wine cellar around the corner young master" the valet politely answered, making his gaze low.

"Go an tell the second young miss that I went to attend on an important guest," Darryl instructed carefully making sure that Dian, his sister, will know the reason behind his sudden impending disappearance. ​​

"Yes, young master," He caught the servant's reply before he went on his way.

Making his strides around the great hall and into the small wine cellar situated in the first floor of the mansion, Darryl's expression remained the same—stone cold. He already had an idea what his important guest might ask of him, the question was, was the Lagdameo heir going to give in?

Darryl adjusted his cuffs before he entered the cellar and even how quite the room seemed so, he knew a tension was beaming somewhere. He went deeper and found another boy in silver gray; his ocean pair of blue eyes was looking at a certain painting pasted on the wall. The latter's eyes did not withdraw from scrutinizing the art piece in front of him, even so when he noticed that he already had a company.

"I believe that one is one of yours," Darryl started, standing beside the Montarini prince who didn't even bother to give him a curtsy. The latter had already taken off his mask, but it's hard to tell from the expression of his face what could have made him so desperately seeking for a conversation with the party's host, even though Darryl already have a slight idea.

"I painted this one a long time ago" Huzey answered, his voice was as steady and calm as always. His ocean blue eyes dug into the masterpiece as if it was something foreign, that it wasn't his own hands who painted it.

"My sister, the third young miss had always been fond of your works," Darryl distanced himself from the prince and reached over to take the bottle of wine neatly prepared in a side table. The servants might had prepared it for both of them before they sent a valet to call his attention in the ball.

"If one may tell, looking at the picture, one could say the painter is in love with the girl in the painting" Darryl continued his words, holding up a bottle as he referred to the painting Huzey was scrutinizing. It was a painting of red head young girl playing on a sea shore. Dannah had bought it a long time ago and had it displayed in this part of the house.

"…But if I am to judge, I could say the painter had already set his eyes to someone else" Darryl added reaching out a glass wine to his guest. His own words brought some shiver of hear down his spine for some reasons.

"So, do you" Huzey answered, taking a healthy swig of the wine.

"Of course," Darryl said, observing how the red liquid made little streams on the side of the glass as he tilted it. "Unfortunately, I don't like sharing what's mine"

"Yours?" Huzey questioned him, mocking at the word the Lagdameo boy had just uttered. He gave him a smirk afterwards.

"Yes, my woman" Darryl repeated with confidence as his eyes hardened. His whole body goes rock solid at the Montaniri boy's mockery, but he didn't flinch. The prince can say whatever he wanted but nothing was going to change his mind about Xhemin.

"She's nobody's woman" Huzey said flatly, his voice rigging with distaste "You should know that better"

"I don't have to explain anything" Darryl retorted, entirely unmoved by Huzey's words "I'm just giving you a fair warning not to cross the line"

"Not to cross the line?" Huzey had to curb an impulse to shake his head to make sure he had heard correctly "Are you really willing to drag her into the mess? We all know what the title 'Lagdameo heir's woman' entails"

"That's none of your business anymore" Darryl suppressed a shudder. He added a silent self-congratulation for he had managed to keep his tone even. He knew he was rough around his guest, but when it comes to his woman, he kind of had a bred of instinct to bite when someone dared to step over.

"It is my business and you know that"

"If you are worried about her indulging with the elites, or being known as Dr. Miles grandchild…" Darryl revealed the information that might have been troubling the boy "…I assure you that's unlikely to happen under my watch"

Darryl take a gulped of the wine he was holding as silence eased in. Both their expressions were not pleasant, seemingly not liking each other's company. Huzey in particular was surprised a little about the Lagdameo heir's knowledge of Xhemin being Dr. Miles granddaughter, and he admitted the information shook him a little although he didn't make it obvious with his mien. It took them long years to hide the fact and suddenly just in an instant—the Lagdameo heir gathered the details easily.

What else did the boy found out?

But did the Lagdameo heir think he can have her just because he knew something nosy about her? He clearly didn't have any idea what he was bargaining for.

No idea, no idea at all!

"No I'm worried what the L Empire do about her" Huzey beamed, because it seemed like Darryl Lagdameo already knew something then he was ready to spill out a little bit more hoping he could convinced her to leave his best friend alone "Just like what happened to the youngest Montreal when he mocked at you"

"You can't blame an innocent accident to my family" Darryl spoke through clenched teeth, enraged by Huzey's accusation.

"Your uncle Franco is behind it all" Huzey added without doubt. He knew Darryl has the capability of knowing this fact on his own, but it seemed that the idea didn't occur to the Lagdameo heir at all, evident by the surprise Huzey caught in his eyes.

Did he really think he can get on with his love affairs that easy?

"I can protect her" Darryl met Huzey's eyes. There was a part of him that was reeling from the blow of Huzey's revelation and was still doubting it, but the Montarini prince as rumored stay true to his words always, so there was a small chance of him lying about it.

"Can you really?" Huzey's question shot like a bullet to Darryl's ears. "Because from what I know, you are only an heir. L Empire is not you, not yet."

"And you think you can protect her?" Not liking the sound of Huzey's words, he threw back the same question.

"She had never been in threat until you came" Huzey remined the boy and trailed off, putting the empty glass back to the table they were once in "And in case she will be, well I have proven myself already for the fact that she had always been unknown and safe in Hampshire for long"

"If you come here expecting I will give in your demands" For a second control eluded Darryl, but he reined it back in. He'd be dammed if he succumbed into his rage although his hazel eyes already reflected all the fire inside him as he shot Huzey another brutal look "I'm sorry but I'm not in the mood to give you what you seek"

"They are not demands. I am giving you a fair warning" The diamond prince returned Darryl's hard gaze. "You are the Lagdameo heir, loving someone doesn't comes easy for someone like you"

Instead of thunder, he got a chuck of laughter from the Lagdameo boy, sharpened by rage "You dare threatened me"

"And you dared trespass our peaceful family" he answered, Huzey's voice was dangerously low. By all means, Huzey wanted to keep Xhemin from any danger, even if she was unwilling to. Whatever things running between the Lagdameo heir and Xhemin, it must come to a stop before fire breaks in and turned everything into ashes.

"You can't hide her forever" Darryl stated, the tone of his voice was giving Huzey a hint that he was ready to drop the conversation. He definitely had no time for this, and no more patience for the Diamond prince's audacity.

"We are not hiding her, we are protecting her" Huzey corrected her before leaving. Before he stepped out the door, he looked back to Darryl and uttered for the last time "And if you do care for her, you'll do the same"