The morning sun at the Salazar estate was always cold, filtering through the high windows of the dining hall like a spotlight on a stage. Today, however, the atmosphere was particularly heavy.

Alexander entered the room with a gait that lacked its usual rhythmic confidence. His face was unnervingly pale, the dark circles under his eyes contrasting sharply with his white sweater.

Nathan and Nael were already in the dining room, eating their breakfast. They seemed calm, quieter than usual. When all his siblings were busy and sometimes skipped breakfast, Malvin was always there to keep them company, making sure they finished their breakfast and drank their milk or juice at the table.

Now, they paused to watch Alexander walk to the chair at the end.

"Good morning. Everything good?" he greeted them.

Nael beamed. "It’s a nice day today. But you look sick."

Nathan went back to chewing his food, remembering how Alexander had stayed in his room to keep him company while he slept. Was that why the man looked pale and sleep-deprived?

Malvin asked, "Are you okay?"

Alexander grabbed the sandwich the maid had just served. "Yes, I’m fine."

The two adults seemed to be having a conversation the twins didn’t understand.

Meanwhile, Louis, standing by the sideboard, watched attentively. He then looked at Jack, who had just arrived clutching a leather folder, his expression nervous.

"Morning Jack, you okay?" Louis greeted.

Jack sighed. "Morning. Yeah, I think so."

"What happened? Where is Huan? And why does the boss look like he’s been through a war?"

Louis looked at Jack meaningfully. They both knew something had definitely happened between the two of them last night. But Jack looked serious.

"I don’t know. All I was told is that Huan shouldn’t be disturbed today. Alexander told me I’m handling his schedule until further notice."

Louis looked toward the stairs, then back at Alexander. "You sure? All this time, Huan has never missed a morning. Not even with a fever."

"I know!" Jack hissed, his voice cracking. "I’m terrified. You know how perfectionist he is, if the coffee is two degrees off, Huan knows. If the briefings aren’t categorized by priority, Huan handles it. I don’t think I’ll survive until lunch."

Louis smiled. "You can do it. You’ve worked for him long enough to understand things. I hope Huan is okay and comes back to work."

Jack nodded. "I really hope he’s okay. But last night, the boss slept alone. I don’t think that’s good news."

Louis glanced at Alexander. "That’s why he looks so pale."

Inside the car.

Nathan and Nael sat in the back, the vast leather space between them feeling like a canyon. As long as they only had to go to school, Louis would handle both of them.

Nathan was silent as usual. But today, his gaze was secretly fixed on Nael. He watched the way his twin fidgeted with his blazer sleeve, looking restless. Nathan thought about the previous day, the white van, the tattooed man, and the venomous words he had overheard from Nick and Jonas.

Nael suddenly turned, catching his gaze, causing Nathan to quickly look away toward the window.

"Hey," Nael said softly, breaking the silence. He looked at Nathan with genuine concern. "Are you okay? I heard about the men in the van yesterday. Did they hurt you?"

Nathan leaned his head back, his expression unreadable. "I’m fine. Alex said it was just a laundry van for the school."

"Oh." Nael let out a long, relieved breath. "Thank God. I was worried they were... you know. From before." He had panicked too when he heard the news. Without realizing it, he had been afraid to go out alone.

Nathan turned his head, wondering if he should tell Nael what he had heard from Nick and Jonas. He looked out the window again.

"Better stay away from Nick and Jonas," he said suddenly. He didn’t want to get involved, but he couldn’t just ignore their nasty conversation.

Nael blinked, his expression shifting to confusion. "What? Why? They’re my best friends, Nathan. They’ve been with me since I started at X Starling."

"Friends?" Nathan snorted, his voice dripping with street-honed cynicism. "What kind of friends spend their time threatening to expose you the moment you’re out of earshot?"

The color drained from Nael’s face. "What are you talking about?"

"I heard them yesterday," Nathan said, leaning in, his voice low. "They were talking about bringing you down. About how they’re sick of you getting all the attention just because you’re a Salazar. They said they have a plan to ruin your reputation. I wasn’t going to tell you, but I think you need to know what kind of friends they are."

"That’s impossible," Nael whispered, shaking his head. "They wouldn’t. We tell each other everything."

"Exactly," Nathan countered. "Which makes the blackmail even easier. They said if I caused trouble, they’d reveal your secret to everyone."

Nael went rigid. He cast a frantic glance toward the front of the car, where Louis was driving. Nael knew how well Louis could hear.

"They... they said that?" Nael’s voice was barely a thread.

"I don’t care if you believe me or not. I don’t gain anything by lying to you," Nathan said. "But thanks to their big mouths, I know you have a boyfriend. That’s the big secret, right?"

Nael looked like he’d been struck. He went from pale to ghostly white in seconds. His heart hammered so loudly he was sure Nathan could hear it. He clenched his hands.

"No," Nael hissed, his voice trembling with panic as he glanced at the rearview mirror, hoping Louis wouldn’t hear. "I don’t have a boyfriend!"

Nathan watched him, realizing for the first time that the "gifted" twin wasn’t just hiding a crush, he was living in absolute terror.

"If you don’t have one, why are you shaking?" Nathan asked, his voice softening slightly, though his words remained blunt. "If you have a secret, at least don’t let those two-faced bastards hold it over your head."

Nael didn’t answer. He turned to the window, his breath fogging the glass, his mind racing. If the brothers found out... if Alexander found out Nael was lying about his activities, about the people he saw... the "cage" would only get smaller.

"Just stay out of it, Nathan," Nael whispered. "Please."

Nathan watched the school gates loom ahead. He saw the white-coated trees and the elite students, but all he could think about was the "mysterious boyfriend" Nael was so desperate to protect.