Chapter 33
1208 Words
Aura’s POV
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A sharp, stinging pain pulsed at the side of my head.
I groaned softly, my eyes blinking open to meet the soft lighting of my room. My brows furrowed in confusion as I slowly sat up. Everything felt hazy.
Wait… how did I get back here?
I pressed my palm to my forehead, trying to steady the throbbing. Then like a floodgate snapping open, the memories poured in—
Running. The road. My tears.
Leon.
The way I had shouted at him, told him I’d rather return to my dad’s grave than be invisible in his mansion. Then I’d run. Kept running until a car passed me.
I had turned, and then… he was there.
Leon.
I remembered the way his face hardened, and then—a quick movement. A hit to my neck. Not painful, just enough to make everything blur. Then darkness.
He caught me. I think.
I looked around now, unsure what to feel.
Relief?
Frustration?
Was I glad I wasn’t back in Phoenicia… or just stunned that he stopped me from walking right back into the hell I barely crawled out of?
“What the hell was I thinking?” I muttered, dragging a hand through my hair as I slid out of bed.
On the bedside table, a tray sat with a warm cup of tea, two tablets, and a folded note.
Curious, I picked it up.
“Take the drugs. It’ll ease the banging. —Leon.”
My lips twitched.
I didn’t even realize I was smiling until the warmth spread across my face. Huffing out a breath, I sat down, stirred the tea, popped the pills into my mouth, and washed them down with careful sips.
I stretched lazily, already feeling the edge of the headache dulling.
Walking to the window, I pulled the curtain slightly.. the courtyard was empty. No guards pacing around. No staff moving back and forth like usual.
Weird.
I shrugged and padded toward the washroom, letting the hot water calm my nerves.
After a quick bath, I changed into one of the soft grey pajama sets I found neatly folded in my drawer. It smelled clean. New. Still tagged. Probably another silent gesture from him.
Tray in hand, I walked out of the room toward the kitchen.
Still no maids.
I stepped into the spotless kitchen, brows raising slightly. Silent again. Too silent.
Weird, yet again.
Setting the used tray aside, I rinsed it, cleaned the dishes, then turned to the cabinets and fridge. It took me just a few minutes to find what I needed. I decided to make something simple.
Pancakes, crambled eggs, and some turkey bacon.
It felt… calming. Like I was reclaiming something small for myself.
When I finished, I dished the food into two plates, arranging them neatly on a tray. It was nothing fancy—just scrambled eggs, toast, and a little fruit on the side—but something about doing it made me feel lighter.
Like I had a purpose this morning. I smiled to myself as I balanced the tray carefully and made my way to Leon’s study.
As I reached the door, I paused. His voice filtered through—low, clipped, professional. He was on a call. I stood still, not wanting to interrupt, waiting for the moment his voice dropped off.
After a few seconds, the line must have ended. I knocked gently.
He looked up, eyes briefly flicking from me to the tray I held, then gave a small nod.
I stepped in slowly, placed the tray on the desk, and bowed my head slightly.
“Um…” My voice came out softer than I intended. “I’m sorry for speaking to you the way I did yesterday. I wasn’t in the best mood. And… this place… is far better than my dad’s graveyard. I’m sorry for the comparison.”
I rushed the words out too fast, like I was running out of air. I stumbled at the end, trying to catch my breath—and then the coughing started.
He handed me a napkin almost immediately, silently, and I took it without daring to meet his eyes.
I wiped my mouth, still staring at the tray, my heart pounding.
Then I finally looked up to say thank you—and the words got stuck in my throat.
He was smiling.
Actually smiling.
Not smirking. Not scowling.
Smiling.
It was soft. Unfamiliar. His face looked different—lighter. Less guarded. His features, always sharp and intense, seemed almost… gentle.
Beautiful.
Breathtaking.
I froze, my mouth slightly open, stunned by how… inhuman he looked in that moment.
Inhuman?? Is that even a word.
Well he must’ve noticed, because his smile faltered and he cleared his throat quickly, that usual hard line replacing the curve of his lips. He looked away, picking up his phone with a small frown like he was trying to cover it up.
A small smile tugged at my lips.
He was embarrassed.
He had smiled and hated the fact I saw it.
For some reason, that made my chest ache in a weird, soft way. I wondered what had made him stop smiling.
Who had made him hide that side of himself?
I sighed without even realizing it. The tension in my chest eased with the warm tea in my system, but my head still felt like a storm cloud was parked inside it.
“Are you alright?” His deep voice broke through my thoughts.
I looked up quickly, startled that he even noticed. I nodded. “Yeah… yeah, I’m fine.”
He didn’t say anything at first, just studied me with those eyes that always seemed to be looking straight through me. Then I gave a small smile and said, “I made breakfast… thought you might want to eat something.”
He stopped typing. His fingers froze midair over the keyboard. Then slowly, he turned his head, eyes lingering on me longer than usual.
“You’re not angry?” he asked.
I blinked, a little thrown by the question. Then I remembered yesterday—my shouting, the way I ran off, everything.
“Oh.” I let out a small laugh. “No, I was angry for no reason. Stupid me. Angry at my savior.”
Something shifted in his eyes. The softness vanished, replaced by something unreadable. Darker. His stare made goosebumps rise all over my arms.
I cleared my throat quickly, suddenly desperate to change the topic.
But he beat me to it.
“You think all this is because I hit you?”
His question caught me off guard. I swallowed hard, unsure what to say.
Before I could answer, he shook his head and looked down at the tray I’d brought. “Let’s eat since you brought food.”
I nodded, trying not to overthink it, and sat beside him. As we ate, I casually asked, “I didn’t see any guards outside. Or the maids. Where is everybody?”
He didn’t even look up. “Fired them. Hired new ones. They’ll be here in an hour.”
I choked.
Literally.
I started coughing so hard I had to put the fork down. My eyes widened. “You what?!”
- Writer
