Chapter 249

Stephan's low, gravelly voice carried a teasing lilt, but his sharp gaze remained unwaveringly serious, cutting through Felicia's defenses. It wasn't a tone she could easily dismiss. At their feet, Cloud's tail was wagging like a propeller as it circled their legs happily. It was oblivious to the tension above. Felicia cleared her throat, deciding it was best to respond directly. "It was just a one-time thing. It was no big deal. I already told you—I'm not holding you responsible, so you shouldn't hold me responsible either." She paused, a faint smile playing on her lips, but it wasn't the playful kind. There was something darker beneath the surface. "Besides..." she said, her voice trailing off and her smile deepening into one of quiet resignation. She thought to herself, "If you ever saw the real me—the me who carries bitterness like a second skin and the one who destroys and manipulates without remorse—you'd regret it." Her mind flashed back to Sebastian—her so-calle