Chapter 357 Scandals and Forests
Leslie’s POV
The vibration of my phone was like a thunderp, yanking me out of sleep.
Groggy, I fumbled for it and saw Astrid’s name glowing on the screen.
I frowned and answered, but before I could speak, her loud voice exploded through the receiver. “Kirby’s staying at your ce, isn’t he?”
<b>30 </b>
Finished
My mind went nk. Still half–asleep, my pine–scented pheromones stirred with irritation. “Yeah…”
“Oh my god! You two actually made up? Did you sleep togetherst night? <b>Is </b>this serious or just fooling around?” Astrid sounded as if she’d just discovered a new continent.
Rubbing my temple, I finally caught the important part. “How do you know?”
She burst intoughter. “Kirby posted on his feed. The whole circle’s going wild! Everyone knows you spent the night together!”
My stomach dropped.
His feed?
What trick was Kirby pulling this time?
Asphodel scoffed in my mind. <i>Leslie</i>, <i>that </i><i>mutt </i><i>is </i><i>up </i>to <i>no </i><i>good </i><i>again</i><i>! </i><i>Check </i>what <i>he </i><i>posted</i><i>! </i>
I ignored her, took a deep breath, ended the call, and opened Kirby’s ount.
nk. Not a single post.
He blocked me?
Rage red, nearly making me hurl the phone across the room. The faint trace of mint pheromones still hung in the apartment, reminding me ofst night’s ridiculous sh.
I called Astrid back, voice cold. “Send me a screenshot.”
Herugh was even louder. “No way! He actually blocked you? Hahaha, that’s priceless! Kirby’s such a clown!”
I clenched my teeth, in no mood for her teasing.
<b>19:00 </b><b>Mon</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>22 </b>
Chapter 357 Scandals and Forests
A few secondster, the screenshot came through.
One nce nearly made me faint.
<b>30 </b>
Finished
The photo showed my living room, my pictures hanging on the wall. The caption: <i>A </i><i>beautiful </i><i>night</i>.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, his reply to Leiss read: <i>She’s </i><i>in </i><i>the </i><i>shower</i>.
Kirby, you bastard.
This was a deliberate setup to make people think—
My grip tightened until my fingers shook, pine pheromones exploding in the air, fury crushing my chest.
Asphodel cackled. <i>Leslie</i><i>, </i><i>he </i><i>did </i><i>it </i><i>on </i><i>purpose</i><i>! </i>His <i>way </i><i>of </i><i>marking </i><i>territory</i><i>! </i><i>Cheap </i>trick!
I didn’t answer. Storming out of my room, I was ready to confront him.
But the living room was empty. Only a messy nket on the sofa proved he had slept there.
Gone.
He ran off fast enough.
At least his circle of friends was small–only a few from Crimson Moon Pack could see his posts<b>. </b>The rumor hadn’t spread too far.
Still, just thinking about that post made my blood boil.
Kirby, you’d better pray I don’t catch you.
I took the next two days off, retreating into the quiet of my apartment. The peace settled me, but it also left an odd emptiness.
On the third morning, I went home.
The moment I stepped through the door, Lars acted like he hadn’t seen me in a month. He fussed endlessly, ordering the kitchen to prepare all my favorites–fish and vegetables.
My pine–scented pheromones filled the dining room, carrying the warmth of home.
Asphodel muttered in my head. Leslie, with the <i>way </i><i>your </i>dad <i>dotes </i><i>on </i><i>you</i><i>, </i><i>Carl </i><i>must </i><i>be </i><i>seething </i>with <b><i>jealousy</i></b>.
<b>19:00 </b>Mon<b>, </b>Sep 22
Chapter 357 Scandals and Forests
I smirked, ignoring her.
:
Carl sat nearby, sulking. “Dad, Leslie’s not an only child, you know.”
Grinding his teeth, he looked like a child starved of attention.
Lars absentmindedly dropped a chunk of mango from the soup into Carl’s bowl. “Eat.”
Carl swallowed hard, face turning green. “I’m allergic to mango…”
Lars blinked in surprise. “Since when are you allergic to mango?”
Carl’s expression was priceless–like he’d just eaten a fly.
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Finished
I fought back augh and quickly changed the subject. “Carl, aren’t you leaving for filming? Today?”
He grunted,zy. “Mostly to guide the neers. This batch is hopeless.”
My brows arched, curiosity piqued. “I heard your new girlfriend’s a rookie too?”
The media had recently caught him with a young actress, rumors flying.
Carl stiffened, eyes darting toward Lars before he cleared his throat. “We broke up.”
I nearlyughed out loud. Just another publicity stunt. Carl’s so–called girlfriends were always for show.
Lars sneered, mming the table. “Bosses are constant, but girlfriendse and go. Do you call that respectable?”
Carl choked on his soup, coughing until his face turned red.
He muttered under his breath. “Dad, don’t you always tell Leslie not to give up the whole forest for one tree?”
Lars’s eyes bulged with rage, hand twitching like he wanted to smack him. “That’s not the same! Can youpare yourself to your sister? Be grateful anyone wants you at all, and you dare talk about forests? Pathetic!”
I ducked my head, struggling not tough.
Carl sat slumped, picking at his food, beaten down like a whipped pup.
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