Chapter 143: Shackles of guilt.

She bowed respectfully and turned to slip away, but the old man called out, "Wait, child."

Lita stopped.

"What did you say your name was?" He asked

"Lita_"

"You are a newlywed, and your body is clearly fatigued," the Grand Patriarch said, stroking his white beard thoughtfully. "It is only fair that you rest properly until your husband returns from his trip. Starting tonight, I am suspending all your household duties. No cooking, no cleaning, nothing."

Lita’s eyes went wide. She bowed so low her nose almost touched her knees. "Thank you, Grand Patriarch! You are too kind!"

She practically skipped away before he could change his mind. She didn’t see the old man narrowing his eyes and smiling slyly behind her back.

When she reached the main foyer, a sharp voice ruined her mood. Loveline was pacing back and forth like a caged tiger.

"Where have you been?!" Loveline barked the moment Lita stepped inside. "Do you know what time it is? How dare you abandon your duties! Go to the kitchen right now and brew my evening tea!"

Lita stopped, held up a single hand, and gave her a lazy, smug smile. "I’m afraid I can’t do that, first sister-in-law. The Grand Patriarch himself just ordered me to rest. No more teas, no more kitchen work, no more ’this and that’ for me. I’m off to bed."

Loveline’s jaw hit the floor. "W-What?!"

Lita didn’t even wait for a reply. She turned on her heel and strutted up the stairs, leaving Loveline frozen in utter shock. Loveline knew Lita wouldn’t dare fake an order from the head of the family, but how on earth had this girl managed to get the stubborn old man on her side?!

"Ugh!" Loveline stamped her foot hard enough to crack the floor tile, exhaling a hot breath of pure rage.

Upstairs, Lita kicked her bedroom door shut, locked it, and threw herself onto the soft mattress. She spread her arms and legs out like a starfish, bursting into loud, uncontrolled laughter.

"Hahaha! Easy!" she wheezed into her pillow.

The future in this terrifying fantasy household didn’t look so grim after all. She didn’t need she just had to figure out whose boots to lick!

Suddenly, Andrea burst into the room with four older women who were wearing grey dresses. One had her hand around a leash that was attached to a salamander.

Lita’s heart beast wildly. This was the illegal sex check Trinity had warned her about. It was a good thing she was prepared. Still, she needed to fight and act surprised.

Two of the women held her down, one parted her legs and the one with the salamander controlled it as it sniffed all over her body. then, the woman looked at Andrea and said, "She is clean."

Andrea sneered, and she walked out with her group.

Lita locked the door, trembling like a leaf in the wind.

*******

Back at the Beast Valley, guilt was eating big Vince alive. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see were the skinny, starving faces of the kids in the village. If those kind villagers hadn’t rescued them, Julian would be six feet under by now!

He had brought it up to Zyra before, but she had just brushed it off like it was no big deal_ she had a million other things on her mind. A few of the other guys felt the exact same way, but Vince couldn’t just sit on his hands and he was making preparations tonight.

Vince was hauling a huge sack of grain onto his shoulder."If no one else is going to do it, I’ll do it myself."

Daniel Bin nodded beside him, clutching a heavy crate of cured meat. "I’m with you, bro. Let’s make this quick before anyone notices."

So, while the rest of Beast Valley was distracted waiting for Achilles to wake up, the two sneaked out the back gate under the cover of dusk, carrying armfuls of food to the poor village.

Meanwhile, in the medical room, Achilles finally opened his eyes, groaning as he rubbed his aching jaw. "I think that I broke something."

"You broke nothing and what the hell were you thinking?" Zyra asked, eyes glaring.

Before Hunter or any of the guys could even berate him for being an idiot, Nanny Rosita barged over, pointing an angry slipper right at his nose.

"You foolish boy!" Nanny Rosita scolded, her voice ringing off the walls. "Do you have any idea what you did?! From what Hunter told me, you could have brought an entire army down on our heads! A tracking bug Achilles! How did you fail to notice?"

Achilles whipped his head around, his face going pale. He immediately looked at Zyra, who was standing by the door with her arms crossed, looking like she wanted to punch him all over again.

"Zyra, I am so, so sorry!" Achilles stammered, holding his hands up defensively. "I swear I didn’t know! I got hot on the way here and tossed my coat into one of the cargo boxes! The bug must have been on me, not the cargo."

Zyra scoffed, waving away his pathetic apology. "Save it. Apologies don’t erase bad decisions. Who do you think was tracking you?"

Hunter stepped up, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Think hard, Achilles. Trace your movements from the moment you left the city. Did anyone follow you?"

Achilles snorted, rubbing his bruised jaw. "I don’t even have to think hard. It has to be Bianca!"

Hearing that name, Hunter and nanny Rosita all let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank goodness," Nanny Rosita muttered, wiping sweat off his forehead. "It’s just her."

Zyra and Malia, however, just stood there looking thoroughly confused. They had no idea who this "Bianca" was supposed to be.

Achilles quickly explained the whole backstory.

Zyra’s eyes narrowed, her cheeks flushing hot with irritation. "I don’t like her already," she spat, her hands on her hips. "Why is she hunting for Hunter so bad that she has to use a tracking device?! Is she in love with him or something?!"

Malia chuckled under her breath, nudging Zyra’s elbow. Look at her, Malia thought, amused. Fuming like a classic jealous wife!

Nanny Rosita patted Zyra’s shoulder gently, smiling warmly. "Ah, child, you have nothing to worry about. Bianca is harmless to Hunter. She’s basically like an annoying little sister to him."

"I don’t care if she’s his long-lost twin!" Zyra snapped, huffing out a loud, dramatic sigh. "If that girl dares to come to my valley."

Hardly had the words left her mouth when a high-pitched ping echoed in her mind.

[Alert! Host, there is movement detected right outside. A young woman.]

Zyra smirked coldly. "Well, speak of the devil. Our awaited guest is probably here."

Hunter and Zyra sprinted straight to the central security room, crowding around the main screen display. Outside, night had fully fallen, but the camera showed a crystal-clear picture of a young woman pacing back and forth in front of the empty valley entrance.

It was Bianca.

She looked utterly bewildered, holding a glowing tracking device in her hand, smacking it against her palm as if it were broken. She was 100% sure the signal had vanished right at this spot, but now there was nothing in front of her except empty dirt and trees.

Zyra folded her arms, satisfied. "Beauty, engage full invisibility protocols. All our people are safely inside anyway."

[Understood, Host! Invisibility field fully engaged! Let her hunt for ghosts! But two of yours have gone outside using the back gate. A hunting trip I suppose, which is why I didn’t alert you.]

Outside in the dark, Bianca stomped her foot in frustration, completely unaware that she was right where Hunter was and that Zyra was watching her every move with pursed lips and narrowed eyes.