Vampire's Veil Of Obsession-Chapter 71: Her Composure

Ava froze.

This... this wasn't the Zethan Lyall she knew.

What was going on?

She knew him—knew that he never spoke in such a playful manner. The only reason she had been able to talk back to Lilia earlier was that she had assumed the woman was delusional for even thinking of Zethan as her husband.

But now...she began to doubt herself

When Zethan entered the room without sparing her a single glance, even when she acknowledged him. That alone stung. But what hurt even more was how effortlessly he called Lilia his wife, as if it were second nature.

As if he had done it many times before.

And knowing Zethan... he would never do something like this just for show.

Ava's heart pounded in her chest.

There was no denying it now—Zethan had changed.

He was different to her.

Colder.

More distant.

It felt like he had shut a door between them, locking her out completely. Yet, despite that, she still had a hand to play. Her gaze dropped slightly, her hand pressing gently against her stomach. The child. The one thing that bound them together.

A soft smile grazed her lips, masking the whirlwind of emotions churning inside her.

"I don't mind at all.....you know me very well, Zeth," she spoke slowly, flashing her sweetest smile.

Ava had spent years perfecting that expression—the one that made people drop their guard. The one that could weave deception with silk-like ease.

But this time, it didn't work.

Zethan simply shifted his gaze back to Lilia, who remained focused on her food as if nothing had happened. But Ava saw it—that flicker of something in his dark eyes.

It was brief, just a shadow passing over his face, but it was there.

Ava clenched her fist under the table.

Lilia, however, couldn't understand why she felt this way.

Why did her chest ache?

Why did she care?

It was normal for men to engage in intimacy with others these days, yet the sharp sting of emotion inside her was much stronger than it should have been. It clawed at her, gnawed at the edges of her heart, making her feel something she didn't want to acknowledge.

There was a connection between them.

She didn't know what it was.

But it was there.

Still, she wouldn't let it shake her. Wouldn't let it silence her.

Earlier, she had spoken those words not just to put Ava in her place, but to make something very clear—

You cannot stop me.

Ava finally smiled before speaking. "Before you came earlier, Miss Lilia and I—"

"Mrs., not Miss."

Lilia's calm voice cut through the air, light and unbothered. She reached for her napkin, dabbing the corner of her lips with careful precision before setting it down.

Ava's fingers twitched slightly, but she held her smile.

Zethan's head lifted slightly as he gazed at Lilia. Something flickered in his dark eyes—brief, but Ava saw it again.

A reaction.

Her chest tightened.

She was losing ground.

"Haha, my bad. You know, pregnancy hormones," Ava giggled lightly, feigning innocence.

Lilia tilted her head slightly, her voice dripping with casual condescension. "I believe this is common knowledge, Miss Ava. You're not that dull, are you? The first trimester has barely passed, yet you claim pregnancy hormones are affecting your memory?"

A sweet smile tugged at her lips.

"I'd advise eating more fruits. Not only are they good for your body and the baby, but they also help with brain function."

Silence.

A thick, heavy silence that wrapped around the room like an iron chain.

The way Lilia spoke—so soft, so polite—made it easy to miss the venom buried beneath her words. But the three of them knew.

Zethan said nothing, but a slight curl teased the corner of his lips before it disappeared just as quickly.

Ava's jaw clenched.

She remained silent for a moment, then smiled.

"Thank you for the advice, Mrs. Lilia. I'm glad I met you. In the nearest future, I'm sure you and my son will get along well."

Lilia's expression didn't waver, but inside, she seethed.

'Nearest future, huh?'

She was never one for petty back-and-forth exchanges.

But today...

Today, for some reason, she couldn't stay silent.

"Wow," she mused. "I thought it was only in the second trimester that the baby's gender could be confirmed. So you're certain it's a boy?"

A small, playful giggle left her lips.

"Not that I'd mind. Hopefully, he'll inherit more of his father's traits than his mother's."

Zethan remained calm, but for a split second, something flickered in his gaze.

'This wife of mine...'

Ava was momentarily taken aback.

She hadn't expected Lilia to retaliate.

But as always, she masked her reaction with a smile.

"Oh yes, Mrs. Lilia. I hope he takes after his father."

She curved her lips into a knowing smirk before shifting her gaze slowly to Zethan.

And then she winked.

He continued eating, seemingly unbothered.

But Lilia noticed.

That simple interaction—Ava's glance, her smirk—made something inside her twist.

She forced herself to stay collected.

"True," she said lightly. "But we still need to wait and confirm... Who knows how many people have already seen those proofs of yours?"

Zethan stilled.

A slow smirk tugged at his lips.

Lilia didn't notice it.

But Ava did.

And it cut her deeply.

Lilia giggled. "Hope I didn't say anything wrong, Miss Ava. Just saying—you know, prevention is better than cure..."

She stopped.

The moment she heard it.

Zethan laughed.

A cold, heartless chuckle.

Yet, there was amusement lingering in it.

He leaned in slightly, his expression unreadable, yet the flicker of surprise in his gaze betrayed him.

"I never knew you could talk this much, Loris."

Lilia met his eyes, holding his gaze for a moment longer than she should have.

"Oh, please. What can I do?" She sighed, tilting her head ever so slightly, as if the weight of the conversation had begun to press down on her. "It's always better to return a lost puppy to its owner rather than take it as your own."

She smiled.

A delicate, practiced curve of her lips.

But inside...

She was breaking.

The pain...

The hurt...

It clawed at her chest, twisting, tightening—leaving no room to breathe.

If Zethan had a child with Ava, then why had he married her?

Why had he tied himself to her?

Why had he made her believe—if only for a moment—that she was anything more than a mistake?

It didn't make sense.

Nothing made sense anymore.

She needed answers.

She needed to face Ava.

Then Zethan.

She needed a divorce.

If she wanted to reclaim the shattered remnants of her peace of mind, this marriage had to end.

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Slowly, she rose from her seat, her movements graceful despite the turmoil waging war inside her.

"The meal was nice today."

Her voice was soft.

Too soft.

Almost distant.

She turned away, her posture poised, her steps controlled—too controlled—as she walked toward the exit.

Zethan watched her, his eyes never leaving her back, his grip on his glass tightening ever so slightly.

And then...

She disappeared.

The moment she was out of sight, her composure crumbled.

"Evie," Lilia called out.

Evie immediately answered, her tone attentive.

"Send my things back to my room. I would like my privacy for now."

Evie hesitated, surprised by the sudden decision. "Mrs. Lilia, I think Mr.—"

"Who are you working for?" Lilia cut in, turning toward her with a sharp gaze.

"You, Mrs. Lilia," Evie replied, sensing that something was off.

"Good. Now do as I say," Lilia ordered, though her voice wavered slightly.

****

Ava felt it instantly.

The air shifted.

Thickened.

The atmosphere, already tense, turned suffocating.

Dangerous.

A slow, measured rhythm filled the silence.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Zethan's fingers drummed against the table, each movement precise. Calculated.

Then, he spoke.

Low.

Too calm.

"Who has the child?"

Ava's heart stopped.

The way he was looking at her...

It was terrifying.

"Zeth... what do you mean?" Her voice wavered. "The child is yo—"

Zethan laughed.

A slow, cruel chuckle that sent a cold shiver down her spine.

"Don't play smart, Ava."

He lifted his glass again, taking a deliberate sip of water, his gaze never leaving hers.

"Now that I'm still calm," he murmured, setting the glass down with a soft clink, "say it with your mouth."

Ava's entire body trembled.

He knew.

No one needed to tell her—he had found out.

But how?

She had been careful.

So careful.

But still...

He knew.

Her lips parted.

She barely recognized her own voice.

"... Your..Zeth."

At her admission, Zethan's gaze darkened further, his eyes narrowing as if attempting to pierce the very fabric of her soul. "Name, Ava," he demanded coolly, the menace underlying his tone sending another fresh wave of terror coursing through her veins. In that charged silence, her body shook violently, and she swallowed hard, struggling to suppress the rising tide of overwhelming emotion.

Finally, with, a shuddering breath that carried the weight of her surrender, she uttered the final words that sealed the fate of their tangled lives: "The baby belongs to Z...Zack...your cousin brother"