January 12th, 2026
9:43 PM
Lex sat frozen, the sterile scent of disinfectant clinging to the air.
The hum of the old ceiling fan did little to fill the silence between him and the two women sitting across from him. His hands rested on his knees, trembling slightly. His throat was dry, his mind blank.
He wanted to say something - anything. But words wouldn't come.
He just stared at them.
Two women too perfect to belong in this broken place.
The one with black hair sat closest, her posture regal, her smile calm - too calm. The dark-haired Dumitrescu tilted her head slightly, her crimson eyes softening as she studied him. She reached forward, brushing her gloved fingers through his messy hair and gently patting his head, like a mother comforting her child.
Her voice was smooth and warm, but beneath that softness was something he couldn't quite name.
"Everything will be alright now, Lex," she whispered. "You don't have to be afraid anymore. We're here to save you."
Lex let out a quiet, tired sigh - more a release of exhaustion than belief.
Save him? From what?
The fire had already taken everything. There was nothing left to save.
He lowered his gaze again, staring at the floor tiles that reflected the faint glow of the fluorescent lights. The staff member standing near the door cleared her throat awkwardly.
"If it's alright, Misses Dumitrescus, we'll prepare the paperwork. Once everything's signed, The boy can go home with you."
The blonde Dumitrescu - graceful, elegant, draped in white with a coat lined in fur - smiled faintly. "The sooner, the better. The boy has suffered enough."
"Of course, ma'am," the staff said, quickly gathering her clipboard before leaving the room. The door clicked shut.
Silence fell again.
Lex didn't move. His heart beat softly, like it was afraid of making noise.
Then, without a sound, the two Dumitrescus sat down on either side of him.
He stiffened.
They were too close - close enough that he could feel the faint chill of their bodies through his worn shirt. The blonde one's perfume smelled faintly of roses and something metallic. The dark-haired one crossed her legs elegantly, her eyes never leaving him.
Sandwiched between them, Lex stared straight ahead, uncertain what to do. His shoulders tightened. His chest felt heavy.
The blonde Dumitrescu leaned forward slightly, her voice gentle but deliberate.
"You'll love our home, Lex," she said, smiling. "It's quiet… safe. You'll have your own room. Fresh meals. Warm clothes. You'll be treated like family."
Her words should've been comforting.
But they weren't.
There was a rhythm to the way she spoke - soft, hypnotic, rehearsed.
Lex's stomach twisted.
He didn't reply. He just stared at the table across from him - the tiny water stains, the cracks in the laminate - focusing on anything but their red, gleaming eyes.
The dark-haired Dumitrescu chuckled softly.
"You're shy," she murmured, almost amused. "That's alright. We don't bite."
Lex swallowed hard, unsure if that was a joke.
The air felt colder suddenly.
Outside the office window, the world kept moving - people walking by, cars passing through the city streets. To them, it was just another ordinary day. But to Lex, it felt like the world had ended and no one noticed.
He just wanted to go back home - even if home was gone.
Even if there was nothing left but ashes.
The door opened, and the staff returned, holding a folder. "All ready," she said with a nervous smile. "The adoption process will finalize within the week, but since you've already provided clearance, he can move in temporarily tonight."
The blonde Dumitrescu nodded gracefully. "That's perfect."
Lex blinked slowly. Tonight?
He hadn't agreed to that.
He hadn't agreed to any of this.
But his voice wouldn't come.
He stood mechanically as the women rose from their seats, their movements elegant, silent - like shadows given human shape. The staff led the way out of the building.
The air outside was cold. The sky above Mournia's capital was heavy with clouds, threatening rain.
City lights reflected on the wet pavement as the group stepped out.
The two Dumitrescus moved with effortless grace, their heels clicking softly. Even among the noise of the city, people stopped and turned to look. Their beauty was magnetic - unreal.
Lex followed behind, clutching the strap of his old backpack, eyes to the ground. His mind was a blur.
When they reached the curb, the staff turned to them with a polite bow.
"Thank you again, Misses Dumitrescus. It's rare to see such generous ladies willing to take in someone so soon. The center truly appreciates it."
The dark-haired one smiled, her voice honeyed. "We only do what's right."
"Of course, of course. I'll handle the final files tomorrow morning," the staff said, before excusing herself back into the building.
Lex stood there, motionless.
Something inside him tightened - an instinct he didn't understand.
He wanted to run. Not far. Not forever. Just… away.
He wasn't ready. His parents' voices still echoed in his head. Their laughter. Their warmth. Their home, now ashes.
He turned his head slightly to the right.
Down the street, he could see people walking by - strangers, ordinary, alive.
A café, its windows glowing. A mother holding her child's hand.
It felt… real. Normal.
Maybe it's better to be alone, he thought.
To grieve. To breathe.
To not be surrounded by people who felt too perfect, too kind, too wrong.
He took a small step toward that direction. His heart pounded. His fingers trembled around his bag's strap. Just one step. Maybe another.
Then..
"Lex," a calm voice called.
He froze.
The Dumitrescus were standing beside a long black car - glossy, silent, and expensive-looking. Valeria's red eyes were on him, sharp and patient. The blonde one stood beside her, her expression unreadable.
"Where do you think you're going?" the dark haired Dumitrescu asked softly.
Lex hesitated, his lips parting. "I… I was just..."
Her gaze didn't waver.
Even from a distance, her presence was suffocating.
Then Lex saw them.
Two towering women stepped out from the car's side - both wearing black suits that fit their powerful builds perfectly. Their eyes were the same deep crimson as the Dumitrescus.
One had a sharp pixie bob haircut, her face marked by a jagged claw scar running from temple to jaw. Her stare was cold, predatory.
The other had a sleek ponytail, her expression composed but unreadable, her shoulders broad like a soldier's.
They looked like statues carved from marble - and built to kill.
Lex's breath caught. His chest tightened. His instinct screamed run, but his legs refused to move.
The blonde Dumitrescu's tone turned slightly firmer.
"Come now, Lex. You don't want to keep your new family waiting, do you?"
"I…" He tried to speak, but the words died in his throat.
The blonde Dumitrescu's smile never faltered.
"We'll be late for dinner," she said sweetly. "And you look hungry."
Lex took one step back - reflexively.
That was all it took.
The two towering women moved.
Fast. Too fast.
Before Lex could blink, they were beside him - one gripping his arm gently but firmly, the other taking his shoulder. Their strength was overwhelming, inhuman. Lex's breath hitched as they guided - no, forced - him toward the open car door.
"H-hey...wait...." he stammered, his voice trembling, but they didn't answer. Their grips were gentle enough not to bruise, yet unbreakable.
The blonde Dumitrescu watched with that same calm, faint smile.
"Easy now," she murmured. "You'll get used to us soon."
Lex stumbled into the car's leather seat, heart hammering. The door closed beside him with a soft click - quiet, final.
Through the tinted window, the city lights blurred. The Dumitrescus entered after him, sitting on either side once again, their perfume filling the confined space.
The engine started.
As the car rolled into the darkness of Mournia's night, Lex stared at his reflection in the window - pale, tired, and small between two impossible figures of beauty.
He wanted to speak. To ask where they were taking him.
But he stayed silent.
Because deep down, beneath his grief and exhaustion, something whispered to him -
that whatever this was… it wasn't salvation.
"Welcome to our family, Lex," The blonde Dumitrescu said softly beside him.
"You'll never be alone again."
The city lights faded behind them, swallowed by the mist.
And the night carried them away.