Shattered Innocence: Transmigrated Into a Novel as an Extra

Chapter 536 - 536: Gift (2)

Aeliana's breath stilled.

Her gaze flickered toward the window beside them, and in the dim reflection, she saw it.

A hairpin.

Not just any hairpin—that hairpin.

Delicate gold, shaped into a blooming flower, with each petal intricately crafted, radiating outward in a regal, elegant design. At the very center, a deep red gemstone gleamed, striking against the soft golden metal. Tiny, dangling embellishments cascaded gently from one side, swaying slightly with her movements—giving the piece an ethereal, almost otherworldly grace.

She knew this hairpin.

Because she had seen it earlier.

When they had wandered through the marketplace after forcing Lucavion into proper clothing, she had noticed it—on display at one of the vendors' stalls. ((N1))

And for just a moment, it had reminded her of her mother.

She had buried that thought quickly, brushed it aside.

She hadn't brought any money with her at the time, so she told herself she would buy it later.

But now—

Now it was in her hair.

She lifted her fingers, brushing over the delicate metal, feeling the cool surface against her skin, the unmistakable weight of it securing itself against her strands.

Her amber eyes widened.

"You…" Her voice was quiet, slow, laced with something unreadable. "Did you…?"

Lucavion merely smiled.

Calm. Casual. Infuriatingly unreadable.

Aeliana turned toward him fully, her expression caught between disbelief and something else—something she hadn't quite put words to yet.

Lucavion exhaled, resting his chin lazily in his palm. "What?" he mused. "Don't tell me you dislike it."

Aeliana stared at him.

He had gotten it for her.

While she had been sitting here, waiting, confused, irritated at his disappearance—he had gone back and bought the damn hairpin.

She inhaled, steadying herself. "You—"

Aeliana stared at him.

He had gotten it for her.

Lucavion smirked slightly, watching her reaction with quiet amusement. "What? Surprised?"

Aeliana's fingers twitched against her lap.

Surprised?

That wasn't exactly the right word for what she was feeling.

Her mind ran through a thousand possibilities—why? Why had he done this? Did he just happen to remember her glancing at it? Had he planned this?

Had he—

Aeliana's amber eyes flickered between Lucavion and the reflection of the hairpin in the window.

Her mind was still catching up, still trying to understand.

And then—

A thought struck her.

Her fingers tightened slightly against the hem of her sleeve as she met Lucavion's gaze again.

"…Did the cat?"

Lucavion raised a brow, clearly amused. "The cat?"

Aeliana's voice was measured, careful. "Did you make her do that?"

Lucavion blinked once, then smirked. "Do what?"

Aeliana narrowed her eyes,

She clenched her hands against her lap, desperately trying to steady herself, but—

She couldn't.

She just couldn't.

This man…

After everything.

After all these little moments. After all this time—how was she supposed to stop this?

How was she supposed to not love him?

Because she did.

She did.

And it wasn't sudden. It wasn't some overwhelming revelation—it was something that had been building, something that had already rooted itself deep within her before she even had the sense to name it.

Her father's words came rushing back—

"I saw your gaze…"

"…Don't take too long figuring it out."

Right.

She was dragging this out for no reason at all.

Because Lucavion had already become an irreplaceable part of her life.

And she—

She could not let him go.