Chapter 104: Don’t Play Dumb

"Just give me the damn shot," Benjamin growled, slamming his fist lightly against the armrest.

Edgar let out a low, velvety laugh. He was clearly enjoying this, knowing Benjamin would not die right away, but he didn’t waste another second.

He leaned across me, gave me a quick glance before focusing on Benjamin on my left, pressing the auto-injector directly into Benjamin’s thigh through his dark trousers.

A sharp hiss escaped Benjamin’s lips as the serum hit his bloodstream. Almost instantly, the violent coughing spell began to subside, the severe flush on his neck receding as his airway cleared.

He let out a long, shuddering breath, resting his head back against the chair while his hand clamped over his leg.

My parents and brothers sat completely frozen across the table, their forks hovering in mid-air as if any sudden movement might trigger an explosion.

Jayden was practically holding his breath, his eyes darting from Benjamin’s chest slowly rising and falling to Edgar’s perfectly composed face.

"Is... is he going to be alright?" Valerie asked timidly, her hands clutching her napkin.

"He’ll live," Edgar replied smoothly, tossing the spent injector back onto the velvet tray and taking a calm sip of his liquor. "Almonds have remarkably stubborn constitutions. Though I suggest we keep him far away from the remaining shrimps, unless little Miss Wells intends to perform CPR next."

My face flushed hot again at the remark, but I forced my expression back into a cold, lethal glare.

"That won’t happen." I was quick to defend myself. "If he touches another piece of seafood tonight, I’m throwing him into the courtyard fountain myself. He can ventilate in the water," I said, standing up from my chair and turning toward the kitchen counters to grab a glass of ice water.

I slammed the glass down in front of Benjamin, who opened one eye, his purple gaze locking onto me with that same lingering, infuriating warmth despite the haze.

He was already suffering from constant neural strains. Did he have to make himself suffer even more because of his childishness? What was this act? I could not understand him.

"Drink," I ordered.

Benjamin slowly reached out, his long fingers wrapping around the glass—and making sure his knuckles brushed against mine before he took a slow, deliberate gulp.

"Thank you," he murmured raspy against the rim, his smirk fully returning.

I clicked my tongue, crossing my arms as I looked away. "You’re still an idiot."

...

After the chaotic dinner finally wound down, the tension inside the villa became too suffocating to endure.

My family was busy clearing the table, chatting in relieved, happy hushes about their new rooms, while Edgar retired to his study with a glass of dark liquor and a pile of documents. So yeah, it’s clear that he plans to sleep over.

There’s no chasing out the house owner, you know, even if it’s technically in my name now.

I slipped out through the side glass doors onto the dimly lit stone terrace.

Benjamin was standing by the stone balustrade, one hand in his pocket as he stared out into the vast, silent gardens of the Morningstar estate. The night breeze ruffled his dark hair, blowing the faint scent of crushed cedar and cool night dew across the terrace.

I walked up beside him, leaning my elbows against the cool stone railing.

"What exactly was your problem back there?" I asked deadpan, not bothering to mince my words.

Benjamin turned his head slowly, his storm-purple eyes looking down at me with an infuriatingly innocent, lazy expression. "My problem? I was just enjoying a fine family meal, Brianna."

"Don’t play dumb," I growled, turning to face him fully. "What part of almost dying to an allergic reaction was fun?"

A small, unwelcome knot of guilt was gnawing at the back of my mind. I was the one who had peeled that damn shrimp. I was the one who had brought it to his lips and commanded him to eat it.

It wasn’t as if he was my assigned assassination target—I had no contract on his life, no reason to poison him. So why in the world was he so completely gullible and trying to die by my hands?

Why did an Alpha as sharp, arrogant, and hyper-vigilant as the Almond heir let me feed him something that could have literally killed him? I couldn’t wrap my head around it.

"Why did you swallow it?" I demanded, my tone sharp with genuine frustration. "You knew you were allergic. Why did you let me feed you something deadly?"

Benjamin looked at me, a soft, faint smile curving the corners of his lips.

"Just call it chasing romance," he said smoothly.

I stared at him, my brain briefly short-circuiting at the sheer absurdity of the sentence. "What part of dying has anything to do with chasing romance?!"

Benjamin let out a low, raspy chuckle, stepping closer so his shadow fell over me.

"Don’t you find it intriguing?" he murmured, his voice dropping into a quiet, introspective hum. "Having to perish at the hands of the one you care for the most."

I froze. The light words hit me like a bucket of ice water, my assassin instincts recoiling at the sheer romanticized delusion in his tone.

My expression hardened, the memories of real blood, real betrayal, and real death flashing behind my eyes.

"Care is one thing," I said, my voice dropping into a cold, dangerous whisper that held no trace of humor. "But do you even know what it feels like to die? You don’t know the sheer despair of dying at the hands of someone you care about—being killed by that very person, no less. It’s not something romantic, Benjamin. It’s not something as simple as intrigue. Don’t joke about something like that."

The sudden, lethal weight in my tone made Benjamin pause. The lazy amusement in his eyes flickered, giving way to something deep, quiet, and intensely focused.

He took a step closer, closing the distance between us entirely. Reaching out, he gently took my hand in his, raising my knuckles to his lips and pressing a slow, warm kiss against them.

"It feels so nice having you care for me like this," he whispered against my skin, his purple eyes burning into mine through his dark lashes.

I instantly snatched my hand back, stepping back against the terrace railing. "This isn’t just about care, Benjamin."