The Lady Is Mine-Chapter 188: What They Can’t See

Meanwhile, in another corner of the estate, Percy stood in front of Kali with his palm rubbing his forehead tiredly.

"Why did you say such to your brother?" The young man feared for his life. He didn’t have his own sister, but Percy was sure his life was in great danger. No matter how old, no brother would ever happily accept a man near his sister.

And Percy had seen how protective Rhane was of Kali.

"Do you realize what you have done? Rhane will kill me!"

Kali’s lips curled; she stared at Percy complain, his palms rubbing against each other in fear. She didn’t know why it made her blush seeing him like this. It used to annoy her. Percy used to be a nuisance.

What had changed? Kali shifted her weight to one side, her hands resting on her waist. What was now different about this young man she always wanted to hit.

"You won’t say anything? You must really not take life too seriously."

Kali twitched her lips with a soft inhale. "I do not know what you ask of me. I had clearly said it earlier that it’s confusing..." 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Percy rolled his eyes. He’d thought that things would go perfectly now that Rhane was back. "Then don’t—"

"But Jenna thinks I am in love with you," Kali interrupted casually. She was too immersed in what she wanted to say that she failed to notice the faint blush on Percy’s cheeks.

"So I want to know for certain if it’s truly love, but it feels absurd. Do you not agree with me?" Kali tapped her finger on her lips. "I’ve never heard one time when a kiss turns to love. So I am confused, since I’ve never been in love. I wish to know how you feel, Percy."

Percy was still yet to arrange the words in his head. Earlier inside the house when Kali said it, he had been caught off guard and still hearing it again, he wasn’t sure how to act.

"I can’t really be in love, you see?" Kali continued, ignoring his silence. "Loving one man and listening to the lies he says to me." Kali shook her head. She didn’t see herself blushing over a mere man.

"So it might be something you can explain better. Do you love me, Percy?"

Percy opened his mouth, the girl wasn’t relenting. She was throwing all shots at once and not giving him a break to understand one thing.

"I... look—"

Kali raised her hands dramatically. "Or we can go inside a room and you know... do it. I’m sure I’ll feel better after then."

"What?" Percy asked, horrified. "This again? Why would I- Kali, sleeping with someone and... what exactly do you feel?" He stammered.

Kali hummed, gave it a deep thought, then nodded. "I want to smile whenever you speak and um... I wish to use violence on you but then not really hurt you. And when you rub your palms together and act scared in front of me, it really makes me feel a little funny in my stomach." Touching her stomach, Kali tilted her head.

"Or am I dying? You know the saying—people start acting differently when they’re close to death." Kali touched her forehead, trying to feel if her body was changing.

Percy waved his hand for the woman to stop. "Let me think!" He closed his eyes and sighed.

"First... I don’t know. I don’t know anything about love. I have never thought about it..." All he ever thought of was serving his mistress. Not once had Percy given it a thought to fall in love.

"But from what I’ve heard... if you do love someone, you always want to see them smile. And... and never use violence on them. I don’t think you love me." Percy pressed his lips after speaking, in hope that his words were enough to get rid of whatever it was Kali was thinking about.

Kali rubbed her palm on her neck. "So if it’s not love, then what could it be?" She lowered her eyes. When she remembered something, her eyes lit up again.

"We can—"

"And no! I’m not going to touch a woman that is not my wife," Percy cut her off before she could complete those words, knowing what mischievous thing she was going to say again.

Kali groaned. "Then how are you going to know if you love your wife? I’ve never met a man so..." different, Kali completed in her mind.

Both of them stared at each other for a moment before Kali said,

"Now that we’ve understood it’s not love I feel for you, what about you?" Kali asked. "What do you think of me?"

Percy glanced to the side, then at Kali’s face. He had been avoiding the question since she asked him. He didn’t want to think about it.

"Of you? Isn’t it obvious how scared I am of you? Do you think love is fear?" Percy scoffed, his voice shaking betraying his inner thoughts.

"Love is not fear, Kali. If I was in love... maybe I’d be very much attracted to take you as a woman, but I am afraid of you. When I see you, my heart races faster and then... I freeze."

Kali’s expression changed. She nodded to herself. "Fear." Of course, no man wouldn’t be afraid of her.

"Then why do you care so much about what I do? Asking me to cover my body and not... act like a man?"

Percy gulped, moving his hands mindlessly in the air. He was searching for another excuse and he found one.

"Simple. Your brother is Lady Jenna’s man. I have to protect you since you’re precious to the one I serve. And... yes. You’re a lady and should be treated as one. That’s it... that’s it."

Percy wanted to also believe his own words—that it was all Kali would ever mean to him. Just a young woman he had to serve and protect. It wasn’t because there was something else. It wasn’t because his heart was racing so hard at the thought of kissing her lips again.

Or that he wanted to always be there to embrace her whenever she showed fear and cried. Percy wanted to believe that his feelings and actions would be the same if it was someone else that wasn’t Kali. Maybe if he kept saying it, then it would be true.

"Well... Jenna was wrong after all." Kali shrugged dismissively. "Don’t think about what I said earlier. And I won’t force you to kiss me again just to prove a point." She took a step closer and grabbed Percy’s shoulder.

"See? We can always go back to normal. Wussy Percy."

Both of them tried to laugh, but it sounded awkward to them.

"These two are hopeless," Rhane muttered, watching Percy and Kali from across the courtyard. Those two were at it again—talking in circles, tripping over their words, and pretending they didn’t know what the other meant.

Jenna, standing beside him, covered her laugh behind her hand. "You say that like you weren’t worse when we first met."

Rhane shot her a look, his lips twitching. "I wasn’t worse. I was... precise."

"You called me master and followed me everywhere."

"That’s called charm, love."

Jenna folded her arms across her chest and sighed. "I don’t know how everyone can see it and the two involved just can’t." She rolled her eyes but kept smiling.

Then she turned toward Percy, who was still trying to explain to Kali that confused admiration was not the same thing as love.

"Come on, Percy," she called out. "We’re heading home. We need to get things ready."

Percy jumped at the sound of her voice. He turned nervously. "Right! Home. Away from all this."

With the siblings left alone, Rhane glanced at Kali. She wasn’t her usual sharp-edged self today, no sarcastic remarks, no teasing grin. Just quiet, her gaze lowered.

"What’s wrong?" he asked calmly.

Kali blinked. "Nothing. I’m fine." She smirked. "It’s just... I’m happy."

Rhane tilted his head slightly, waiting.

"I mean, really happy," she went on, her voice small but sure. "To find out what I felt for Percy wasn’t love. I thought it was, for a while. But it wasn’t. I just... got it mixed up with gratitude. Maybe confusion too." She laughed softly, shaking her head. "I cleared my mind. Finally."

Rhane smiled, stepping closer. He reached out and ruffled her hair.

Kali growled immediately, shoving his hand away. "Don’t do that! I’m not a child!"

Rhane chuckled, ignoring her glare. "Has my sister always been this dumb?" He noticed it then the small things. How Kali had slowly changed. How her voice no longer carried constant defiance, but feeling. Real, fragile, human emotion.

"You don’t look happy, love," Rhane remarked. "I’ve seen you happy. It’s not this."

Kali frowned. "And what do I look like now, then?"

Rhane thought for a moment. "It’s the same look you had when you hunted your first stag. Or when you beat Gerald into the dirt."

Mirth danced in Kali’s eyes. "That was satisfying."

Rhane nodded. "And what you feel now..." He paused, meeting her eyes. "Is like when I left home for too long."

Kali’s grin faltered.

"Exactly," Rhane said softly. "You have it."

Rhane reached for Kali’s hair again. This time he didn’t ruffle it, he patted her gently.

"You don’t know it, Kali. Love... it erodes you from inside— a good kind. Before you even realize it, you’re willing to sacrifice everything or anything that stands in your way not to have it."