Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Asking Her Best Friend for Help

Lila’s POV

Morning light had just begun to filter through the gossamer-thin white curtains, casting soft patches of light on the pale gray oak floor. The air still held the lingering chill of night, mingled with the clean, cedar scent from Jasper, creating a feeling of absolute peace.

I was nestled in his warm embrace, my cheek pressed against his bare chest, where I could clearly feel the steady, strong beat of his heart. All the recent emotional tempests—the shock of learning my mother was a Priest, the grief of my parents’ death on that rainy night when I was ten, my bone-deep hatred for Derek, and the ache in my heart for Jasper’s childhood—had now settled. They had transformed into a heavy yet warm exhaustion. My eyelids felt leaden, and I was about to drift off to sleep again.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

Three crisp, rhythmic knocks, like a small hammer, shattered the tranquility.

Jasper and I both froze. His previously relaxed arms tightened instantly, pulling me more securely against him. I, on the other hand, was jolted from my half-asleep state, fully awake in an instant. A name, Zoe, flashed in my mind, followed by a sharp pang of regret. ’Oh no! How could I have forgotten?!’

I had clearly made plans with Zoe yesterday for her to come find me first thing this morning. I had something very important to ask her, and I’d even spent a long time mulling over how to bring it up. But last night…

First came the unannounced awakening of my bloodline, a feeling of my soul being torn apart and reassembled that nearly made me faint. Then, he used his deep voice to slowly unveil the truth of what happened fifteen years ago, telling me how my mother, pregnant with me, had walked into the Forbidden Forest to save a dying boy. And after that… after that came those intimate moments, filled with both comfort and possession, that turned my brain into a complete mush. Everything had piled up at once, and I’d completely forgotten my arrangement with Zoe.

The knocking came again, this time accompanied by Zoe’s signature vibrant, crisp voice. “Lila! Open up! I’m all ready!”

Her voice was piercingly clear, carrying an insistent enthusiasm. I scrambled out of bed, feeling my face flush. My pajamas were rumpled and stuck to my skin, and my hair was a mess. As I quickly tried to straighten my clothes, I called out to the door, “Coming, coming! Just a second, Zoe!”

I turned, looking at Jasper with a mix of embarrassment and helplessness. He was lying on his side, propping his head up with one hand, his dark hair falling messily over his forehead. He watched me with his deep eyes. There was a hint of annoyance at being disturbed, but it was overshadowed by a look of indulgent resignation. He didn’t say anything, just gave a slight nod, signaling for me to get the door.

“Go on,” he said, his voice still raspy with sleep.

I nodded, and my bare feet padded across the cool floor as I hurried to the door. Taking a deep breath, I tried to make myself look less disheveled before opening it.

As soon as the door opened, Zoe was standing there with a huge grin, looking as fresh and vibrant as a ripe peach. Today she was wearing a limited-edition pink Chanel track jacket with a simple pair of white jeans and brand-new white sneakers. A few delicate gold chains adorned her wrist, and small diamond studs sparkled in her ears. She radiated the unselfconscious elegance of a top-tier socialite. But what stood out most was her expression—her eyes were sparkling, and a sly smile played on her lips. It was obvious she was in an incredibly good mood.

Her gaze shot past me and immediately landed on Jasper, who was still in bed. Her smile instantly widened, her eyes curving into crescents.

“Woooow—” she drew out the word, her voice full of unconcealed mischief. Then, she dramatically threw her hands up to cover her eyes, but deliberately left huge gaps between her fingers to peek at us. “I can’t see! I can’t see! I didn’t see a thing! You continue, Daddy, you continue, Lila! I’m definitely not interrupting you two making me a little brother or sister!”

She delivered the lines with a quick, playful wit, deliberately emphasizing the words “little brother or sister.” Paired with her feigned panic, it was both infuriating and hilarious. She even stood on her tiptoes and spun around as if she were really trying to flee the scene.

The room fell silent for a second, with only the faint chirping of birds audible from outside the window.

It was followed by a low “Hmph” from the direction of the bed, carrying a clear warning and rumbling like distant thunder.

Zoe’s fingers, still covering her eyes, flinched, but her shoulders were already shaking violently. It was obvious she was struggling to hold back her laughter.

Jasper threw back the covers and got out of bed. His tall figure carried an intangible sense of pressure as he walked toward the door. He was wearing only a pair of black pajama pants, the lean muscles of his upper body clearly defined. Every step was steady and powerful.

He stopped in front of Zoe, looking down at her as she continued to feign blindness. His tone was flat and emotionless, but every word was a precision strike. “It seems your allowance is too generous. Starting next month, it’s cut in half. Also, about that yacht to Saint-Tropez this weekend… since you find it so boring at home that you need to go play ’blind,’ we can just cancel it. I can use the savings to upgrade the security department’s system.”

“Nooooo—!” The moment Zoe heard this, she dropped her hands. There wasn’t a trace of “blindness” left on her face, only a look of utter anguish and grievance.

She lunged forward—not at Jasper, but at me, latching onto my arm like a koala. She then tilted her little face up to look at me with big, watery eyes, her long lashes fluttering. Her voice was sweet enough to drip honey. “Mommy! Mommy! You have to save me! Daddy already promised me that yacht! I was even going to name it ’The Mommy’! I was going to take my new friends to the charity gala in Monaco! Can you really bear to see me so disappointed?”

Her “Mommy” was so soft and sweet, brimming with coquettish charm, that I felt my heart was about to melt. Even though I knew she was doing it on purpose, I couldn’t help but plead for her. I looked at Jasper. He was standing nearby with his arms crossed, his gaze sweeping over us. The corner of his mouth seemed to twitch upward ever so slightly, so fast you’d think it was an illusion.

“Jasper…” I tugged lightly on his sleeve, giving him a look that said *don’t be too mean*.

He glanced at me, then at Zoe, who was clinging to me with a pitiful expression, and finally relented. His tone remained even. “Fine. I’ll let it go this time. But if you dare spout nonsense like that again, I’m canceling both the yacht and your allowance.”

“Yay! Daddy’s the best! Mommy’s the best!” Zoe cheered immediately, letting go of me and hopping in place. The earlier grievance vanished without a trace, and she was back to her vibrant, cheerful self.

After all the commotion, she took my hand and affectionately led me toward the first-floor dining room.

“Lila, you need to eat more!”

I took the piece of bread, a little confused.

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