Chapter 20
Peace Offering
***
Leila heaved a deep sigh as she walked towards her kitchen.
After what happened, she decided to go back to her old house. It might be a bad decision to make, but she was truly hurt by Hunter’s words.
However, the mere fact that she saw the broken glasses, windows, and other things inside her house made her shake in fear. But she didn’t want to be a burden more of one to him so she must go back.
So, she told Myrtle about going back to her grandparents’ house. She was hesitant at first, but Hector agreed with her decision more of a good riddance, perhaps. She didn’t want to think about it.
She must start cleaning her house, and that will eventually occupy her mind.
Leila, then pouted her lips. And as her eyes darted towards the huge mansion beside hers, she instantly scoffed while rolling her eyes heavenward.
She couldn’t believe what just happened in a snap.
*** Flashback…
“I want to go back…” She calmly stated as she gave Myrtle a small and forced smile.
She tried so hard to calm herself. She cried inside her room, and she just wanted to empty her brokenness and pain before facing her to inform her of the decision that she had come up with.
The latter stared at her with her forehead creased as she stared at her intently.
Leila swiftly looked away. She knew that she was a bad liar.
She heaved a deep sigh before meeting her eyes once again. She wanted to stand her ground and just… go back.
The mere thought of it was like a bitter pill to swallow putting her life in danger, too. She swallowed hard.
“I miss my grandparents’ house, and I believe my mother and brother will be so worried if I don’t get in touch with them soon.” She instantly continued.
Leila wanted to bite her lower lip. She didn’t want to tell Myrtle lies even the white lies because it was still a lie, but she needed to. Besides, it wasn’t a complete lie anyway. Her reason was valid and partly true.
However, she knew that she could easily dodge a reason once her mother asked her. It’s just that, she wanted to just… go back… to her comfort zone… to the place that she truly belonged to.
That thought made her heart clench in pain. She wanted to stay here… to be with Hunter, but… She mentally shook her head.
Her recent encounter with Hunter was just too much to bear. Although she knew that he was right well, to be honest, it was making her more humiliated and embarrassed at the same time. The very reason she just wanted to go back.
“But I need to talk first to-”
“There’s no need. You can go back.”
Hector suddenly interrupted them she wanted to heave a dramatic sigh.
‘Now is your chance for good riddance, huh?’ She mockingly thought as she bit her tongue to stop the words from escaping into her mouth.
Myrtle disappointedly looked at her husband before she slightly shook her head.
“But how about the rouges that attacked her? She might be in danger if we allow her to go back,” Myrtle tried to reason out.
Then, realization hit her. However, it was short lived as she heard the soothing and cold voice resonating in the four corners of the room.
“Who’s going back? What are you talking about?”
Hunter coldly inquired as he darted his cold, deep ocean blue eyes towards her she instantly looked away.
“Leila wants to go back.” Myrtle lowly said but she could sense a tinge of desperation in her voice… like she was pleading to him about something, and she didn’t like the sound of it.
“What the hell…” Hunter cursed lowly.
“And I am allowing her to go.” Hector suddenly interjected.
Leila couldn’t stop herself from looking at Hector who was now smirking mockingly at Hunter, who was also glaring at him in a deadly manner.
“Shut the f*ck off. You can’t allow her to go…” Hunter said in between his gritted teeth.
But Hector just shrugged his shoulders, and he seemed amused by something.
“Too bad, I already did, brother,” he playfully replied.
“Besides, she said she wants to go. Who am I to cage her here?” He smirked as he said those words.
“Fine. Pack your things then. We need to go now before sunset.” Hunter said all of a sudden causing her to look at him with wide eyes.
“What?” Hunter coldly inquired as he read her questioning look.
He chuckled without humor.
“Why are you even surprised? I just came here because I needed to. Now, I want to go back to.” Hunter said like it was the obvious thing to say.
“Besides, you are still my omega. Your debts are piling up. You need to work up for them to get paid.” He continued before walking away leaving her so dumbfounded.
“He’s right. You can go now.” Hector suddenly pulled her back to reality.
She stared at him with a deadly glare, but the annoying bastard just smiled at her mockingly.
Now, what?
*** End of Flashback…
She had no choice but to go back with him.
Butler Henry even helped her organize her things. In return, she cooked dinner for them.
However, one of Hunter’s rules after they went back was for her to stay in his mansion. She couldn’t say ‘no’ because to be honest, she was still scared of living alone in her house. So, she hadn’t contradicted him about that.
And now, she needed to get some of her things as she visited her kitchen which she missed so much.
Leila let out a breathy sigh.
Well, she had no other choice anyway. She needed to go back to the mansion which was a safer place for her now.
And like what she said as if she had any other choice.
She shrugged at that thought as she entered the mansion. At least it was now bearable, though. The mansion hasn’t burned down, but the atmosphere was a reflection of Mount Everest where the coldness could be felt to the core.
Leila always sees to it that she is ignoring no, more like giving Hunter a cold treatment. Doing what she needed to do and getting out of his sight instantly when he went out of his room.
It was better for her anyway.
Not because she was still hurt by him but because she was too embarrassed at her own stubbornness that day. She knew that he was right, but her ego couldn’t take his words. Much more to the pain that she felt with his rude remarks.
Leila licked her lower lip as she tried to take Hunter out of her mind, but the moment she entered the patio, her nose was instantly attacked by a burnt smell.
She grimaced as she instantly went towards the kitchen only to see Hunter placing an unfamiliar food on a plate.
Leila just couldn’t believe that he was cooking!
‘Is he going to cook his own food now?’ A part of her mind inquired.
However, she was just speechless at his actions.
“Let’s eat,” he seriously said before placing back the pan that he used in the stove.
Leila’s brows furrowed.
“Huh?” she idiotically asked like she hadn’t heard him say it.
Hunter just heaved a deep sigh.
“I said let’s eat. Sit down,” he repeatedly stated using his oh-so-famous serious and cold tone of voice.
“Uh, you can have it. I am not hungry.” She tried to act cool even though her insides were already churning up and down butterflies roaming inside it.
She tried to go back toward the living room.
Leila immediately leaned against the cold wall when she knew that she was all alone. She held her chest as she felt the fast beating of her heart.
“What the hell are you doing for beating too fast?” She murmured under her breath.
“Who are you talking to, Miss Leila?”
She instantly jumped in fear and was shocked as Butler Henry broke her monologue.
“Uhm, h-huh?” she unconsciously said.
“I asked as to who are you talking to? But it seems like you are talking to yourself again, Miss. Anyway, have you tried Master Hunter’s grilled steak? He had many bandages on just to prepare dinner.” He curiously inquired causing her eyes to bulge out of their sockets and her jaw to drop with his revelation.
Before she could even think of it, her feet instantly walked back towards the dining room like it had its own mind.
Her heart felt like it was being hammered into pieces as she saw Hunter looking at the plate with his lost eyes. Leila swallowed hard before she bit her lower lip.
She looked at the unfamiliar food on the plate which was supposed to be the steak that he had prepared.
Then, to his hands which were full of bandages, just like Butler Henry told her a while ago.
Leila heaved an inaudible sigh as she walked past him to go to one of the hanging cabinets.
It was as if it was the only time that Hunter noticed her. She pulled the emergency kit from it and walked back to him.
Hunter curiously looked at her.
“Why the need to cook if you didn’t know how?” She pursed her lips after she said those words.
But Hunter just remained silent, so her eyes met his. The burnt ointment that she was holding suddenly stopped midway in the air as she felt like she was being lost in his eyes once again.
“I thought…”
He murmured with a hint of hesitance in his voice. He looked away before swallowing the lump in his throat and staring at her intently.
“I thought I could make you dinner as a… uhm, peace offering?” He blurted out in a low manner.
And the heck!
Her heart just skipped its beat again before it doubled back and couldn’t be stopped anymore.
“I am sorry for making you cry…” he finally said using his most soothing voice.
Leila was lost for words more dumbstruck.
God! This man could be sweet if he wanted to blurt out ‘Huh?!’
Now, this was truly her danger…
She was already in danger… because her heart was already completely captured by him.