Chapter 43

Genevieve studied Tristan closely. Only then did she notice how pale he was. His entire body was stiff with tension. Under the dim light, beads of sweat dotted his forehead. He stood frozen, his eyes locked on the small snake coiled around Harper, filled with fear. No way. Was a man as fierce as Tristan afraid of snakes? And he wasn't just a little scared—he was genuinely terrified. The snakes in the pavilion were multiplying, as if something on their side was drawing them in. They began crawling toward them. Soon, several snakes had coiled around their feet. "Ah! There are so many snakes!" Harper screamed, her terror escalating, and she darted into Tristan's arms. But he remained frozen, not moving an inch. If one looked closely, one could see his tall frame trembling slightly. After a moment, Genevieve's eyes gleamed with a sharp light. She smiled at Tristan and said, "Ms. Taylor is about to faint. Aren't you going to help her?" Tristan turned his head mechanically, his dar