Chapter 42 Chapter 42

Chapter 42 Chapter 42
_Leon's POV_

A while later, I heard movement downstairs. Voices drifted through the house followed by the sound of luggage being carried upstairs.

Talia had arrived.

I carefully placed the photograph back on my desk and walked out of my room. The moment I stepped into the hallway, I saw my parents and some servants helping Talia carry several bags toward the guest room beside mine.

My mother smiled when she noticed me. "You're supposed to be resting."

I shrugged slightly. "I was getting bored."

Talia laughed softly. "That didn't take long."

My father carried one of her suitcases into the room before setting it down near the bed. "There."

He dusted off his hands. "Everything should be ready."

Talia looked around the room with a pleased smile. "It looks perfect."

My mother nodded. "If you need anything, just let us know."

"Thank you."

Talia genuinely looked happy. For a moment, everything seemed normal. My parents stayed a little longer. They helped her unpack before eventually leaving her to settle in. About twenty minutes later, there was a knock on my bedroom door.

"Come in."

The door opened and Talia stepped inside. She had changed into more comfortable clothes and her hair hung loosely around her shoulders.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better."

She smiled. "Good."

Then her expression became serious. "Actually, I came to remind you that you need to take your medication before dinner."

I nodded absentmindedly. But my thoughts immediately returned to the photograph.

Anya.

Suddenly, excitement rushed through me. "Talia."

"What?"

"I remembered something."

Her eyes immediately brightened. "You did?"

"Yes."

I quickly grabbed the photograph from my desk and walked over to her. "Look."

She frowned slightly before taking the picture. The moment her eyes landed on it, her entire body stiffened. The reaction was so brief that most people would have missed it.

I didn't.

Her eyes widened. The color drained slightly from her face. For just a second, she looked shocked. Then the expression vanished.

I frowned. "Talia?"

She forced a smile. "What about it?"

I pointed at the dark-haired girl. "I remember her."

The photograph trembled slightly in her hands. "Really?"

I nodded. "Her name is Anya."

The moment I said the name, Talia's fingers tightened around the picture. For a split second, something dark flashed through her eyes. I could see her anger. Then she quickly hid it behind a smile.

"Anya?"

"Yes."

I stared at her carefully. "I remembered."

Her voice sounded strained. "That's... wonderful."

But she didn't sound happy...Not at all. Instead, she looked nervous.

I pointed toward the picture again. "Who is she?"

Talia's smile disappeared completely. "Where did you get this?"

The question came out much sharper than I expected.

I blinked. "What?"

"Where did you get this photograph?" Her voice rose slightly.

I frowned. "It was inside an envelope."

"What envelope?"

"The one in my desk drawer."

Her face became even paler.

"The envelope with our engagement photos."

For several seconds, she simply stared at the photograph. Then she suddenly snatched it away from me. The movement surprised me.

"Talia?"

She immediately looked away. "She's nobody important."

I stared at her. "What do you mean?"

"She was just a maid."

A maid?

My confusion deepened. "A maid?"

"Yes." Her answer came far too quickly. "Just a servant who worked around the pack."

I frowned. "Then why do I remember her?"

Talia avoided my eyes. "You probably don't."

"I remembered her name."

"That doesn't mean anything." Her voice sounded forced.

I continued staring at her. "Where is she now?"

The room suddenly became very quiet. Talia looked uncomfortable.

"Why are you asking so many questions about her?"

"Because I want answers."

She sighed dramatically. "Fine."

Then she crossed her arms. She was thrown out."

My stomach tightened. "Thrown out?"

"Yes."

Her expression hardened. "She was caught stealing."

I blinked. "What?"

"She stole from pack members." Talia shook her head. "She caused a lot of problems."

Something about her explanation felt wrong. I couldn't explain why. But it felt rehearsed...like she had prepared it beforehand.

"Then why was she at our engagement party?"

Talia hesitated. "Because she was working there."

I continued watching her carefully. "And that's all?"

"Yes."

I wasn't convinced...not even a little. My gaze drifted back toward the photograph. The dark-haired girl looked peaceful. Nothing about her looked dangerous. Nothing about her looked like a thief.

Before I could say anything else, Talia suddenly ripped the photograph in half. I froze. The tearing sound echoed through the room. For a moment, I couldn't even process what had happened.

Then she tore it again...and again. Small pieces fluttered toward the floor.

"Talia!"

I stared at her in shock.

"What are you doing?"

She crumpled the pieces tightly in her fist. "We don't need this."

My chest tightened. "You destroyed it."

"It was just a photograph."

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. "You could have left it alone."

Her expression suddenly became defensive. "Why are you so obsessed with her, Leon?" The question came out much louder than before.

I blinked. "What?"

Talia took a step toward me. "I'm your fiancée." Her voice trembled slightly. "I'm the person standing right in front of you."

I stared at her. She grabbed my hand. "You should be focusing on me."

"I was only asking questions."

"About a maid."

"Talia...."

"No."

She shook her head. "You need to stop thinking about her."

The room felt strangely tense. Something wasn't right. Talia took a deep breath before forcing another smile. Then she gently guided me toward the bed.

"Sit down."

I hesitated.

"Your medicine."

I slowly sat. Talia immediately moved toward the dresser where my medications had been placed. Meanwhile, my thoughts remained trapped on the photograph....on Anya. And on Talia's strange reaction.

Why had she panicked?

Why had she destroyed the picture?

Why did she seem so desperate to stop me from asking questions?

None of it made sense.

Across the room, Talia opened a plastic medication organizer. The container had several compartments filled with tablets and capsules arranged according to the days of the week. She carefully removed the pills the doctor had prescribed.

At least, I assumed they were the doctor's pills.

My mind was still focused on Anya. Her name echoed endlessly inside my head. I could almost hear her voice. The feeling made my chest ache.

While I sat there lost in thought, Talia walked toward the small table beside the window. A glass jug of water sat there. She picked it up and poured water into a glass. The clear liquid sparkled beneath the evening light.

I barely paid attention. My eyes wandered toward the large mirror hanging beside the wardrobe. Then suddenly something caught my attention.

I frowned.

Talia's back was facing me. She seemed to think I wasn't looking. For a brief second, I saw her glance over her shoulder. Then she quickly reached into her pocket.

My heartbeat slowed. What was she doing?

I watched her reflection carefully through the mirror. Talia pulled out a tiny folded packet. It was not medicine but something else.

I immediately felt confused. She carefully opened it. Then she poured a small amount of white powder into the glass of water.

I froze.

My eyes locked onto the reflection. The powder disappeared instantly after touching the water. Talia quickly picked up a spoon and stirred the glass. Once she finished, the liquid looked completely normal. It was colorless and clear...as though nothing had been added at all.

My heartbeat suddenly began pounding. The packet vanished back into her pocket. Then she picked up the glass and turned around with a bright smile on her face.

"Here."

I stared at her. My pulse hammered inside my chest. Because I knew exactly what I had just seen. And whatever she had poured into that glass...

It was not one of my prescribed medicines.

Talia smiled sweetly as she walked toward me. But for the first time since waking up in the hospital, a cold feeling of suspicion crept through my entire body.

And suddenly, I wasn't sure if the danger in my life came from my missing memories...

Or from the woman standing right in front of me.