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!

Derek led me away from the group little distance from the cave. I halted, faced him to hear what he had to say about the whole situation.

Before, I was in doubt if I ever was the prophetic person they labeled me to be, but now, I was hundred percent convinced I wasn't, because if I was, Ondine's hands wouldn't have clutched my throat last night.

My chest recieved my crossed hands as I anticipated what he would blurt out.

"What?" I yelled in a fit of rage.

"I need you to calm down and we'll talk about this amicably." His hands demonstrating how my rage should plummet.

I nodded, filled my lungs with oxygen, then released the waste. My mind still hellbent on why Ondine tried to unalive me for absolutely something that wasn't my fault…or, I got it, her petty ass was jealous. That she caught Derek and I on top of each other gave her that resolve to kill me.

32. Rage. Lila's pov