Larissa Judson and Haskell Palmer novel Chapter 163

When Sage came to its senses, it was met with the glowing green eyes of Shadow and Snowy.

Shadow: ᕮ◥▶‸◀◤ᕭ

Snowy: ╰_╯╬

Sage’s scales practically stood on end. It turned and fled.

Back on the phone, Haskell typed: [Don’t set the bar so low, Larissa. It makes me feel insecure. A handsome face can be replaced. A charming personality is much harder to find.]

Larissa smiled.

[Then let me tell you, your personality charmed me from the start. Why else do you think I agreed to marry you the day you came to Spire Village?]

Haskell’s eyes lit up as he read the message. He’d never imagined that she had felt something for him on that first day, too. Back then, he was nothing but a cripple. His love at first sight hadn’t been unrequited after all.

[That makes me very happy. And much more secure.]

[Good. Now get some rest. A happy man should sleep well tonight.]

[Alright. I hope I dream of you.]

Larissa chuckled. She was tempted to tell him she’d already dreamed of him—and it had been far from innocent.

…

Finley gritted his teeth, forcing himself to remain calm. “I know you hate our parents for not bringing you back sooner. And I know you hate me and Leopold for causing you trouble when you arrived.”

“Glad we’re on the same page. If you have any sense of shame, you’ll stop talking and get back to work. You tried to slash my face. You call that ‘causing trouble’? If I were any other girl, my life would have been ruined.”

She returned to her book, done with the conversation.

But Finley pressed on. “And for that, you crippled my leg. We’re even. Even if you can’t forgive us or accept us as your family, does that mean we have to fight until we destroy each other? What good will that do you?”

Larissa looked up again, a slow, cruel smile spreading across her face. “Who said anything about mutual destruction? You will be destroyed. I will survive.”

Finley flinched. “I may have thought you were delusional before, but I admit now that you have some skills. And it’s because you have those skills that I don’t want to see you consumed by hatred.”