From Rejected Luna To Lycan Queen (Eloise and Edward) novel Chapter 159

Chapter 159 Summer Strikes Again

Chapter 159 Summer Strikes Again

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ELOISE.

“It’s Mandragora!” The reaction was instant. Some people gasped. Others looked confused. But those who understood… went still.

The older man continued, his voice filled with disbelief.

“And not just any Mandragora,” he added. “This one is extremely old. Look at the structure, the density… this has been preserved for centuries.” He looked up at Grandfather, his eyes shining.

“This is priceless.” Summer’s smile froze. Her fingers tightened at her side. Grandfather stared at the root again, his expression completely different now.

I spoke calmly, “I heard you’ve been having trouble sleeping,” I said. “So I had someone search for this in the northern mountains.”

“It was carefully preserved and prepared by a trusted specialist.” I paused slightly. “If used properly, it can calm the nerves, improve sleep, and strengthen the body.” Grandfather didn’t speak immediately.

He just looked at the Mandragora in his hand. Then slowly… His expression softened. “You…” he started, then stopped. For a moment, his voice seemed heavier than before. “You actually paid attention.“”

I said nothing. He nodded slowly. “This is a good gift.” Then, more firmly- “A very good gift.” Around us, the atmosphere had completely changed. The same people who had laughed earlier were now silent.

Some looked embarrassed. Others looked impressed. Even Mother and Father seemed surprised. Summer, on the other hand… Had completely lost her composure. Her expensive statue no longer felt important.

Not after this. From across the room, I felt someone watching me.

I turned slightly. Edward. He had been there for a while. Watching everything. His gaze was fixed on me now, more intense than before, as if he was seeing me for the first time and really seeing me. I looked away. But I already knew what that look meant.

He would come to me later. Because whatever he thought he knew about me before…

It was no longer enough.

I didn’t need to look twice to know Summer was watching me.

You can feel hatred when it’s strong enough. It sits on your skin, heavy and sharp, like someone breathing too close behind you. When I finally glanced her way, I caught it–her eyes fixed on me, burning with something ugly and restless.

Then I followed her line of sight.

Vincent.

Of course.

He wasn’t even hiding it. His attention had been on me longer than necessary, longer than polite. It wasn’t longing exactly… but it wasn’t indifference either. It was the kind of look that came when someone started questioning something they once took for granted.

That alone was enough to set Summer on fire.

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3:15 pm

PPP.

Chapter 159 Summer Strikes Again

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I looked away first, uninterested. Whatever confusion Vincent was going through had nothing to do with me anymore. But Summer didn’t see it that way. To her, everything was a competition–and she had just lost one round in front of everyone.

That kind of person doesn’t walk away quietly.

She disappears… and plans.

I noticed when she slipped away from the crowd. It was subtle, almost careful, but I had spent too long watching her to miss it. She moved toward a quieter corner, her phone already in her hand, her fingers moving quickly across the screen.

A message.

A setup.

I didn’t know the details yet, but I knew her well enough to understand one thing.

She wasn’t done with me tonight.

0%‰00%

The party continued as if nothing had happened.

Laughter filled the hall. Glasses clinked. Conversations flowed easily among guests who had already forgotten the earlier tension. To them, this was just another high–class gathering.

To me, it felt suffocating.

I stayed longer than I wanted out of respect for my grandfather, but my patience was wearing thin. Mother was busy entertaining guests, Father was deep in conversation with business partners, and Summer had disappeared somewhere I didn’t care to follow.

There was nothing left for me here.

So I quietly stepped away.

The garden outside was quieter, cooler. The night air felt better agains my skin, and for a moment, I allowed myself to breathe. I planned to stay out there until the banquet ended, then leave without drawing attention.

Simple.

Or at least, it should have been.

As I walked along the path, a young maid suddenly rushed past me, carrying a tray of drinks. Her steps were too fast, too careless. Before I could fully react, her arm tilted, and one of the glasses tipped.

Dark liquid splashed forward.

I moved quickly, stepping back just in time to avoid most of it, but not all.

Red wine stained the lower part of my dress.

The white fabric absorbed it immediately, the color spreading like ink.

The maid froz

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3:15 pm

ppp.

Chapter 159 Summer Strikes Again

“I’m so sorry, miss!” she cried, bowing repeatedly. “I didn’t see you–I didn’t mean to–please forgive me!”

I looked down at the stain, then back at her.

Her panic looked real.

Too real.

And that was exactly why I didn’t believe it.

Still, I wasn’t in the mood to argue over something so small.

“It’s fine,” I said calmly.

But the stain wasn’t.

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It was obvious. Messy. Impossibl to ignore. Walking back into the hall like that would only invite whispers–and I had no interest in becoming entertainment for the night.

“Let me take you to a guest room,” the maid added quickly. “We have spare dresses. You can change.”

I studied her for a second.

Then I nodded.

“Alright.”

%%%

The room she led me to was at the back of the garden, away from the main building.

Quiet. Isolated. That alone tol me everything I needed to know. “Please wait here,” she said nervously. “I’ll bring something for you to change into.” I gave a small nod.

“Thank you.”

She left quickly, closing the door behind her. The moment the sound of her footsteps faded, I stopped moving. Somethi felt… wrong. It wasn’t obvious at first. Just a faint shift in the air. A scent that didn’t belong. Soft, almost sweet–but underneath it, something heavier.

Artificial. I inhaled again, slower this time. Then my expression changed. So that’s what this is. Not poison. Not exactly. Something meant to cloud judgment. To make a person disoriented. Vulnerable. My lips curved slightly.

“Summer,” I muttered under my breath.

Of course, it was her. Always dramatic. Always excessive. I walked slowly around the room, my eyes scanning everything. The window was closed–the curtains slightly drawn. And near the far corner, I spotted it—a small device releasing a thin stream of almost invisible vapor.

Subtle. But effective, if you didn’t know what to look for. I stepped closer and turned it off without hesitation. The room grew still again. Then-

Footsteps. Heavy ones. Not as careful as the maids. Not quiet like someone trying to hide. No. These were confident. Stopp. The kind of steps that belonged to someone who thought they were about to get what they wanted. I moved instantly, stepping behind 3/4

3:15 pm

ppp.

Chapter 159 Summer Strikes Again.

the door just as it was pushed open.

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A man stumbled inside. I recognized him immediately. Not personally–but by reputation. Arrogant. Reckless. The type who thought money made everything acceptable. His eyes scanned the room lazily. “Where are you?” he called out, his voice slightly slurred.

Disgustht. I didn’t wait. The moment he stepped further inside, I moved. Quick, Precise. Before he could react, I struck–one sharp motion to the side of his neck. He collapsed almost instantly. Unconscious. I stepped back, watching him hit the floor.

For a second, the room was completely silent. Then I let out a quiet breath.

“Too predictable,” I said softly,

Summer really thought this would work? I looked down at the man, then toward the door. If she wanted a scene… Then maybe! should give her one. But not the one she planned. I walked over calmly, pulled a blanket from the side, and dragged it over him just enough to make it look intentional.

Controlled. Then I stepped back and waited. Because I knew one thing for certain, summer wouldn’t stay away for long.

Not when she was expecting to witness my downfall.

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