The Mistress Is Reborn As The Fiancée
Chapter 47: Their Plan To Sow Discord Was Twarted

Chapter 47: Their Plan To Sow Discord Was Twarted

Areum awoke with a start, her eyes fluttering open to the soft morning light filtering through the bedroom window. A sense of unease washed over her as she realized the space on the floor beside her was empty, the sheets remained on the footboard bench cold and undisturbed. Flynn was not in the room.

She sat up, her brow furrowed, her mind replaying the events of the previous night. The kiss, the slap, the raw emotion that had crackled between them. She had been unable to sleep, her thoughts a tangled mess of confusion and regret. Had he not returned at all? Had he simply slept elsewhere in the mansion? Could he have gone to Ma-Ri?

A knot of anxiety tightened in her stomach. She did not understand her own reaction, the conflicting emotions that swirled within her. She was angry, hurt, confused, but also... something else. Something she did not quite want to define.

She rose from the bed, her movements stiff and hesitant, and made her way downstairs to the dining room. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sizzling bacon filled the air, a stark contrast to the emptiness she felt inside.

To her dismay, the entire family was gathered around the breakfast table, their faces a mixture of curiosity and thinly veiled amusement. Flynn, however, was conspicuously absent.

"Good morning, Noelle," Grandma Jia said, her voice warm and welcoming, though her eyes held a hint of concern.

"Good morning," Noelle replied, her voice strained. She took a seat at the table, her gaze scanning the room, searching for any sign of Flynn.

Alice, her eyes gleaming with a malicious glint, leaned forward, her voice dripping with false concern. "Is Flynn upset dear?" she asked, her tone laced with a hint of mockery. "About you telling the world you are not married, I mean?"

Areum’s jaw tightened. She met Alice’s gaze, her expression cool and composed. "Flynn understands the pressures of my career," she said, her voice firm and unwavering. "He has no issues with what I said."

Ma-ri, her eyes flashing with a hint of triumph, interjected, her voice laced with a snide remark. "If he is so happy, why isn’t he eating breakfast beside you like a happy husband would?"

Areum’s eyes narrowed as she stared at her cousin and wondered if her taunting tone was because she knew something that she didn’t. The challenge in her eyes seem to indicate a smug secret, had her suspicions been right? Had she spent the night with Flynn?

Before Areum could retort, the door to the dining room swung open, and Flynn entered, his presence immediately commanding the attention of the room. As he walked towards Noelle, his expression calm and composed she noticed his biceps in the tank top her had on and she shivered involuntarily.

He dropped a light kiss on her head, then looked up. "Good morning, everyone," he said, his voice warm and cheerful. He took the empty seat beside Noelle, his gaze meeting hers, his expression unreadable.

"Sorry babe, I hope you didn’t look for me this morning." He said, "I went to the gym for an early morning workout."

Areum’s eyes slid downwards as she remembered the feel of his hard chest under her hands.

The room fell silent, the tension palpable. Alice and Ma-ri exchanged a quick, frustrated glance, their plan to sow discord thwarted by Flynn’s unexpected arrival.

"Good morning, dear," Grandma Jia said, her voice laced with a hint of amusement. "We were just discussing your... understanding of Noelle’s career."

Flynn smiled, his expression relaxed. "Yes," he said, his voice calm and even. "Noelle and I have a very... understanding relationship, she is the star and I am her willing subject."

He turned to his wife, his eyes meeting hers, his expression softening. "Isn’t that right, darling?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of playful affection.

Areum hesitated, her gaze meeting his, her heart pounding in her chest. She did not understand his sudden display of affection, his attempt to portray their relationship as harmonious after the row they had had last night. But she also knew that he was trying to protect her, to deflect the prying eyes of her family. And for that, she was thankful.

"Yes," she said, her voice barely audible. "We understand each other perfectly."

The tension in the room eased slightly, replaced by a subtle undercurrent of curiosity and suspicion. The family watched them, their eyes searching for any sign of discord, any hint of the conflict that had erupted the previous night.

Flynn began to eat his breakfast, his movements relaxed, his demeanor casual. He engaged in light conversation with Grandma Jia, discussing the weather, the day’s schedule, the latest news. He acted as if nothing had happened, as if their relationship was perfectly normal, perfectly amicable.

Noelle, however, remained tense, her body rigid, her mind racing. She could not understand his behavior, his sudden shift in demeanor. She didn’t know if he was trying to reassure her family, to protect her, or to play some kind of twisted game.

She ate her breakfast in silence, her gaze fixed on her plate, her mind consumed by the questions that swirled within her. What was he thinking? What was he planning? And most importantly, what did he want from her?

When they left the table, Areum quickly followed Flynn up to the bedroom.

"What was that about?" She demanded.

"Would you rather we started to squabble in front of your family?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "I bet your uncle Vernon would be very pleased with such a delay."

Areum opened her mouth and shut it and pointed a finger at him. "Don’t think that I have forgiven you for that kiss you stole last night." She said in a strangled voice before stomping out of the room while Flynn watched her lazily.

She might refuse to admit it but he could tell that the kiss had really affected her, she had enjoyed it and wanted it despite all that she might tell herself.