Chapter 1.33: The unwavering violet

Leila left Alek to rest after cleaning him for what had to have been an hour. She told her maid to tend to other duties and promised to buy her some fresh bread for all her troubles. The woman loved the bakery down the road, but they were very costly on a servant's salary. The teenager figured it was the best she could do. After all, Cleo's mother may fire the woman for interfering in family drama. But the teenager felt like Jisu would keep her word and would work hard to help the man. So any consequences that came from it would be worth it.

She decided to spend the rest of her free time preparing a meal plan for Alek. It surprised the cooks to see her waiting in the kitchen and eagerly asked what she wanted. They offered her an early bite of the roast they had been prepping. Even though the meat looked delicious, she declined and told them what she wanted. They hesitated and stated they were unsure if they could cook for her brother. Her parents had been firm that he was a danger and had to stay away from his bedroom. Leila promised to come and get every meal herself.

The noblewoman swore that she would protect them if Alek lashed out. She needed him to eat something brothy that had as little flavor as possible. When asked why, she lied and said he had a stomach bug. Since he had locked himself away, he had been throwing up and was really out of it. To get more of their sympathy, she let out a few tears as she spoke. With a desperate tone of voice, she requested they make him bowls of soup daily. And to make a pitcher of her grandmother's herbal tea on the side. She made sure to tell them that she had found Alek near the library, half-mad from his fever.

Hearing this caused even the more stubborn cooks to feel for her. And they all promised to do what they could. They'd have Elissa tell her when the meals were done. With the agreement made, she thanked them and departed. The teenager decided to sit in the family garden and think. The peace and quiet it would offer could help her digest everything. At this time of day, the complete area would be empty. The flowers and trees would be her only company. Any gardeners who happened to be there would be going off to leave for home. Leila stood in front of its entrance with a neutral expression and sighed.

A soft shower of rain had begun, drenching the pavement as she walked. Her hair was down as she had taken out her braids and brushed them. Water dripped from her dark locks as she stood. The sky looked troublesome, with dark clouds taking up most of its space. This didn't bother her, as she figured standing in the middle of a storm wouldn't be her worst decision. After all, she had indirectly made a possible pain an addict, and that haunted her. It made her brain just shut down in a rage.

'If we can detox him in time for the others' arrival, I'll thank God.' Leila felt the rain pour down onto her clothing, drenching it as she stared. If anyone saw her, they'd think she'd gone insane again. 'Those snakes have made their intentions loud and clear.'

The dark-haired girl knew her time to scheme and plan was running thin. By the end of the year, when it went from fall to winter, they'd be back. It didn't frighten her anymore. The threats were a reminder she had to watch her back. But she was struggling to keep up with everything going on. The teenager had to meet up with the head of the Fountaine household soon. Admittedly, she had been pushing it off to deal with the dressmaker, the Bryants, and Alek. The women wanted to have tea and discuss the more intimate details of their goal.

Becoming allies with the family could help her greatly. She needed other nobles on her side for when she usurped control of Cleo's family estate. Leila still planned to burn everything to the ground once she completed her counterattack. However, to do so, she had to obtain power. All of it from the likes of political to social. Every day when she wasn't in the library studying, she was the befriending staff. When she wasn't bringing them gifts, she spent hours regaining her strength with exercises. The royal family was stronger than she and Cleo.

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To successfully take them down, she would have to put all of her energy into preparing. Her allies would have to be from all classes of society. The lower, middle, and upper classes had to be at her beck and call. To achieve this, she knew that the next year she would be at work tirelessly. The idea of being in this world for that long made her sick. But Leila felt by now any less was just wishful thinking. That man who had thrown her into Cleo's body was clear with his terms. To go home, she had to get revenge.

Her gaze shifted across the garden as she noticed someone. Instantly, she recognized the blonde hair of the person and cursed. "Ezekiel? Ezekiel!" The man kept walking as she started to run over.

The estate guard was dressed for the weather, wearing a long-sleeved jacket and tall boots. He didn't bring his sword today, and the hilt was also gone as he walked. The teenager felt water gush into her shoes, soaking her feet as she ran. Her dress felt heavy as she leaned forward and grabbed at him. She wrapped her hand around his arm and yanked him backward, causing him to stumble a little. His hood fell off, making his long hair drenched. Instinctively, the man scowled and turned to insult whoever was grabbing at him. But once their eyes met like clockwork, his body froze and he blanked.

Panting, the teenager let go of the man and steadied herself. She had nearly fallen in her rush to catch up to him. "Ezekiel, why are you walking around in weather like this? You could get sick."

"I was looking for you," the man's voice made her take a step back. There was no emotion. It was like someone had performed a lobotomy on him. His glazed eyes burned into her soul. "Is that correct?"

Leila maintained eye contact as her chest tightened. Her throat felt thick as she asked. "Ezekiel, answer this question truthfully to me. Do you feel any emotions right now?" Under the downpour, her eyes had begun to sting and water. She wondered if she should just walk away and break the command.

The blonde blinked and answered. "I haven't felt anything since you commanded me that night."

Her mouth moved before she could truly think. "What? Why?" Leila felt the words stumble out of her mouth as she took another step back. This meant the man's behavior had been a clever mask.

Ezekiel walked closer and got down on one knee. This startled her, but before she could move away, she grabbed her hand. Slowly, he lifted it and placed her palm against his cheek. His skin was ice cold and the rain just added to the temperature. It was like the man was lifeless from how he reacted. His body was rigid, kneeling completely still as he gazed at her with a zoned-out expression. The teen felt a rush hit her. It was a mix of raw emotions she knew all too well. Adrenaline and glee, the type you'd feel after winning a match of chess. Leila was unsure if it was only her feeling this way or Cleo.

"You never told me to feel any emotions that night. I don't see the need to if you have no purpose for it." The entire time, he rubbed his cheek on her skin. It was hard not to scream at him to get the hell away.

Shaking, she swallowed the lump in her throat and gave him a tense smile. "Ezekiel, I want you to feel things. I want you to get mad at me and yell at me if you feel the urge to, okay?"

The blonde scrunched up his face as he looked confused. But before she could comment, it smoothed out, and he went back to blind obedience. "Correct." He gave her a smile, but it looked wrong and like it was causing him a large amount of discomfort.

"Good," the teenager sighed in relief. They would have to work out the kinks in the command later. With her glowing purple eyes, she stared into his entire being. "Get off the ground and follow me."