Lila’s POV
Jasper’s voice was like the edge of a frozen blade, replacing the soft kiss from moments before. It pressed against my throat, chilling me to the bone. His eyes were a bottomless abyss, churning with a storm of fury. But beneath that anger, I thought I caught a glimpse of... hurt?
I opened my mouth, but my throat was too dry to make a sound.
Going would be a betrayal to Jasper; not going would be a cold dismissal of the fifteen years they’d spent raising me. No matter which I chose, it felt like I was tearing my own heart in two.
He suddenly released his grip on me and stood up, his back to me. The moonlight outlined the tense line of his shoulders, like a fully drawn bow. "Do you really have to go back to ’that house’?" His voice was terrifyingly low, almost identical to the wolf howls growling outside the villa.
I closed my eyes as tears slid silently down my face. ’I know he’s waiting for an answer, one that will put him at ease. But I can’t give him one.’
After a long moment, I heard my own hoarse voice say, "...I’ll only stay for an hour. Aunt Elizabeth needs me."
He spun around, a flash of gold glinting in his eyes—a sign of his wolf nature awakening. I thought he would fly into a rage, forbid me from going, or even lock me in this room.
But he didn’t.
He just stared at me, his gaze so complex I couldn’t decipher it. "Fine," he finally said, his voice devoid of emotion. "I’ll take you."
I was stunned. "You’re not going to stop me?"
"I can stop your body, but I can’t stop your heart," he said, the corner of his mouth twitching into a cold, humorless smile. "But I won’t let you step into that den of thieves alone. I have to be the one to guarantee your safety."
Half an hour later, Jasper’s black Maybach pulled up to the gate of the Goodrich estate. The night was dark and the entire street was silent. But when I looked out the car window, my heart leaped—
In the shadows surrounding the villa stood a dozen tall men dressed in black. They were as silent as statues, their hawk-like gazes locked on every exit. They were Jasper’s guards from the Wolf Clan. They hadn’t transformed, but the oppressive aura they radiated was enough to make anyone with ill intentions think twice.
"You..." I turned to look at Jasper, at a loss for words.
He turned his head, his profile sharp and chiseled in the moonlight. "Go on. I’ll wait for you right here. If it’s longer than an hour, or if you give any kind of signal, I’ll storm the place immediately."
His tone was unyielding, but in his eyes, I could see a faint, hidden plea—as if to say, ’Please come back soon.’
A warmth spread through my chest, followed by a pang of sourness and sorrow. ’So beneath all that strength, he feels this insecure.’ But he still chose to respect me and not interfere with my decision.
"Okay," I nodded, and pushed the car door open.
As I walked into the familiar foyer of the Goodrich home, Aunt Elizabeth rushed over to greet me. Her eyes were red and swollen as she threw her arms around me. "Lila! You’re finally here! Caleb has been calling your name!"
She pulled me quickly up the stairs to Caleb’s bedroom. The room was dark, lit only by a single bedside lamp. Caleb was lying in bed, his face as pale as a sheet of paper. His lips were chapped, and his eyes were sunken. He really did look seriously ill.
Hearing the noise, he slowly opened his eyes. When he saw it was me, a faint light flickered in his gaze. "Lila..." he said, his voice weak as he reached out his hand.
I hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and gently taking his hand. It was ice-cold and trembling slightly.
"How are you feeling?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm.
"Much better... now that I see you." He forced a smile, his gaze as gentle as it was when we were children. "Thank you for coming back."
In that moment, memories came flooding back. When I was fifteen, I had a high fever and was lying right here, just like this. Caleb sat by my bedside all night, never sleeping, repeatedly wiping my forehead with a damp cloth. Back then, he was the only light in my bleak world.
But that light had long since been cast in the shadow of manipulation.
"Caleb," I said, pulling my hand back, my tone turning cold. "Why are you pretending to be sick? You know this just makes things harder for me."
He gave a bitter smile, and the light in his eyes dimmed. "I’m not pretending. The doctor said the stress triggered acute encephalitis. I just... I missed you so much." He paused, his voice dropping to a whisper that only I could hear. "Lila, do you really trust Jasper Hale? He’s a Werewolf. They don’t have human emotions, only a desire to plunder and possess. He must have married you to use you for something—though we still don’t know what quality he’s after!"
His words stabbed into my heart like a needle. I snapped my head up to look him straight in the eye, my voice trembling with anger. "What gives you the right to say that about him? You don’t know him at all!"
"I don’t know him," Caleb said, a flash of pain in his eyes. "But I know you, Lila. You’ve always been a soft-hearted child, easily moved and easily manipulated. A man like Jasper Hale will only ever treat you like prey to be toyed with, not as an equal partner!"
"That’s enough!" I cut him off, my chest heaving. "You keep saying this is for my own good, but have you ever once thought about what I actually want? I’m not some docile ornament for the Goodrich family, nor am I a trophy for you to use against Jasper! I am a person with my own thoughts and my own choices!"
He stared at me, stunned. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but just then, the door was pushed open. Uncle Arthur stood in the doorway, a gentle smile on his face, but his eyes were as sharp as a knife.
"Lila is here? Caleb, are you feeling better now that you’ve seen her?" he asked as he walked in, his gaze sweeping between Caleb and me, full of scrutiny.
Caleb immediately concealed all his emotions and gave a weak smile. "Much better, Dad. It’s all thanks to Lila coming back to see me."
Arthur nodded and turned to me, his tone kind. "Lila, we’re all so happy you could come back. The Goodrich house will always be your home."
"Uncle," I said, forcing myself to calm down, "I have to get back to the office to handle a project soon, so I can’t stay long."
"Of course, of course." Arthur’s smile deepened. "Work is important. However, Caleb still needs to rest. Chatting with him a little longer will be good for his recovery."
After he finished speaking, he gave Caleb a meaningful look before turning to leave.
Once the door closed, Caleb’s expression changed in an instant. He no longer looked weak; his gaze turned sharp and complex. He stared at me and said in a low voice, "Lila, you have to be careful... of everyone. Even..." His eyes seemed to pierce through the door, as if hinting at the person who had just left.
"Are you going to talk badly about my husband again?" I stood up and smoothed my skirt. "Sorry, but I have no interest in hearing it. My time is up."
He was silent for a long time before finally lowering his head, his voice hoarse. "That’s not... Lila, stay a little longer... just a little longer."
Just then, an abrupt wolf’s howl sounded from outside the villa. I flinched, and my hand froze on the doorknob.