I won't fall for the queen who burned my world-Chapter 139: Smiling like a fool

The door clicked shut, leaving Malvoria standing alone in her mother's office, the silence stretching unnaturally in the absence of Elysia's presence.

For a moment, she didn't move.

She simply stood there, arms crossed, eyes fixed on nothing in particular as she let the weight of what had just happened settle over her.

She had asked Elysia on a date.

A date.

Malvoria exhaled sharply, dragging a hand down her face.

"What the fuck am I doing?"

The words slipped out before she could stop them, but it wasn't like she had anyone to hear her.

She had no answers.

No explanations.

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No logical reason for why her mouth had spoken before her brain could catch up, for why she had let those words leave her lips so easily, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

As if she hadn't spent the last week locked in her office, avoiding Elysia like she was the plague, trying to pretend that nothing had changed when everything had.

Malvoria sighed, moving toward one of the chairs in the office and sitting down with a heavy thud, rubbing her temple as if that would somehow bring her clarity.

A new start.

That's what she had told herself.

That's what she had proposed to Elysia.

But why?

Why now?

Why had she suddenly decided that they needed a fresh beginning, that they needed to start over, to see what they could be without all the hostility standing between them?

Malvoria scowled, leaning back against the chair, her arms resting on the armrests as she tapped her fingers against the polished wood.

It had been a whim.

A reckless, impulsive decision, driven by something she didn't want to examine too closely.

And yet...

Her chest felt lighter now.

Her heart was still beating too fast, thudding against her ribs like a caged beast trying to break free.

And she was smiling. She could feel it, the slight curve of her lips, the unfamiliar ease that had settled into her body, the way her usually sharp-edged mind felt strangely light.

Gods.

What the hell was this woman doing to her?

Malvoria let out another sigh, tilting her head back against the chair, her silver eyes staring up at the intricately carved ceiling of her mother's office.

This wasn't normal. She wasn't normal anymore. Because Malvoria didn't do things like this.

She didn't ask people on dates. She didn't think about fresh starts.

She didn't smile to herself like some love-struck fool after leaving a conversation with someone who should be her enemy.

And yet, here she was.

Here she was, feeling something warm curl in her chest, something stupid and dangerous and utterly infuriating.

Malvoria gritted her teeth, sitting up straight again, trying to shake it off.

This wasn't a big deal.

This was just a game.

A test.

A way to see if this new start could work.

Yes, that was it.

It wasn't about the way Elysia made her feel, about the way she lit up when she smiled, about the way Malvoria found herself watching her too much, about the way she had missed her this past week without even realizing it.

No, this was just a strategic move.

A rational, calculated decision.

Malvoria took a deep breath, schooling her features into something composed, something controlled.

She would not let this spiral out of control. She would not let this become more than what it was. She would go on this date, and that would be it.

Simple.

Clean.

No feelings involved.

Malvoria exhaled, nodding to herself.

Yes.

That was exactly how this would go.

And if her heart still pounded too fast, if her stomach twisted in ways that made no sense, if her lips still tingled from where she had last kissed Elysia...

Well.

She would just have to ignore it.

---

Malvoria was still sitting in the chair, arms crossed, staring at nothing in particular, trying—and failing—to not think about the absolute mess she had just thrown herself into.

She had to stop smiling.

She needed to stop smiling.

But every time she thought about the way Elysia had looked at her—half confused, half exasperated, as if she couldn't believe Malvoria had actually said Let's go on a date—it just... happened.

A stupid, involuntary twitch of her lips, like her body was betraying her.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered to herself, shaking her head.

And that was exactly when the door swung open.

Malvoria didn't even have to look up to know who it was.

There was only one person in the entire castle who could enter her office like that without getting executed.

"Now this is interesting," her mother's voice drawled, filled with pure delight.

Malvoria's jaw clenched.

She knew she should have locked the damn door.

"Leave," Malvoria said immediately, not even bothering to greet her.

Her mother completely ignored her.

"Oh dear," she sighed dramatically, stepping further into the room. "This is worse than I thought. And it's my office"

Malvoria finally looked at her, narrowing her silver eyes.

Her mother was smirking. Smirking.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Malvoria said, her tone flat.

Her mother gasped, clutching her chest as if she had just been stabbed.

"My own daughter," she said, shaking her head. "Lying to me. And so poorly."

Malvoria exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. "Mother—"

"I never thought I'd live to see the day my daughter became a fool in love."

Malvoria choked.

"Excuse me?" she hissed, sitting up straight.

Her mother beamed.

"Oh, don't act so shocked," she said, waving a hand. "You do realize I've been watching you, right? I mean, everyone has been watching you. It's been pathetic."

Malvoria clenched her fists.

"I will have you thrown into the dungeon," she warned.

Her mother just laughed.

"As if that would stop me," she said smugly.

Malvoria glared at her. "I am not in love."

Her mother snorted.

"Oh? So why are you smiling like a fool?"

Malvoria immediately wiped the expression off her face.

"I wasn't smiling."

Her mother raised a brow. "You were."

Malvoria huffed. "It was nothing."

"Oh yes, because asking a woman on a date is nothing," her mother said mockingly.

Malvoria gritted her teeth.

This was a disaster.

"I don't love her," Malvoria insisted.

Her mother grinned.

"Say it with a straight face," she challenged.

Malvoria opened her mouth.

Nothing came out.

Her mother cackled.

"Oh, this is delicious," she said, shaking her head. "You've always been so cold, so unshakable, but one human princess comes along and suddenly you're—"

"I swear," Malvoria interrupted, standing up, "if you finish that sentence, I will kill you."

Her mother didn't even flinch.

"Oh, you wouldn't dare," she said smugly. "I'm the only one in this castle who actually understands what's happening to you."

Malvoria scowled.

"There is nothing happening to me."

Her mother's smirk grew. "Then why are you blushing?"

Malvoria's eye twitched.

"I am not—"

"You are," her mother interrupted, gleeful. "It's adorable."

Malvoria groaned, dragging a hand down her face.

"Why," she muttered, "why must you be like this?"

"Because it's fun," her mother answered immediately.

Malvoria sighed.

This was hell.

Absolute, unrelenting hell.

Her mother hummed in amusement before leaning against Malvoria's desk, tilting her head.

"So," she said, voice filled with curiosity. "What exactly are you planning for this date?"

Malvoria froze.

Her stomach dropped.

Shit.

She hadn't thought about that part.