Chapter 12 012
~LYKA~
I hurriedly snatched my bathrobe from the floor, my hands trembling as I wrapped it tightly around myself while glaring at the man with pure disgust. My cheeks burned fiercely, heat crawling up my neck as embarrassment weighed heavily on me. The entire scene replayed in my head, each second more humiliating than the last.
How could he be so cruel?
Was he truly a pervert?
No.... he wasn’t just a pervert. He was a mad, ruthless one.
“What did you do?” I yelled, my voice cracking as I threw my hands up in frustration. “How can you be so hasty and careless, making such stupid mistakes!”
But then I stopped.
His face remained unreadable. Cold. Stoic. Unmoved.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to calm down. Losing my temper with him wouldn’t help. If anything, it might provoke him....and the last thing I needed was to be killed in a fit of his irritation.
Still… shouldn’t I be the angry one here?
“Why are you so upset?” he asked casually, his tone indifferent. “There was nothing to see. Quite disappointing, actually. So there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”
I nearly choked.
What?
Did he just....?
My stomach twisted violently as if I were about to vomit blood. That shameless, heartless man!
What did he mean there was nothing to see?
Meanwhile, Elysia was having the time of her life inside my head, practically laughing through the humiliation.
“What!” I snapped, stepping forward before I could stop myself. “Are you trying to provoke me? What do you mean there was nothing to see?”
Before I could finish, Derrick stepped closer, invading my space with ease.
“You’re too hyper,” he said, his lips curving into a faint smirk. “I like that. Such a cute little kitten.”
Kitten?
My eye twitched.
Why was I suddenly a kitten?
“Don’t touch me, you freak!” I yelled, swatting at his hand as he reached out and patted my head like I was some pet. I struggled, but it was useless....he didn’t budge an inch.
That jerk.
“Tread carefully,” he warned calmly, his voice dropping into something dangerous. “I’m not a lenient person.”
Then, without another word, he turned and walked out.
I stood there, stunned.
He had made such a dramatic entrance....only to leave so easily?
Confused, I scanned the room for the man I had hidden earlier. My heart skipped when I realized he was gone. Panic threatened to rise, but I forced myself to breathe and remember Aiden’s instructions.
When the time came, I had to leave.
I waited patiently, every second stretching painfully until I finally heard the faint knock....the maid’s signal. I unlocked the door carefully and peered outside. The guards lay sprawled on the floor, fast asleep.
I didn’t hesitate.
I slipped into the hallway and moved quickly, keeping to the shadows. My pulse raced as I followed the passage Aiden had described. Relief washed over me when I spotted the door he mentioned.
I rushed toward it.
Then I heard it.
A strange noise.
I froze mid-step.
“What was that?” I whispered to myself, my instincts screaming.
I considered ignoring it and leaving immediately....but before I could move, a figure stepped out and blocked my path.
A woman.
I staggered back in shock, my breath catching as I took in her presence. She stood unnaturally still, her aura cold and lifeless, blending into the darkness of the hallway.
I quickly gathered myself. I couldn’t afford to be caught....not now.
I had to meet Aiden tonight. I couldn’t waste the opportunity he had risked everything to create.
“If you leave now,” I warned, shifting into a defensive stance, “you won’t get hurt.”
The woman smirked, unfazed.
“You’re alive only because he allows it,” she replied coolly. “You should’ve died the moment you stepped out of that room.”
My stomach dropped.
What… was she talking about?
“You really took the bait.”
The voice behind me sent icy shivers down my spine.
I stiffened.
I knew that voice.
Slowly, dread pooling in my chest, I turned around.
Even in the darkness, his face was unmistakable....sharp, cold, furious. My legs trembled as fear surged through me. The anger in his eyes was terrifying.
I bit my lip, my mouth drying instantly.
This was it.
He wasn’t known for mercy....and this was the second time he’d caught me trying to escape.
The speed at which the woman had intercepted me, the way he stood there waiting....it all clicked.
It was a trap.
He had suspected something was wrong the moment he entered my room earlier. He had simply waited… and I had walked straight into it like a fool.
Was he going to kill me?
My heart pounded violently as I stood frozen, waiting.
“Do you think you deserve death now?” he asked coldly. “You’ve been caught twice attempting to run away. Don’t you think that earns you that much?”
My eyes widened in horror.
Without thinking, I dropped to my knees.
“I’m sorry,” I begged, my voice shaking. “I don’t know what came over me. Please....please let me go this once.”
My heart slammed against my ribs as I waited for his response.
He’s not going to kill us… right? Elysia purred uncertainly.
I wasn’t so sure.
“Then you should compensate me,” he said, stepping closer.
Fear clawed through me as I shifted back instinctively. I remembered our last encounter....how effortlessly he had overpowered me.
He was beyond me. Beyond reason.
He reached down and yanked me to my feet, forcing me to meet his gaze at close range.
“What do you mean by compensation?” I asked quietly, dread creeping into my bones.
“What I’m going to ask of you,” he replied calmly, “you might not be able to give.”
My throat tightened.
“And you’re still asking?” he added.
I swallowed hard and nodded slowly.
“Yes… I think,” I whispered.
But inside, everything was in chaos.
What was he going to demand?