The War Bride

14 | Enemies Everywhere

Dai Yichen was livid.

He held Luwen against the wall, paying no heed to the sound her lantern made when it slipped out of her hand. Rage contorted his handsome face. The muscles along his jaw clenched hard as his cold eyes blazed murderously at her.

At this moment, she knew what he was thinking of her—she wasn't supposed to be here.

Unless she had been prying around in secret.

Her unexpected appearance clearly rattled him. His hand squeezing her left shoulder painfully, his voice coming out all glacial and demanding. "How did you know about this place?" he demanded. "What were you planning to do to my brother when no one else is around?"

She swallowed nervously. "This isn't what it looks like, my lord. I came here bearing no ill intentions."

"Is that so?" he asked, his tone thick with suspicion. "Because it seems rather convenient that you wandered into here. Explain yourself."

Luwen clenched her fists tightly by her sides, feeling wrongly accused. Inhaling a deep breath, she stood tall and undaunted. "A maid, one whom I have never met before, told me you've requested my presence and brought me here," she revealed. "I wasn't aware this room belongs to your brother until I saw him earlier. I was just about to leave, but you came right in."

Dai Yichen blinked once. His expression remained impassive. "Did you meet anyone else who can be your witness?"

As she recalled the steps she took earlier, something dawned on her. "The guards at my gate. You can ask them about the maid," she answered quickly. "They will tell you everything."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You're awfully calm."

Apprehension curled in her stomach. "This is the only truth I know of," she replied quietly. "However, the choice of believing or not remains with you, my lord."

They fell silent for a few moments. Dai Yichen released her shoulder, taking a step away from her. Not once did he lose that bitterly cold aura that emanated off him like an arctic breeze. "I hope you're right," he said. "I shall have someone escort you back to your room."

He gestured to her to leave with one of his men waiting outside and turned his back against her. Purposely putting distance between them as if her presence revolted him. His attention was fixated on his ill sibling in bed. The subtle slump in his shoulders conveyed the pain and helplessness he was feeling at the moment.

And Luwen, with her hand raised subconsciously, let it fall to her side.

She obeyed his order. As soon as she returned to her room, she let out a tremendous sigh of exhaustion and leaned against the wall. Knocking her forehead against the wood repeatedly.

How could she have let her guard down for a moment and not noticed the trap laid down for her? Who was the maid? Or was there another person who masterminded the entire plan?

As for the lord, he no longer trusted her.

Her body began to tremble and struggle against a maelstrom of emotions. Pained by the man's whose eyes were now filled with hatred for her misunderstood actions. All her efforts to earn his trust were destroyed in mere seconds.

Back at the tavern, he told her he would believe her, but clearly, he hadn't meant it wholeheartedly.

To him, she was still the enemy, and would forever be one.

A strange sensation throbbed in her chest. Something like pain and disappointment.

This might be what people had often called a moment of infatuation, she realized. Luwen was momentarily charmed by a man who changed her wound dressing for the past couple of days, something which nobody had done for her over the past ten years.