Chapter 126 Chapter 126: Fever and Furies
\[Lilia\]
After navigating the twists and turns of the mansion, I finally reached my room. It was still very early, an unusual hour for me to be awake, but after that little bit of "stretching," my body felt alive. My face was still ablaze, as was the sensation nestled between my legs. I turned the doorknob and poked my head through the opening, checking to see if the "camels" were still asleep. My gaze landed on Aya, wrapped in my blanket like a burrito, before shifting to the couch.
Sasha was staring back at me, her brows peaking at her hairline. She held a steaming mug, her eyes squinting skeptically.
“Oh, hi! Good morning,” I greeted sheepishly, swinging the door wide and slipping inside.
She looked grumpy, her hair twisted into a messy bun. Her suspicious glare followed me as I padded across the room and took a seat directly in front of her.
“How was your sleep?” I asked, pasting a forced smile on my face. I eased down carefully, suddenly remembering I had nothing on underneath Kael’s oversized t-shirt.
She noticed my timid gesture. “Where have you been all night?”
“Kael’s room?” I blurted out. It sounded more like a hesitant question than a confident statement. Even if I tried to lie, she would know—especially since I was wearing his clothes.
Sasha took a long sip from her mug, staring at me over the rim as if savoring the drama along with the coffee. She set the cup down and fired another shot. “So, you both had an exclusive after-party?”
“I just went for a late-night swim before sleeping, that’s all.” I shrugged, crossing my legs and trying to look innocent. It was technically true that I went for a swim, but the slight throbbing between my thighs reminded me that things had escalated.
“Do you have makeup on, or is that just a natural tomato tint?” Sasha mused, a smirk coiling at the corner of her mouth. She was clearly enjoying toasting me like a mother hen catching her daughter sneaking back through a window.
I liked Sasha, but I wasn't quite ready to share the carnal details with her. For goodness' sake, she was an assassin; that fact alone was a conversation stopper.
“Oh, it’s a hot day,” I alibied, fanning my face. I realized my mistake a second too late.
“Oh, yeah. A hot day in winter. I wonder about such a phenomenon.”
I froze, my hand motionless in the air. I looked toward the white world beyond the window. Shit. I had completely forgotten it was snowing. I gave her an awkward smile, jumped to my feet, and skittered toward the bed.
“Don’t you have things to do? I’m skipping training today to help Aya clean.”
I didn't wait for a response. I snatched the hem of the blanket and gave it a forceful yank. “Hey, Aya. Wake up!”
Aya rolled toward the edge, stretching and yawning loudly. Her face was a mask of groans and squinted eyes. “Aww, my head hurts,” she grumbled.
“Good morning, sunshine!” I hailed, tugging the rest of the blanket away.
She blinked, trying to recollect why her brain felt foggy. I was surprised Sasha didn't have a hangover after six bottles of champagne, but Aya was clearly feeling every drop.
“We can continue your training once you’re ready,” Sasha said, heading for the door. I gave her a small wave as she exited.
The room fell silent as Aya stared at the ceiling, likely waiting for the room to stop spinning.
“Should we grab some breakfast?” I initiated.
“That sounds like a pretty good idea.” She finally agreed, shaking her head soon as her laughter died down, and we both headed our way down to the kitchen, leaving my room in a complete mess. We’ll clean it after we eat first.
I was making sandwiches at the bar counter. I began by putting tuna filling on the wheat loaf, followed by a couple of leaves of lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. Aya was doing the same and prepared a hot coffee for both of us. We were just minding our businesses as the other maids bustled in preparing breakfast.
No one cared to throw us unwanted attention. They all seemed to carry on with their chores and leave us alone. I’m just glad that no one is bullying Aya because she was assigned to be my personal maid, and I am treating her as a friend instead of a servant.
Everything went peacefully, and Aya was humming some familiar nursery rhymes while I occupied myself, stuffing my mouth with the sandwich I had made.
Though that sense of tranquility was suddenly disturbed when I heard a staccato of heels pounding on the floor that I knew too well whom it belonged to. And before I could turn around to confirm my suspicion, a hand grabbed my arm painfully, yanking me around. The next thing I felt was a stinging sensation spread on my right cheeks. Throwing my head sideways, my hair fell on my face, and my ears rang from the impact.
“You filthy slut!” A screeching screamed reverberated the entire place, making my head pounded even more. “That’s for fucking my fiancé!”
My hand unconsciously went to the spot where the pain bloomed, too stunned to move or speak as my head tried to digest what had just happened.
From the corner of my eyes, I saw Sabina’s fuming face. Her eyes blazed with rage, and I looked down at her palm, seeing that it was also turning red from slapping my face too hard.
Anger thrummed through my veins, and the corner of my vision started to bleed with fury. Resentment growing inside me like a tumor, festering and consuming me whole. I didn’t know what would come next. I was too angry to even suppressed my temper.
“What the fuck is wrong with you!” My body trembled, and before I could think about what I would do with her, my body acted on its own accord. I crossed the line, grabbed her hair forcefully, and slammed her head into the nearest cupboard next to the sink.
The hell to this bitch!