CHAPTER 228: TRAINING WITH LORE

–Alyssa–

I don’t know this guy named Lore, but he’s cute, and he’s good at teaching. However, he’s very insensitive. Not just that—there’s something off about him. He knows too much. Like right now, I’m having my break, eating a big, late breakfast when Jane arrives with Logan and my little nephew.

But before I could reach Sky, this little insensitive jerk swooped in first. It seems they’re close too. Lore scoops up Sky, who immediately wiggles with excitement.

"I bought you some new devices and robots," Lore spoils him.

"Robot?" I ask, brows knitting.

Lore puts Sky down in his walker, then approaches me. Using my adorable tiny fork pick—its edges rounded so it won’t hurt him—I give Sky a slice of apple to nibble on. He grips it happily, and I quickly take back the fork pick so he won’t swallow it.

"Look," Lore says as he presents a small robot. He switches it on, and it follows Sky around. "I made two more for the twins."

"Why?" I ask.

"To record their happy moments and to make sure they’re safe," he replies.

"Who’s going to watch over them?" I frown.

"You can. I’ll give you access."

"Wait," I raise my hand. "You made these robots?"

"Yes." He answers casually and pulls out more boxes. "Now, where are the twins? I need to calibrate these for facial recognition."

I watch, astonished, as the robot trails behind Sky.

"How’s training?" my brother Damon asks, sitting on the carpet while Sky toddles toward him, squealing.

"It’s torture," I groan dramatically. "Take me shopping tomorrow." I pout at him.

"Alright."

I squeal in excitement—it’s rare for Damon to take me shopping, so I’m basically vibrating. My squeal must have startled Sky because he tries to wiggle his way out of the walker again. Damon immediately scoops him up, and the little guy melts into him, snuggling against his chest as if that’s his favorite spot in the universe.

"What are you going to buy?"

"Gym clothes. My sensei disapproves of what I’m currently wearing."

"Hmm," he hums, glancing at Lore, who’s setting up a temporary charging station. "What’s he doing?"

"He made robots for the babies. Like nanny cams that literally follow them."

"I see," he nods. "Endure the training, alright." He pats my head. I nod even though I still haven’t read the contract. He gave it to me in a tablet disguised as a notebook, but I’ll deal with it later.

Damon heads upstairs with Sky while the robot trails after them. But instead of stopping, it grows arms and starts crawling up.

My jaw drops.

"Lore, your robot—"

"Yeah, it’s flexible." He says casually while setting up two more robots, one pink and one blue.

"But your robots are ugly," I tell him bluntly. "I’m going shopping tomorrow. We are designing them."

He shakes his head.

"No. Don’t touch my robots, Disney Princess."

I cringe at the last two words.

"What did you call me?"

"Disney. Princess." He smirks.

I grab a cushion and smack him with it, but he waves a hand and redirects it like magic.

"Take that back!" I hissed.

"I’ll take it back if you can finally disarm me." He claps.

"I’m starting to hate you."

He sticks out his tongue. "Hate me all you want! You’ll need that fire. I’ll give you two more hours."

"Lunch is ready!" Deanne calls. "Damon! Get your ass down here!"

Wow. She’s fiery. I think the girls are seriously fed up with Damon not eating.

"He went upstairs," I told her. She tightens her apron and storms up. "I wanna watch her beat him up."

"You totally sold out your brother," Lore teases as he sits across from me.

"He’s stubborn. He won’t eat."

"Hmm," Lore crosses his arms. "This matches what she told me about her crazy husband."

"You mean Livana?" I scoot closer. "Tell me all about her."

"Oh? Trying to squeeze intel out of me?" he smirks. "No. I won’t tell you. Besides, I’m starving."

He stands, and I follow with my tray.

"Tell me!" I hiss like a cat.

We sat. The boys gather. Deanne practically drags Damon to the head of the table, and my grandparents thank her. I mentally thank her too.

"Alright. Now everyone is present." Deanne gestures toward the twins in their high chairs. "Thank you for joining us, Zendy and Zay-Zay."

"What’s all this?" Damon asks.

"Well, Chef Wally prepared our meal. And Sky loves his cooking," Deanne informs him.

"I see."

"Beef Wellington." My mouth waters. "Chef Wally, please stay with us forever?"

"Don’t you like my cooking?" Mom asks.

"Mom, that’s not what I mean." I chuckle.

"I will try," Chef Wally says as he serves the twins on adorable fancy plates. Sky gets his own, with baby soup and little crunchy snacks he loves nibbling.

Chef Wally prepares something special for my brother—seafood soup and protein-packed dishes, including salmon, Livana’s favorite.

"I’ll stay until Boss Damon gets his body back," Wally announces.

I cheer and start eating.

"I never expected you to have this much appetite," Lore remarks at my enormous slice of Beef Wellington.

"It’s rare to have Chef Wally around. Might as well go wild," I whisper, and he nods.

Damon eats salmon. His wife’s favorite. He even feeds Sky some, and that smile... Sky’s smile melts me.

"Yummy, huh?" Damon coos at Sky. It’s adorable. I’m happy he can still feel something. I just wish he’d stop trying to kill himself. Sky needs him. If Livana were here... I wouldn’t ask for anything else.

Livana was his whole world. I have cried every night since she left us. Every time I see my brother staring blankly, not himself, it crushes me.

"Why are you crying?" Lore whispers. I quickly wiped my tears. He hands me a tissue under the table. No one else notices. They’re too busy talking.

After the meal, I retreat to my bedroom, change into my yoga outfit, and freshen up. I refuse to smell gross.

"Alyssa!" Lore knocks.

"Just a moment!" I brush my hair and tie it up. He opens the door.

"Get your ass out here. I don’t have much time!"

"Chill!" I hiss back, following him.

We head into the training room—wide open space, padded floors.

"Show me what you already know," he says, arms crossed.

"What I already know? Like, how?" I tilt my head.

He sighs, rubbing his temple.

Then he motions with a single finger.

"Attack!"

I think for a moment, then run and throw a kick. He blocks effortlessly and pushes me onto the safety mattress.

"What the hell was that?" he exclaims.

"You told me to attack," I mutter, lying flat. My muscles are sore. Miserable.

"You’ve been skipping your karate classes!" He scolds, tapping my thigh with a foam paddle. I don’t even react.

He sighs again, sits beside me, and taps my thigh once more.

"What’s wrong? You were crying earlier?"

"So aside from being a fitness coach, are you now a therapist?" I glare at that annoyingly handsome face. He’s young—older than me, maybe nineteen or early twenties—and pale but nice-looking.

"We can’t continue if you have no will."

"I really don’t have any will to continue. Not after Livana. She’s my sister. She and Laura."

"Continue the training. Follow the contract, and everything will be fine." He stands.

"Fine?" I sit up. "How will everything be fine when she’s gone?"

"Maybe she’ll crawl out of hell?" he shrugs.

I grab the paddle and smack him. Then I launch with kicks and punches, but I can’t land a single hit.

"Hell?! She’s an angel!"

"No, she’s not," he defends, dodging again.

"She is!"

I clutch my chest, exhausted. I get tired too easily—probably because I’ve skipped every class like a rebel.

"Well, that stirred you up," Lore laughs. "Lay down. I’ll massage your muscles." Then he pauses. "Actually, I’ll call Sophia."

He pulls out his ancient phone. "Hey, sis. I need you to break Alyssa’s muscles."

"What?!" I gape while he smirks.

"She said she’ll break the contract."

"You liar!" I tackle him, but he laughs and runs—though pretty sure he LET me catch him. I push him down and grapple him. He doesn’t even grunt.

"Wrong form," he says, adjusting my movements until I pin him. "Legs, here—"

I freeze, realizing it looks totally inappropriate, and kick him off just as Sophia arrives.

"Not bad," Lore rolls over and stands. "Sis, this lady needs some breaks." He says, pulling up his prehistoric phone again and frowning.

Sophia pulls me aside. "Let that genius guy work."

"What is he doing?"

"Fighting a lot of malware," she says, guiding me into stretches. "Do these daily. I know you do yoga and pilates. It’ll make your kicks higher. But Lore will teach you how to kick with power."

My eyes widen. Never expected Sophia to praise me—or him.

"Lore can be playful," she admits. "But he’s a great guy. The genius of our Empire."

I nod slowly, watching Lore tapping away on his Jurassic phone like the fate of the world depends on it.