Lilia didn't know whether to laugh or smile. Canceled? Wait—he had actually canceled it? What had made him change his mind? A faint smile tugged at her lips, one so rare that Zethan couldn't help but notice. He turned to look at her, his sharp gaze focused, as though dissecting every inch of her reaction.
Lilia finaly let out a soft, disbelieving chuckle, careful to mask the bubbling excitent that threatened to surface. So, luck is finally on my side, she thought. She composed herself before turning to him, her voice asured and calm despite the elation she felt building inside.
"I see. When will I be leaving then?" she asked, her tone deliberately steady, as though this was nothing more than a casual matter.
Act nonchalant, act nonchalant, she repeated silently, forcing herself to et his piercing gaze.
Zethan's laughter suddenly broke the quiet tension of the room, cold and emotionless, like shards of ice cutting through the air. The sound startled her, and her brow furrowed. Was sothing funny? Had I just made a joke?
"Leaving?" Zethan repeated slowly, his voice smooth, almost taunting. "The engagent has been canceled for tonight. It's been moved to tomorrow night."
Lilia froze, her eyes widening in shock. The words hit her like a slap.
"Wait, what?" she blurted out, louder than she'd intended. Her voice echoed in the grand dining room, and her cheeks flushed at her outburst.
Zethan remained unfazed, his gaze locked onto hers. "You seed happy earlier," he remarked, leaning forward slightly, his lips curling into a subtle, knowing smirk. The kind of smile that didn't reach his cold, unreadable eyes.
"No... no, I wasn't....." Lilia stamred, shaking her head in denial. Her heart raced as the reality of her situation sank in. Why was she always so quick to jump to conclusions? And why did this man take such pleasure in toying with her emotions?
She glanced at him warily, her mind racing with thoughts of escape. 'There has to be a way out of this,' she thought desperately.
Before she could delve deeper into her plans, Zethan reached for his fork, spearing a perfectly cut square of at. Slowly, deliberately, he brought it toward her lips.
Lilia froze, her eyes darting from the steak to his intense gaze. She had never seen this side of him—so controlling, so deliberate in even the smallest of actions.
"Eat, Loris," he commanded, his tone sharp yet disturbingly tender.
Her breath hitched as warmth crept up her neck and ears. Reluctantly, she parted her lips, allowing him to place the tender piece of at on her tongue. The flavor was exquisite, the steak lting in her mouth with an effortless richness. But the mont was anything but enjoyable.
His gaze lingered on her lips as she chewed, and she felt the weight of every passing second. It was as if the room had shrunk, the space between them charged with an energy she couldn't define.
Just as she swallowed, Zethan picked up another piece of steak and brought it to her lips again. She hesitated but opened her mouth, her thoughts swirling with confusion.
But just as the fork neared her tongue, he pulled it away at the last mont and ate the piece himself.
Lilia stared at him, stunned, as he slowly and deliberately savored the at, his lips curling with amusent. Her gaze dropped to his mouth, her mind racing. Why did he do that?
And worse, he had used the sa fork—the sa fork that had touched her lips.
Embarrassnt flooded her cheeks as the realization sank in, and she quickly looked away, focusing on the food in front of her to avoid his gaze. This man is insufferable, she thought, biting her lower lip to keep from snapping at him.
Yet even as she tried to steady herself, she heard his laugh again. It was low, mocking, and sent a shiver down her spine. Lilia's grip on her fork tightened as she refused to et his eyes. Her heart pounded so loudly she feared he might hear it.
"Do you want more?" Zethan asked lazily, another piece of steak poised on his fork.
She couldn't believe that on this vast table of extravagant als, there was only one piece of at—the one right in front of her. It felt as though it had been specially prepared for Zethan.
There were so many other dishes—delicious, tempting options—but all he seed to care about was feeding her that one piece of at. And despite her best efforts to resist, she wanted more.
But she quickly composed herself, reminding herself that this was part of his ga. His description of fun. Don't fall for it, she thought.
"No, thank you, Mr. Zethan," she said firmly, her voice unwavering. "I can... I can feed myself."
Just as she moved her fork toward the steak, Zethan's fork intercepted hers, tapping it lightly as he spoke.
"Nope. Either I feed you, or you don't eat it at all."
Lilia couldn't believe it. This man, with his arrogance and controlling words, was playing gas with her—over at? She stared at him, doing her best to ignore the irritation rising within her. How could she even insult him? This man was too perfect to insult... and too frustrating to ignore.
She clenched her jaw, her grip tightening around the fork. I won't give in, she silently promised herself. No matter how many tis he tried to assert control over her, she wouldn't let him win.
'Tonight will be the night I escape.'
But in that mont, she realized how futile it all seed. Zethan had woven this web around her so tightly that every move she made felt like a calculated risk. And it wasn't just the steak—it was everything. Every word he spoke, every glance he gave—it was all part of so sick ga.
Her mind raced. What would happen tomorrow night? What would Zethan do next? And could she truly escape his influence in the midst of this ss?
Zethan leaned back slightly in his chair, his eyes studying her carefully, as if savoring the tension in the air. She couldn't understand him, couldn't make sense of his intentions. He wasn't like any man she had ever known. He wasn't like any man she wanted to know.
He was a mystery. A dangerous, infuriating, and irresistible mystery.
But Lilia refused to let herself be a pawn in his ga any longer. She would find a way out, no matter how difficult it beca.
Just as she was about to take another defiant bite of her food—even though her eyes still lingered on the steak—she heard Zethan speak, his voice low and steady.
"Planning to escape?"
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