Chapter53 The Control Freak Psycho
Selah's villa.
"...So, you want me to help you fight the Knight family?"
"Yes."
Selah was a woman overflowing with an innocent, romantic aura, possessing the common childlike quality of an artist.
Initially, she was excited about Linnea's visit. She quickly brought Linnea, who had deep ties to the Clair family, into the category of new friends. She offered Linnea some cake she had just baked, gave her a few of her new paintings, and gave Linnea permission to sell them if she ever faced financial difficulties.
But upon hearing Linnea's request, she showed the concern of an adult.
"Your intention is..."
"May I first ask about your relationship with Ms. Laurel?"
Linnea chose to conceal the truth, inventing an excuse. "My mother and I lived poorly. During a massive viral outbreak, Ms. Laurel saved my mother and me. Even though my mother passed away later, I remain very grateful to her."
She didn't know how much Selah believed her. But Selah smiled at her kindly. "Ms. Laurel is indeed such a generous and kind person."
She then spoke about her own connection to Laurel.
"When I first came of age, my parents tried to force me into an arranged marriage. I refused, ran away, and became a struggling designer in a youth community."
"Back then, I was miserable. I barely had enough to eat or wear. It was Ms. Laurel who pulled me out of the abyss during my lowest point."
"By chance, she saw a painting I made using fallen leaves. She loved it and bought it at an extremely high price. Not only that, but she also offered to provide me with free room and board so I could focus on my art and create the representative work I could be proud of."
"And actually—I succeeded."
"Congratulations." As Laurel's daughter, Linnea had heard many such heartwarming stories.
But Selah's tone immediately shifted.
"But I won't lie to you, I've had a serious falling out with my family recently." Selah spoke the refusal, yet her eyes showed genuine guilt. "If I were to plead with that devilish, strict, and controlling family, they would definitely force me into that arranged marriage with that overbearing, annoying guy. I'm being a bit selfish. I don't want to do that."
"Oh, no. I'm not here to ask you to sacrifice your marriage by pleading with your family to protect Ms. Laurel's estate. I'm sure she wouldn't want to see a woman lose her freedom in love for her." Linnea quickly shook her head, then added, "I came here to ask for your assistance."
Selah was surprised, leaning forward slightly. "Linnea... you are a resourceful young woman. Please tell me."
"I need you to unveil an environmentally-themed painting at the upcoming Radiant Vision Art Exhibition," Linnea said softly. "Once the painting is released, I will use my online media resources to create buzz around the topic related to your eco-friendly artwork."
"I did decide on an environmental theme beforehand, and I have some initial ideas. But, how do you need me to cooperate?"
Linnea gave a mysterious smile. She said:
"I've already figured out the most brilliant theme."
Thirty minutes later.
After finalizing the painting's subject, Selah sighed in relief, clearly excited.
"I can't thank you enough," she said, gratefully clasping Linnea's hand. "I never imagined there would be someone in the world who is a hundred times more grateful to Ms. Laurel than I am, someone even willing to give everything to protect the home she lived in."
Hearing that, Linnea felt a pang of guilt.
After all, she was only doing this because Laurel was the mother she loved most. Protecting her mother's home was also protecting her own.
Selah didn't notice her unusual reaction. They said their goodbyes.
Meanwhile.
In the villa next door to Selah's residence, a man was fiddling with surveillance equipment and grumbling into his phone to Caius. "I found something good in the security footage."
"You're still trying to monitor Selah—the heiress who refused to enter an arranged marriage with you?" Caius didn't care about his "good thing." He coldly remarked, "You really are a control freak psycho."
"What are you talking about? I'm installing tight surveillance in my lover's little home to ensure her personal safety... What's wrong with that?"
"She refused to enter an arranged marriage with you. And that villa isn't yours. You're just the former buyer who sneakily filled the place with cameras beforehand..."
The man interrupted unhappily, "She'll agree eventually."
"Boring," Caius said. "Fantasies don't turn into reality."
The man's thick eyebrows knitted deeply. But when he thought of the fun he'd just discovered, his tone became meaningful. "Trust me, you'll become a person like this eventually. I just saw your woman in my home surveillance."
"Linnea?" Caius immediately asked. "What about her?"
"You really are a control freak psycho. She simply made friends with my dear fiancée. What does it have to do with you?" The man returned Caius's mockery, then said mysteriously, "You know our family is best at getting information. I happened to have my subordinate investigate Ms. Linnea, and we found some interesting things... What are you offering for this piece of information?"
"I didn't say I'd trade."
"To make sure this information is the best leverage for me to get you to do what I want, I've had my subordinate block all ways to obtain it." The man shouted after him, "Caius, are you sure you don't want to know? I'm certain you'll regret it."
Caius said indifferently, "Then I'll regret it."
He hung up and ordered his driver to head to Selah's residence. Recalling his conversation with the man, he scoffed dismissively.
Linnea, as a pet he currently favored, what kind of trouble could she possibly cause?
He couldn't help but tease and discipline Linnea, but it was just out of a sense of control over his pet.
And that guy?
He went to all that effort to stick to that woman, all for something as ridiculous as love.
...
After leaving Selah's house, Linnea felt a constant chill.
Until her eyes met Caius, who was staring intently at her not far away. Utterly bad luck! Why was Caius here?!
Hoping he hadn't seen her, Linnea quickly tried to slip away.
But a low voice came from behind her. "Kitten, I don't want to bite through your neck in broad daylight."
Linnea instantly clenched her back teeth.
She stiffly turned back, giving Caius an awkward smile. "What a coincidence, Caius."
They were just outside the fence surrounding the villa, where the faint whinnying of the white horse Selah kept could be heard.
Under the blue sky and white clouds, Caius approached her step by step, finally pressing her against the fence.
A large shadow covered her. Caius directly questioned her. "Why do you know Selah?"
"Of course, it's because my mother and she used to be close friends..."
"Using your mother as an excuse again?"
Crap. Linnea thought, a headache starting. She'd unconsciously pursed her lips again. No wonder Caius didn't believe her...
Caius gazed at her, his eyes gradually darkening:
"It seems my kitten has been having a hard time staying home lately. Is my beach apartment not fun enough? What's wrong with my newly renovated changing room, game room, gym, or private cinema?"
"I'm just engaging in normal social activities..."
"The most annoying thing is that you lied to me again." Caius interrupted her once more. "Wanting to see Selah is not something a common girl can easily do."
Linnea was speechless.
She tried to escape, but Caius grabbed her waist, spun her around, and slammed her against the rough wall.
His hot breath enveloped her.
He was biting her neck!