Vampire's Veil Of Obsession-Chapter 70: The Guest

Zethan was silent—calm, in fact. Too calm.

She searched his face, waiting for a reaction, but he gave none. His gaze remained fixed on her, unreadable, almost distant. The weight of his silence pressed down on her chest, suffocating.

Then, without a word, he moved.

Her heart skipped.

That feeling—unsettling, intrusive—crawled under her skin like an unwelcome whisper. She hated it. She hated the way her body still reacted to him despite everything. It made her feel weak, vulnerable. But no, she wouldn't allow that. She had to be stronger, and had to remember who she was and what she deserved.

She forced herself not to think of Ava. Ava, the woman carrying his child.

It didn't matter how she felt about Zethan anymore. The moment a child was involved, things changed. She had to respect that. More importantly, she had to respect herself.

So why was her pulse racing as he took another step?

Then, to her shock, Zethan reached for the door.

And left.

Wait. What?

Her chest tightened as the weight of his absence hit her like a brutal gust of wind. A whirlwind of emotions twisted inside her—anger, confusion, something dangerously close to pain. It was as if he had ripped something from her without even touching her.

She stormed forward, yanking the door open.

But he was gone.

Not in the hallway. Not anywhere.

A slow, bitter smile formed on her lips, but it did nothing to ease the ache in her heart. It squeezed—hard—until the pain was almost unbearable.

It wasn't just that he had a child with someone else. It was knowing how that child had come to be. That was the real agony.

And now, after everything, he had walked out the moment she mentioned the divorce.

Her fingers curled into her chest as if she could physically hold herself together. The pain intensified, sharp and unrelenting, like a dagger pressing deeper with every breath.

With trembling hands, she shut the door. The soft click of the lock echoed in the silence, final and cold.

Step by step, she made her way to the bed, her body growing heavier with each passing moment. The second she lay down, exhaustion crashed over her like a relentless wave.

A single tear slipped from the corner of her eye, falling onto the sheets.

Had he gone to check...to check.....on Ava?

Of course, he had.

What had she been thinking?

How foolish she was....No—she had done the right thing by asking for a divorce. She had to. She needed to put herself first, to reclaim the pieces of herself she had lost.

Yet, lying there in the vast emptiness of the room, the truth was painfully clear.

She was truly alone.

There wasn't a single friend she could turn to. And as for going back home—Lilia knew that was out of the question.

Her parents would never forgive her. She understood the kind of punishment that awaited her.

Another tear slipped down her cheek.

No one to run to.

No one to visit.

No one to even meet in the meantime.

Exhaustion pulled her under, dragging her into the depths of sleep.

***************

Lilia's body moved by the constant knocking at the door, her eyes fluttered open. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, she turned toward the window and realized the sun had dipped below the horizon. The room was bathed in a soft, golden glow. Evening already?

Had she really slept that long?

She sat up slowly, stretching the stiffness from her limbs. Her mind was still sluggish, but then—memories of the previous night came rushing back in a flood.

Midnight. The tension. Zethan walking away.

She forced the thoughts aside.

Now wasn't the time to dwell on them.

She rose to her feet, walked to the door, and opened it.

Standing there was Evie, her expression careful, almost apologetic.

"Good evening, Miss Lilia. I hope you slept well," the woman said politely.

Lilia offered a small nod and a faint smile.

"Sorry to disturb you," Evie continued. "I just came to inform you that dinner will be ready soon, so you won't miss it."

Lilia nodded again, but before she could respond, Evie hesitated. Then, as if gathering courage, she added, "I also wanted to take this opportunity to apologize for what happened yesterday. It was entirely my fault for—"

Lilia quickly shook her head. "No, it's not your fault. Don't worry about it. Everything is in the past now."

A relieved smile spread across the woman's face. "Thank you. I'll take my leave now."

With that, she turned and closed the door behind her.

Lilia exhaled, then wasted no time heading to the bathroom.

A slow bath to wash away the lingering heaviness in her chest, though it didn't quite cleanse the deeper ache inside her.

After drying off, she slipped into a simple yet stylish outfit—a body-hugging gray top paired with loose-fitting gray pants.

For some reason, she wanted to look different tonight. She couldn't explain why.

Letting her wavy hair fall naturally, she tucked a few strands to the front and secured the other side with pins. A touch of clear lip gloss coated her already rosy lips.

She paused, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

Why was she putting in effort?

It wasn't as if Zethan would notice.

Or even care.

She pushed the thought aside and stepped out of her room.

Evie was already waiting. She bowed respectfully. "Ms. Lilia, this way."

Lilia nodded and followed, though she already knew exactly where the dining hall was.

Before she could ask, Evie spoke again.

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"Mr. Zethan left, just in case you don't see him in the dining Mrs Lilia."

Lilia gave a small nod, but at the mention of his name, her heart skipped—though she had no idea why.

Annoyance flickered through her.

After all, he had left her yesterday.

'No, Lilia. Don't think about that.'

Remember self-respect. Let the past be the past.

That would be her new motto.

She refused to rely too much on others. The fact that she had already started trusting him unsettled her more than she cared to admit.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs and neared the dining area, she suddenly halted.

Ava was already seated.

Eating.

A bittersweet smile ghosted Lilia's lips, though she masked it immediately. Without sparing Ava a glance, she walked toward the table and took her seat.

Only then did she truly take her in.

Ava was stunning.

No wonder she and Zethan had a history.

Then, Ava lifted her head and met Lilia's gaze.

"Good evening," she said with a warm smile.

For a fleeting moment, Lilia was silent.

Then, she gave a slight nod. "Good evening."

Ava's smile remained gentle. "I asked about you earlier. It seems you've been sleeping. I didn't want to trouble anyone by asking for your room, but after dinner, I'd love to see it."

Lilia returned her smile before answering, "Our room. My husband and I are staying together."

'Husband' Ava thought

Ava's eyes widened slightly.

Zethan had actually let Lilia into his room?

She recalled how she had once begged for just a glimpse inside, but he had never budged.

That room—his private sanctuary—was off-limits to everyone.

And yet, Lilia wasn't just allowed inside. She was staying there with him

Ava kept her composure, her sweet smile never faltering. "Oh, I see," she said smoothly. "I arrived late last night. I hope I didn't disturb you."

Lilia shook her head. "No, you didn't. We were actually busy when we heard the news of your arrival. I hope you slept well."

Ava smiled warmly.

But inside, she was seething.

What unsettled her most was Lilia's effortless use of the word we.

Then Ava spoke.

"I guess the hormones are kicking in. You know, early pregnancy and all its problems." She giggled.

Lilia giggled along with her before responding, "True, especially when you're not entirely sure who the parents are."

Ava's eyes widened slightly. She knew exactly what Lilia had implied. Her lips parted.

Then—

Footsteps.

That presence.

No one needed to tell her.

That particular air of authority could only belong to Zethan.

He had finally arrived.

Lilia's body stilled. She focused on her plate, pretending to take a casual scoop of food, but her movements were deliberate, controlled. Every muscle in her body remained tense, though she feigned indifference.

Then, Ava's voice broke the silence.

"Zeth, you're back."

Lilia resisted the urge to scoff. 'Oh wow here comes the nickname' she thought, rolling her eyes slightly.

And then, he walked in.

Zethan.

Lilia refused to look up. She kept her focus on her meal, her expression serene—calm, collected, as if completely unbothered. But deep inside, her stomach churned, her pulse quickening against her will. She pressed her lips together, keeping her face void of emotion. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her affected.

Then, she heard it.

The slow move of a chair being pulled out—the one right beside her.

Her breath caught, but she masked her reaction by taking another slow bite of food, chewing methodically. The chair settled, and she felt his presence before she even glanced at him. Zethan had taken the seat beside her—the main seat.

The air shifted.

His gaze was on her, unwavering. Lingering.

She could feel it, heavy and sharp, like the weight of an unsaid command pressing against her skin. Seconds passed in silence. Then, a chuckle—low, deep, and knowing.

Leaning in slightly, his voice brushed against her ear in a tone too composed, too smooth.

"Seems I haven't punished you hard enough, my dear little wife. You didn't even care to welcome your husband again this should be the second or third time if I am not mistaken..hmm"

Lilia's entire body locked up.

Her hand stilled over her plate, fingers curled slightly around her utensil. She felt the blood drain from her face before rushing back in a heated wave. Slowly, carefully, she lifted her gaze, her golden brown eyes locking onto his.

Zethan sat composed. Too composed.

His lips curved—not into a smirk, but something far more dangerous.

"Not even a kiss or a welcome hug?" he murmured, tilting his head slightly. "I feel hurt."

He placed a hand over his chest, as if truly wounded. The gesture was almost theatrical, and yet, something in his tone made it clear—he wasn't joking.

Ava, who had been quietly observing, sucked in a sharp breath.

She was stunned.

She had known Zethan for a long time, had prided herself on understanding him better than anyone else. He was cold, ruthless—never one for softness. And yet... this? This playful, teasing side of him?

It sent a shiver down her spine.

But what stunned her even more was Lilia's response.

Lilia giggled.

The sound was light, airy—almost sweet.

Her lips curled into a slow, teasing smile, her golden brown eyes gleaming with mischief.

"No, hubby," she murmured, tilting her head just slightly. "You can't expect me to do that in front of our guest."

She batted her lashes at him.

"Who knows?" she added, her voice playful. "It might lead to something more... private."

The room fell into a brief, heavy silence.

Then, Zethan smiled.

A slow, knowing curve of his lips, before she knew it, his hands were in her hair, his fingers threading through the silky black strands as he gazed at it intently, stroking it like a flowing river.

"I don't mind you doing it right now. Our guest wouldn't mind... right, Ava?" he murmured his gaze, which had been solely fixed on Lilia all this time, finally shifting to Ava for the first time since he arrived.