Glancing down at the scarf, Darcy said, "I'll have Gwen return it to you." Hugo immediately understood—she was agreeing to talk to Gwen. "Alright." He watched her enter the building and waited until a light came on in what he assumed was her window before turning to leave. It was too late to walk back, so he called for a car. On the way, he texted his assistant to retrieve his vehicle from the club parking garage in the morning. Just as he was about to put his phone away, a photo popped up in their four-person group chat. Zooming in, he saw it was a blurry, distant shot of him walking Darcy to her building, taken from above. Zora sent, "Caught you! Spill the details!"Ines asked, "Looks like a beauty from the back! Seems familiar though. Hugo, do we know her?" Even Zane chimed in, a rare occurrence. "If you like her, go for it. Bring her around sometime." Ines added, "Yeah! You're new at this. We'll vet her for you. Figure out if she's after you or your money. I can tell at a glance!" The chat was buzzing, but Hugo let out a slow breath, loosening his collar in annoyance. After a long pause, he replied, but only to Zane. "Okay." ... The next day, Darcy felt rested enough. She texted Gwen, "Feel like hanging out?" Gwen replied instantly, "Yes!" They planned to go hiking. Darcy went downstairs to her car, but just as she started the engine, Cindy called."Darcy! Want to meet up? I'm going crazy here." "Sure, but I already have plans with someone else. Mind if it's the three of us?" "Not at all. It's not a guy, is it?" "No, a younger girl." After confirming, Darcy quickly called Gwen. Hearing another "pretty girl" was joining, Gwen was thrilled. "I don't mind! Anyone who's friends with you must be nice!" Darcy was amused by the logic. When she arrived at the meeting spot, Cindy and Gwen were already there, sipping cocoa. "Darcy!" Gwen waved her over. As Darcy sat down, a warm cup of cocoa was pressed into her hands. She pierced the lid and joined their conversation. "Blind dates are the worst! I hate relatives who keep setting people up!" Gwen complained hotly.Cindy nodded vigorously. "Totally!" Had she missed something? Darcy looked between them curiously. "Who's being set up?" "Her!" Gwen pointed at Cindy. Cindy looked indignant, gritting her teeth. "My brother has a friend who just moved back from Valeridge. My mom's pushing for a family dinner, telling me to dress up. I knew something was up and got out of there fast. "I know that friend from Valeridge. He's old, ugly, and super sleazy. No way am I going on a blind date with a guy like that!" Darcy was confused. A friend from Valeridge? Wasn't that Zephyr? Handsome, sharp-eyed, mature, and steady Zephyr... how did he become the "old, ugly, sleazy" man in Cindy's description? Darcy couldn't help but chuckle. Cindy's standards must be sky-high. Then again, with a brother like Jethro, it was no wonder ordinary men didn't measure up.After finishing their cocoa, the three started up the hiking trail. Aethelburg, in the south, still had lush, green vegetation on the mountains even in winter. Plum blossoms were in bloom, attracting many visitors for photos. Gwen, who loved a scene, grabbed Darcy's hand excitedly. "Darcy, take a picture of me!" "Sure," Darcy said with a smile, pulling out her phone. "Remember to use the beauty filter!" Gwen called out urgently. "...You're already beautiful. You don't need it." "Please? Turn it on," Gwen pleaded. Darcy gave in, maxing out the filter. After sending the photo to Gwen, who promptly edited it further and then shared it with Bram, Darcy just sighed inwardly. They continued hiking. Cindy, running out of steam, stopped to rest. Darcy and Gwen pressed on. Halfway up, Darcy couldn't hold back any longer. She said gently, "Gwen, on Thanksgiving... I had dinner with Bram. He expressed his feelings for me, but I turned him down." She looked up, watching Gwen's reaction carefully. "Will you hate me for that? Not want to be friends anymore?" Gwen seemed startled. "Why would I hate you? If Bram doesn't like me, that's my problem, not yours." Darcy smiled, relieved. After everything with Kaia, she had become very sensitive about boundaries between people. If Gwen had felt uncomfortable and distanced herself, Darcy would have understood.