As Gabriel had foreseen, exhaustion eventually overcame Lara. Her voice began to slur, her eyelids grew heavy, and finally, she fell into a deep sleep, breathing tranquilly. He watched her for a few moments, allowing himself a brief respite of quiet, contemplating the peace that now graced her face as she finally rested.

  He drew closer, gently pulling the blankets up over her and tucking her in with care. He made sure her ankle was comfortably positioned and smoothed out any fabric folds that might bother her. Then he rose, walked silently to the door, and left, closing it softly so as not to make noise or disturb her sleep.

  He then headed to his own chambers. There, he changed clothes, washed his face, and prepared himself to rest as well. He lay down in bed, but sleep was slow to come. Though he felt happy about the moment shared with Lara, a persistent worry shadowed his mind like a stubborn specter.

  The fear that she might discover the truth weighed constantly on him. He knew, from the scars of the past, what always happened when someone like her stumbled upon the reality of who he was. People distanced themselves. They looked at him with fear, repulsion, or simple incomprehension. And he could not bear the thought of it happening again with Lara.

  He did not want her to pull away...

  Worse still, he could not endure the idea of hurting her, even if only through the revelation of his true nature. For, whether he wished it or not, a deep affection for her had already taken root in his heart, firm as ancient roots embedded in stone.

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  And it was that unexpected, intense feeling that made the truth so dangerous.

  The sun filtered through the curtains as if peering curiously into the room. Lara was still sleeping deeply; the previous night had left her exhausted. Gabriel, on the other hand, had risen early, as was his habit, but this time it had not been mere routine, he had been unable to sleep a wink all night. His thoughts raced wildly, and he felt more anxious than usual. He could no longer bear lying there and decided to prepare a special breakfast for his guest. After all, who would he be if not the best at welcoming guests?

  His family had always raised him in the finest way possible to be a gentleman and an exemplary host, at least while he still had his family...

  While preparing breakfast, he gazed at the garden and its serene beauty. He loved contemplating that place, a peaceful haven where nature expressed itself in its most perfect form. He had no servants; he took care of everything in the house himself, including the garden, and he did so with true dedication. He took pride in its beauty.

  After preparing the coffee and omelets, he fetched the bread hanging from the door, where the baker left it every day. It had not been easy to convince him to do so, for like the others, he was afraid... Despite the mansion, survival was not simple when everyone saw him as a monster. The same went for the grocery store: he had often tried to go down to the village to buy essentials, but as he approached the shopkeepers, they would immediately shutter their doors or drive him out, threatening him with death. It was not the first time someone had pointed a pitchfork at him.

  He quickly realized he needed strategies to survive. After all, no one lives without eating. His first step was to gather seeds of various vegetables and fruits, he ate them and saved what he could, replanting them in his garden in a perfect ecological cycle. His garden overflowed with color and life, and he had even created a small farm with animals.

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