Chapter 234 Is it because it's her?

Chapter 234 Is it because it's her?
♤Leila♤

I swatted weakly at the bug, my arm heavy, my body still tired, then turned to Cain, waiting for him to say something.

He didn’t.

He just stood there, staring into nothing, his jaw tightening like he was biting back words.

“Cain?” I whispered.

He blinked, like he was snapping out of a trance. “Leila… why don’t you go eat and get some rest?”

I frowned slightly.

Why was he acting like that?

Distant, careful, and almost… guilty.

Did he see through me?

Through this fake calm I had been forcing on myself since I woke up from that dream.

No matter how hard I tried to be this “new Leila” he talked about, I couldn’t just pretend nothing had happened. I couldn’t pretend I hadn’t crossed a line. I couldn’t pretend I hadn’t gone down on him, thinking he was Tobias, thinking it was all just some twisted dream.

It was maddening.

I kept telling myself it was a mistake.

A grieving woman should be given some grace.

Even if that “grace” came out in the most inappropriate way possible.

Still…

“You can change in the other room,” Cain said suddenly, picking up the clean gown I had left on the bed.

I remembered why I’d gone into the bathroom in the first place.

I’d wanted to change and go back downstairs, but the embarrassment had been too much. I’d decided to wash it away under hot water instead.

And then the bug happened.

And here we were.

He led me into the other room and set the gown down.

“I’ll leave now,” he said quietly. “I’ll be back soon. Please… don’t run away again.”

Then he shut the door.

I sank onto the bed, still wrapped in my towel, hair damp, skin cold.

My mind wouldn’t stop racing.

Don’t run away.

I wanted to.

But not for the reason he thought.

He wanted answers.

He wanted me to talk about what happened before I fell on those stairs.

Before I lost—

“Stop, Leila,” I whispered to myself.

No.

No more going there.

The new Leila wouldn’t drown herself in grief every second.

If I was going to survive this, I needed focus.

I needed the truth.

Who pushed me?

Cain would find out, I knew he would. He always did.

But what if it was Fernando?

I’d just finished talking to him when it happened.

Could he really have moved that fast?

Or was it something bigger?

Something connected to Tobias?

What if the same person who killed him was coming for me too?

But why?

My head started to ache, a dull, heavy throb behind my eyes.

Of course it did.

I’d fallen. I’d hit my head when I found out. Hell even I’d lied.

I’d told Cain I was fine, just so he wouldn’t worry. Just so he wouldn’t drag me back into that moment.

How did someone go from screaming at a man for losing her baby… to sucking his cock.

In a matter of days.

It made me feel sick. Part of this was my fault.

No.

I clenched my fists.

No more blaming myself.

If I went down that road, grief would swallow me whole.

The only person who deserved my anger was the one who pushed me.

And when I found them…

God help them.

I would get my pound of flesh.

A soft knock sounded on the door.

My heart jumped.

Quickly, I lay back down and closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep, even though my stomach growled quietly.

I didn’t want Cain in here right now.

“M-Madam Leila…”

Mia’s soft voice drifted through the door.

I shot up from the bed and rushed to open it without thinking.

“Mia.”

Relief flooded me the moment I saw her.

Finally.

Someone safe.

Someone who wasn’t tangled up in my grief, my mistakes, my confusion.

Someone I could breathe around.

I wrapped my arms around her instantly.

“My head is throbbing so badly,” I muttered into her shoulder. “I think something is wrong. It feels like it’s bleeding again or—”

My words died in my throat.

Because she was crying.

Her shoulders were shaking against mine. Soft, broken sobs muffled into my neck.

“Mia…” I pulled back slightly. “What’s wrong?”

She clutched my arms, tears streaking down her cheeks.

“I thought you were gone, Madam,” she sobbed. “I thought I lost you.”

My lips parted.

For a moment, I didn’t know what to say.

I’d never been on this side before.

I was always the one worrying.

Always the one holding June when she cried. Always the one comforting Kayla when she panicked.

I was used to being strong for other people.

Not being the reason they were scared.

“I… I’m sorry,” I whispered awkwardly.

The words felt small. Inadequate.

She sniffed and wiped her face quickly, trying to compose herself.

“Are you hungry?” she asked suddenly, like she hadn’t just been crying. “Have you eaten anything?”

I nodded, pouting without meaning to.

“I am. I really am. Cain made me food and—”

“Come,” she cut in gently, already pulling me toward the wardrobe. “Let’s get you dressed first. I’ll take care of everything.”

She dabbed at her eyes again and forced a small smile.

I nodded, feeling strangely comforted.

“Okay,” I murmured.

As she started picking out clothes for me, moving around the room like it was second nature, a thought crossed my mind.

Is this what June and Kayla felt like?

All those times I cleaned up after them.

All those times I stayed up with them, worrying, fixing, protecting.

Being held together by someone else’s quiet love.

For the first time in days…

I didn’t feel completely alone.

“So… he brought me here after I fainted.”

My voice came out soft as I finished telling Mia everything leaving the humiliating dreamy huge cock sucking.

I swallowed the last bite of food and set the plate aside just as Mia closed the first-aid box.

Click.

The sound felt too loud in the quiet room.

She didn’t look at me immediately.

Instead, she folded the box carefully, like she was buying time.

Then she asked, almost in a whisper,

“So… will you leave us again, Madam?”

My chest tightened.

I shook my head slowly.

“No,” I said. “Not yet.”

She looked up.

“I need to know who pushed me, Mia,” I continued. “I can’t leave without knowing.”

Her lips pressed together.

“And when you find out,” she asked quietly, “what will you do to them?”

She hesitated.

“Kill them? Make Master kill them?”

My fingers curled on my lap.

Kill.

The word felt heavy and foreign.

I wasn’t built for that or raised for that.

This world I had fallen into didn’t care about morals. It didn’t care about mercy. It didn’t care about right or wrong.

But I did.

At least… I thought I still did.

“I…” I started, then stopped.

My throat felt tight.

“I don’t know,” I admitted.

I swallowed.

“I don’t think I have it in me to kill anyone.”

Even as I said it, I wasn’t sure if it was true anymore.

Before I could think further, a sharp static sound crackled from the counter.

My head snapped up.

A voice burst through the walkie-talkie.

“Boss, Don José is transporting her out of town. They’re at the canal area. He knows we know she pushed Miss Leila.”

Static followed.

Then silence.

My heart stopped.

Mia froze.

Her eyes met mine.

For one long, terrifying second, neither of us moved.

Then she quickly grabbed the walkie-talkie and turned it off.

She forced a shaky smile.

“Ma… you need to rest now,” she said softly. “You’ve been through a lot.”

I stared at her trembling hands, her stiff shoulders and the way she wouldn’t meet my eyes.

Something inside me snapped.

Slowly, I lifted my finger and pointed at the counter.

“Is that why Cain left earlier?” I asked quietly.

Mia didn’t answer.

My chest started to feel tight.

“He found who pushed me, didn’t he?” I continued.

Still nothing.

“You know about it too?” My voice rose slightly. “You all know?”

My heart began pounding.

“Why didn’t anyone tell me?” I demanded. “He said he’d let me handle it when he found out. He promised.”

My words started tumbling out faster.

“Why are you hiding it from me? Why?”

My breath came uneven.

“Is it because it’s José’s fiancée?” I asked suddenly.

Mia’s eyes widened just a little.

I laughed bitterly.

“Is it her?” I pressed. “It’s José’s fiancée, isn’t it?”

My voice broke.

“Is that why?”