Chapter : 824
“W…what?”
“Don’t lie to me, Lila Marie Blackwell,” Selene said, folding her arms across her chest. “I heard you talking to someone. You were telling her she needed to leave before she got caught. Who are you hiding her from, and who is she?”
Selene already knew the answer, but she wanted her daughter to admit it.
“It was nobody,” Lila said, her brows pinching together. “She was just someone who used to be my friend but isn’t anymore…”
Selene knew she was lying and that hurt her more than anything.
“You’re lying to me, but I don’t understand why,” Selene said, pressing her lips together in a thin line.
“I’m not lying…” Lila tried to exclaim. “And even if I was, I’m an adult. I don’t need permission to see my friends.”
“When your friend is Daisy Baldwin, you downright need to inform us when you invite her into our home,” Selene all but snapped.
She hadn’t meant to name-drop Daisy like that, but there was no turning back now. Lila looked like she had just been slapped. She stepped back and let out a breath.
“That’s right,” Selene said, owning up to her words. “I know exactly who you were with. You cannot deny it, Lila.”
Lila opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out.
Then, she finally settled on something.
“She wanted to get her hands on my magic… so she’s been hanging around ne. That’s why I kicked her out because I’m sick of her using me for my magic,” Lila said, tears filling her eyes.
They were nothing but crocodile tears, though; Selene could see through it almost right away.
“Where is your magic?” Selene asked, her eyes narrowed. “Why haven’t you restored it? It shouldn’t still be in the pendant. It should be inside of you where it belongs.”
Lila pressed her lips together and stared at the ground. Selene narrowed her eyes again, her eyes shifting from Lila’s face to her neckline. It was bare… the pendant wasn’t on her.
“Where is it?” Selene asked again.
“I’m keeping it safe in the jewelry box,” Lila said, wrapping her arms around herself like she was holding herself together.
“Let me see it.”
“What?” Lila asked, stepping away from her mother.
“No… I…”
“Lila, I swear to the Moon Goddess… you are going to get that Moon Gem so I can see it with my own eyes. We did not go through all this trouble only for you to lose it.”
“Of course I didn’t lose it!”
“Then, let me see it,” Selene shouted.
“What’s going on in here?” Zachary asked as he stepped into the room.
“Dad, Mom has gone completely psycho,” Lila said, her eyes never leaving Selene’s. “Can you tell her to leave my room?”
Selene felt Zachary’s questioning eyes on her, but she wasn’t standing down.
“I need to see the pendant with my. own eyes. I’m not asking for much. If nt lose it The
you ne
Then let met
it, Selene said.
“Are you talking about the Moon Gem?”
“Yes,” Selene replied. “I need to see it, Zachary. Please, don’t go against me on this.”
After a short pause, Zachary turned to his daughter.
“Go get it.”
His order was a demand, and he left no room for argument. Lila let out a breath, knowing the argument was futile. She turned to the dresser and grabbed the jewelry box She opened it, revealing the gorgeous moon gem that held a faint glow.
“There, happy now?” Lila asked, seconds away from snapping the box closed again.
“Take it out,” Selene said without batting an eye.
“What?” Lila asked, raising her brows. “Why?”
“Because I said so.”
“Selene… what’s going on?” Zachary asked, but Selene ignored him.
“Take it out of the box,” she demanded again.
“Dad, please,” Lila said, turning her pleading eyes to her father.
He sighed and stepped forward.
“I’ll grab it,” he suggested, but Selene grabbed his arm.
“No, it has to be her,” she said to him before she looked back at Lila. “Take it out
of the box.”
Lila licked her dry lips before she let out a shuddering breath and nodded slowly.
She reached into the box and attempted to grab the moon gem, hoping that it wouldn’t burn her like it had earlier. She thought that maybe if she gave the gem some time, it wouldn’t be as bad, but she was mistaken The gem burned her Hand so badly that she yelped and dropped it to the ground.
She hugged her hand to her chest and held it as tears spilled down her cheeks.
She could hardly look at her parents, who were staring at her with wide eyes and slack-jawed.
“What just happened?” Zachary asked, disbelief evident on his face and in his voice. “Did it just burn you?”
“Yes, it did,” Selene replied. “Zachary… I’m not sure how it’s possible… but Lila isn’t our daughter.”