Return of the Crowned Heiress (Felicia)

Stephan's low, gravelly voice carried a teasing lilt, but his sharp gaze remained unwaveringly serious, cutting through Felicia's defenses. It wasn't a tone she could easily dismiss.

At their feet, Cloud's tail was wagging like a propeller as it circled their legs happily. It was oblivious to the tension above.

Felicia cleared her throat, deciding it was best to respond directly. "It was just a one-time thing. It was no big deal. I already told you I'm not holding you responsible, so you shouldn't hold me responsible either."

She paused, a faint smile playing on her lips, but it wasn't the playful kind. There was something darker beneath the surface.

"Besides..." she said, her voice trailing off and her smile deepening into one of quiet resignation.

She thought to herself, "If you ever saw the real me-the me who carries bitterness like a second skin and the one who destroys and manipulates without remorse-you'd regret it."

Her mind flashed back to Sebastian-her so-called brother. She recalled his expression when he realized she wasn't the sweet, innocent sister he thought she was as well as the disappointment in his eyes as he walked away without so much as a glance back. And then her mind spiraled further to a memory from her past life.

She recalled the moment her adoptive parents screamed at her, their words like knives, "Felicia, you've always been selfish, heartless, and cruel! You don't care about anyone but yourself. People like you deserve to die!"

Those words had stayed with her, replaying in her mind like a haunting mantra. And over time, she realized she was becoming exactly what they accused her of being.

Fine. If that was what they thought of her, she'd lean into it.

Her facade went up once more, and she buried her emotions deep, deep down.

But before she could fully retreat, Stephan's hand reached out and gently lifted her chin upward.

Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, she saw something unexpected in his gaze-a flicker of concern that looked almost like... regret.

Her lips curved into a smile, appearing light and breezy as if nothing had happened.

Yet Stephan could see through her. For just a split second, her eyes had glistened, betraying the tears she hadn't yet shed.

His chest tightened inexplicably.

The Felicia he knew was fierce and unyielding. She was a woman who could drag herself out of the darkest pits and still crack a joke. She would patch him up without a complaint and laugh in the face of danger. But tonight, he had glimpsed another side of her a fragile side that was wounded and perhaps even lonely.

Cloud was wagging its tail eagerly. Felicia crouched down, about to give it a pat, when a sudden thought

struck her mind. "Oh no! The cab

driver must be so annoyed by now!"

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GUMSCòntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

Grabbing her bag, she bolted for the door, her heels clicking against the floor. Stephan didn't stop her this time.

As the door closed behind her, he remained rooted to the spot, staring after her.

One of his men cautiously stepped forward. "Mr. Russell, is everything all right?"

Stephan's gaze shifted to the window, watching the tail lights of the cab disappear into the distance. He let out a quiet sigh, his voice soft and almost introspective. "She's... a little pitiful, isn't she?"

The bodyguard blinked, caught completely off guard.

This was coming from Stephan, a

man known for his ruthlessness. He was the same man who could destroy someone without batting an eye. Now, he was calling someone pitiful?

And it was not just anyone; it was Felicia.

The bodyguard rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Wasn't there an old saying? When one started to pity someone, it was the first step toward falling for them.

Pity made a person protective, and being protective made one possessive...

His train of thought derailed when he noticed Stephan had already left the room.

Stephan was now in his study with a phone pressed to his ear. The bodyguard could just barely catch snippets of the conversation.

"Yes, I'm back... No, I'm fine. How's the baby?"

Stephan's voice softened, the hard edges smoothing into something almost tender.

It had to be her. Imogen Russell, Stephan's older sister.

Born into wealth and prestige but plagued by tragedy. Imogen had been blind from birth-a fact that many whispered was a curse on the family.

She recently lost her fiancé in a freak

accident at sea, and his body was never recovered. If that wasn't enough, she was also pregnant with his child, and the grief had nearly caused her to miscarry.