Chapter 333

hapter 333 In the moonlight, Zoe’s eyes looked incredibly sincere.

75%

Alyce’s face darkened the moment she heard Zoe’s plea. ‘Stay here? How could someone who tried to kill Ms. Rosewood even think about staying? she thought.

Meanwhile, Phoebe’s lips twitched into a small smile. She knew Elysia had won the bet.

Elysia, however, remained completely calm, unfazed by Zoe’s words. “Zoe, Arcanum House isn’t some place you can just come and go as you please.

“If you want to stay and be on my side, you need to give me a good reason. You were with Ryan. How do I know you don’t still have it out for me?”

“Didn’t what I did outside show I’m on your side?” Zoe asked.

Elysia just laughed softly. “If that’s the best you got, it’s way too easy to fake. I need more than that.”

Zoe’s eyes narrowed. “So what do you want from me?”

Elysia’s voice turned serious. “If you’re willing to die, I’ll believe you.”

The room went dead quiet. Everyone stared, shocked by Elysia’s words. Phoebe was especially confused.

Wasn’t Elysia trying to get Zoe on her side? Now that Zoe wanted to stay, why was Elysia shutting her out?’ she wondered.

Elysia knew the only thing left between them was death. If Zoe wasn’t ready to give up everything, Elysia couldn’t trust her enough to let her stay at Arcanum House.

Elysia held Zoe’s gaze, her eyes deep and searching. After a long, heavy silence, Zoe looked back at her and said, “If I have to die to prove I’m serious, then I’m ready.”

Then, without hesitation, Zoe bent down, pulled a dagger from her pocket, and swung it toward her own throat. Everyone watched in shock, their eyes locked on the blade in Zoe’s hand.

Phoebe was totally baffled, but Alyce wasn’t worried. In fact, she almost hoped Zoe would go through with it. If Zoe was faking loyalty to plot against Elysia, it was the right choice to get rid of her now.

Alice’s mouth dropped open. She’d only seen this kind of drama on TV or in movies, never in real life.

Zane, though, was the calmest of them all. He knew Elysia wouldn’t let Zoe get hurt. This was just a test.

If Zoe went through with the stab, she could stay at Arcanum House. If she hesitated, she’d be done–no second chances.

The dagger was right there, pressing against Zoe’s throat. Her eyes flickered as she looked at Elysia, who just stood there, not lifting a finger to stop her.

Zoe took a deep breath, tightened her grip, and made a quick slash across her neck. It was over in a second–so fast that everyone was caught off guard.

Everyone braced for blood, but just as they winced and looked away, the dagger slipped from Zoe’s hand and hit the floor with a clatter.

The crowd froze, staring at Zoe’s shaking hand and the bloody dagger. Then it dawned on them–they all turned to Elysia. Elysia just stood there, calm as ever. “Not bad,” she said with a shrug. “You passed my test. Now I know you’re serious.”

1/3 Chapter 333 Everyone’s attention snapped back to Zoe. A small cut on the left side of her throat was fleeding, but against her bark meat, the blood was almost invisible.

“Alyce, get her some first aid,” Elysia said.

“Got it,” Alyce replied.

Just as Alyce began to step forward, Zoe’s voice stopped her. “Hold up, I need to say something Elysia raised an eyebrow, curiosity getting the better of her. “What’s up?”

“I’m not acknowledging you as my boss,” Zoe said flatly, surprising everyone. She’d risked her life to stay at Arcanum Home but now that she could, she wasn’t about to bow down to Elysia. Her true intentions were hard to grasp.

“Not acknowledging a master?” Elysia repeated, her interest clearly piqued. After all the drama Zero had stirred up, she still wasn’t ready to accept a new boss, which kind of amused Elysia.

“Alright, then, why won’t you accept me?” Elysia demanded.

“I already got a boss,” Zoe said. The room went dead silent for a second.

Phoebe’s face went from shocked to furious in a heartbeat. Zoe’s boss was Ryan, and she thought Zoe had been playing them all along. If she’s still loyal to Ryan, what’s the point of all this pretending? It makes no sense, Phoebe thought.

The more Phoebe thought about it, the madder she got. She glanced over at Elysia, expecting to see her fuming. But Elysia wasn’t angry. She was actually smiling.

‘Is Elysia so messed up that she couldn’t tell the difference between being mad and being happy? Phoebe wondered.

Elysia cut Phoebe off just as she was about to speak. “Already got a boss? After all he’s done to you, you still acknowledge him?”

“He’s the one who raised me,” Zoe said softly. “No matter how he treats me, I only acknowledge him as my boss, or... my father.”

Elysia nodded, getting it. For Zoe, Ryan was a father figure–someone she couldn’t replace.

She looked into Zoe’s clear eyes and saw the depth of her loyalty. She realized that, to Zoe, no matter how badly her father acted, he was still her father.

Elysia’s eyes softened, and she looked calmer. Zoe was kinder than she was. If her own father had treated her poorly, Elysia doubted she’d feel the same way.

She thought back to Scott. She’d had to consider the elders‘ feelings, so they had to pretend to be father and daughter. But once she learned there was no real connection, she felt a weight lift off her shoulders.

At that point, she could finally stop pretending and not worry about whether the elders would accept it.

No matter how much they talked about it, they weren’t family by blood, and that meant everything. Their wish for her to have a home just didn’t feel important anymore.

Then there was Edward. They had so many misunderstandings back then that she thought he didn’t care about her at all. She even considered cutting him out of her life. Comparing herself to Zoe, she realized how much kindness she was missing.

But Zoe was exactly the kind of person Elysia needed in her life. It didn’t matter if Zoe didn’t accept her as her boss.

Zoe was loyal, genuine, and full of compassion. Elysia wasn’t about to let someone like that slip away. Her smile widened at that thought. She looked at Zoe, saying, “I know exactly what you’re thinking.”

2/3