MESMERIZING MENIAC

AMARIS POV

Morning came sooner than expected, and the only thing that alerted me was the bright ray of sunlight spilling through the window into the room.

A yawn escaped my mouth as I climbed out of bed.

When I opened the door, the once empty mansion was filled with people moving about, carrying or fixing one thing or another.

But when they saw me, they paused, then one by one, they greeted me.

“Good morning, Mrs. Amoria,”

The word ‘Awkward’ screamed in my head. Didn’t Amoria ever tell them she had a twin?

Or didn’t at least one of them see me on the wedding day?

Before I got a chance to clarify, Zevian strolled in wearing a black night robe. His hand held a cup of coffee that was still steaming. His gaze ran over my body, which still had his shirt on.

Seeing him triggered the memories of what happened in his room last night. Quickly, I turned back, about to enter the room and bury myself in the embarrassment I had caused myself.

“She’s not my wife,” he said blatantly.

He just had to say it in front of everyone, I whined internally but still rushed inside, only to pause when he added.

“Where are you going?”

“Me?… I… I want to—“

Before I could figure out the particular lie to tell, Zevian interrupted.

“You look like you haven’t eaten in years. Come eat,” he said before turning to walk away.

The whole staff looked at each other in confusion but murmured an apology as I left.

I had no choice but to follow his lead. My goal was to do as he said, live peacefully, and maybe, just maybe when they eventually found a way to unlink Amoria and me, he wouldn’t hate me that much.

I reached the dining area, where Zevian was currently seated, sipping his coffee with a magazine in his left hand.

I couldn’t help but wonder how he managed to look effortlessly mesmerizing yet still be a maniac.

But immediately my eyes moved from his face to the dining table, which had more food than table. My eyes widened in disbelief at the different delicacies spread across it.

I took a seat at the farthest chair from him and stared at the juicy steak that sat before me.

“Quit staring. More eating.”

Zevian’s voice jolted me.

I looked up to see that his eyes were still on the magazine that covered his face.

Taking my eyes off him, I started eating, constantly relishing the taste. When I was done, I immediately moved to the closest dish. Only then did I notice something. As common as it was for people to use peas to cook, even my family had made them their favorite ingredient despite knowing they didn’t sit well with me. Yet in every dish on the table, there wasn't a single pea.

I looked up again, wondering if he had done it on purpose.

But how did he know?

When?

Then the thought that he was only doing this for Amoria crashed everything. I mean, if I had an allergic reaction because of what I ate, it might affect Amoria, right?

Afterward, I continued eating in silence, only noticing that Zevian didn’t touch anything on the table except his coffee. Neither was there any help or chef around.

When I finished, I stood up despite my stomach feeling like I had swallowed four gallons of water. I was about to clear the plates I used when the living room door opened, revealing Lucas, who still had on his lab coat.

“Does he wear those every day?”

The words slipped from my mouth before I could stop them. And the little, almost ignorable snort that came from Zevian confirmed it.

“He has more lab coats than actual clothes,” Zevian responded.

A laugh escaped my lips, but I paused when I realized Zevian had just tried to be funny.

Like Zevian Frost?! Terror of both men and wolves!?

“I can hear you two nitwits,” Lucas mumbled while walking over before taking his seat at the dining table. “Since when do you eat such a voracious meal?” Lucas added as he adjusted his lenses.

“Since today,” Zevian replied without looking up. Shortly after, he closed the magazine in his hand in one swift motion before dropping it on the table. “Where’s the document I asked for?”

Lucas then pulled out a large file from his bag before handing it to Zevian. “This took the whole of my night…. Don’t ever disturb my study in the middle of the night again. I can’t be handling your wife… this,” he said, pointing to me as if I had willingly come here.

“And your curiosity!” He snapped at Zevian.

Zevian didn’t mind. It seemed their relationship was extremely close. Instead, Zevian glanced at the file. He was about to open it, but as if he remembered something, he closed it back and cleared his throat.

“I’d be in my room,” he said, standing up from the chair.

“Do not disturb.” He gave a stern look at both Lucas and me before leaving.

My gaze traveled to Lucas to know what Zevian’s reaction was all about, but I jolted when I realized Lucas' entire attention was now on me, like I was some kind of new lab coat.

Startled, I grabbed the plates and walked away.

“That’s not the way to the kitchen,” Lucas yelled so I could hear.

I bit my lips out of embarrassment.

Then I turned in the other direction, only for him to say the same thing.

Realizing it would be more embarrassing to carry dirty dishes in search of the kitchen, I went back and dropped the plate on the table, since Lucas seemed more interested in pointing out that I was going in the wrong direction than actually helping.

I turned to leave when Lucas mumbled something that I didn’t hear, but I knew it was directed at me.

“Excuse me?” I turned.

“I said, I was wondering why you lied to Zevian.”