After the <b>meal</b>, Felicia was about to clear the table when Stephan stopped her.


    He gave a slight nod toward the doorway, and a few familiar looking maids entered. They swiftly began tidying the table and cleaning up


    They were the staff Stephan had brought over from the Russell estate.


    Felicia was more than happy to <b>rx</b><b>. </b>Her vi <b>spanned </b>three floors, plus <b>a </b>basement. Cleaning it all was exhausting. Having help made life so much easier.


    She settled onto the couch while holding a cup of hot water with both hands. Blowing it, she took a sip, then repeated the process warmed her face, the seat beside her sank suddenly, and Stephan’s voice sounded in her ear. “Does it still hurt?”


    cess. As the steam from the cup


    She spat out the water, nearly cholong on it. She started coughing violently as her face flushed bright red,


    Stephan patted her back gently, his well–controlled strength right on point.


    Once Felicia recovered, she immediately shot him a te.


    However, her violent coughing fit earlier had brought rears to her eyes. Her attempt at intimidation failed. Her gaze, shimmering with unshed tears, inadvertently camed a <b>fatal </b>allure.


    Stephan chuckded softly.


    His dark eyes, usually <b>cold </b>and piercing, softened at that moment, shedding their sharpness. The typically aloof and icy man now looked warm, almost tender, as he gazed at her.


    Felicia stared at him, momentanly lost in <b>thought</b>.


    The next second, ber view was entirely blocked by a pair of hands. Everything went dark, leaving her unable to see anything. But the <b>voice </b>that reached her ears was deep andced with humor. It sounded husky and restrained. “My <b>dear</b>, please don’t look at me like that anymore. I can’t handle it.”


    Felicia had no idea that <b>every </b>time she fell in a daze, her pure, innocent gaze <b>was </b>enough to drive him wild. And yet, she remained blissfully unaware she caused.


    “Oh…” She blinked a few times.


    Stephan immediately felt the flutter of her eyshes against his palm. It was like a soft tickle from a feather.


    Just then, several vehicles pulled up outside the vi.


    Standing respectfully in front of the cars were members of Stephan’s crew.


    Felicia nced at them and immediately understood that he <b>was </b>about to leave, probably to some distant location.


    The vehicles were all off–road models, packed full of supplies.


    Calmly, she retracted her gaze and said nothing novelbin


    However, her indifference made Stephan click his tongue in annoyance. He raised his <b>hand </b>again, this time pinching her <b>face </b>hard


    Felicia swatted his offending hand away and protested, “What the heck?”


    of the chaos


    “I’ll be leaving for a while. It might take some time.” Stephan leaned closer, his tone tinged with coaxing “You heartless girl, aren’t you going to ask when t


    going


    Would it be dangerous?


    Felicia’s eyes flickered <b>as </b>she turned to him and asked, “Where are you going, and what are you doing?”


    <b>Until </b>now, Felicia had never shown any curiosity about him. She had always maintained a detached, indifferent attitude that made it seem by the world around her or by him.


    as if she was unaffected


    Finally getting her to ask <b>that </b>question, even if it was just a simple one, was enough to prove that she was letting go of her indifference. She was beginning to ept him and wanted to know more about him.


    Theers of Stephan’s lips curved into <b>a </b>smile. He gently cupped her face as he replied, “Where I’m going has to do with that map”


    Momentarily forgetting to resist, she stared at him in surprise. “But isn’t that map a fake?”


    The mere mention of that map gave her a headache. A supposedly mythical object–an ancient, legendary map–was somehow tied to the Fuller family!