Chapter 48: Lionel Waldorf
Leander clenched Viviana’s dress and pulled her closer to him as he took a step back. His chin touched the crown of her head and his hot heavy breath fell on her hair. Viviana held her breath.
She couldn’t see his face so she couldn’t see his expression. She hoped that he doesn’t listen to his mother and throw her back to Evander.
"Yes, mom. You are right. Evander is never wrong," Leander said. His hands on her back were shaking.
Viviana felt the pain in his tone. She sensed the exasperation in the words he spoke without seeing his face. It appeared that this was not the first time Leander was dismissed.
She unconsciously looked at him. She couldn’t see much, but Leander was smiling. That smile hid the pain that was accumulated over the years with a carefully crafted degree of cheerfulness.
For a fleeting moment she thought that maybe, he is not that different from her.
She averted her eyes as he looked at her. She didn’t want to anger him by looking at his face.
She still remembered how he got angry at her for talking to the doctor about his fever. She figured that he wouldn’t like her to pity him. She understood him. She wouldn’t like to be pitied in such a situation either.
Leander let go of her dress and she immediately stepped behind Leander. Viola was still glaring at Leander.
As a mother, shouldn’t she have recognized the pain in Leander’s face by now?
Viviana was still shaking. She still was not entirely safe. She didn’t want to worry for Leander when she is in a much more dangerous position.
"Yo!"