Two Villains

Ch. 26- The Duality of The Volkners

Several beautiful stallions were running freely on a large expanse without riders. One of them, a glossy black, caught my eye with its brilliant coat that resembled silk from a distance.

"What else do you have on this estate?" I asked her as we continued walking toward a distant, spacious green cage. I noticed a nearby greenhouse that was even larger than the shed.

"We have a sizable herd of cows, chickens providing the freshest eggs every day, the stallions you see here, a few lambs... and two alpacas."

"Two—what?" I inquired, taken aback.

"Alpacas. They're a mated couple."

"Why alpacas?" I asked, genuinely curious.

She gave me an odd look as if my lack of knowledge about the reason for having a pair of alpacas was a grave offense.

"Monsieur Rhys loves alpacas!" she explained with evident enthusiasm, prompting me to silently slap my forehead.

Of course, the eccentric Rhys fucking Volkner would have a fascination with alpacas.

"...These owls belong to him too," the lady added as we drew nearer to the cage. A faint but unpleasant stench reached my nose—the unmistakable odor of owl droppings. I couldn't fathom why Rhys was fond of these creatures, given the rather unappealing side effect of their presence.

As I approached the cage, I hesitated. The smell, while not as overpowering as I had initially feared, was undeniably the odor of owl excrement. The constant sounds of owls hooting and chirping enveloped the atmosphere. My curiosity about the rose tea had all but disappeared, and the lady kindly took the cup from my hand, setting it down on a nearby wooden bench before venturing into the cage herself.

"Would you like to see?" she offered.

I was initially hesitant, but then I noticed a few individuals inside the cage diligently cleaning the floor with dust brushes. Straws were scattered all around, presumably to absorb the owl droppings, and they were being replaced with fresh ones.

I made up my mind and entered the cage. Inside, I observed small trees where the owls could perch. A white owl turned its head to gaze at me with big, yellow eyes, tilting its head as if curious about my presence.

Little Kaya's voice within me squealed with delight at the white fluffy owl's cuteness, and I noticed a tag on its hind limb. I had the urge to approach it, but before I could extend my hand, a velvety, low-pitched purr emanated from behind me.

"Floof!"

The owl took flight and soared over my head. I followed its trajectory and saw it alight on the extended arm of a man.

Correction: It was not Sameer's arm. It was RhysFuckingVolkner's arm.

His beaming face, filled with happiness, ignited a seething rage within me. He was dressed in a black shirt and matching black jeans, attempting to exude an air of posh mystery, as though black were the only outfit color on the planet.

Rhys walked over to me and asked, "Would you like to hold it?" He extended his pet toward me, and the white owl appeared to be smiling, eager to befriend me.

I gazed into Rhys's beautiful Prussian blue eyes, which held no trace of guilt, as if he had forgotten what he had said to me just the day before.

But I had not forgotten. No, I would never forgive him. I turned away from him and moved toward another owl.

This one... This particular owl was incredibly small and undeniably cute. It gazed at me as if I were a threat, its large yellow-black eyes appearing even bigger in proportion to its tiny body. Its feathers were a lovely brown with delicate white specks, making it look irresistibly adorable.