They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System Chapter 23: Pretense 1

"Hey! What do you an by that?" Ikenna asked, his tone rising in indignation. "How do you even know about that? So, you've been monitoring us? I can't believe you actually planted your people in my hospital!"

Somto remained calm, letting Ikenna rant.

"And what's worse, you two must've been in on this! Did you know he was going to ban from his room? It's not fair! I'm his doctor, the reason he's even alive right now, and yet, he's barring from his room!"

Ikenna's frustration bubbled over as he continued. "And let's not even talk about the fact that I still can't figure out why he doesn't want to recover.

Probably because he's still holding out hope for that girl you both keep looking for! It's been years, she might even be dead by now!"

As soon as those words left Ikenna's mouth, the entire atmosphere shifted. A cold chill swept through the hallway, and for a mont, he thought it ca from Somto.

But no, it wasn't Somto. It was the man on a wheelchair across the hall.

Four's voice cut through like a blade.

"What did you just say?"

Ikenna turned toward the voice, startled. He stumbled over his words, trying to clarify. "I didn't an that! She's not dead. I an, I didn't say she was dead, did I? Did you hear say she was dead?" His eyes darted to Somto, searching for support.

Somto "..."

Four "..."

Somto didn't answer him. Instead, he shifted his gaze to Four, who sat on a wheelchair motionless, his presence commanding. Without a word, Somto began walking toward Four.

"We'll talk inside," Somto said flatly. His tone left no room for argunt. "There's sothing we need to discuss."

The three n entered Four's room, their eyes scanning every corner to ensure the environnt was safe before anyone spoke. They remained silent, their instincts telling them to tread carefully.

anwhile, the rest of the family, excluding Somto, slowly made their way to Nnenna's room. Without bothering to knock, Chidera shoved the door open, his actions brash and careless as usual.

The group stepped inside and pretended not to notice the tension lingering in the room, the sort that spoke of years of unresolved resentnt. Their eyes quickly landed on Nnenna, who had fallen asleep.

Her small figure was trembling slightly, a clear sign of discomfort. She hadn't covered herself properly with the blanket, suggesting that her sleep was unplanned and perhaps disturbed.

But no one rushed to help. They stood there, their gazes indifferent, as if the scene before them was just another trivial mont.

"Nnenna! Wake up! We ca here to see you, and you're sleeping?" the first voice shouted sharply, cutting through the silence of the room.

The loud sound startled Nnenna awake. She jerked upright, her breathing uneven as she tried to figure out what was happening.

Her eyes darted around the room in confusion until they finally focused on the six figures standing before her.

Her gaze remained on them, bewildered. What were they doing here?

The Queen stepped forward, her expression soft as if she truly cared. She spoke in a gentle, almost rehearsed tone, her eyes briefly glancing at the King as if trying to make an impression.

"My darling, how are you feeling? When I heard you were in a coma, I was so scared!" she began, her voice laced with false concern. "We were all worried, and now that you're awake, we couldn't wait to see you. Your family ca together just for you. Tell , how are you feeling now?"

Her words sounded warm, but Nnenna's tired eyes narrowed slightly. She had heard this tone before, a mixture of pretension and ulterior motives.

As Queen Chioma spoke, she reached out as if to adjust Nnenna's pillow, but her hands barely did anything. The gesture was empty, just for show.

Nnenna's sharp gaze followed the woman's movents, her mind spinning. 'She's a Queen, yet she's acting like this? Maybe the stage would suit her better. She would make a fantastic actress.'

The young girl's thoughts turned darker as the reality of the situation hit her. 'Who in the castle doesn't know that I fell down the stairs and spent the last four months in a coma?

And yet, these people, standing here as if they care...never visited . Not once. Now she has the audacity to say she was 'so worried.''

Her tired body stiffened slightly, though she tried to remain calm. 'Why are they even here? What do they want from this ti?'

She glanced at the family with a growing sense of unease. These past few days, after waking up, had been peaceful, almost too peaceful. She had begun to dream of staying away from the castle forever.

But now, it seed the chaos and problems of that place had followed her here.

"I'm fine, and if you don't mind, I really need to rest," Nnenna replied, her tone as calm as she could manage, though a hint of annoyance flickered behind her eyes.

But Queen Chioma wasn't backing down. She had her agenda for the day. With a determined smile, she pressed on, hoping to leave a good impression on the King. "You don't have to pretend, dear. We're family.

You can tell us how you're really feeling. Don't worry, I will speak to the doctor. Maybe you can stay here a bit longer so they can make sure everything is alright with you."

In her heart, Queen Chioma actually hoped that Nnenna would stay longer in the hospital. She didn't want the girl to co back ho at all.

It was an opportunity for her to co up with a perfect excuse, a reason to keep Nnenna away. But what Chioma did not realize was that her "excuse" was a blessing in disguise for Nnenna.

Nnenna didn't want to return to that castle. For the first ti in a long while, she felt peace, real, uninterrupted peace.