The Alpha King's Mind Reading Maid (Cecilia) novel Chapter 148

Chapter 1,8

Cecilia’s POV

I didn’t move for a long while after she walked away, feeling betrayed and threatened, as if someone had just punched me in the

stomach.

The music had become distant, the conversations around me nothing more than an indistinct noise. Faces blurred together as people moved, their laughter too light, too careless.

“She’s lying,” Lora’s voice came out certain.

“How can you be sure?”

“Her scent,” she replied. “She doesn’t smell enough like him.”

I felt the tension in my chest easing slightly, but the thought of Sophia and Leopold alone made my stomach churn, and I felt physically ill.

Movement above drew my attention, leaving my heart in my throat.

It was coming from the balcony.

The shift was immediate, though subtle enough that no one acknowledged it aloud, which increased the tension and made me anxious about what was coming.

I followed it; I couldn’t help it. My eyes shifted upward, feeling a mix of curiosity and dread, wondering if it was this strong for everyone or just me.

Landon stepped onto the balcony, his commanding presence drawing everyone’s gaze. I admired how he took charge, unshaken by the room full of the strongest Alphas and nobles.

“The King has arrived,” Landon announced, and then on cue, all the men bowed their heads, placing their fists over their chests where their hearts beat steadily. All the women took hold of the corners of their gowns and curtsied, just as we were taught in

our lessons.

I was stuck in a trance for a bit longer and ended up being the last to curtsy. I only did so when Jasmine cleared her throat to get my attention.

We all kept our eyes averted, but I felt him the moment he stepped into the banquet hall. Every molecule on my body felt like it was rising, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe. The heat of his stare was almost too much for me to handle, and I knew he was looking at me before I lifted my head to look right back at him. I couldn’t help myself. I needed to see him, to gauge his reaction. To see if some of his buttons were undone or if his hair was out of place… or if his shirt was wrinkled.

But he looked just as put together as ever, and I finally released the breath I had been holding. Lora was right; Sophia was lying.

His eyes were pouring into me, dark and assessing. He kept looking around my face to my dress and then back to my face like he was searching for something he couldn’t find. It only made my heartbeat quicken.

“Too loud,” I could hear Warren saying, just as King Leopold passed me. “Noisy. Too strong perfume.”

He was getting restless, which could be dangerous for everybody here.

I forced myself to remain still, even as the weight of him fully settled over me. My fingers tightened slightly around the fabric of my gown, grounding myself in something tangible as my pulse continued to climb.

The room remained quiet around us, though I could feel the subtle shift of movement as everyone slowly rose from their bows and curtsies. Conversations didn’t resume right away.

No one dared to break the moment too quickly.

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