The Mask Of The Monster - Chapter 102

(From Ella’s Perspective)

When I got up, it was nighttime. I could not believe I slept for that long. Leandro had left already. I did not know I would feel lonely this quickly.

I was covered with a light blue blanket. As I looked under, I found myself completely naked.

‘So, this is what it feels like to get up after having sex. Not like, we had sex though… But it feels like it. Now that I think about it, sleeping naked is the best. I don’t know if it’s because of the orgasm that I slept too nicely. Perhaps sleeping naked has some benefits as well like falling asleep faster, getting good sleep.’

“Should I start sleeping naked then? Not like anyone will barge into someone’s room even if it’s my dad,” I muttered to myself.

My stomach made a loud growl. It was pretty normal judging the fact that I only had breakfast, but no lunch or snacks or anything.

I wore one of Leandro’s shirts and tied my hair with a ribbon that was placed on the table. I had to admit that Dad arranged a lot of things for me. Back at the home in my world, Mom and Owen might not care for me much, but they gave me a room and basic necessities. Perhaps because or it would hurt their conscience. But no one ever arranged something thinking about my preferences before. I had to admit that I was kind of moved.

I went downstairs only to find a man who was supposed to be my father trying to cook and in the process, getting the towel on fire.

“What’s going on?” I asked. “Place it under the water holding the side. It will be extinguished completely then.”

He did as I said and as the fire was extinguished, he sighed in relief. I had no idea how could someone get something on fire while trying to cook.

‘Ah, I completely forgot that I can’t cook either. Perhaps I would have burned the place down. Let’s not criticize him about this one.’

Seeing Leandro doing almost everything perfectly had got my expectations high. It was completely his fault for being too perfect.

“Did you burn your hand as well?” I asked.

“No, I am fine. I was trying to cook something, but see…”

“You haven’t cooked before, have you?”

“No, but I thought it would be easy,” he said. “You’re hungry, aren’t you? I am sorry. I will try to make something again.”

“Yeah, I am,” I muttered. “But no need, let’s eat outside. You have money, right?”

“Of course, I have lots,” he said, suddenly looking too proud. “Just because I live in this small space doesn’t mean I don’t have money. It’s actually because I need to keep a low profile since I am working against the shifters.”

“Even though you’re a shifter? Not like I am complaining. I understand that your own type can be quite frustrating. Like sometimes in my world, I would want to fry the humans, or beat them up, like really, they are unnecessary.”

He chuckled. “Right? You even want to kill them.”

“I won’t go that far,” I said. “Killing is a crime in my world and I will probably die or get imprisoned if I kill someone. I am sorry, but I want to live a free life. So, killing is beyond my thinking.”

Dad and I went out to a local diner. We ordered steak and mashed potatoes. And to my relief, the food was really tasty that I could not help but praise the cook in my mind.

“Is it to your liking?” he asked.

“Hmm… It’s good,” I said.

“Uh… Can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“What did you do when you were there? At the cave?”

“What did I do?” I repeated, thinking carefully. “In the morning, I would go to the palace. Then I would work there until nine at night usually. Then I would come back to the entrance of the forest from where Lee would take me back.”

“Because you don’t have a good sense of direction?”

“Kinda. But I still remembered the way. Yet, he just liked to pick me up,” I said.

“What about the food?”

“He would cook. Sometimes, I would go shopping. But since I’m not good at it, my friend Jed would do it for me,” I said. “Also, there are a lot of fruits and edible plants in the forest. Lee would pick them up. To be honest, some of them are gross. But he still would force me to eat them. But we used to eat meat the most.”

“And where did you sleep?”

“On the bed.”

“The bed? You mean, on one bed?”

“Yes?”

“Yes? A man and a woman on a single bed? An unmarried man and woman?”

“Unmarried, you say? Look at you, remember the name Elle, and then take a look at me,” I said. “Don’t get me started.”

“I know it was a mistake and we should not have done it. But that doesn’t mean it’s alright for you to do so as well.”

“We haven’t slept together though?”

“What? You haven’t?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s our decision.”

“Really? He didn’t force you?”

“Of course not,” I said. “I do everything on my own accord. No one forces me to do anything.”

“That’s good then.”

“Lee took care of me all the time. It’s actually quite hard to believe that I am still alive in this world, but well, here I am,” I said. And I also had someone I liked. It was quite surprising, especially since the feelings were mutual. I was paying extra attention so I did not say ‘Leandro’ in public. That was why I was calling him ‘Lee’. “Just think about it. If he had some ulterior motives, would he not have done something already? I had been alone with him for over a month.”

“It’s not like I don’t trust the fact that he doesn’t have any feelings for you and took care of you really well,” Dad said. “It’s just- he is someone who has a lot of enemies. If one of them finds out that you are someone he cares about, they can do anything to you.”

“I know. He told me this,” I said.

“That’s why I am saying you should stay away from him.”

“Don’t wanna…,” I mumbled.

“Why not?”

“Because I like him?”

“That’s all?”

“Not really. It’s quite fun to be with him, he cooks well, has a handsome face, can be bragged about, takes care of me, isn’t someone who will cheat on me if we are in a relationship, has a lot of money. But most importantly, I like him,” I said. “And if someone kidnaps me, don’t worry, I am always armed with logic to blow their minds off. Though I might not look it and also am not good at fighting, I can throw my hands and legs well without following rules. It’s a hindrance for those who are good at fighting. I think I can save myself well enough.”

“You really don’t understand,” he sighed. “So, what if he dies?”

‘What do you mean what if he dies? If he dies, then he dies, of course. But it’s not like I am okay with it. I have no idea what I’m gonna do if something happens to him and I refuse to think about it.’

“He dies.”

“You don’t care?”

‘Of course, I do care! Isn’t it obvious? I like him after all. How can you even ask me something like that?’

“Who knows?”

If I was right, Dad was not someone to believe in something like ‘love’. And if I tried to say that I was madly in love with Leandro, he would surely feel like Leandro seduced me or something. So, I decided to act as unexpectedly as possible, so he would not know what to do about me. It was not hard since I was an expert in acting hopeless.

“Tomorrow, I will go to the palace and talk to the head maid about me resigning,” I said.

“Good,” he said. “Make sure not to get across the king’s father. He is controlled by his lower half.”

“I know. Lee warned me a lot,” I nodded. Even I saw it with my own eyes. Thanks to Jed and the help of some of the maids, I did not get to come across the king or the king’s father much. If someone was controlled by his lower half, then the other person’s face did not matter. All they wanted to do was stick it to somewhere. Those gross people…

[We will get to see now how Ella’s and her father’s relationship turns out to be. And also, she is going to the palace tomorrow. Let’s hope for her well-being.. By the way, we haven’t met Jed for a while as well. So, while Ella and Leandro are separated, let’s see what the other persons are doing]