Villain MMORPG: Almighty Devil Emperor and His Seven Demonic Wives Chapter 1173: Different

Villain Ch 1173. Different

"What's with the silence?" Allen asked, leaning forward slightly, eyes glinting with curiosity. "Usually, you'd have a whole arsenal of cobacks by now."

Bella shrugged, trying to play it off. "Maybe I'm just… giving you a break," she replied, though even she could hear the waver in her voice.

He raised an eyebrow, leaning forward with that sa smirk, his voice a low murmur, "Really?"

Bella didn't answer. She could feel Allen's eyes studying her, catching every flicker of emotion, and she knew he could see right through her lie. That only made her blush harder. He wasn't letting her off easy tonight, and his gaze held that infuriating mix of curiosity and amusent that only made her feel more exposed.

"You're not acting like your usual self," he observed, the tease in his voice softened by a hint of concern. "Not like the Bella I know in the ga… or even the Bella I usually et."

His words made her heart skip a beat, and she quickly glanced to the side, as if the flickering candle or the patterned wallpaper could offer her so escape. "Of course, I'm acting differently," she said, trying to steady her voice. "This… romantic setup? It's a first for . I don't usually do… things like this."

Just then, the waiter arrived, placing the plates in front of them, and Bella couldn't have been more relieved for the interruption. She thanked him, grateful for the montary distraction as he set down her food and a small dish of roasted vegetables for Allen.

He gave the waiter a polite nod, and as soon as they were alone again, Bella felt the tension back, though Allen's gaze was softer now.

"I'll lay off then," he said, watching her carefully. "I don't want to push you out of your comfort zone or make your mood worse."

The kindness surprised her since she thought he would tease her all night, and Bella felt her defenses falter even more. She picked up her fork, staring down at her plate as if it held all the answers she needed. There was so much she wanted to say but couldn't bring herself to.

After a few monts of silence, Bella took a small bite, letting the flavors distract her for a mont. She felt Allen's gaze lingering on her, and after a deep breath, she finally looked up to et his eyes. "It's not that I don't like this," she said, choosing her words carefully. "It's just… unexpected. I didn't think you'd… I don't know… care to do sothing like this for ." 'Honestly, it was just a last-minute plan for . Crashing at my place or grabbing a quick bite nearby would've been fine. But you went all out,' she wanted to say that so badly. Just to explain why she acted like this. But if she said that… she was afraid it would sour his mood.

His eyes softened, a hint of softness slipping through his playful deanor. "Why wouldn't I?" he asked, his tone surprisingly serious. "You an a lot to . You know that, right?"

Her heart raced at his words. She opened her mouth to respond, but found herself at a loss, unsure of what to say. How could she explain the whirlwind of emotions she felt every ti he looked at her like this?

Being around him had always felt effortless, but tonight, with the romantic atmosphere, she felt different.

"Thank you," she said finally, her voice barely a whisper. "This really does an a lot to . I just… I didn't expect it. But yes… I like this."

His gaze softened, and he gave her a small smile, nodding as if he understood. "I just wanted to do sothing special. You deserve that."

Bella's heart swelled, and she gave him a shy smile. "I appreciate it. Really."

They ate in comfortable silence for a few monts, each of them occasionally stealing glances at the other. Well, it was mostly Bella who stole a glance at him.

Bella found herself relaxing bit by bit, her earlier nervousness giving way to a calm that surprised her. She had expected this whole setup—wine, candles, ocean view—to feel like so high-stakes scene where she'd have to carefully choose her words and actions, but it wasn't like that at all. Allen hadn't suddenly turned into so distant, formal version of himself. He was still Allen, still casual, with that easygoing, confident charm that had made her like him in the first place.

She took another sip of her wine, letting the warmth settle her, and stole another look at him. He hadn't put on his "Young Master" mode, the persona he sotis used to keep people at a distance. That mixture of chaos and gentleness, she realized, was exactly why she liked him. There was sothing grounding about it, sothing that made her feel like she could be herself, even in situations that would normally make her overthink everything.

Allen caught her looking at him, and for a mont, his eyes softened as if he could read every thought running through her mind. Bella looked down, feeling her cheeks warm, but not from embarrassnt this ti. It was strange, this feeling of being seen, truly seen, and not feeling like she had to hide or perform. He wasn't expecting anything from her, wasn't demanding she be a certain way.

She took a bite of her food, savoring it, and let her mind drift for a mont. Allen had done all this, probably with no other reason than to see her smile. He hadn't gone overboard, either—there were no pretentious gestures or forced romantic lines. Just this quiet, understated mont that made her feel like she was the center of his world without him ever needing to say it out loud.

'I wonder if he knows how much this ans to ,' she thought, almost surprised at herself. She hadn't realized how much she'd craved a mont like this, a break from the chaos of their usual group antics, from the constant jokes and teasing with Alice and the others. This was new. It was private. And it was sothing she'd rember.