Chapter 108: Anguish or Anger?

LIANA

I couldn't help but chuckle at the unexpected turn in conversation. "Why would I still stay at your place?" I teased, arching an eyebrow.

Zaylen chuckled as his response laced with playful banter, "Well, Noelle is still staying with Trevor. So the mansion is kinda lonely."

I laughed, the tension of the day dissipating with each shared joke. "I can't be a replacement for your sister," I quipped, my tone light. “So no, thank you, I will be staying at my own place.”

"Geez, I don't want you as my sister, either," Zaylen cringed, his expression turning mockingly dramatic.

We shared a moment of lightheartedness, the heavy emotions of the day momentarily forgotten as we reveled in each other's company.

And as we drove away from the somber scene of James's funeral, I couldn't help but feel happy for the support of the man sitting beside me.

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As night descended, I found myself engulfed in a sea of discomfort, my body wracked with pain that seemed to emanate from every fiber of my b