“Very well."

He rose from the bed, exiting the room to let her enjoy some solitary slumber.

Closing the door behind him, Bennett descended the stairs to prepare lunch as he promised.

After Bennett's departure, Claudia reclined with her eyes gently shut, succumbing to drowsiness's tender embrace.

Fatigue had indeed crept upon her, yet slumber eluded her grasp.

More than ten minutes elapsed while she lay supine upon the bed, the dam of her somnolence breaking free at Last.

From her bedside table, she retrieved her phone, and with a hint of urgency, she texted Aurora, entreating, “Aurora! Aurora! Present thyself and rouse me from this reverie!"

Exclaiming, Claudia sent another message. "Ah, ah, it feels as though I am dreaming."

Fingers dancing across the screen, Claudia typed fervently, “Oh, my god! I am so ashamed, yet my heart brims with elation! I am simply overjoyed!"

Aurora, perusing these messages, was taken aback and responded, “What?” Her response was a meme depicting a perplexed individual scratching their head.

Claudia cautioned, “I bear tidings but restrain thy excitement!" Aurora replied, "Speak forth, for I shall contain my exuberance.” Eager to uncover the source of Claudia’s jubilation, Aurora awaited with bated breath.

Claudia shared ...

"Last night, I declared my affection to Bennett..." Aurora retorted, “I confess I'm not as excited as you sound! And then what happened?"

Indeed, Aurora harbored some astonishment, yet it was not an earth-shattering revelation.

When Bennett spirited her away the prior night, Aurora perceived their rendezvous as an amorous interlude, rendering Claudia's announcement comparatively mundane.

She hadn't expected that it was just a declaration of love.

What a lot of excitement in vain!

Blushing with embarrassment, Claudia imparted the sentence she had just composed, "He reciprocated, saying that he liked me too."

Aurora's response was nonchalant, "Okay. And then?”

Claudia queried, "What is this lukewarm response, Aurora?"

Aurora justified, "It is the anticipated reaction! Did I not previously hint at Bennett's fondness for you?"

Reflecting on this, Claudia gently brushed her warm cheeks and indulged in a brief bout of giggles. She then continued to communicate with Aurora, revealing, “Subsequently, we exchanged a kiss.”

Aurora's disappointment was palpable upon receiving her reply.

“Is that ali?"