Hands Off The Ice King novel Chapter 108

Chapter 108

Levi’s POV

“C-can I really stay here?” Zayla stammered, tears filling her eyes as she looked at me.

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Her eyes looked like they’d been stung by a hundred bees, swollen and red enough to tell me she’d cried through the entire flight until she got here.

I decided to let her stay in one of my condos because I planned on staying at my house more often now. Besides, I was supe she’d appreciate having a place she could call her own.

“How many times do I have to tell you, Zayla?” I sighed. “Just act like this is your place from now on.”

Her eyes watered again.

Shit.

I quickly did some damage control.

“I bought you some ice cream.”

Fortunately, that worked.

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She grabbed a spoon without another word and hurried to the table. I let out a quiet breath before opening the tub and placing it right in front of her.

She didn’t waste a second.

She dug in, stuffing her mouth with enough ice cream to feed an entire village. The sight nearly made me smile. Only Zayla could go from sobbing uncontrollably to inhaling ice cream.

Once she’d swallowed the first enormous bite, I decided to ask again.

“Are you ready to tell me what happened now?”

She sniffed.

“I always thought I wanted to take over the family business, but when I arrived at the university, it was so different from my expectations. It made me question whether I even wanted this in the first place!”

She scooped another spoonful into her mouth before continuing,

“Naturally, I told Mom, right? She’s my mom, for fuck’s sake! The least she could’ve done was listen to me and give me some comfort. Honestly, if she’d given me even an ounce of support, I would’ve stayed and considered everything!”

Her grip around the spoon tightened,

“But you know how Mom is,” her voice turned softer, defeated. “She told me to suck it up and that I didn’t have a choice. You also know how I am. The moment someone tells me I don’t have a choice… I become even more stubborn.”

She laughed bitterly, though there wasn’t a trace of amusement in it.

“I realized then that if I kept doing everything they told me, I’d be stuck inside that bubble for the rest of my life.” She looked at me, determination slowly replacing the hurt in her eyes. “I don’t want that, Levi.”

I sighed and massaged the bridge of my nose.

17:13 Thu, Jul 16

Chapter 108

I understood her far more than she probably realized.

“Then what do you plan on doing now?”

She cleared her throat, looking noticeably calmer than before.

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“Of course, I didn’t come back here without another plan.” A small smile tugged at her lips. “I secretly took another entrance exam behind Mom’s back… and I passed.”

She looked oddly proud of herself.

“I’m going to study Music there. I’ve always liked Music.”

“Which school?” I asked.

“Oakridge.”

I stared at her for a second, processing what she’d just said before letting out a slow breath.

Out of every university she could’ve chosen, she picked my old school.

I honestly never imagined Zayla would end up walking the same path I did.

Objectively speaking, staying with the family would’ve been the easier route. Everything would’ve already been handed to her. But I couldn’t blame her for choosing the harder road.

After all, I chose that road, too.

“Besides,” she added, sounding lighter, “you’re here, right?”

Right. That was the difference.

Back then, I had no one. No one willing to stand beside me against the family.

Zayla wouldn’t have to experience that. Not while I was here.

I wouldn’t let her handle this alone.

“Do you not have any plans to go back to the family?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. “Because once you enter Oakridge, you already know it’s going to be tough.”

She shook her head without hesitation.

“I won’t be going back.”

Her answer came so quickly that it didn’t leave any room for doubt.

“You know me. Once I’ve made up my mind, I never change it. It might be difficult from this day forward, but my pride won’t let me take back a decision I’ve already made.”

Yeah. That sounded exactly like my sister.

“Anyway,” she suddenly said, brightening again, “answer my question!”

She pointed her spoon at me.

“You’re here for me, right? You’ll help me?”

I sighed.

11:14 Thu, Jul 16 D

Chapter 108

“Do I have a choice?”

The chair scraped loudly against the floor as Zayla shot to her feet.

Before I knew it, she’d thrown herself at me, wrapping both arms around my shoulders.

I instinctively patted her back, unable to stop the small smile that found its way onto my face.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

She squeezed me tighter.

“And that means you’ll also help me change my last name, right?”

My smile disappeared.

I frowned.

“What?”

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“Help me change it,” she whined, looking at me with those annoyingly pleading eyes she’d been using since we were kids. “I can’t go to Oakridge carrying the Moretti last name. It’ll just ask for trouble. Change it to your dad’s last name instead.”

I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples.

“You’re really giving me a lot of work, aren’t you?”

She only smiled sweetly.

It was almost hard to believe she’d been crying her eyes out just minutes ago.

“Come on.” She clasped her hands together. “Give these few days to your sister! After that, I’ll leave you with Hope!”

I slowly turned toward her, narrowing my eyes.

“How do you know about that?”

She sighed, looking disappointed in me.

“You’re still not scrolling through your social media feed?”

“I don’t have time for them.”

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