The morning sun hung in the sky, a watchful eye casting its golden rays through the villa's windows, painting the room with an ethereal glow.
The air was thick with tension, as if the universe itself held its breath in anticipation of what was to unfold.
Leo Aetherwind sat at the edge of the plush, velvet couch, fingers drumming lightly on the armrest, a silent storm brewing within him as he awaited the arrival of Selena.
"Selena," he called, his voice smooth yet icy, resonating through the spacious room like distant thunder.
There was an indifference woven into his tone, calculated and precise—a thin veil over the chaos swirling within him.
Selena, having been lost in a world of her own thoughts, stood just outside the door of the sitting room, hesitating as confusion painted her features.
There was an urgency in his call, yet uncertainty tugged at her heart.
With a flutter of anxiety, she pushed the door open, stepping inside with cautious grace, her green eyes shimmering with questions left unspoken.
Leo regarded her, his expression a mask of cool detachment.
"From today onward, behave normally with Alex," he instructed, each word dropping like stones into a placid pond, sending ripples of unease dancing across her serene surface.
"Make him believe you are in love with him. Draw him in so fully that he can't help but fall for you. Then… I can take my revenge on that bastard."
Selena felt as if she had been punched in the gut; disbelief mingled with anger and horror in the pit of her stomach.
"I can't do that, Leo!" she protested, her voice rising with the desperation of a drowning swimmer thrashing for air.
"Are you really asking me to hurt Alex's feelings?"
The doubt in her voice was a flickering ember in a cold wind, and Leo's jaw tightened, his anger flaring like wildfire.
Inside, his mind churned with dark thoughts.
Sure enough, you are a traitor to your own heart; always siding with Alex. I will show you what real despair is, he silently vowed to himself, his fury igniting a hidden abyss within.
He did not respond to her outcry, instead summoning his butler, Wang, with a wave of his hand, as if dismissing a stray thought.
"Stop all cooperation with the Luxveil family," he commanded, each syllable crisp and cutting, "and make that family disappear today."
As the weight of his words settled in the room, Selena's face blanched, the vibrant hues of hope washed away to a pallid gray.
She grasped the implications, realizing the gravity of her naïveté.
She had surrendered herself to him, given him her first time, believing that it would bind them together—an anchor against the tides of adversity.
But now, confronted with the stark reality crashing over her like icy waves, she understood with painful clarity that she had been foolish to think Leo valued her in the way she had hoped.
With grit, she set her jaw and spoke slowly, her words coated with resolve, "I'll do it. I'll make him believe."
There was a flicker of defiance in her eyes, an ember that refused to die out in the face of despair.
Leo merely nodded, each movement of his head an assessment of her resolve.
"Good," he said, the indifference still coiling around his words like smoke.
He turned to Butler Wang again, issuing a new command that punctuated the air with finality.
"Cancel the order to harm the Luxveil family."
"Of course, Young Master," Wang replied, bowing slightly before retreating, his presence a shadow fading into the backdrop of their confrontation.
Then Leo called for Anne, his personal maid, her presence like a flash of clarity in a fog-bound landscape.
"Shift Selena's belongings to the outer guest room," he ordered, the phrasing more of a decree than a request.
Anne, ever efficient and composed, nodded briskly, but as she turned, a glimmer of contempt flickered in her eyes towards Selena—a reflection of the disdain that bubbled beneath the surface.
Selena, meanwhile, felt the chill of realization settle over her, like an unexpected winter frost.
Just because she had shared a night with Leo did not elevate her to the status of a partner; it had simply cast her in the role of a maid with desires that would never be reciprocated.
In Anne's gaze, she could almost read the unspoken words: See? This is your place. You thought your closeness to the Young Master meant something, but you're still just a maid. He will never treat you as an equal.
The ache of rejection burned in her heart like a hot iron, yet she fought to suppress her pain, already regretting her earlier defiance.
With emotions swirling like autumn leaves caught in a whirlwind, she attempted to apologize, her voice trembling with desperation.
"Leo, I'm sorry—"
But he silenced her with a wave of his hand, the dismissive gesture echoing in the silence with the finality of a judge's gavel.
"I gave you too much liberty to openly deny my orders. That's my fault."
"Who thought you would change for me?"
"Guess you still have Alex in your heart, right? Then go to the outer guest room, and don't appear before me until I order it."
The words struck her like arrows, piercing straight through to the core of her being.
Leo turned his back, walking away without a single glance back, leaving Selena standing in the wake of his indifference.
Her heart shattered like glass, promises of love and devotion mingling with regrets that clamored for attention as they tumbled through her mind.
Tears pooled in her eyes, spilling over like raindrops in a storm, and she felt utterly alone, consumed by her decisions.
She had dared to hope for something more, only to realize that her ideals were little more than castles built on sand, eroded by the rising tide of reality.
Meanwhile, Anne felt a wicked satisfaction coil in her chest as she cast one last glance at Selena, a smirk playing at her lips.
You deserve this, she thought, her thoughts saturated with a potent blend of contempt and superiority.
Who do you think you are to toy with the affections of Young Master Leo?
She appreciated the power dynamic at play, relishing the thought that just because Selena had spent a night with Leo did not mean she'd ever be equals.
No, she remained firmly within the bounds of a maid, an underling beneath the surface gloss of their shared past.
"I'll tell you this," Anne sneered beneath her breath as she moved to gather Selena's scattered belongings.
"Young Master Leo hates when someone mentions other men in front of him. You should consider yourself fortunate he didn't banish you outright."
"Guess you lost your chance, and I doubt you'll ever regain his favor."
"Hurry up and move out; I still need to make breakfast for him."
Her words were venomous, sharp-edged like shards of glass.
Watching Selena's pained expression only heightened Anne's sense of triumph; she thrived on the chaos, exhilarated by the power play unfolding around her.
As she turned to leave, the warmth of the kitchen beckoned, where she would prepare a breakfast infused with care that would not be wasted on anyone but the Young Master.
Selena stood in the remnants of the moment just shared, dazed and overwhelmed.
The excitement that had once shimmered in her heart dulled to a harrowing ache, leaving her trembling with regret.
She had wanted Leo to be the one who protected her, who would be by her side, yet here she was, faced with the consequences of her choices—adrift in a sea of bitterness.
As she slowly returned to gather her belongings, her mind spiraled back to the whirlwind of feelings that had once enveloped her, the love that had felt so pure, so real.
But she now understood Leo's merciless side—the ruthless ambition gleaming in his eyes that overshadowed any tender vows he might have used to ensnare her heart.
With each item she packed, her heart weighed heavier than the objects themselves, reminders of the warmth that had faded like the twilight.
How could I support Alex? Why did I allow myself to be entangled in his existence when Leo would always hold my heart?
The questions uncorked a fresh wave of sorrow that threatened to drown her.
Meanwhile, Leo sat in the spacious hall, his thoughts consumed by visions of power and revenge building like storm clouds gathering on the horizon.
He could feel the energies of his growth swirling within him—each moment drawing nearer to the catalyst he sought to become.
Turning to Butler Wang, his voice took on a more serious tone, cutting through the air with precision.
"Purchase a dungeon," he commanded.
"Get the details and finalize the ownership. I want it secured."
"Understood, Young Master," Wang replied, his face a mask of professionalism as he swiftly recorded the order.
As Leo settled back into his thoughts, his mind danced over strategies for increasing his power, seeing countless paths unfurling like braided vines before him.
The corridors of strength were vast and unexplored, and with the resources at his disposal, he knew he could navigate them all—each decision a stepping stone in a journey laden with ambition.
He visualized himself becoming even stronger, contemplating the techniques he needed to master—the spells and strategies that would etch his name into the annals of history.
He envisioned how such power would not only serve as a tool for his personal vendettas but would bend the world itself to his will.
Lost in reverie, he waited for the familiar sounds of breakfast preparation by Anne, relishing the aroma of the past mingling with the promise of the future.
He allowed himself a moment of satisfaction at the thought of how the game of manipulation was unfolding; every player would soon face the consequences of their choices, and he would revel in it.
As the sun continued to rise, spilling golden light across every corner of his empire, Leo steeled himself for the challenges ahead.
In both Selena's defiance and Anne's loyalty, he saw two sides of the same coin; one filled with longing, the other with ferocity, both now entangled in the web of his machinations.
Little did they know, this was only the beginning.
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[End of Chapter 53]
To be continued...
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