Chapter 145: She knows.
"Mira Yang will remain the way she is and her status will remain untouched. She has carried heirs before and will do so again.
Every other judgement we have made remains till the Lion King makes his presence known."
This was far from what Mira wanted but she knew she could not complain. The old owner of this body had already messed up any of this current Mira’s chances of making decisions in the beast world.
This was bad, but at least, there was some good in this.
"You are dismissed." Someone in the Ruling Oracle said.
Ming Tao made his way out first. Anger brewed in Mira and she charged outside too, following him. When the two of them were far away within the cave where the Ruling Oracle would not be able to see or hear them and the guards no longer paroled, Mira stretched her hand out.
Her palm met Ming Tao’s shoulder and she pulled him back to face her. Her hand on him was careless and the only reason why his body turned was because he did not anticipate being caught up to nor approached by her or anyone.
And he did not anticipate being touched.
A hand met Ming Tao’s cheek. Fast and hard across the planes of his face while resounding in the cave. Ming Tao’s cheek burned. He felt the sting that came with Mira’s cold, violent hand as it made contact with his face.
"What is wrong with you?!" Mira barked at him. Her eyes were watery and the tears she tried so hard to hide flowed down her face. She stretched both her hands out and pushed Ming Tao across the chest twice. His body pushed backwards slightly with every forceful sway of her hands on him. "You know what that woman did to me! You know I have six children who are alone and without their father in the lion tribe yet you lied!" Mira yelled.
She sniffed and rubbed a hand across her face to wipe her tears but they just kept pouring down her cheeks. "You looked at me straight in the eyes and lied. For her! Without considering my feelings, Ming Tao’s what is wrong with you?!" Mira’s voice was raised so high that the echo stretched further in the cave. She became breathy and her head began to pound. This was giving her a headache. The entire meeting with the council made her so stressed and it was not good for her at all.
[ Activating special grade gift: rejuvenation during childbirth ] Popped on on the screen before Mira.
She did not know what was wrong but clearly something happened for this to be activated. Mira took a pause to catch her breath. Her fingers ran through her hair as she pushed it back while her other hand fanned her face, her failed attempt to dry her eyes.
Mira swallowed before returning her attention back to Ming Tao.
"What did I ever do to you?" She asked. Her voice lowered and made her question sound like a plea. "After that feast, you changed. I do not know why but I cannot read you or anything you do. Why would you let my sister be free to walk into the pride land knowing what she did? Knowing that she can come after my children and harm so many other lion cubs, Ming Tao? Just what did I ever do to make you do this to me? Why did you lie for her? What is she to you?!"
The more Mira questioned, the more she was unsure if she wanted an answer. She had tried to stay strong for so long and tried to not think too much into Ming Tao’s recent behaviour but after what he just did. . . she could not help but wonder what went wrong.
He told her nothing. Not a single word, like she was not even there.
Mira raised her hand high up again and wanted to hit him, her way of trying to get him to speak. Ming Tao caught her hand mid air and dragged her to him with so much force that left her panting. His hardened gaze burned into her as he worded through clenched teeth.
"If you ever dare to raise a finger on me again or question my actions then I will not let you go free."
Ming Tao’s hand tightened on her skin and Mira squirmed. His touch began to burn and she knew this would make her hand swell but his grip was too strong for her to break free. Ming Tao pushed her to the side roughly then forward again. Mira gasped, her hand reached for her stomach in his rough control of her body. She doubted Hye Yang before but now she was beginning to wonder if this man knew that she was pregnant for his child and did not just care.
He handled her way too roughly and Mira never thought that Ming Tao would do this. She knew how cruel he was to her in the past, but after living with him in the cheetah clan, she never imagined that he would even stare at her with so much coldness and hate.
"Watch yourself. A wife submits to her husband. And know your place." His words felt like daggers stabbed her heart. Mira tried to break free from his hold but he only held her tighter. This made her whimper. She was standing so close to her own husband yet she felt anything but safe. In fact, she had never felt more defenceless and close to harm’s way.
Ming Tao tugged her closer to him, so close that his face rested right in front of hers as he spoke. "Is that understood?" Ming Tao queried through clenched teeth.
It was then a screen popped up before Mira.
[ Scanning Mighty Cheetah Ming Tao. ]
[ Analysing Mighty Cheetah Ming Tao. ]
[ Rage level: 100%
Confusion level: 40%
Mind battle level: 20%
It seems that host’s husband, Mighty Cheetah Ming Tao is under some hypnosis and is trying to break free but cannot. ]
Mira’s lips parted at this notification from system. Her mouth let out a shaky breath as her eyes stared deep into those cold eyes of her husband burning into her.
Her already panging with ache head began to pound even more and she felt her strength leave her body.
It all made sense now. Why he acted the way he did. Why he stayed with Hye Yang all those nights. Why he never came home. Why when he met her that morning after she prepared a special night for the two of them he told her those strange words about not being himself. Why he took her side and lied to the oracle.
Everything made fucking sense and Mira could not believe that she was just finding out the truth now. Mira nodded, her eyes on Ming Tao.
"Forgive me, I have overstepped my boundaries." She stated.
For a second, Ming Tao’s eyes softened. His brows narrowed inwards and the cold look he gave her vanished. But only for a second.
"Please let go of me, you’re hurting me, Ming Tao." Mira pleaded. Her voice was no longer harsh but tame. With the realisation of why her husband was acting so strange, she had no strength left in her to fight him or want to fight him. It was not his fault but she really wished he was not the tool used to hurt her.
Her sister could have gone for anyone else yet chose her husband.
Ming Tao’s hands stayed on Mira for a moment. It was as if what she said flew past his head.
"Ming Tao, let go." Mira said, firmer this time but in a lowered tone.
Ming Tao let go. His eyes lowered to look at her hand which was now changing colour and had his finger marks on it. "I. . ." He muttered. "I am sorry." Ming Tao said. "I . . . I did not mean to. . . I do not know what happened, I swear I. . ."
A cold, sad smile painted Mira’s lips. Even now, it seemed like the real him was trying to fight the hypnosis.
"It’s okay." Mira said in a warm tone. "I will be heading back home. Wherever you choose to spend the night in tonight, I bid you goodnight." Mira said. She turned and walked away from him, carefully heading back to where they came from.
She needed to have a word with the Ruling Oracle now that she knew Ming Tao was under hypnosis but she needed to do it smartly in a way her sister would not know that she knew.
As Mira headed back, she met Hye Yang. Her eyes locked with her sister who had an obvious grin on her face. Hye Yang’s gaze laid on Mira’s hand and her grin only widened. It was as if she knew there was no other person who would give her a mark but her husband.
Mira was boiling with rage inside but tried to keep her temper under control. Now, she knew something that would make her sister regret ever trying to cross her and she would use it to her advantage.
All Mira needed to do was break the hypnosis. And she would do so, even if it killed her.
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