?Chapter 1431:


    The words sent a dark chill flickering across Cedric’s face, his expression sharpening with a dangerous edge.


    Oblivious to the storm brewing beside him, Damon went on, “She’s distant—never easy to approach. Even if you think you’re close, you never really make it past her walls. She avoids digging into anyone’s feelings. Her weakness is…”


    Damon suddenly looked up, blurting, “Dani’s afraid of blood, isn’t she?”


    That guessnded like a spark on dry tinder. Cedric’s murderous intent surged. His fingers closed around a fruit knife in his pocket, knuckles white, ready to strike. Before the tension could snap, a knock thudded at the door, shattering the moment.


    Damon nced away, missing the sh of steel in Cedric’s grip.


    “Carol’s got a game and she wants you there,” Dani said.


    “Okay,” Damon replied absently. As he brushed past Dani, he couldn’t help but probe. “Dani, seriously—are you scared of blood?”


    She caught the strain etched deep in Cedric’s brow, his hand clenched tight around the knife. “Cut the nonsense and get moving!” Dani shot back, her voice cool butced with warning.


    Damon strolled off to join Carol,pletely unaware of how close he’de to disaster. In the living room, Carol grinned. “You’ve got lucky today, you know that?”


    Damon let out augh, the sounds of gunfire from the game filling the air, blissfully ignorant.


    Dani shot Cedric a weary look as he seethed beside her. “Cedric, let it go.”


    Cedric’s gaze cut through her like frost. “The only people who keep secrets are the dead.”


    Dani let out a weary sigh. People called her cold, butpared to Cedric, she seemed almost warm. She hesitated, knowing full well that telling Cedric Damon was his brother would mean nothing to him.


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    Instead, she murmured softly, “Don’t kill someone at home.”


    Cedric’s voice came out low, unbothered. “Fine. I’ll take care of him outside, then.”


    Dani gently pried his hand from the fruit knife and set it on the table. “I like your hands better when they’re making dinner, not covered in blood.”


    Cedric’s mouth opened, ready to argue, but Dani cut him off. “That’s enough. Just warn him. Damon isn’t the type to run his mouth.”


    A dangerous glint flickered in Cedric’s eyes, visions of twisted retribution running wild through his mind.


    Dani couldn’t help butugh softly. “Still mad at me?”


    Cedric’s gaze snapped to hers, caught off guard. “Mad about what?”


    She tilted her head, voice softer. “Because I hid things from you.”


    Only then did Cedric remember his simmering resentment, and his expression clouded over. Dani closed the distance, pressing up on her toes to brush a kiss against his lips. “Consider this an apology.”


    Whatever tension Cedric still carried melted away, reced by a quiet, boyish delight. “That’s it?”


    She answered with another quick kiss, making him grin from ear to ear.


    With his mood thoroughly sweetened, Cedric strode off to handle Damon.


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