Chapter 32: Chapter 32

"What's all this?" Rex asked at the door of my room, looking puzzled as I stood in front of a large mirror, checking my reflection.

"I'm just looking at myself," I casually replied, making Rex click his tongue in annoyance.

"Come on, that's not what I meant. What's going on in your room?" he asked, glancing over at my bed where clothes were scattered, along with bags and shoes. I continued to stare at him before nonchalantly shrugging my shoulders.

"I'm just picking out an outfit," I replied, causing Rex to walk closer, his gaze filled with curiosity.

"Are you going somewhere?" he asked, to which I nodded while continuing to fix my hair.

"Where are you going and with whom?" Rex questioned again, sounding a bit like he was interrogating me. I turned around to face him.

"With a friend. Someone's taking me out to explore some new places. My dear cousin is kind enough to take me for a stroll. The last time, all she did was take me for ice cream, which wasn't enough," I said, eliciting another annoyed click from Rex.

"Because I've been dealing with a lot of cases lately. I promise, this weekend we'll go out," he explained, seemingly realizing that I was talking about him.

"Forget it. I'm leaving now, so enjoy your busy schedule," I replied, picking up my small bag after ensuring my appearance wasn't overly done, just for a casual outing.

"Hey, you haven't answered my question. Who am I going with?" I ignored Rex's question and headed downstairs. As usual, Aunt Anna had left for her bakery. I looked at the clock; it was already 2:00 PM. I hoped Gray wouldn't have to wait too long. I opened the door with Rex following my steps. It seemed he was curious and wanted to make sure who I was going with. He cursed under his breath when he saw someone waving at me.

"Don't tell me you're going with him?" Rex questioned, making me nod again.

"I promise I won't stay out too late. I've also asked Aunt Anna, and she's fine with it. She knows Gray because he's the younger brother of your ex-boyfriend. Everything's settled, okay?" I said, about to approach Gray, but Rex immediately stopped me.

"Wait a minute, why didn't you tell me earlier that you were going with him?"

"I did tell Aunt Anna. Besides, I didn't know you'd be home today. Aren't you usually busy with work?" I replied while releasing myself from his grip.

"But you could've sent me a message, right?" It seemed Rex wasn't thrilled about me going with Gray. Before I could answer, Gray stepped forward, pulling me away from Rex.

"I spoke to your mom, told her that I'm taking Aurel out. We won't be gone for long, don't worry," Gray said, causing Rex to fall silent. Gray then turned his gaze toward me, assessing my appearance. Was I overdressed? I felt more nervous than ever.

"Are you ready?" Gray asked, and I nodded.

"Alright then, let's go?" Gray smiled, and I returned the smile before glancing back at Rex.

"Don't forget to lock the house, alright? I have a spare key, and I'll bring you a souvenir if I see something interesting," I said, making Gray suppress his smile. This seemed to annoy Rex even more, but he had no choice. He let us go, and Gray opened the car door for me.

"Thank you," I said before getting into the luxurious car. I never expected that it would be Gray and me going out so soon.

"Where are we going?" I asked as Gray got into the car, taking the driver's seat.

"To a place you'll definitely like. I've been thinking about it all night," Gray said, leaning closer. I held my breath for a moment as he moved closer, catching a familiar scent of him — a blend of woods and forest that inexplicably made me feel so comfortable breathing it in. Gray then pulled my seatbelt and ensured it was properly fastened, but afterward, he didn't pull back. Instead, he maintained a close proximity, his gaze locked onto my face.

"I forgot to mention that you look beautiful today," he said, causing my face to blush instantly. I shifted my gaze to the window as Gray leaned back slightly, finally starting to drive the car at a slow pace. We remained quiet for a moment before I felt Gray's hand reach for mine, holding it tightly.

"Or perhaps you'd like to go somewhere before I take you to the place I have in mind," Gray suggested, making me shake my head.

"No, it's fine. I don't know many interesting places here, and I've barely been here for a month," I explained, causing Gray to nod. I found myself fixated on his hand that continued to hold mine, occasionally his thumb brushed over the back of my hand, making me inhale and exhale slowly. I was becoming really nervous, and my palms started to sweat, prompting me to eventually release my grip from Gray's hand.

"You should focus on driving properly," I said, causing him to smirk slightly.

"How much longer until we get there?" I asked, as around 20 minutes had passed during our journey.

"We're almost there, don't worry," Gray replied, making me nod. The car was now moving on a less crowded road, surrounded by tall pine trees on both sides. It felt like something out of a scene from a movie I had watched before.

"Can I open the window?" I asked, looking at Gray who was focused on the road ahead.

"Do you want me to open the sunroof?" Gray asked, making me glance at the car's ceiling for a moment before nodding.

"Yes, if you don't mind," I replied, after which Gray pressed a button, and the car's sunroof opened automatically. The wind immediately blew into the car, ruffling my hair in rhythm with the breeze. Gray smiled as he saw me adjust my hair.

"Are you alright with the wind?" he asked, extending his hand and helping me tuck my hair behind my ear.

"Yes, it's refreshing. I love this atmosphere," I said, causing Gray to smile again. I realized how charming his smile was. Had he always had such a captivating smile? My thoughts were consumed by him, while Gray began to slow down the car.

"We're almost there," Gray said before turning, and we entered the pine forest. I looked around, feeling slightly doubtful.

"Are you sure this is the right way? I mean, does anyone even come here?" I asked, starting to feel uncertain.

"Don't worry, sometimes I come here when I want some alone time," Gray assured me, causing me to nod. After about five minutes from the main road, Gray stopped the car near a large tree, revealing an unexpected sight—a treehouse on the ground.

"Come on," Gray said, and I looked around. The surrounding area was filled with towering pine trees.

"Whose is this?" I asked as Gray reached for my hand, guiding me towards a set of stairs leading up to the treehouse.

"I built it myself. It's like my secret hideout, or you could say it's a place to find peace," Gray explained, making me smile.

"Go ahead, be careful. I'll support you from below," he said as I looked up at the treehouse.

"Isn't it a bit too tall? Are you sure the treehouse is still strong?" I asked, making Gray grin widely.

"Don't worry, I've ensured this treehouse will stand strong for at least the next twenty years," he reassured me, and I smiled back. Slowly, I began ascending the wooden steps while Gray monitored my progress from below. I wasn't sure how many people it took to build this treehouse, but it was indeed perched atop a single, tall tree. Maybe Gray had intentionally built it this high to deter wild animals, I thought, finally reaching the treehouse.

"Wow, I made it to the top," I exclaimed, standing and taking in the view. Gray followed suit and entered the treehouse after me. It wasn't very spacious, but it felt incredibly cozy.

"Did you clean this place beforehand? It looks really neat," I remarked as I walked over to a small bed that could fit only one person. It seemed like this was Gray's personal space; there wasn't even a speck of dust around.

"Well, I actually came here last night and made sure everything was in order. I had plans to bring you here and show you around, so I tidied up a bit," Gray responded, leaving me momentarily speechless. I then turned to look at a round window that provided a view of the surrounding forest. My surprise grew when my gaze caught sight of a lake not too far from where we were.

"Is there a lake here? How is that even possible?" I asked, approaching the window. Gray came up behind me, and I felt his hand encircle my waist, pressing me gently against the window.

"It's a beautiful view, isn't it?" Gray said beside my ear, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine.