Victoria_Xoxo

He chuckled. “What’s with the face?”

I blinked. “What?”

“You’re blushing.” His voice held a teasing lit, and I could practically hear the smirk behind it.

“Oh.” I raised a hand to my cheek, rubbing absently, only to feel the warmth spreading across my skin. My lips twisted into a small, guilty smile.

Leo’s eyes gleamed with amusement. There was something about the way he looked at me—steady, knowing—that made me uneasy. Not because I felt uncomfortable, but because I had spent so long misunderstanding him.

Why hadn’t I seen his loyalty from the start? Why had I assumed he wanted me for business, for something transactional? A pang of guilt settled in my chest.

“This place is…” I started, glancing around, searching for words.

He leaned back slightly, one arm draped over the chair. “Deserving of a heiress,” he finished smoothly. “I had a work break.”

A warm rush of gratitude filled me, but it was quickly dampened by a lingering thought. Cassie had mentioned something earlier—something about Ophelia storming into Leo’s office. My fingers curled slightly against the tablecloth.

Kill Lila!

"Ondine." I jumped out of Derek's body and shifted to a distance. My eyes widened, heart thumping hard against my chest, threatening to tear off my ribcage.

Her face was somber, downcast fell on those eyes like they belonged there, and I wore my shame because I had no choice. Derek calmness should be explored. I meant, how could he not fidget when his ex-fiance caught us cuddling each other?

"I'm…I'm sorry if I'm intruding. But there's a problem." She said.

I transitioned from seeing the sadness in her eyes to learning those eyes actually bred panic-an emergency expression.

"What trouble?" Asked Derek as he picked his weapon.

I quickly strapped my half naked self with decent cloth and made to follow them. While on the way, Ondine explained about how Lucas came back on his knees, clawed and bitten by wolves, he was almost dead when he arrived. Aurora had managed to apply her healing hands to use.

30. Gloomy Day. Lila's Pov