The Alpha King's Mind Reading Maid (Cecilia) novel Chapter 194

Cecilia’s POV

My heart stopped.

What?

Leopold’s eyes found mine immediately, narrowing dangerously as Sophia cried against the floor, clutching her ankle like she was moments away from death itself. Tears were clinging to her lashes, and her bottom lip trembled.

“She was jealous… she told me I wouldn’t make a good queen and that the King could never love me,” Sophia whimpered.” Then she shoved me, and I hurt my ankle.”

The hallway erupted into complete chaos.

Servants rushed forward while guards crowded around Sophia, their voices overlapping as they tried to help her. Someone pushed past me hard enough that I stumbled back against the wall, my own ankle searing in pain.

Leopold’s eyes never left mine, his lip curling in a snarl, and I felt a shiver creep up my spine.

“1…! didn’t push her,” I stammered.

My voice was drowned out, though, by the chaos happening around me.

Sophia let out another cry, louder this time, clutching tighter to Leopold the moment he knelt beside her.

“Your Majesty…” she whimpered, tears spilling down her flushed cheeks. “It hurts…”

“She grabbed me first,” I blurted, pointing at Sophia. “She’s pretending… this is an act.”

Even as I desperately said those words, I knew they sounded just that… desperate… just as pathetic.

“Why would I do this to myself?” Sophia asked, another sob escaping her lips. “I was only trying to apologize and come up with some common ground between two old friends… we were practically sisters in the pack. I gave you everything, even with your low Omega status, and you still treated me like this.”

My heart cracked open on the spot as I stared down at her. She was flipping our scripts entirely. None of this was true… I was the one who gave her everything. I gave her friendship; I gave her a home… I gave her a family. And she’s still out to get me because of what?

The crowd murmured immediately; their faces masked with horror and shock as they glared at me.

“Sophia apologized, and Cecilia still pushed her?”

“Cecilia is so heartless. How could she do that to poor Sophia?”

“Jealousy is an ugly look to have.”

My stomach twisted violently.

Leopold’s eyes finally turned away from mine and looked down at Sophia, his fingers slowly touching her swollen ankle. She winced in pain, clutching him even tighter

“It hurts,” she whimpered again. It was her entire body that was trembling.

“Get a healer,” Leopold snapped to his guards.

One of the guards hurried off immediately.

My heart was in my throat as I waited… I waited for him to say something… anything. I needed him to look at me and tell me that he didn’t believe any of this nonsense. That he knew Sophia was lying. But those words never came… what did come was much

1.2

+15 Bonus

worse

His gaze snapped to mine yet again, and all I could see was pure disappointment

It broke something inside of me, and I took a step away from him as if he had slapped me. I winced at the pain in my ankle, not caring that I twisted it.

‘You should return to your room, Cecilia,” he said goldly, his eyes narrowing.

“Leopold-”

“You will address me appropriately,” he snapped, his voice coming out as a snarl, and I couldn’t help but flinch.

My cheeks burned with humiliation as I lowered my gaze.

“Your Majesty,” I said softly, my throat tightening painfully.

He believed her… he truly believed her. Or worse… he was choosing her.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself not to cry in front of everyone staring at me like I was sorne jealous mistress who couldn’t accept defeat.

Sophia let out another sob as she buried her face in his chest; Leopold tightened his hold on her, keeping her pinned against him as if anchoring her to him. It hurt watching them together, even though I knew it shouldn’t. She was his mate after all… of course, he was choosing her over his concubine.

I had a mate too… somewhere; a mate I probably should focus on looking for at some point instead of trying to hide from him. He did mark me after all… even if the mark had vanished from my skin.

Sophia peeked up from Leopold’s chest just enough for our eyes to meet, and that was when I saw the victory in her gaze. It was a slow, satisfied look hidden beneath the fake tears.

Without another word, I turned and walked away, limping slightly.

The whispers followed me.

“She actually pushed the future Queen…”

“I knew something was wrong with her.”

“She’s obsessed with the King.”

I kept walking; my vision blurred with unshed tears, but I wouldn’t let anyone see them. My chest hurt so badly that it became difficult to breathe… but I didn’t stop walking for anything. Not until I reached the gardens, which had always been my happy place… but right now it felt anything but happy.