140.Little lie
Aiden and Chloe stepped through the grand gates of Marcelline's villa, hearts hammering, nerves fraying. The sunlight glinted off the pristine marble, but neither of them noticed the beauty of the courtyard — all they could feel was panic and dread.
The first thing their eyes landed on made both of them freeze in place.
Leo.
Not the small, unassuming figure they knew from before, but Leo in his full, breathtaking form.
Casually dressed, yet every thread, every fold of his clothing seemed carved by some divine hand. His hair caught the light like spun gold, his features perfect, symmetrical, and calm — a human who might have walked out of the statues of ancient Greece. Aiden's jaw dropped. Chloe's eyes widened.
Chloe (breathless, whispering): "Oh… my… he… he looks like—"
Aiden's head snapped toward her, equally stunned but with a sharp edge of frustration already building.
Aiden (muttering to himself, teeth clenched): "What the hell is he doing here… looking like that… at Marcelline's place…?"
Chloe's gaze flicked back to Leo, her breath shaky. Part of her wanted to just admire him, but the rational, protective part — the part that worried for Marcelline — surged.
Chloe (muttering, frustrated, almost jealous): "And… are they… are they… taking care of her? Did we just interrupt… their… sweet moment?"
---
Leo, sensing their arrival immediately, turned his piercing gaze toward the siblings. Recognition flickered in his eyes like lightning.
He didn't need to speak. His mind reached across the villa, linking instantly to Marcelline.
> Leo (mindlink): "Elli… the kids are here."
Marcelline, still seated in the inner study with her calm, devilish aura, froze for just a second. She remembered the little white lie she had told Liz — the fever excuse.
Her lips curved into a faint, mischievous smirk.
Marcelline (thinking, smirk widening):
> "Of course, they might have figured out the truth…"
She picked up her phone, and her eyes flicked to the screen. Over forty missed calls… over a hundred messages from Aiden and Chloe. Her smirk deepened, a spark of amusement dancing in her eyes.
> Marcelline (mindlink back to Leo): "About the lie…"
Leo's eyes narrowed slightly, then he mentally signed back, a simple, precise gesture:
> Leo (mindlink): "Elli… better peak your acting skills."
Marcelline's grin spread wider. She gave a small nod to herself, her aura already shifting — calm, weak, and fragile, just enough to make the siblings panic even more.
> Marcelline (mindlink back): "Sure."
---
Leo, sensing the perfect timing, moved toward the villa's entrance. He was about to instruct the siblings to wait, that he would call Marcelline himself.
But Aiden, consumed by a mixture of fear, anger, and jealousy, did not wait. He marched forward with sharp, deliberate steps, giving an intentional side bump to Leo as he passed.
Aiden (voice tight, controlled but dripping irritation):
"Move aside… we're looking for Marcelline."
Chloe immediately followed, her steps quick, heart hammering, and eyes darting nervously between Leo and the sprawling interior.
Leo's expression remained calm, but his eyes flickered with a silent sigh. He signed mentally, shaking his head at their audacity.
> Leo (mindlink, sighing): "These kids… fearless or foolish…"
---
Aiden, hands trembling but voice firm, pulled out his phone again. He dialed Marcelline, his thumb shaking over the call button.
This time… she answered.
"Hello?" Her voice was soft, fragile, almost pitiful. Her tone was Oscar-level fragile acting — the picture of a young woman caught in weakness, a trembling whisper that immediately tugged at the siblings' hearts.
Aiden froze mid-step, staring at the phone in disbelief.
Aiden (desperate, trembling):
"Marcelline! Are you okay? Where are you? We… we were so worried!"
Her voice wavered slightly, perfectly controlled, as if she were actually ill.
Marcelline (soft, weak):
"I… I think I overexerted myself. My head… it's spinning… I… I didn't want to bother anyone, so I… I came here to rest."
Chloe's hands flew to her mouth, eyes wide.
Chloe (panicked whisper):
"Oh no… she's really sick… I should have come sooner…"
Aiden's knuckles turned white as he gripped the phone.
Aiden (voice breaking):
"You… you can't be alone! We're coming! Just… stay there, don't move!"
Marcelline's lips curved into the tiniest, almost imperceptible smirk — only she knew how fake her fragile voice truly was.
Marcelline (softly, trembling tone maintained):
"Please… I'll be fine… just… please… don't worry."
Her mind flickered briefly to Leo, who was observing quietly, amused. She mindlinked him, confirming the lie and asking for a subtle nod of approval.
Leo's eyes gleamed faintly. He mentally signed:
> Leo (mindlink): "Perfect. Keep it believable. She has no idea how convincing you are."
Marcelline's grin widened imperceptibly.
> Marcelline (mindlink back): "Don't worry, I've got this."
---
The siblings finally reached the villa's grand foyer, fear, panic, and guilt colliding inside them like a storm. Aiden's jaw was tight, eyes burning with a mix of jealousy, worry, and righteous anger, while Chloe's hands trembled uncontrollably, her gaze darting nervously around the opulent space.
Marcelline, still holding the phone delicately to her ear, stifled a yawn, her acting flawless — the picture of weakness, fragility, and innocent distress. Her body slouched just enough, her voice soft enough to pull every ounce of sympathy from the siblings.
Chloe's lips quivered, and Aiden's heart twisted as they stared at her, utterly convinced she was on the brink of collapse.
Marcelline's mind whispered softly to herself, a devilish, teasing thought lingering behind the Oscar-level act:
> If only they knew… how much I'm enjoying watching them panic.
And as the siblings' eyes locked on her, hearts hammering, Aiden gritted his teeth, muttering through the rage and worry:
Aiden (under his breath, seething):
"What the hell is going on here…"
Chloe, pale and trembling, echoed silently:
Chloe (whispering):
"Is she… really okay…?"
Marcelline's grin was hidden, but her eyes sparkled with the thrill of a perfectly executed act.
> And in that charged, tense silence… everything hung in the balance.
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