I Bought the exiled king (by Natalie Winter) novel Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Valencia

Sleep didn’t come early to me that night as I lay on the bed, rolling from one side of the other and trying to get my mind to calm down

What Sophia had said hurt me, but it was kind of true.

I had barely known lan for three days and I knew nothing about him except his name and how he looked.

The name was fake, so I didn’t know what else was.

My mind kept recalling the way he had kissed me, the way he had opened up to me about his worries.

Had that all been fake? Why did it feel so real then?

I tossed again, groaning into the pillow and dragging the sheet higher over my shoulders. My thoughts had been a jumbled mess of voices and images, mostly featuring the same dark eyes, the same stupid smirk that still haunted me like a fever dream.

I pulled a pillow and slapped it on my head to get myself to stop fantasizing about lan. It was late at night and still I couldn’t sleep.

I turned over again. The apartment felt too quiet, too still. My skin itched with restlessness.

Maybe I should have something hot to lull myself to sleep. With that in mind, I headed to the kitchen and decided to have a turmeric latte.

I saw the packet of milk in the fridge and pulled out a pan to boil it while rummaging through the cabinets to find the turmeric.

He had been here, playing chef for me just last night, I painfully recalled.

I leaned against the counter and stared at the window in front of the sink, just watching the blurry shimmer of distant streetlights.

My eyes flitted to the street outside and noticed that the world was sleeping. It was peacefully quiet. Even the wind was flowing slowly and the leaves rustled like a whisper.

The milk came to a boil, so I transferred it to a cup and spooned in the golden powder, mixing it slowly.

And then I saw some movement in the street.

Just a flicker.

I narrowed my eyes and leaned closer to the window, my breath fogging up the glass. The alley outside looked empty.

Maybe it was a stray cat or a trick of the light. I waited a beat longer before brushing it off. City life came with its share of odd noises and movements. Still, my heart beat a little faster.

I held the cup between my palms like a tiny campfire. It did bring a sense of calm. I took a tentative sip and walked toward the living room, flipping on the lamp beside the couch and curling into it.

And my ears twitched again along with my eyes.

Another flicker and a slow thud. This time near the balcony.

I froze.

“Who’s there?” I called, my voice louder than I’d meant it to be. I stood slowly, setting the mug down with trembling fingers and creeping toward the

front door.

Everything looked locked from where I stood, but I double–checked the handle, anyway.

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12:59 Sat, 237

Chapter 30

And then I saw him.

A silhouette, tall and swift, shifting in the darkness near the stairwell.

lan?

My heart launched into my throat. I let out a sharp gasp and stumbled back a step, knocking into the side table. The lamp flickered briefly. He cust have heard me whoever he was because he turned suddenly to run.

“No, wait” I shouted and scrambled to open the doors I had bolted shut.

But the mysterious stranger outside stumbled.

My breath hitched. I watched his hand scrape against the rough brick siding as he caught himself.

I barely caught a flash of skin in the dark. And then he disappeared down the stairwell.

I yanked open the door and ran to the edge of the hall, scanning in both directions. Nothing but silence and dim emergency lights greeted me.

I didn’t hear footsteps. Just the pounding of my own pulse in my ears.

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“lan?” I called out, even though I knew it was foolish. I knew it the way you know the last cookie’s gone but still check the jar, anyway.

I stood there for a few more seconds, my body tight with anxiety and confusion, before retreating back inside and locking the door.

Sophia would have screamed at me. Maybe it was a thief who had come to steal things and run away after I screamed.

If only I had gotten a glimpse of his face.

But he hid his face well behind the shadows.

I clutched at my chest, wondering if he had not been just a thief but a serial killer like Sophia had been chirping all day.

I lived alone and in a nice locality, though I didn’t have anything expensive. Maybe I should move elsewhere?

But that was not an option because I had paid a very high amount of money to buy this apartment at a decent location. Plus, it was not too far from the Bureau either.

And no matter how cold or lonely, it was still mine.

I checked the doors and windows again. Not once. Not twice.

Triple–locked.

My hands trembled as I picked up my phone. I dialed lan’s number right away. And it went straight to voicemail.

“lan, if this was you, please don’t do that again. You scared me. Just tell me what’s going on,” I whispered into the receiver hoping, he would at least get my voicemail before hanging up.

Then I paced through the hall.

I sent him a text. Then another.

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