Chapter 148: Become the Villain.
ELLA.
The stay in the hospital wasn’t nearly as long as I had expected.
Before I knew it, the doctors had already informed us that the remainder of my treatment could be continued from the comfort of home. Apparently, the triplets had specifically requested it, insisting that there was no reason for me to remain hospitalized any longer.
Home, or rather...’Our home.’
Yes, they had actually used that word.
’Our.’
The possessiveness hidden behind such a simple word didn’t escape me.
I wasn’t sure whether to be amused by it or annoyed.
Bella had brought me a fresh set of clothes, so I had changed out of the ceremonial dress.
There was no way I could wear it again after everything that had happened earlier.
The fabric had become uncomfortable, and I wanted nothing more than to leave it behind.
The moment it was time to leave, Lawrence stepped forward without saying a word.
Before I could protest, he carefully lifted me into his arms in a bridal carry. The movement was effortless, as though I weighed almost nothing.
I instinctively wrapped one arm around his neck to steady myself while he carried me toward the waiting car.
Despite remaining silent, I couldn’t ignore the intense stares directed at him.
Lugard and Leonard hadn’t taken their eyes off Lawrence ever since he picked me up.
Their expressions were impossible to miss. I glanced between the two of them before looking back at Lawrence.
Honestly...I almost chuckled.
The jealousy radiating from the brothers was painfully obvious. Neither of them seemed pleased that Lawrence was the one carrying me.
It was almost amusing how competitive they were with one another.
The drive back home was surprisingly quiet, as no one spoke.
The silence stretched throughout the journey, interrupted only by the faint sound of the car moving along the road.
Even then, Lawrence’s attention never wavered, as his gaze remained fixed entirely on me and not once did he look away.
It was almost as if I were the only person inside the vehicle.
"You eyes are going to fall off, Lawrence," Lugard finally said firmly, clearly trying his best to hide the discomfort in his voice.
Lawrence didn’t even bother responding.
Before long, we arrived home, Bella had already gotten there ahead of us. She was sitting comfortably on the sofa in the living room when we entered.
"Oh, brothers, you are back!" she exclaimed excitedly but he excitement on her face quickly faded the moment her eyes landed on me, and concern immediately replaced it. "Theresa, are you okay now?" she asked softly.
The concern in her voice disgusted me.
Without a second thought, I deliberately decided to provoke her.
I leaned closer to Lugard, who happened to be standing beside me.
Slowly, I let my fingers glide across his chest before casually undoing the first button of his shirt.
"Lugard... I’m hot," I whispered into his ear.
Bella’s face darkened almost instantly, and the change in her expression was impossible to miss.
I could tell she was on the verge of losing her temper but I wasn’t ready to stop.
"You aren’t comfortable, Theresa," Lugard said, as his voice came out lower than usual, almost strained.
As he spoke, he swallowed hard, and I couldn’t help noticing the distinct movement of his Adam’s apple.
His eyes remained fixed on mine, carrying an intensity that made my heart skip a beat.
"How about I help you cool down?" he blurted out.
The words caught me completely off guard, and my eyes widened ever so slightly.
Before I could even process what he had just suggested, I felt warmth rushing into my cheeks. My ears immediately flushed a deep shade of red.
What have I gotten myself into?
This wasn’t how I had imagined things would unfold, as I had only wanted to provoke Bella.
"I... ehm..." I stammered, desperately trying to gather my thoughts into a proper sentence.
My lips parted, but the words refused to come, as my mind had gone completely blank.
Before I could manage even a single coherent word, Lugard suddenly bent down and lifted me into his arms.
The movement was so swift that I barely had time to react.
A soft gasp escaped my lips as I instinctively reached for him to steady myself.
Without another word, he turned around and began marching toward the stairs with confident strides.
I blinked repeatedly, still trying to understand what was happening.
"Stop!" Leonard’s commanding voice echoed through the living room.
Lugard came to an immediate halt.
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
Slowly, Lugard turned around to face his brother.
"What’s going on between the both of you?" Leonard asked impatiently, his eyes shifting between Lugard and me.
Lugard’s expression darkened, and he glared at Leonard with obvious annoyance.
"Do I have to explain my relationship to you?" he asked coldly.
The sharpness in his voice made the silence that followed even heavier.
Feeling increasingly uncomfortable, I gently tugged at the front of Lugard’s shirt.
"Let me down, Lugard," I whispered, hoping only he could hear me.
Instead of loosening his hold...his grip around me only tightened. It was firm and protective as though he had no intention of setting me down.
"And why are you also worked up?" Lawrence suddenly asked Leonard as he stepped forward.
His eyes slowly moved from Leonard to Lugard, carefully studying both of them without missing a single reaction.
The tension between the brothers became almost tangible.
Bella’s face darkened as she looked from one brother to another.
"What the hell is going on here?" she demanded, as her voice was filled with confusion and growing suspicion. "Is there something you all are hiding?" she asked curiously, her eyes narrowing as she searched each of their faces for an answer.
Shit.
This was getting completely out of hand.
I wanted all three.
But I hadn’t actually expected everything to spiral into this.
Things were moving far faster than I had anticipated.
What if I become the villain now?
The woman who tried to separate three brothers who had always stood together.
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