Chapter 78: Shattered Control
Zylan’s face darkened, his jaw tightening as Naomi’s words replayed in his mind. The thought of her being drugged gnawed at his insides like a persistent, festering wound. His piercing gaze bore into her, scrutinizing every movement, every flicker of emotion.
"Eaglet," he finally said, his voice sharp enough to cut through steel. "Who gave you the alcohol?"
The silence between them stretched taut, vibrating with tension. Naomi met his gaze, her chest rising and falling with uneven breaths. The weight of his question, his tone—it all bore down on her like a crushing wave.
But she didn’t falter. Narrowing her eyes, she glared at him with a defiance that matched the fire burning in her chest.
"Why does it matter if I drink or not?" she snapped, her voice quivering, betraying the conflict raging inside her. The memory of their earlier argument clung to her, a raw wound that hadn’t yet begun to heal.
When his expression remained unreadable, she repeated, louder this time, "Why does it matter if I drink or not?"
Her voice cracked, frustration bubbling to the surface. "You had business to attend to, didn’t you? Something more important than me." She hesitated, her tone trembling with a mix of anger and hurt. "Why don’t you just leave? Leave, Zylan. I don’t want to distract you."
The words lingered in the air, jagged and sharp, and for a moment, Zylan said nothing. His stillness was unnerving, his face impassive. Then, his voice softened, but there was an undeniable weight to his words.
"There is nothing more important than you."
Naomi froze, her breath catching as his declaration hung between them. Her golden eyes searched his face for any sign of deceit, but his expression remained calm, steady, resolute.
"Liar," she whispered, her voice trembling, her hands balling into fists at her sides. "You’re lying."