Casian returned to his chamber, expecting solitude but instead of finding Lyra, he found Linda waiting for him.
His expression hardened. "What brings you here, Linda?" His voice carried a trace of displeasure.
He despised having his personal space invaded and had explicitly prohibited even the maids from stepping inside without his permission.
Linda's smile faltered at his blunt tone. Her mind drifted back to Lyra, who had been here just moments ago. He hadn't objected to her presence. Yet here he was, turning her away.
"I just wanted to spend some time with you, Casian. And what's wrong with me being here?" she said, her tone edged with sarcasm. "It's not like we're strangers."
Casian wasn't oblivious to Linda's insinuation, but he had no intention of entertaining her. He strode further into the room, dismissing her with a glance.
