Lilia's eyes widened in shock, her pulse racing as she stared at Zethan. She hadn't expected things to spiral this way. The day had already been stressful enough, and now this.
Just when she thought all she needed to do was apologize and express her gratitude, the situation had taken an entirely unexpected turn.
Luck had never been on her side.
Her fingers clenched the hem of her dress as she tried to decipher the aning behind his words. What kind of punishnt is he talking about?
Zethan studied her intently, his piercing gaze unwavering. "Do you have any suggestions?" he asked, his tone mild, but the underlying threat was unmistakable.
Lilia froze, her thoughts a tangled ss. What does he know? Her mind raced, desperately trying to piece together his intentions. What if he wasn't even referring to the black flower she had accidentally stepped on? Could soone else have damaged another one?
But no. That didn't make sense. He wouldn't bring it up unless he knew.
She forced a nervous laugh, though it ca out shaky and unconvincing. "Suggestions? I... well, if it were up to , I'd say the person should pay for the flower. Maybe a punishnt isn't really necessary—after all, they're no child," she said, her laugh faltering.
The corners of Zethan's lips twitched upward, but it wasn't a smile. Instead, he grinned. It sent an icy chill down her spine. Her face fell as she realized how serious the situation was becoming.
He knows. He must know.
Zethan leaned forward, the humor fading from his expression. His tone turned mocking, and his words cut through the air like a blade. "Buy the flower?" he repeated, his voice dripping with disdain. "Loris, this flower only blooms once a year. Do you even understand how much it's worth?"
Lilia's heart sank as a cold sweat broke out across her forehead. She struggled to maintain her composure, but her trembling hands betrayed her.
"And you said 'no child'? What if I told you that in so ways, the person who did this is no different from a child?" Zethan's voice was slow and deliberate, each word laced with an edge that made her stomach twist.
Lilia's thoughts scrambled for clarity. Is he calling a child? Or is he referring to soone else? No... it can't be . I'm not a child.
"You look so pale. Why is that?" Zethan's sharp question snapped her out of her spiraling thoughts.
She shook her head quickly, forcing a weak smile. "It's nothing," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "I... um, I wanted to thank you for yesterday. I'm really grateful." Her voice wavered as she spoke, her hands fidgeting nervously.
She dabbed her lips with trembling fingers before standing, hoping to make a quick exit. "I should probably—"
Before she could finish, Zethan was suddenly in front of her, blocking her path. Her breath hitched, and she stumbled back in surprise. How..how did he move so fast?
"Where are you going, Loris?" he asked, his voice deceptively soft.
She couldn't answer. Her throat tightened as he tilted her chin upward, forcing her to et his intense gaze.
"All my workers are exceptionally careful," he said, his voice low and asured. "Nothing like this has ever happened in my mansion. Tell , Loris—are you the one responsible?"
Lilia's heart pounded against her ribcage, and her mind raced. She shook her head frantically, trying to think of a believable excuse. "No, I—I..."
"You what?" he pressed, his eyes narrowing.
The pressure was too much. Her composure crumbled, and the truth spilled from her lips before she could stop herself. "I'm sorry," she blurted out, her voice trembling. "I didn't an to step on it! I slipped! I was just admiring the flowers, and I lost my footing!"
Zethan straightened, his expression unreadable as he processed her confession. The silence that followed was deafening, stretching on for what felt like an eternity.
"Oh, really? Is that so?" he murmured, almost to himself.
Then, to her dismay, he grinned again—a sly, mischievous glint lighting up his eyes. He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a mocking tone. "Slipped, huh? So you're telling admiring flowers made you lose your footing? Interesting."
His dry chuckle sent another shiver down her spine. "It's not like it was a banana tree or sothing. At least that would've been slightly rational. But flowers? Co on, Loris. You can do better."
She bit her lip, unsure how to respond. Her chest tightened with dread as she watched him, hoping—praying—that he might let it go.
But his next words dashed any hope she had.
"That doesn't an I won't punish you. Not just for the flowers..." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "...but for lying as well."
Lilia's eyes widened in alarm. "Wait, what?" she stamred. "I didn't lie! You hadn't even asked who did it. You just... you just said you were thinking of a punishnt and asked for my suggestion! I only gave you a normal answer!"
"Normal?" Zethan repeated, his lips curving into a faint smirk. He leaned closer, his breath brushing against her cheek. "So what am I, then? Abnormal?"
The truth was, Zethan wasn't really like this. He wasn't typically the type to toy with soone's emotions. But with Lilia, he found it... interesting. The way she reacted, the way she tried to hold herself together even when everything inside her was unraveling.
Her cheeks flushed as his words sank in. She hadn't ant to offend him, but now she realized how carelessly she'd spoken. Panic set in as Zethan tilted his head, studying her like a predator sizing up its prey.
After a tense mont, he spoke again, his tone icy. "It seems like all of you need English lessons. Especially you."
Lilia blinked, confused. Where is this conversation going?
"Tell , Loris," Zethan continued, his gaze unwavering. "Can you read?"
"What?" she asked, caught off guard by the sudden change in topic.
"Answer the question," he said.
"Yes," she stamred. "Yes, I can."
"And where did you learn to read?" he pressed, his tone mocking.
"At ho," she replied, her voice steady despite the absurdity of the question. "I was hoschooled."
Zethan's eyes darkened, a flicker of sothing unreadable crossing his face. "Ah, that explains it," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "No wonder you lack manners."
Her fists clenched at her sides, but she forced herself to remain calm. Rising to his bait would only make things worse.
Before she could respond, Lucas arrived, his footsteps breaking the tension. "Boss," he said respectfully, "the makeup artist and designer will be here in three hours for the engagent preparations."
The word engagent hit Lilia like a punch to the gut. Her mind reeled as the reality of her situation sank in.
Zethan's lips curled into a smile—cold and devoid of warmth. "I see. And the artist for my painting?"
"He'll be here in two minutes," Lucas replied.
"Cancel it," Zethan said curtly.
Lucas blinked in surprise. "Cancel it?"
"Yes," Zethan repeated firmly. "Cancel it."
Lucas hesitated, then nodded. "Understood, boss."
Zethan turned back to Lilia, his piercing gaze making her stomach twist. "Co with , Loris," he commanded.
Her heart sank. What now?
She followed him in silence, unsure of what to expect. They stepped out of the mansion, the cool breeze brushing against her skin. Zethan led her to a small open-air house, where a plush chair sat surrounded by drawing boards.
He settled into the chair, exuding an air of authority. "Loris, can you draw?" he asked suddenly.
"Yes," she replied hesitantly.
"Good," he said, a sly smile playing on his lips. "Then draw ."
Her jaw dropped. "What?"
"That's your punishnt," he said, his tone casual. "You have three hours. Draw ."
She stared at the blank canvas, her mind racing. Why does he want to draw him?
Before she could dwell on it, his voice cut through her thoughts. "Co here, Loris."
Her heart pounded as she approached him, unsure of what he wanted this ti. When she stood before him, he tapped his lap and said calmly, "Sit."
His voice was firm, leaving no room for argunt.
Lilia's brow shot up in shock, but after a mont's hesitation, she slowly lowered herself onto his lap. Her heart raced the mont she sat down, pounding so loudly she was certain he could hear it. She had never sat on a grown man's lap before, and the strange intimacy of it left her both flustered and overwheld.
Her cheeks burned as she struggled to calm herself, her hands fidgeting awkwardly in her lap. Then, unexpectedly, Zethan leaned forward, his face settling against the crook of her neck.
Lilia froze, her entire body stiffening in surprise. Her breaths quickened as her mind scrambled to process the sudden closeness. She could feel the warmth of his breath brushing against her skin, and the sensation sent her pulse into overdrive.
And then, he chuckled.
The deep rumble of his laugh vibrated through her, sparking a feeling she couldn't na—a mix of confusion, nervousness, and sothing else entirely.
Before she could make sense of it, Zethan pulled back slightly, his hand reaching for her chin. His touch was gentle as he tilted her face toward his, her golden brown eyes t his dark, piercing gaze.
"I want you to look at ," he said, his tone low but commanding. "It will help you draw better."
Was this man indecisive, or did he simply enjoy tornting her like this?
Her fingers twitched, and before she could stop herself, she raised her hands and pinched his cheeks—hard.
Zethan's calm deanor faltered for a split second, his eyebrows lifting in surprise.
"Was that normal?" she muttered under her breath, but then added quickly, "I just... needed to check the texture of your skin. For the drawing, of course."
A mont of silence passed between them before Zethan leaned back, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.
"So, you already want to ruin this handso face of mine before the engagent, huh?" he teased, his tone laced with mock arrogance.
Lilia frowned, unable to hold back the question that had been lingering in her mind.
"Are your parents even in support of this marriage?"
The playful air around Zethan vanished in an instant. His smirk faded, replaced by a shadow of sothing darker. His hand moved, holding the back of her neck—not harshly, but firmly enough to make her pause. He leaned in, bringing her face dangerously close to his.
Her breath hitched. The proximity was overwhelming; she could feel the heat of him, the intensity of his gaze, and the way his lips hovered re inches from hers.
"I have no parents, Lilia,"
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