Chapter 58: Chapter 58 An Unwelcome Kindness
Timothy wasn’t about to refuse my suggestion. I could see the curiosity burning in his eyes—he wanted to dig deeper into Phoebe’s story.
Something felt wrong about this whole situation. Call it instinct, but I was convinced there were layers to this mess that none of us had uncovered yet.
"Go," I said, my voice cutting through the morning air. I wasn’t in the mood for Timothy’s mind games, and we both knew he wouldn’t actually disobey a direct order.
"Fine!" Timothy shot up from his chair, but held up a hand. "Let me make one thing crystal clear—I’m not interested in her that way. I don’t want to end up with a black eye over some bullshit accusation."
Sunlight streamed through the study windows, painting everything in golden hues. It should have been peaceful, but tension crackled between us.
"Go." I dismissed his concerns with a wave. My attention shifted to Flynn as Timothy left. "I want updates by morning. No exceptions."
Flynn’s groan echoed through the room, but he knew better than to argue. He stood and followed Timothy out, leaving me alone with my spiraling thoughts.
Everything about this situation screamed wrong. Part of me wanted to trust her, but the facts kept pointing in the opposite direction.
I rubbed my temples, trying to think clearly, but doubt clouded everything. How could I believe someone when every instinct told me I was being played?
——
**Phoebe’s POV**
A knock echoed through my bedroom, followed by Timothy’s voice announcing himself.
"Go away," I called back, my stomach twisting with anxiety. If Perry found another man in my room—even his own gamma—he’d lose his mind. I couldn’t handle another round of his fury.
But Timothy never followed orders from anyone except his king. My irritation spiked as he strolled in wearing that infuriating smirk.
"What do you want?" I snapped, though my voice came out weaker than intended. Dealing with Perry’s inner circle required a backbone I didn’t possess.
Timothy dropped onto the sofa like he owned the place, studying me with those calculating eyes.
"How are you feeling?" His gaze locked onto my bandaged hand. "What happened there?"
I tugged the sleeve down to hide the wound, suddenly self-conscious. He was still wearing that same thoughtful expression, like he was trying to solve a puzzle.
"Nothing," I muttered, turning back to the cartoon playing on screen. Not that I was actually watching—my mind was elsewhere.
"How many clothes do you have?"
The random question made me whip around to stare at him. What kind of game was he playing now?
His laughter at my confused expression only made my annoyance burn hotter.
"Come on, tell me." His cheerful tone grated against my nerves. Everything about him screamed carefree—something I envied. "Did Perry buy you anything? Why aren’t you wearing the dresses he got you?"
"He didn’t buy me anything," I finally admitted after his persistent questioning.
"He didn’t?" Timothy’s eyebrows shot up. "Seriously?" Then understanding dawned on his face. "Actually, that makes sense. Perry doesn’t do thoughtful gestures unless you spell it out for him."
"No." I kept my eyes glued to the TV screen.
Timothy slapped his forehead and stood abruptly, catching my attention.
"Where are you going?"
He headed toward my bedroom, past the scattered books toward my walk-in closet.
"Wait." Panic shot through me as I jumped up and chased after him. If he planned something inappropriate and lied about it later, I’d be finished. Nobody here believed my word over theirs.
The only thing keeping me alive was my singular goal—poisoning Perry and dragging him down with me when I died.
"Wow, there’s literally nothing here." Timothy stared at my empty closet in disbelief. The space looked abandoned except for my ratty backpack shoved in the corner.
Heat flooded my cheeks. "What are you doing?" Embarrassment quickly twisted into anger. "Get out."
He turned to face me, his expression shocked.
"Get out," I repeated, trying to sound firmer but failing miserably.
"Yeah, let’s get out." Timothy grabbed my hand and dragged me toward the door.
I shrieked and tried to pull away, but his grip was iron. Damn these men and their ridiculous strength! Just once, I’d love to be the one doing the dragging.
"We’re going out. This won’t work. Perry is such an idiot."
His last comment was the first thing he’d said that I completely agreed with.
"Why are we here?" Fear crept into my voice as I stared at the massive shopping center. Bright lights blazed everywhere, making it feel like some grand party I wasn’t invited to. "I don’t... I don’t want to go in."
The modern world felt overwhelming, almost threatening.
"Oh, come on, it’ll be fun. Most women love shopping, and you’ve got me as your guide."
Timothy’s grip tightened on my hand, giving me no choice but to follow.
"But... is it okay for you to take me out of the palace?"
I didn’t give a damn about Perry, but I didn’t want Timothy facing the king’s wrath because of me.
He considered this for a moment, then shrugged. "I’ll deal with that later. He probably knows we’re gone by now anyway. We’re already here—might as well enjoy it, right?"
