Chapter 21 A Clumsy Yet Effective Tactic.
Finished
With Tessa’s soft hands holding his, Alexander’s heart pounded so fiercely that he could barely feel the pain from his wound.
In truth, he hadn’t entirely injured himself on purpose–it had been a genuine lapse in focus that led to the slip of the knife. Yet, with his reflexes, he could have easily stopped in time, resulting in nothing more than a shallow scratch. But as he watched Tessa and Jacob growing closer, jealousy surged within him, and in a moment of reckless impulse, he pressed the blade down just a bit harder. Still, he made sure not to cut too deeply, fearing he might scare Tessa.
Alexander couldn’t understand why Tessa had been keeping her distance from him lately while remaining so close to Jacob.
Had my uncle’s words during the video call upset her? Does she hate me now?
He’d hoped that by making a small mistake, he might draw her attention back to meant being scolded for his clumsiness. Yet, instead of reproach, she seemed genuinely worried, him–even if it fussing over him as if he were the most fragile thing in the world. Her soft voice trembled as she asked, “Does it hurt a lot?”
The cut wasn’t long, but it was deep, slicing across his left index finger. Since fingers were so sensitive, the bleeding was profuse, making Tessa’s eyes well up with unshed tears as she imagined the pain he must have felt. Her round, doe–like eyes glistened, and the faint redness around their edges made her look even more like a frightened little rabbit.
The chat exploded with accusations against Alexander.
‘She’s crying?! Don’t cry, sweetheart! Please don’t cry!”
‘Alexander Lyon, I despise you! How dare you make the young female cry?!‘
“Is she scared of the blood? Poor baby Tessa.
‘If only I could crawl through the screen to comfort her.. Jacob, you do it for us!”
In reality. Tessa wasn’t crying–her eyes were just red from worry. Not a single tear had fallen.
Blowing gently on Alexander’s bandaged finger, she whispered, “There, there. I’ll blow the pain away. It won’t hurt anymore.”
Alexander froze.
A warm, tingling sensation spread from his fingertip, traveling up his spine and settling at the base of his skull. His entire body tensed like stone–hot, solid, and completely immobile.
Instantly, the chat descended into chaos.
‘Stop comforting him–he doesn’t actually hurt! He’s just putting on a show!’
Chapter 21 A Clumsy Yet Effective Tactic
‘Still pretending, Lyon? Go on–fake it a little longer if you dare!”
Finished
“This guy’s been drenched in blood on the battlefield without flinching, and now he’s acting like a paper cut is the end of the world? Seriously?‘
I’ve never seen a female pamper a male like this before. She’s even trying to comfort him?! Unbelievable!”
This is so unfair! When can I get my companion application approved?!”
“Why does Alexander get all the luck? Why?!‘
But it wasn’t just the viewers who were upset–Jacob was the one most frustrated by the turn of
events.
Such a clumsy tactic, yet it’s working perfectly. Now, Tessa’s entire focus is on Alexander, ignoring me entirely!
His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked faintly, but he kept his expression calm. “The wound’s already been treated with the portable medical device,” he reminded her gently. “With the dressing applied, it’ll be fully healed within half an hour.”
Still, Tessa’s face remained full of concern.
Turning to Alexander, Jacob’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Why don’t you rest for a bit? I can take over the livestream with Tess.”
Alexander wasn’t about to let him seize the opportunity. “Didn’t you almost fail your cooking classes? I’ll handle it. This little injury won’t slow me down.”
Jacob shot back without missing a beat. At least my hands are steady. I don’t ‘accidentally‘ cut myself while chopping vegetables.”
Tessa, assuming they were simply showing concern for each other, was about to step in when she caught sight of the chat and froze.
They’re so obvious. It’s like watching two kids fight over a candy!
‘Both of them are supposed to be geniuses–strong, smart, successful–and yet they’re acting so foolishly.
I can’t watch this anymore…
“Do they really think the young female won’t notice?”
Competing for attention? Tessa’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You’re all overthinking it,” she told the viewers with a shake of her head. “They’re not my mates- they’re my guardians.”
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Chapter 21 A Clumsy Yet Effective Tactic
too much into it.”
Finished
Leaving the issue with Alexander aside first, she added, “Jacob already told me he became my guardian because he wanted to be my family. That’s all.”
‘Sure…
‘Don’t believe him.
‘I swear on Solvyr’s name–he’s lying to you!
‘Come on, he’s from a waste planet. Of course, he knows how to read people and play the long game.
He probably realized confessing would get him rejected, so he’s pretending he doesn’t have any
