CH.43

Karl glared at me, his eyes glinting with a dangerous combination of fury and suspicion that made the hairs on the back of my neck prickle with instinctive trepidation.

The muscle in his jaw ticked rhythmically as he ground his teeth, clearly struggling to maintain some semblance of control over his volatile temper.

"A harmless morning encounter with Felix, huh? Don't insult my intelligence, Lavinia!" he spat, his full lips twisting into a disdainful sneer that made my stomach churn uneasily.

"You've been waiting for the perfect opportunity to spill the beans about your little rendezvous, haven't you? Biding your time until you thought you could slip it into casual conversation without me seeing through your transparent lies." His voice was low and laced with biting venom.

Each accusatory word felt like a barb meant to draw blood.

I could see the storm brewing behind his eyes, the tempest of rage and jealousy threatening to break loose at any moment.

I remained rooted in place,