CHAPTER 344: LEXIE’S LOVE FOR HIM

Lexie lifted her gaze, fear evident on her face as she hesitated to confront anyone in her exhausted and vulnerable state.

Khaz gazed at her with a mix of sympathy and pity, expressing, "I knew you’d be so immersed in work that you wouldn’t even notice what happened..."

Khaz’s presence brought a sudden wave of concern to Lexie. Seating herself on the ground, her mind raced with worry, fearing that something might have happened to Ciel while she was lost in her labor.

Khaz, seeing the distress in Lexie’s eyes, swiftly reassured her. "Yours is back."

Lexie’s confusion deepened as Khaz clarified, "Isiah has returned."

She couldn’t fathom why Khaz thought that Isiah was hers.

Lexie stood and then looked at Khaz, expressing gratitude, "Thank you for telling me."

Khaz looked surprised and asked, "Aren’t you going back?"

Lexie averted her gaze, murmuring, "I need to complete my tasks."

Khaz appeared bewildered, but he refrained from expressing his confusion.

He bid her farewell and departed...

She yearned to return, yet the thought of Isiah seeing her in this state churned her stomach with unease.

She just finished her work..

With each passing moment, the anticipation became unbearable. Lexie knew she couldn’t delay any longer, feeling an impending sense of urgency.

Finally, summoning the courage, she headed back to Isiah, aware that time was against her.

Lexie, exhausted and on the brink of collapse, staggered towards their dwelling, every step a struggle against the weight of physical and emotional exhaustion.

As she approached the entrance, her trembling hand reached for the doorknob.

The thought of Isiah’s return lingered in her mind, creating a mix of anticipation and fear.

The door creaked open. Lexie entered the room with a tremor in her steps, acutely aware of her disheveled state. Her eyes scanned the scene – Ciel peacefully asleep on the bed, Eijar coiled nearby, and an unfamiliar girl slumbering next to them.

Questions flooded Lexie’s mind as she grappled with the unexpected tableau before her.

Lexie’s gaze fell upon Isiah, who was seated on the floor, wide awake.

His appearance seemed unchanged, and a mix of relief and anxiety washed over her as she observed him.

Lexie hesitated, unsure of how to approach Isiah or what to say in the current situation.

Isiah’s gaze had a profound impact on Lexie, leaving her feeling as if her very soul had shattered into countless pieces.

In that instant, a flood of insecurities overwhelmed her.

The memory of her worn-out appearance flashed in her mind.

Unable to maintain eye contact, she diverted her gaze.

At that moment, all Lexie could do was glance toward the bed where the new girl slept.

Her hair cascaded like waves of darkness, and her attire exuded femininity, her allure undeniable to any man.

The meeting with Isiah had left Lexie grappling with unspoken insecurities, and she found herself fixated on this mysterious presence beside them.

Lexie took a deep breath, summoning the courage to address Isiah, who remained seated on the ground.

The atmosphere was charged with unspoken tension, and Lexie struggled to find the right words.

She finally managed to stammer, "I... I heard you were back," her eyes avoiding direct contact.

Isiah’s gaze lingered on Lexie, and there was a palpable silence before he replied, "Yeah,"

The simplicity of his response did little to alleviate Lexie’s inner turmoil.

In the midst of her turbulent emotions, Lexie couldn’t contain the insecurity bubbling within her.

She shifted her gaze to Isiah and, with a hint of tension in her voice, remarked, "I see a new face here."

Isiah calmly acknowledged, "Her name is Astrid."

Lexie nodded, but her mind was racing with a myriad of thoughts and emotions.

Isiah remained silent as Lexie headed towards the bathroom, her weariness and disheveled appearance was noticed yet he didn’t say a word.

In the solitude of the bathroom, Lexie let her emotions overflow, tears streaming down her face as the weight of insecurities and unspoken feelings burdened her.

Lexie, standing in the bathroom, felt the cascade of water as she tried to clean herself.

However, the emotional turmoil proved too overwhelming, causing her to pause, gripped by the torrent of tears that choked her.

Lexie, having completed her cleaning with difficulty, sat there, consumed by her thoughts, hesitant to face the others.

Lexie, burdened by her insecurities and emotions, once again found solace in the quiet refuge of the bathroom, where she eventually succumbed to the weight of exhaustion and slept sitting on the floor.

The recurring sight of Isiah with another girl proved to be an ongoing torment for Lexie.

Yet, despite the overwhelming emotions, she found herself trapped in a helpless situation, unable to change the unfolding circumstances.

Eijar’s presence on her lap startled her as she woke up the next morning. The snake seemed to be seeking attention, its face nearing Lexie’s as if trying to communicate.

Lexie greeted Eijar with a simple "hey" as she acknowledged the snake’s presence on her lap.

Eijar expressed her frustration, questioning Lexie’s choices with a hint of anger, "Are you planning to be pathetic your whole damned life?"

Lexie, avoiding eye contact, stuttered in response to Eijar’s harsh words.

"What do you mean?" Lexie questioned, her voice carrying a mix of confusion and vulnerability.

"Look at yourself, Lexie! What have you done to yourself for a man who will never look at you?" Eijar’s words were delivered with a harshness that cut through Lexie’s vulnerability.

Eijar continued, "He’s not interested, and you just did this to yourself. It’s pathetic, Lexie. "

Lexie, feeling a mix of embarrassment and frustration, could only look down, unable to meet Eijar’s intense gaze.

Eijar, bluntly stating the situation, remarked, "Isiah brought a new girl, Lexie. You need to open your eyes and stop being his constant fallback."

Eijar’s concern for Lexie’s well-being became evident, as if the giant snake disapproved of Lexie’s self-inflicted pain.

Lexie smiled and remarked, "She’s quite attractive, isn’t she?"

Eijar sighed, "Lexie, you’re stuck in this self-destructive cycle. Isiah might be back, but dwelling on it won’t change anything. You need to focus on yourself, not on whether he notices you or brings someone else."

Lexie’s eyes welled up with tears as she struggled to accept the truth of Eijar’s words.

With a flick of her tail, Eijar struck Lexie’s face and delivered a cutting truth, "He doesn’t... love you. This man... doesn’t want you in his life."

The words hung heavily in the air, leaving Lexie grappling with the harsh reality of unrequited feelings and a sense of rejection.

Lexie was left alone, her tears flowing like rivers as Eijar retreated to the room.

Lexie, her eyes swollen and red from tears, emerged from the bathroom, after a long time, clad in a dark ensemble of pants, a shirt, and a leather jacket.

As she stepped into the room, she noticed everyone was awake, and the stark reality of her exposed emotions washed over her.

Determined to distract herself, Lexie made the decision to head to work, seeking solace in the routine tasks .

Ciel rushed towards Lexie, his eyes filled with excitement, and exclaimed, "Isiah is back! Did you see him?"

Lexie lightly tapped Ciel’s shoulder and glanced at the girl sitting on the bed, who regarded her with dark eyes, making Lexie feel like a strange creature in that moment.

"Eat your breakfast, Ciel," Lexie said, trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy despite the storm of emotions inside her.

With an air of elegance, the girl approached Lexie, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity as she remarked, "You’re a girl, undoubtedly. Why conceal it with this scar half mask and attire?".

The brief encounter left Lexie feeling exposed and vulnerable, prompting her to avert her gaze.

Lexie extended a hesitant greeting, "Hi... I’m Lexie. Nice to meet you, Astrid."

Astrid smiled and asked, "What’s the reason behind hiding your true self like this?"

Ignoring Astrid’s question, Lexie attempted to leave when Isiah’s voice rang out, asking, "Where are you headed?"

Astrid noticed, "Your eyes are so red... were you crying?"

Isiah stood immediately and approached Lexie with a measured intent, his hands moving with a deliberate grace.

He unzipped her leather jacket slowly, each motion purposeful as if navigating a delicate dance.

The jacket slid off her shoulders, revealing a hint of vulnerability beneath the tough exterior.

Lexie stood there, trembling, as Isiah unraveled the layers that shielded her.

With the same careful attention, he began unbuttoning her shirt, his fingers working with a gentleness that contradicted the dark energy that resided within him.

The sensation of his hands on her, the deliberate movements, sent shivers through her spine.

Each touch carried an unspoken weight, a fusion of vulnerability and power that left her caught in the intricate dance of conflicting emotions.

The buttons yielded one by one, uncovering the canvas of her exposed skin.

As her shirt opened, revealing the burned area on her shoulder, Isiah’s expression remained stoic.

As Isiah exposed the burned area on her shoulder and arm, she couldn’t help but feel a mixture of discomfort and a strange intimacy.

Lexie found herself in a vulnerable state, standing exposed in front of everyone. Stuttering, she managed to utter, "Isiah... what are you doing?"

Her voice betrayed a mix of confusion and anxiety as she grappled with the unfolding situation.

..